Hugh Hefner's Widow Crystal I'm Done with Hefner Name ... Going Back to MY Roots!!!
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Hugh Hefner's famous last name isn't doing much good these days for his widow Crystal ... and now that she's written a book about their marriage, she's done with the Hefner name.
Crystal says she doesn't want to be a Hefner anymore... and feels she needs to change her name back to what it was before she met the Playboy founder ... Crystal Harris.
Hugh's 3rd and final wife was on Rachel Uchitel's podcast Miss Understood when Rachel asked Crystal if the Hefner name helped her or hurt her.
Crystal, who was married to Hugh when he died in 2017, says Hef's secretary quickly changed her last name to his after their 2012 marriage ... telling Rachel it was all done at Hugh's behest. Crystal says she really had no involvement in the process.
It wasn't until Crystal started writing her new memoir, "Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself," that she says she started thinking about how she felt about being a Hefner.
Now that she's shared her story -- taking shots at Hef, the Playboy Mansion and his company in the process -- Crystal says she's ready to legally change her name back to Harris, permanently closing the book on the Hefner chapter of her life.
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Nia Long Getting $32k/Mo. In Child Support ... From Ex Ime Udoka
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Nia Long just got what she wanted in her custody battle with Ime Udoka -- a judge made it so she'll get monthly support ... plus, a majority of the parenting time for their child.
The actress and NBA coach -- who split up in 2022 amid claims of infidelity -- came to terms in court Monday ... with a judge signing off on a custody agreement that hashes out who's paying who, and who their son will live with/spend most of his time with.
Per the docs, obtained by TMZ, it's actually Nia who'll be receiving monthly child support -- and even though the court said she might be entitled to upwards of $56k ... the 2 parents ended up landing on about half of that, with Ime agreeing to pay her $32,500/month.
The couple went through their financials -- as did the court -- and found Ime makes way more money coaching the Houston Rockets right now than Nia does ... noting he's got more than $400k in net monthly disposable income, whereas she's only got about $20k.
Now, in terms of custody ... they'll continue to share joint legal custody -- but Nia will get sole physical custody with reasonable visitation for Ime as time and scheduling permits.
They note in their docs that Ime is constantly traveling with the team, and this arrangement works better for everyone. Everything else pertaining to their kid, Kez, is pretty even-Steven.
Remember, Nia had filed for pretty much exactly this situation back in August -- and earlier this month, she and Ime had come to these exact terms in a settlement. Now, she's got it all in writing with a stamp of approval ... with the court entering the judgment, making it official.
On its face, it seems both parties are happy ... which is all you can ask for.
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'HOME ALONE' STAR DEVIN RATRAY HOSPITALIZED ... DV Trial Delayed!!
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"Home Alone" star Devin Ratray's domestic violence trial has been delayed ... after his lawyers informed the judge he was hospitalized "in critical condition."
A family member tells TMZ ... Devin -- best known for his role as Buzz McCallister -- has now been released from the NYC hospital and is back home resting on doctor's orders.
No word as to what landed the 47-year-old in the hospital in the first place, or even when -- but court records do note he was out of state when his medical emergency went down.
The actor's medical nightmare triggered a hold-up in his DV case as jury selection was set to begin Monday in an Oklahoma courtroom ... but now, the whole thing's been reset for pretrial next month, all 'cause of the hospitalization.
A rundown of his legal woes ... Devin was arrested following accusations he beat up his ex-GF during a drunk altercation in December 2021 ... with the ex-GF telling cops he pushed her, punched her in the face, and pressed his hands against her throat and mouth.
TMZ obtained the probable cause affidavit at the time ... in which Lisa told authorities Devin said, "This is how you die."
He was booked for felony domestic assault and battery by strangulation, as well as misdemeanor domestic assault and battery. He was later released on $25K bond.
Devin had his first court appearance in February 2022, entering a not-guilty plea ... but things have moved slowly since then.
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'Cheer' Star Monica Aldama Son Austin Charged with Child Porn ... 10 Counts in Indictment
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'Cheer' star Monica Aldama's son, Austin Aldama, has been arrested and charged with possession of child porn in Texas -- and the allegations authorities lay out are disturbing.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Austin was arrested and booked last Thursday in Navarro County on an open warrant for his arrest ... which references a grand jury indictment against him with 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
Specifically, Austin (who's 27) was booked into the county jail, posed for this mug, and was released on bond with certain conditions ... including having to submit to random drug testing and other stipulations, like submitting to voluntary searches of his phone and computer. He's also prohibited from viewing pornographic images by any means.
We should note that in docs -- prosecutors cite evidence they say they have including several videos with file names describing children engaged in sex acts that are under the age of 10.
Austin doesn't appear to have been arraigned yet, so he hasn't entered a plea thus far.
It's obviously shocking news -- made even stunning by the fact that the 'Cheer' community there in Navarro -- prominently featured in the Netflix show -- has already been rocked by a child porn scandal ... namely, from one of the stars in the Netflix series, Jerry Harris.
You'll recall ... Jerry was also hit with child porn charges, and he ended up getting convicted in his case -- now, he was hit with a 12-year sentence back in 2022.
At the time, Monica said she was "shattered" by the allegations against Jerry -- noting in a statement, "Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I'm praying hard for the victims and everyone affected."
We've reached out to Monica for comment ... so far, no word back.
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Bristol Palin Defends Arming Herself Against Stalkers ... The Law Doesn't Help!!!
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Sarah Palin's eldest daughter, Bristol Palin, has been hounded by stalkers for years -- and after little help from the criminal justice system ... she's taken matters into her own hands.
We talked to Bristol for a new documentary airing Monday at 9 PM ET/8 Central on FOX -- delving into the horrors of famous people who've had to battle obsessed fans ... to the point their lives have been put at risk, including BP here -- whose history with this is well-documented.
The incidents for Bristol date back to the mid-2010s ... and they were all harrowing.
In the years since, Bristol hasn't shied away from the fact that she exercises her 2nd Amendment right to bear arms -- something she touches on here in our sit-down with her.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Check it out ... she describes the anxiety she lives with in the aftermath of everything she's gone through -- and explains why she feels protecting herself, her home and her family is absolutely essential in her daily life going forward.
Part of the reason she feels she needs to go to these extremes is because the law itself is simply too lenient when it comes to stalking -- and doesn't do enough to deter them.
We get far more into the topic in the doc itself -- titled 'TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis' -- and cover more stars who've dealt with this.
The show airs Monday evening on FOX at 9/8c. BTW ... this show launches our "TMZ Investigates" series on Fox Monday nights at 9 PM ET/8 Central.
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NYC Man Arrested on Unrelated Warrant ... Tried to Open T-Swift's Door
Taylor Swift's NYC townhouse got an unwanted visitor Saturday ... and police arrested him on an unrelated warrant, TMZ has learned.
Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops received a 911 call in the afternoon for a "disorderly person" and responded to Taylor's fancy Manhattan neighborhood, where the pop superstar owns some pricey real estate.
When they arrived, the officers encountered the unruly man and soon learned he tried but failed to access Taylor's building, our sources say.
Whether he knew it was Taylor's crib or not is anybody's guess, but we've obtained photos of the guy standing right outside the front door of her building. Creepy!!!
Other images show NYPD cops cuffing the dude and shoving him into the back of a police cruiser.
We're told police ran a background check on the unnamed suspect and arrested him on a 2017 warrant for failing to answer a court summons in Brooklyn. It was unclear what the warrant was for. NYPD officials have not indicated whether they will recommend charges for this latest incident.
We've reached out to Taylor's team ... so far no word back.
TS' got more than enough reason to be nervous about people showing up at her place ... she's got a long, documented history with stalkers -- one was arrested less than two years ago for trying to get into her Manhattan home.
We break down Taylor's stalkers and more in our upcoming documentary "TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood's Stalker Crisis" -- coming out Monday at 9/8c on FOX.
Logan Paul System Failed My Late Stalker ... After Apparent Suicide
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Logan Paul was once in the crosshairs of a man who seemed obsessed with him -- and who even broke into his home -- but he didn't realize the man took his own life ... until now.
We sat with the YouTuber-turned-boxer for a conversation about this dark chapter in his life -- namely, back in 2018 when a guy named Tahj Deondre Speight allegedly trespassed by making his way into Logan's house without authorization, which led to a confrontation.
LP ended up detaining Speight -- and he was ultimately arrested, charged, prosecuted and eventually jailed ... but at some point, he died -- and it appears it was via suicide.
Harvey actually broke this news to Logan in our interview ... and it's clear he was not aware of this development -- with the update hitting him hard on the spot. We ask the question ... did the system fail Speight by not getting him the help or resources he needed?
Logan gives an honest answer, and somewhat surprisingly ... he says he has empathy for the man he once wrestled to the ground. It's an emotional response, and a heartfelt one too.
His full chat is part of a new show called 'TMZ Investigates: Obsessed and Dangerous: Hollywood’s Stalker Crisis' -- the start of a weekly series that hits FOX Monday at 9/8c.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Pennsylvania Murder Mans Kills Neighbor Over Snoring ... Charged With Murder
A Pennsylvania man is dead because his loud snoring kept waking up his fed-up neighbor, who stabbed him to death to get him to stop.
The bizarre, real-life tale began last Sunday evening in Upper Moreland Township, where police responded to the home of Christopher Casey after receiving a 911 call from him to report a stabbing.
When they arrived, the cops discovered Casey's neighbor, Robert Wallace, about 50 feet from the house with two knife wounds in his body. Casey also had been stabbed in the right thigh. Police found blood inside and outside the residence.
Both men were rushed to a local hospital, where Wallace died, and Casey was treated for his non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators were able to piece together that Wallace went over to Casey's home that night and stepped onto his porch to detach a screen from one of the windows.
Casey, who was eating dinner, was somehow alerted and confronted Wallace, getting into a heated argument.
During the verbal altercation, Casey produced a military-style knife, plunging the blade into Wallace twice. It was not clear how Casey suffered his wound. Police recovered the knife at the crime scene.
Perhaps the most stunning element of the story came when detectives learned the motive behind the attack ... the neighbors had been involved in an ongoing beef over Casey's loud snoring, which could be heard through a wall shared by their connected homes.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said Casey was arrested Thursday and charged with Third-Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter and Possessing an Instrument of Crime. Casey is currently in custody, while being held on $1 million cash bail.
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David Tutera 'My Fair Wedding,' Now My Divorce Hubby Files to End It
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David Tutera is famous for having planned celebrities' weddings over the years -- but now, he's gonna have to plan his divorce ... 'cause his husband's throwing in the towel.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Joey Toth just signaled in court that he wants a dissolution of his marriage -- citing irreconcilable differences ... and also listing the date of their separation as the same day he filed for divorce -- and that would be today.
There are a few things Joey wants right off the bat in his petition -- for starters, he wants David to be ordered to pay spousal support to him ... and for a judge to make it so David himself can't receive any alimony from Joey.
As far as their kids -- the couple shares two young children, aged 4 and 10 -- Joey has some thoughts on that too ... but on that front, he's more open to sharing. Joey is asking for joint legal and physical custody.
One last thing ... he's asking for is David being ordered to pay his attorney fees. The other interesting thing worth noting is the fact Joey actually filed for divorce from David in 2020 -- this after they got hitched in 2017 -- but he withdrew that at the time, per court records.
Sounds like things have gotten rocky again, 'cause he's pulling the plug officially.
Tough break for a guy whose whole life has been organizing people's happiest days. Better luck next time, we suppose ...
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ALLEGED GILGO BEACH SERIAL KILLER Lawyer Defends His Sick Search History ... Porn, Torture, Rape
Suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann allegedly has a twisted internet search history ... but his lawyer says everyone Googles weird crap, and it doesn't make him a murderer.
Heuermann -- the alleged Gilgo Beach killer -- had his alleged internet search history revealed in new court documents, with prosecutors saying he was looking up autopsy photos, violent hardcore porn and deviant sex acts.
But his lawyer, Michael Brown, is pushing back ... telling reporters this week, "Searching the internet, ask yourselves what you search on your computers and your phones."
Brown brushed it off this way ... "One thing leads to another -- you see a show about something, you start searching, and they talk about how somebody got killed. You start searching, and then they talk about another way, and you start searching."
Prosecutors claim Heuermann's Google searches included ... "tied up fat girl porn," "medieval torture of women," "skinny black girl slave porn," "autopsy photos of female," "wooden pony porn," "skinny white teen crying porn" and "how I was raped audio" ... just to name a few.
What's more, Heuermann allegedly had over 200 searches about the Gilgo Beach murder case and other known serial killers.
But his lawyer says ... "Think about if they looked at your own personal search history, how all of a sudden you're guilty because of your search history?”
As we reported ... earlier this week Heuermann was hit with a fourth murder charge.
All four women worked as escorts near his home on Long Island ... and his internet history allegedly includes searches for all kinds of escorts -- running the gamut of identities ... racial, sexual and otherwise.
Heuermann's defense lawyers are also casting doubt on the DNA testing used in the case against him ... arguing the tech is faulty and that it doesn't provide a smoking gun, but simply eliminates other possibilities.
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Scott Peterson Ex-Atty Geragos Grateful for Innocence Project ... Calls Trial 'Abomination'
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The fact Scott Peterson's case has been taken up by the L.A. Innocence Project could result in the convicted murderer getting a new trial ... and his former attorney couldn't be happier.
Mark Geragos, Peterson's lawyer during his 2004 trial, joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and we asked him about the startling development -- Innocence Project lawyers citing "new evidence" in court filings obtained by ABC News.
Mark says he feels "gratified" to have another set of eyes looking over Scott's case ... and also cites Peterson's reduced sentence as just one of many reasons the case needs more review.
Peterson's death sentence -- for murdering his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child -- was knocked down to life without parole after the California Supreme Court said some jurors were improperly dismissed during jury selection.
Geragos says a hearing was ordered at the same time as the resentencing, and he thinks that's what drew the Innocence Project's attention ... plus, Mark says the case against Scott is an "abomination."
Geragos says he can debunk all of the evidence from Peterson's trial, but thinks the jury was laser focused on Peterson's admission he was cheating on his wife.
The Innocence Project is a nonprofit that works to exonerate people who've fallen victim to wrongful conviction -- something Peterson has maintained is the case since the beginning.
Scott Peterson's Family Wants Him Moved from San Quentin Amid COVID Outbreak
The org confirmed it's repping Peterson, and added it's "investigating his claim of actual innocence" -- though they haven't elaborated beyond that.
In the court filing, the L.A. Innocence Project claims Peterson's state and federal constitutional rights were violated and his claim of actual innocence "is supported by newly discovered evidence."
As you may know ... Laci was 8 months pregnant with Peterson's child when she disappeared on Christmas Eve 2002. Her body was found in the San Francisco Bay months later.
Peterson became a prime suspect when it was revealed he was having an affair with his massage therapist, and cops arrested him in April 2003. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree murder.
ABC says the Innocence Project's asking for a ton of items related to the case it couldn't find ... including Laci's watch, evidence from a 2002 burglary across the street from the Petersons' home, and interviews with several witnesses.
The Stanislaus County D.A.'s Office, which prosecuted Peterson, says, "Mr. Peterson, like all individuals convicted of crimes, is afforded the legal right to appeal his conviction with representation of his choosing."
It also points out his conviction was affirmed by a Superior Court judge in 2022 "after arguments were presented by Mr. Peterson’s defense team and attorneys from the California Attorney General’s Office."
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Michael Jackson Estate Beefing With Vegas Tribute Show
update
2:27 PM PT -- Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... The Micheal Jackson estate hasn't tried to shutdown "MJ Live" during its run in Nevada due to state laws protecting impersonator shows. However, Michael's estate is now taking action because they view the show as low class and don't want it running in states like California, New York and others. Plus, the estate is already behind "MJ: The Musical" which is currently on Broadway.
A Michael Jackson tribute show in Las Vegas says the late singer's estate is trying to shut down their show ... and now they're duking it out in court.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the folks behind the "MJ Live" show at the Tropicana claim the Michael Jackson estate recently began sending cease and desist letters threatening them with legal action over the show, claiming it's using the estate's trademarks without permission.
Thing is ... "MJ Live" claims they've been doing their thing for well over a decade -- performing for over 2.5 million people -- and the estate has only recently started making legal threats. In other words, they're suggesting this came out of nowhere ... unjustly.
In the docs, "MJ Live" says the act is going on the road and Michael's estate is trying to shut down shows scheduled at venues in California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, the tribute show points out the estate is starting up a tour of its new Broadway show, "MJ: The Musical" ... suggesting the timing of the legal beef may be related to the estate trying to cash in with their own MJ show.
They even go so far as to claim that the MJ estate is actually the one infringing on their own intellectual property with "MJ: the Musical" ... basically arguing, they were their first doing their own thing -- and that their brand as "MJ Live" has established its own reputation/brand.
Anyway, the "MJ Live" producers want a judge to declare that the art they use to promote their show doesn't infringe on the estate's trademarks because their artwork is distinct and causes no confusion to the public.
A rep for MJ's estate tells TMZ, "This lawsuit -- including the claim that this impersonator show somehow owns a ‘trademark’ in ‘MJ,’ a trademark owned by Michael Jackson’s Estate and long associated with Michael and his Estate -- is beyond frivolous. The Estate, as always, will vigorously defend all intellectual property rights of Michael Jackson."
Originally Published -- 1:27 PM PT
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Alec Baldwin Hit with New Criminal Charge ... In 'Rust' Case
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Alec Baldwin is being dragged back into criminal court in the "Rust" case -- and he's facing the same charge as before ... involuntary manslaughter.
The actor just got hit with a new grand jury indictment out of Santa Fe -- and it says he's being rung up on one count of involuntary manslaughter involving negligent use of a firearm. However, there's an alternative charge he could face ... involuntary manslaughter without due caution or circumspection.
The reason there are 2 charges listed is because the grand jury basically agreed there is enough evidence for him to be prosecuted on either ... but the D.A.'s office will presumably only pursue one of these.
Remember, Alec has already been put through the wringer on this front -- he was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but those charges were eventually dropped.
He might've thought he was out of the woods, but prosecutors have been signaling for months they were leaving the window open to possibly re-charge ... and now they've followed through with the grand jury's indictment.
Alec pled not guilty at first -- and we imagine he'll enter the same plea again. His attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, signaled as much ... telling TMZ, "We look forward to our day in court."
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Jeannie Mai Please Don't Enforce Prenup ... I Didn't Have Enough Time!
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Jeannie Mai's requesting the court hold off on enforcing her prenup with Jeezy ... saying she didn't have enough time to review it before signing.
The talk show host filed the request Thursday afternoon in Fulton County Superior Court ... asking the judge to either deny Jeezy's motion to enforce the prenuptial agreement or at least hold off on enforcing it until the parties can exchange info about it.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, JM says the prenup process was so quick -- they started negotiating just five days before she walked down the aisle -- she doesn't think she was able to do her proper due diligence on the agreement.
Basically, she says she didn't go through Jeezy's financial disclosures with a fine-toothed comb to make sure she was getting a fair deal ... saying the truncated window "raises significant concerns about the adequacy and thoroughness of the due diligence process."
She's also kinda calling out Jeezy here ... saying she has "significant reservations" about her ex's financial disclosures. Her legal team says the rapper only handed over one personal financial statement with approximate taxes and insists she was legally entitled to a thorough examination of all documents.
We previously reported ... Jeezy filed for divorce from Jeannie back in September saying the marriage is "irretrievably broken." Jeezy seemingly implied he thinks Jeannie cheated on him in his music ... but she came out and denied any suspected infidelity.
In fact, Jeannie took it a step further -- outright suggesting he might've been the one who possibly cheated -- claiming he'd pay through the nose for it per the prenup if that did, in fact, turn out to be true.
Anyway, this divorce is quickly getting messy ... so stay tuned.
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Sofia Vergara Sued by Griselda Blanco's Estate ... Stop This Netflix Show!!!
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Sofia Vergara is being taken to court by Griselda Blanco's family over her new show where she plays the infamous Colombian queen-pin ... and they want to halt its release.
The actress is named as a defendant in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, in which her adult kids -- acting as representatives of her estate -- are suing her and Netflix over what they claim is the unauthorized use of their family's image and likeness in this upcoming series.
Of course, the show features Sofia playing the late Griselda in her heyday as one of the most prominent drug lords in the world -- but now, her children are trying to prevent it from coming out next week ... running to court and asking the judge for an injunction to block its release.
The gist of their argument boils down to this ... Griselda's son, Michael, claims he'd been doing interviews for years now with some guys who were trying to get his life story -- and that of his mother -- on paper in the hopes of developing it into a production of some sort. He alleges these interviews he did with them date back to '09 all the way through 2022.
Michael claims that these fellas he was consulting with not only wanted to develop his narrative into a show, but into a book as well -- and he says they told him they'd start shopping it around Hollywood in 2016. He alleges they pitched it to a producer ... ahead of a meeting with Netflix about it. Michael claims he was then told Netflix was interested -- but that they didn't wanna use any of his details or consultations from the interviews he'd done.
Fast-forward to the present, and Michael claims he's learned this new 'Griselda' show does, in fact, lean on a lot of his anecdotes and material ... but he says he never saw a dime.
That's why he and his siblings are suing -- alleging Netflix basically ripped off their family story and weaved it into the plot of their show ... and the kids claim use of their own images and likenesses in the show without their permission violate their rights.
The lawsuit doesn't specifically say that Netflix can't depict their mother -- a public figure -- but it's clear the kids believe their likenesses and interview materials were used to make it -- presumably meaning they're depicted in the actual show in some capacity -- so they want a judge to step in ASAP to stop it.
The show is supposed to come out on Jan. 25 ... but the Blanco children wanna pump the brakes. SV is an EP on this thing BTW -- which seems to explain why she's roped in.
We've reached out to Sofia and Netflix ... so far, no word back.
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PIERCE BROSNAN Taking WY Case in Stride ... Do I Look Like the 'Guilty' Type?!?
Pierce Brosnan is unbothered by hot spring allegations -- in fact, he's the exact opposite ... apparently feeling fabulous here in sunny California ... miles from his legal woes in Wyoming.
The longtime Bond actor was out and about in Malibu Wednesday ... cementing his trailblazing sense of style in a navy blazer, matching scarf, and shades. Of course, he was also flashing a huge smile while hitting the town there ... no sense of guilt at all!
Pierce had a leftover bag in hand after leaving a lunch meeting at Lucky's restaurant ... and yes, his confidence is palpable -- as is his incredible fashion sense. Dude's looking sharp.
It's interesting that he's walking around without an apparent care in the world like this -- remember, he just entered a not guilty plea in his Wyoming case, where officials are accusing him of trespassing at the Yellowstone National Park ... claiming he waded into the hot springs area, which actually seems to be backed by a photo of him in a similar surrounding.
Everyone thought he'd cop to it and pay whatever fine they'd throw at him -- but now, PB has indicated he plans to put up a fight of some sort. BTW, the judge in his case granted his request for a virtual conference on Feb 20 instead of an in-person court appearance.
As we previously reported ... authorities cited 007 last month for allegedly going off-trail near Mammoth Hot Springs on Nov 1 -- violating several closures.
Pierce's alleged license for thrill may cost him a $5,000 fine or even 6 months of hard time ... that is, if he's found guilty. By the looks of him, he's not sweating this one bit.