'Blind Side' Quinton Aaron New Year, New Me!!! Drops Nearly 100 lbs

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Quinton Aaron, best known for his role in "The Blind Side," has dropped a whopping 100 pounds!!!

Quinton tells TMZ ... he gained quite a bit of weight during the pandemic, binge eating at home and developing a hankering for chocolate ... something he didn't have before the virus hit.

He says he would start his morning by eating 2 jumbo-sized KitKat packs and 2 Reese's packs. If he went out to eat, he would end his meal with a chocolate dessert. He also ate a lot of bread ... sometimes 2 large sandwiches in one sitting.

Quinton tells us ... he wanted to make a change because he has a lot of professional goals with his production company and music.

"I used the new year as a way to get a new me," he says ... and that work paid off! He went from 559 pounds to 462 lbs.

He cut candy bars and bread from his diet. He's eating Cobb salads for lunch and sticking to a keto diet ... along with fasting. He's also been walking and doing stretching exercises.

Now, he says he wants to drop another 64 lbs by May 10 to honor his late mom on her birthday -- which was his weight during "The Blind Side" movie.

His overall goal is to get between 300-325 pounds.

Keep it up!!!

'The Terminator' is back VHS Copy makes $32.5K online!

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"Come with me if you want to live" make $32.5K!!! At least that's what one lucky seller was able to do after hawking a nearly-perfect condition VHS copy of "The Terminator."

Vincent Zurzolo -- COO of ComicConnect.com -- tells TMZ the copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "The Terminator" is from 1984, the year of its original release, fetched big bucks online, after being on the market for just 3 days.

The copy was analyzed by a third-party grading company -- getting high 9s and even 10s for preservation -- meaning it's in nearly perfect condition!

Zurzolo says he's seen a big increase in VHS purchases over the past few years -- chalking it up to nostalgia. He says Arnold played a big role in the lives of '80s kids, and that reflects in the investments they're making ... just like this big purchase.

It's a lot of dough to cough up for an obsolete piece of media, but if you're that big of a fan, you deserve a big thumbs up ... just as you sink into boiling-hot debt.

Camila Cabello's 'Cinderella' Leading #FanFave Oscar Race: Report ... Over 'Spider-Man'???

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Tom Holland might’ve thought he’d make it to the Oscars this year -- but it could be Camila Cabello who actually comes out on top as a fan fave ... how ‘bout that?!

According to Deadline, her ‘Cinderella’ movie -- which was released straight to Prime earlier last year -- is supposedly leading the race for the #OscarsFanFavorite category that the Academy cooked up out of nowhere ... apparently in a bid to boost ratings and include mainstream popcorn flicks somehow.

Indeed, a lot of folks are also screaming “What?!?!” on the bird app, obviously wondering ... how can this be???

No shade to CC, Billy Porter and James Corden ... but their take on the fairy tale classic wasn’t well-received by critics, and (mostly) ditto for normies who actually watched it. It goes without saying -- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was the clear crowd-pleaser this year, proven at the box office with record ticket sales.

So ... what gives? Well, per Deadline, it would appear folks tracking these numbers on the Academy’s site/Twitter see a trend ... rabid fan bases swooping in and flooding the digital voting booths for their heroes and icons. In this case, it seems Camila has quite the following online -- and they appear to be catapulting her to the top on just their love for her alone.

The outlet says there was actually a huge push for "Zack Snyder’s Justice League" -- which has a mega stan culture all its own -- but since it’s a redo, it unfortunately isn’t eligible.

'NWH' is the close second at the moment, and there’s still several days to vote before the show starts later in March. But don’t worry ... there’s no real stakes here, no actual hardware will be presented to whichever film wins this made-up category.

It’s mostly for kicks and bragging rights .... but at the moment, Cinderelly, might have all of that over Tom and co. What a world!

Actress Alexandra Daddario 'Baywatch' Star's Home Targeted By Irate Man with Gun

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"Baywatch" actress Alexandra Daddario had the scare of her life Saturday ... when an irate man with a loaded gun went to her home and went off screaming something about her.

LAPD cops rushed to the scene and found the guy standing outside Alexandra's house. They told him to leave but he refused.

As police detained him they searched the man's car and found a loaded handgun. He was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm.

It's unclear if Alexandra, who has also appeared in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Percy Jackson & The Olympians," "The White Lotus" and "San Andreas," was home at the time. We also don't know if her fiancé, producer Andrew Form, was home. They got engaged in December.

Alexandra is active on social media, with more than 21 million IG followers, so she's high profile on various media platforms.

The man arrested is still in custody.

Timothée Chalamet as Wonka, Making Films and Sweets in oxford!

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Timothée Chalamet is certainly showing off his sweet tooth -- dressed fully as Willy Wonka -- while filming for the upcoming film across the pond.

The actor was spotted at Oxford University Tuesday in full "Wonka" gear and shooting scenes for the movie, it's not the first time we've seen him in the garb, but it's certainly a good close-up look.

Also spotted shooting scenes is actress Calah Lane. Known for her roles in "This Is Us" and Netflix's "Family Reunion", Lane has a background performing in musicals -- starting on stage at 4 years old... safe to say she's cut out for "Wonka!"

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The hype around this prequel started buzzing back in October ... when Chalamet posted first looks in his costume -- a post that has now gone viral.

There's a lot of mystery surrounding the production ... other than Chalamet's role and a handful of set photos, not a lot has been said, there hasn't been an official trailer release yet, either.

Of course, the role has previously been filled by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, so it's Chalamet now with the golden ticket.

Tyrese Gibson Selling Mansion For $2,500,000 ... Transformer Included!!!

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Tyrese Gibson sure knows how to sweeten a deal, and it's paying off for him ... to the tune of nearly $2.5 million.

The actor/singer has accepted an offer on his Woodland Hills, CA mansion -- and while it has 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and 5,225 sq ft. of luxury ready-made for entertaining ... the real unique jewel is in the backyard.

Tyrese has one of his 'Transformers' costars -- it's actually a Bumblebee replica -- posted up next to the lounge and firepit.

He originally bought the house for a mere $1.385 million, shortly after it was built in 2010 -- so, it seems his purchase really paid off. He had originally listed it in early 2021.

It has some really cool features -- besides the transformer -- including 25+ ft. ceilings, a huge kitchen, an indoor movie theater and a recording studio.

It gets even better outside -- the backyard has another kitchen, a bar and a Benihana style grill.

Yeah, Tyrese thought of everything ... dude even put a beauty salon spa back there!!!

For the record, Tyrese did offer to include the transformer in the deal, IF the buyer wanted him and we are told the buyer is getting Bumblebee! The house is in escrow, so it's not a done deal just yet.

Jason Oppenheim of Oppenheim Group represented the buyer and the seller.

Ivan Reitman 'Ghostbusters' Director Dead at 75

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Ivan Reitman, the legendary filmmaker behind "Ghostbusters" and "Animal House," has died.

Reitman's family was by his side in Montecito, CA Saturday night, as he passed peacefully in his sleep.

He produced a string of hits, and not just hits but legendary flicks.  Among his other films ... "Meatballs" and "Stripes."

And, in an homage to his dad, Ivan's son, Jason Reitman, directed "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." Ah, but wait, there's more ... "Twins," "Kindergarten Cop," "Dave," "Junior," and "Six Days, Seven Nights."

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THE LAST TIME WE SAW HIM

Oh, did we mention he also produced "Beethoven," "Old School," and "EuroTrip?"

Kumail Nanjiani was to the point, saying, "The number of great movies he made is absurd."

Ivan was born in 1946 in Czechoslovakia. His mom was a survivor of Auschwitz. His family escaped by taking a barge to Vienna. He recounted the experience ... “I remember flashes of scenes. Later they told me about how they gave me a couple of sleeping pills so I wouldn’t make any noise. I was so knocked out that I slept with my eyes open. My parents were afraid I was dead.”

His family said of Ivan's passing ... “Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” children Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”

Reitman was 75. RIP

'Star Wars' Vintage VHS Tape Expected to Pull $60k at Auction

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An unopened VHS copy of 'Star Wars: Episode IV' is getting some love on the auction block -- it's expected to fetch $60K!!!

Goldin Auctions is hosting an online auction featuring a ton of vintage VHS tapes, and the star of the show is from a galaxy far, far away.

The copy of 'Star Wars: A New Hope' is a first edition VHS tape ... and includes a "Gray Tape-Head," a "First Edition Stereo Only" red label, a "1984 Sleeve," and "First Edition CBS/Fox Watermarks" ... all it needs is a lightsaber to go with it!

The tape has lots of history ... when it was originally sold, it was the first time someone could watch the film at home, making it legendary among collectors and movie buffs. It first sold at auction for $57,600.

They're also offering up a sealed copy of the "Star Wars 10-Year Anniversary Original Trilogy Set in Trilogy Case" ... which should go for somewhere between $10k and $20k.

Also on the block ... vintage copies of "Jurassic Park," "Conan the Destroyer" and lots more. Bidding for the auction ends February 24.

Anna Nicole Smith Ex Larry Birkhead is pissed Over Biopic Thinks They Could Do More to Highlight Her Life

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A biopic of Anna Nicole Smith is in the works, and her ex -- Larry Birkhead -- seems pretty peeved about the whole production.

The film -- currently titled "Hurricanna" -- follows Anna's therapist in an attempt to save Smith’s life. The therapist, played by Holly Hunter, goes on a "36-hour odyssey in which she unknowingly delivers the fatal blow."

Larry Birkhead, Smith's former lover and father of their daughter, has big issues with a biopic centered around Anna's last 36 hours of life. He says for 24 of her 36 hours she was sick in bed -- not a lot of stuff going on.

He also doesn't think a movie about Anna should focus on her therapist ... but rather on the legend herself. Larry compares it to making a movie about Elvis from the perspective of his toilet, on which he died.

Birkhead thinks Anna's wild life could make for a far better film. As you'll recall, Anna was going through a lot in her prime... losing her son, legal battles over money, and even debate over whether Larry was the father to her baby girl, Dannielynn.

Larry knows her death wasn't some big mystery that calls for an analysis of her last day-and-a-half alive. Remember, she died of an OD in her Florida hotel room in 2007.

According to Larry, Anna's fan base and his daughter deserve more than a film that picks apart the final hours of her death. The crazy twists and turns that she went through should be at the forefront, not her therapist.

The film's producers have yet to reach out to Larry or Anna's estate for insight on her final days.

Tammy Faye Bakker AIDS Activist Calls Her Kind And Compassionate' ... Cartoonish Media Portrayals Grossly Unfair

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Tammy Faye Bakker, the subject of an Oscar-nominated film this year, was portrayed by the media as a clown and some even called her a crook, but they never talked about her compassion and, frankly incredible progressiveness ... which is best shown in an interview she did in 1985 with Steve Pieters who was struggling with AIDS.

Steve, incredibly, is still alive and jumped on "TMZ Live" Thursday to talk about that interview.

The AIDS activist and pastor reflected on his landmark interview with Tammy, which has been recreated in the 2021 movie "The Eyes of Tammy Faye".

Steve paints a radically different picture of Tammy Faye from the media portrait. The interview came at a time when many people with AIDS were treated inhumanely ... getting fired from their jobs, thrown out of their apartments, and disowned by their families. It's all the more impressive that Tammy Faye stepped in ... because she drew heavy criticism from fundamentalist Christians, some of whom said out loud AIDS was God's revenge against gay people.

The interview was actually done via satellite because there were fears that he'd be mistreated by the crew.

Steve says it was extraordinary for a televangelist to give such a positive, compassionate interview, during a time of fear.

As far as any backlash and cartoon-like depictions of Tammy, Steve says he doesn't think it was right or fair ... because the woman he knew was kind, loving and compassionate.

Speaking of cartoonish ... most people who watched the Tammy Faye/Jim Bakker saga thought she had a habit of crying so hard her mascara would run down her face like Rudy G's hair dye. The reality -- that never happened. 'SNL' depicted her that way in a few skits, and everyone turned it into fact.

The "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" film depicts the rise and fall of the host and her husband, and has been nominated for 2 Oscars.

'Lord of the Rings' $2 Billion for My Precious?!? Whole Franchise Up for Sale

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Rings, Hobbits, wizards, elves and even that creepy Gollum dude ... all things 'Lord of the Rings" are hitting the open market, but you're probably gonna have to outbid Jeff Bezos to get it.

Here's the deal ... The Saul Zaentz Company currently owns rights to the universe and characters created by J.R.R. Tolkien -- or almost all of 'em, anyway -- and has since 1976, but it's now reportedly ready to sell for at least $2 BILLION!!!

This might sound a little confusing, because as you know Warner Bros. (through ownership of New Line Cinema) made Peter Jackson's enormously profitable 'Rings' trilogy from the early 2000s, and 3 'Hobbit' films in the 2010s.

More currently ... Amazon is getting ready to roll out its "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" series on Prime.

So, here's how that all shakes out -- SZC has been battling WB over its share of profits from the 6 films, and reportedly believes it's reclaimed the movie rights because WB hasn't developed any new projects since 2014's 'Battle of the Five Armies.' So, lawyers will have to settle that part of the deal.

Amazon bought its rights back in 2017 due to a loophole in SZC's ownership that allows for the sale of TV rights, as long as the series is longer than 8 episodes.

That means Amazon will be highly motivated to purchase everything else in the 'Rings' franchise to capitalize on what it hopes is a new blockbuster series on its streaming service.

Let's face it ... $2 billion is a drop in the bucket for the world's 2nd richest man.

So, think of Bezos as Gollum, and he might be about to get his precious ... for 10 figures.

LisaRaye McCoy 'I've Shot People, Been to Jail' ... Opens Up on 'It's Tricky with Raquel Harper'

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LisaRaye McCoy has some stories to tell -- including why she's been to jail multiple times -- and she's not the least bit ashamed, because she says they paved the way to her success.

The actress got beyond real on the new podcast, "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper" ... acknowledging fans love her because she's so down to Earth, but she says there's a good reason for that.

LisaRaye told Raq she's been to jail for "a whole bunch of s**t," and she wasn't kidding. Watch the clip, 'cause she comes clean about pistol-whippings, getting into fights and even shooting people.

Now, LR's podcast sitdown wasn't all gangsta -- they also dug into the Rihanna x Ari Fletcher drama, Nicole Murphy, and her sister, Da Brat's, new baby.

Of course, LisaRaye had her Hollywood breakout role as Diamond in 1998's cult classic, "The Players Club." Lately, she's a host on the Fox Soul show, "Cocktails With Queens" ... and she stars in "A House Divided" on the ALLBLK streaming platform.

As far as the podcast goes, there's a new episode every week - make sure you follow "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper" on Apple, Spotify or Google podcasts ... or wherever you get your pods!

David Spade Flips Longtime Mansion for $19.5 Mil!!!

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David Spade just got a lot richer -- not that he needs the loot -- because he flipped his longtime Beverly Hills mansion and cashed in at $19.5 mil ... TMZ has learned.

For context ... David plunked down $4 million for the 4 bedroom, 7 bathroom home back in 2001, and you know what's happened to the housing market since then. True, he made a bunch of renovations, but still ...

The house is located in the super-exclusive Trousdale Estates in Bev Hills. A ton of stars make Trousdale their home, including Elton John, Ringo Starr and Charlie Puth. Among those who once lived there but are no longer living ...  Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and President Nixon.

The house is 6,426-sq ft ...  with sweeping, jetliner views from downtown L.A. to the blue Pacific

There are a bunch of bells and whistles, including a tennis court and an entertainment lounge.

Outside of its impressive looks, the mansion has a cool pedigree ... Prince, Eddie Murphy and Warren Beatty all lived there ... no, not all at once.

D.S. listed the house last month with Stuart Vetterick of Hilton & Hyland for $20 million, so it sold for just a skosh under asking.

No word on who purchased the home.

'Friday' Star Anthony Johnson Cause of Death Revealed Alcohol Killed Him

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Anthony Johnson died from years of hard drinking ... according to the medical examiner, and it's something his wife wanted people to know.

His autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, cites "chronic ethanol use" as the "Friday" star’s cause of death -- while also noting the manner of death was natural.

The doc states there was no alcohol or common drugs of abuse found in his system when officials ran a toxicology test. One other thing ... the coroner's office found he'd recently tested positive for COVID, although signs of pneumonia weren't detected.

His widow, Lexis, tells us Anthony’s legacy will live on through a foundation she’s creating in his name. She also says she wants the cause of death to be public knowledge as a warning to others about the lethal effects of alcohol.

Lexis is making it her mission now to teach youth about the dangers of alcohol, as she's volunteering at church to talk to teens. In addition to Anthony, Lexis has other close friends who lost their children due to alcohol. She now wants Anthony's legacy to inspire others to put the bottle down. BTW, we're told she told the ME about AJ's alcohol use.

As we reported ... Johnson was found lifeless last year in an L.A.-area store. He was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead.

Obviously, he was most famous for playing Ezal in the original "Friday" flick, but had a good handful of other parts under his belt as well, including in movies like "Menace II Society," "House Party," "The Players Club" and others.

Hollywood was in shock upon hearing the news, and none other than Offset helped to cover funeral costs for the family.

He was 55. RIP

Sandra Bullock Sells Condo Packed with Celebs ... Building Site of Lindsay Lohan Disaster

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Sandra Bullock should get deep in the real estate game because she just made hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling her condo!!!

Sandra owned a unit in a building that is packed with celebs -- Sierra Towers in WeHo. The apartment has 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, so it's not huge ... which makes it even more impressive that she sold it for $4.4 million.

She bought the pad back in 2014 for $3.55 mil and did some renovations, so even though she didn't make a killing ... she still made out pretty well.

Here's the thing ... this building has a marquis address, with celebs like Courteney Cox, Elton John, Adam Sandler, Kelly Osbourne, Cher and others who have populated the building over the years.

Fun fact ... Lindsay Lohan once lived there and her pipes burst when she was in New York and it absolutely flooded the apartment below. Thing is ... the person who owned the building directly below her was Harry Morton -- Lindsay's ex!!!

Sandra's unit was on the 22nd floor, and it has a sweeping, jetliner view of L.A.... from downtown L.A. to the blue Pacific.

Joshua Greer from Hilton & Hyland and Alan Long of Avenue 8 had the listing.

'Jackass Forever' PETA Calls For Criminal Probe Into Movie's Animal Stunts

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PETA is not a fan of the new "Jackass Forever" film, and is demanding prosecutors launch a criminal investigation, claiming the production violated animal cruelty laws.

A rep for Peta tells TMZ ... the Paramount Pictures movie, which appears to have been filmed at least partially in Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo County, likely broke state animal protection laws with scenes involving all sorts of critters.

PETA says a spider was "provoked" into biting an actor's chest, a turtle "harassed and goaded" to bite an actor's testicles, and a snake "harangued and provoked" into biting someone's nose.

But wait, there's more, allegedly ... a tarantula "trapped" in a tube, and a bull "deliberately agitated" into charging and injuring Johnny Knoxville.

PETA also claims Knoxville and Steve-O provoked honeybees into stinging Steve-O's penis, killing many bees in the process ... and a scorpion was put in the mouth of an unnamed jackass and repeatedly hit until it stung.

The org fired off a couple of letters, obtained by TMZ, to the L.A. City Attorney and San Luis Obispo County D.A. ... urging them to investigate the production and take legal action.

PETA thinks an investigation could lead to charges against Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Eric André, director Jeff Tremaine, producer Spike Jonze ... and others, including those responsible for providing the animals used in the film.

PETA's Senior VP Lisa Lange tells TMZ ... "If Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville want to make a career out of nasty little boy fantasies, they're entitled to, as long as they don't stress, harm, poke, prod, scare, or bother animals who are used as living props for their idiocy."

Lange adds ... "PETA is reminding city and county prosecutors that no one is above the law and that while the rest of the world wants to save bees and recognizes animals as sentient individuals, these jackasses exploit and abuse them for fun."

As we first reported, Steve-O and Pontius are also being sued over a jet ski stunt that allegedly left a man badly injured.

We reached out to the 'Jackass' camp ... so far, no word back.