Rep. Ilhan Omar Applauds Marvel's Muslim She-ro 'Representation is Key'

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MARVELOUS REPRESENTATION

If Rep. Ilhan Omar wasn't a Marvel fan before, she is now ... as the studio announced its first-ever Muslim superhero to headline a series.

We caught up with the congresswoman in D.C. and she told us it was incredibly exciting ... not only seeing our world diversify but also seeing it reflected by Marvel.

Ilhan says representation on this scale is extremely significant ... especially for young folks, like her son, who loves watching superhero movies.

ICYMI ... Marvel Studios released its trailer for the newest Disney Plus series, "Ms. Marvel" ... and the hero is Kamala Khan, played by 19-year-old Iman Vellani. It's the first time a Muslim woman is being featured in an MCU project.

Being one of the first 2 Muslim women to serve in Congress, Ilhan notes diversity on all fronts makes all the difference ... and that includes gender, culture, ethnicity and religion.

"Ms. Marvel" is set to debut on June 8.

Pete Davidson Covered in Blood For New Movie ... Not A Kanye Video

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BLOOD ON THE LEAVES

Here's Pete Davidson bleeding all over the place as he films for his upcoming horror movie ... an image that would probably garner a standing ovation from Kanye West.

Pete's filming scenes for the new Miramax thriller "The Home" in New Jersey ... and the fake blood is a case of art imitating possible life for Kim Kardashian's boyfriend.

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JABS AT "SKETE"

Remember ... Pete and Kanye are beefing over Kim, and it's getting ugly. Kanye's already made his fantasies about Pete well known, writing rap lyrics about beating PD up and imagining Pete's death and burial in the accompanying music video.

So, you'd think seeing Pete with a huge gash on his head and blood splattered all over his clothes would seem to be straight out of the mind of Kanye ... but it's just not.

Bloodied Pete Davidson, at least on this Jersey movie set, is the work of 'The Purge' creator James DeMonaco. In "The Home," Pete's character is Max, a troubled guy working at a retirement home who discovers the old folks and caretakers have some serious skeletons in their closets.

Pete's trying to keep his cool with Kanye ... and he's easing his nerves here, smoking a cigarette as he takes some direction between takes.

Lady Gaga Critics Choice Awards a Bust!!!

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Lady Gaga is one confident woman, but she barely held it together Sunday night at the Critics Choice Awards.

Gaga was nominated for Best Actress for her role in "House of Gucci" ... so it stands to reason she wore a black and gold Gucci dress. The deep cut had eyes popping.

Gaga's plus one was BF Michael Polansky, and dare we say ... one lucky guy!

She did double duty Sunday  ... she appeared at the BAFTA Awards in London earlier in the day, then did an outfit swap to appear at the Critics Choice Awards -- being held in both Los Angeles and London -- making an entrance at The Savoy Hotel.

Gaga was nominated for Best Actress at both award ceremonies ... she came up empty-handed at both. Nevertheless ... she killed on stage.

William Hurt Dead at 71

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William Hurt -- an Oscar-winning actor with a long tenure in Hollywood -- has died.

His son, Will, made the sad announcement Sunday -- telling Deadline ... "It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday."

Will adds of his father's passing ... "He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time."

Like we said, Hurt was a bit of a chameleon of an actor ... able to portray several different types of characters in a range of genres -- from comedy to drama to science fiction, and everything in between. He might best be remembered for his Academy Award-winning role in 1985's "Kiss of the Spider Woman."

The guy was on a roll in the '80s when it came to noteworthy parts -- in addition to 'Spider Woman,' he was also nominated for Oscars for his work in 'Children of a Lesser God' and 'Broadcast News.' Other flicks from that era he starred in include 'The Big Chill,' 'Gorky Park,' 'A Time of Destiny,' 'The Accidental Tourist,' 'Body Heat,' and more.

The '90s gave Hurt even more shine ... he acted in a ton of cult classics like 'Mr. Wonderful,' 'Alice,' 'Lost in Space,' 'One True Thing,' 'Jane Eyre,' 'Dark City,' 'The Doctor' and 'The 4th Floor,' among others. Going into the new century, Hurt kept on cranking out great performances -- some standouts that come to mind ... 'A History of Violence,' 'The Incredible Hulk,' 'The Village,' 'The King,' 'Mr. Brooks,' 'Syriana,' 'Vantage Point,' 'Changing Lanes' ... and many, many other huge movies.

Hurt's TV game was quite strong too ... he'd acted in hit shows like 'The King of Queens,' 'Goliath,' 'Condor,' 'Damages,' 'Dune,' 'Beowulf,' and others. He was in the middle of production for a new series called 'Pantheon,' and also starred in the new fantasy movie 'The King's Daughter.'

Hurt had previously been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, but seemed to be on the road to recovery some years ago as he tried new treatments out of Berkeley that were touted as side-effect-free at the time.

He leaves behind four children from different relationships. Hurt was 71.

RIP

'The Wizard of Oz' Tin Man's Oil Can Up For Sale ... Should Fetch $200K!!!

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There's a cool piece of movie history hitting the auction block ... the Tin Man's oil can from "The Wizard of Oz" ... but it sounds like you will need yellow gold bricks for the winning bid.

The oil can is remembered for its use in the scene where the Tin Man is set free from his rusted state, and it's said to be the only original item left from the iconic character's costume.

This rare piece of movie memorabilia is going up for auction for the first time ever ... via Kruse GWS Auctions ... and it's expected to fetch at least $200,000.

The Tin Man's oil can is right up there with Dorothy's ruby red slippers in terms of 'Wizard of Oz' significance ... and it's currently on display at the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum ... which should make for some big bids.

BTW ... there were actually 4 pairs of slippers, and one was auctioned for $2 million.

The oil can is part of the Artifacts of Hollywood & Music Auction ... and there's a bunch of other cool items, including a pair of famous shades worn by Elvis Presley.

The Elvis sunglasses are black with 14K white gold lightning bolt accents along the arms, and more 14K white gold making up his "EP" initials on the bridge. The auction house expects the aviators to fetch about $25,000.

Bidding begins March 26.

'BLACK PANTHER' DIRECTOR Body Cam Shows Bank Confusion ... Tells Officers to Check Google, Mistake Made

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Ryan Coogler was clearly stunned when cops pulled guns on him as he tried to make a legal withdrawal from his bank account -- and his confusion/outrage fully plays out on police body camera footage.

As you can see in the video, obtained by TMZ, the famed director of "Black Panther" and "Creed" is unsure why he was suddenly surrounded by police inside an Atlanta Bank of America -- and then quickly handcuffed and brought out to a squad car.

Even before Ryan has a clue as to why they've detained him ... he tries telling the officers, during this January incident, they've got an innocent guy. He calmly pointed them to his work badge -- he's shooting the 'Panther' sequel in ATL -- and suggested they Google his name.

In the video, Ryan does his best to keep his cool as he's being questioned about what he was doing inside the bank.

TMZ broke the story ... Ryan tried to take out $12,000 from his account, handing the teller a withdrawal slip with a note scribbled on the back, requesting the teller count the cash in the back.

As Ryan tells cops in the video, he didn't feel safe saying the large amount out loud, or having the money counted out at the teller's station. He says it's the first time there's been an issue with one of these transactions, and he also explains why he regularly makes them.

As we reported ... cops investigated and said it was all a huge mistake ... with police saying they just responded to a 911 call from a BoA employee who told her boss Ryan was attempting to rob the bank.

In the body cam footage, Ryan tries to find out who made the call from inside the bank ... and he also asks cops for badge numbers of all the responding officers once he's released.

As he told TMZ ... "This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on."

Ukraine Film Star Pasha Lee Dead at 33 Killed by Russian Shelling

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Ukrainian actor Pasha Lee was killed while fighting off Russian forces -- having gone from entertainer to soldier who put himself on the front lines in the battle for his country.

Lee died while serving in the Ukrainian army this weekend, falling at the hands of Russian occupiers who were bombarding the city of Irpin with mortar shells -- this according to the Odesa International Film Festival, which broke the news about his passing.

They memorialized him by listing his film credentials, including roles in "Shtolnya," "Shadows of Unforgotten Ancestors," "Zvychayna Sprava," "The Fight Rules," "Meeting of Classmates" and more.

He's also done commercial and TV work, as well as voice acting -- and not just that ... but the dude was apparently known as a composer and theater actor too.

The OIFF wrote, "We call on the world community to help Ukraine in the fight against Russia and stop the war. We urge you to close the sky over Ukraine immediately and continue to boycott Russian cinema."

Unclear when he joined the Ukrainian armed forces -- but Lee is reported to have served in a territorial defense unit ... which apparently saw action in Irpin, an area that was under siege all weekend long -- as many saw first-hand in brutal fashion.

Ukrainian actress Anastasiya Kasilova -- one of his fellow costars -- mourned his death by taking to social media and writing ... "Pasha Li killed during the shelling in Irpen, defending Ukraine. He is an actor, TV presenter, my colleague and a good acquaintance… Not so long ago we shot together in a teaser for a children's film…Never forgive!"

He was 33.

RIP

'The Batman' Labeled 'Woke,' Too Political ... By Conservative Critics

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While Robert Pattinson's turn as "The Batman" is being praised by many, a small group of conservatives are clutching their pearls ... claiming the flick is too woke for its own good.

Here's the deal ... the new movie about the Dark Knight takes place in a modern world (aka, the 21st century, post-2000) and some of the plot elements certainly reflect that ... for better or worse. If you look at what some mostly right-leaning critics are saying, it's the latter.

BTW, we're gonna get into spoilers here -- so if you're not into that ... stop reading now.

For starters, there's one scene, in particular, that's got Twitter trolls all up in arms -- it's when Batman and Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) are chatting about who the Riddler is targeting ... rich, corrupt politician types ... all in the name of social inequality and justice. More on that later.

Catwoman is arguing that the people getting knocked off might actually deserve it, calling them "white privileged a*****es" ... including Bruce Wayne -- who's right in front of her.

The phrase is getting some eyerolls online, but it also leads to another criticism about the stars themselves ... namely, the fact that director Matt Reeves tapped a number of Black actors for significant roles, including Catwoman, James Gordon and the Mayor-elect.

You'd think that'd be a positive ... but lo and behold, there are a handful of critics bashing it, calling it "woke casting," etc. In response, many are calling such criticism racist, perhaps rightly so. For the record, everyone kills it in their respective parts ... regardless of race.

There's more representation in the film too, including for the LGBTQ+ crowd -- confirmed by Kravitz herself, who said she interpreted and played her character as bisexual ... and which gets alluded to quite a bit early on in what appears to be a romantic relationship between her and a Russian escort friend she's trying to help flee Gotham (who ends up dying, sadly).

Lastly, Paul Dano's Riddler is also being seen as an eerie reflection of society ... both in his crusade against corruption and the wealthy class (speaking to real-life larger convos these days about rich vs. poor/"eat the rich," etc.) ... but also, in his radicalization of people.

Without giving too much away ... the movie ends on a somewhat ominous note when it becomes clear Riddler's message is being embraced by a fringe social media crowd -- which leads to a would-be mass shooting situation ... something that was actually feared when Joaquin Phoenix's "Joker" came out a few years ago ... but is literally depicted in this take.

Long story short ... some simply think this movie might be a little too much of art imitating life. The vast majority, however, totally dig it ... and think it's great that Batman is getting with the times ... and the box office numbers (so far) seem to confirm that much at least.

'Edward Scissorhands' Boggs House Up For Sale for $700K Comes With Sharp Memorabilia!

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Run, don't walk -- except those holding sharp objects -- to the iconic Florida house from "Edward Scissorhands" which is back on the market!

Current owner Joey Klops tells TMZ ... the house, which is 20 minutes outside of Tampa, went up for sale Wednesday for $699,900 -- a big change from when he and his wife bought it back in September 2020 for only $230K.

The 3 bed, 2 bath home is instantly recognizable to any die-hard fan ... after his purchase, Joey says he craftily restored the home to its movie quality, highlighting the whimsical Victorian looks that made it so iconic.

As we reported, the property -- home to the Boggs family in the film -- was transformed into a museum a year after being purchased ... with tons of memorabilia from the film on display.

Joey and his family aren't taking the relics and art with them when they leave -- giving the goodies to the buyer! He says the homeowner will be able to "live in a true wonderland" with all the treasures left behind.

The home is listed with Megan Hartnell of Century 21 Affiliated and will be perfect for big Tim Burton fans!

Helen Mirren A Zelensky Film is Premature ... We Don't know How it Ends

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Helen Mirren thinks the internet is jumping the gun over a possible film based on the war in Ukraine ... saying it's way too premature, because we don't know how the story ends.

We got Helen at LAX on Wednesday ...  and talked to her about the prospects of a film about Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and his bravery during the Russian invasion.

"Culture always responds to what is happening in the world," she tells TMZ. "The end of that story, we don't know yet, clearly."

Helen also weighed in on Jeremy Renner playing Zelensky -- it's making the rounds on social while she says she's not the one to make that call, she notes Renner is quite the actor -- more than capable for the challenge.

Helen mirrors the sentiment of her fellow actors -- supports Ukraine and the artists that have been affected by the conflict.

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FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

As you know by now, Zelensky starred in "Servant of the People" playing a school teacher who was improbably elected president and became a heroic leader ... sound familiar?

Andrew Garfield I Wanna Do Shrooms with Lin-Manuel Miranda!!!

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LET'S TAKE A TRIP

"Tick, Tick...BOOM!" star Andrew Garfield is looking to celebrate with Lin-Manuel Miranda after winning Best Actor at the HCA Film Awards ... by tripping on shrooms!

Andrew was on stage Monday night at the Hollywood Critics Association's prestigious awards ceremony ... giving thanks after being awarded "Best Actor". During his speech, he looked to  TTB director Lin-Manuel Miranda ... heaping praise on him for his direction on the project.

"That's f****** crazy ... that we get to be here while you're breathing," Andrew said to the "Hamilton" playwright.

He ticked off what they'll do together to celebrate ... notably, mushrooms! He says they'll take some caps while watching "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" ... quite the combo.

Andrew was up against some tough competition this year ... with Benedict Cumberbatch, Nicolas Cage, Peter Dinklage, and Will Smith nominated for the same category. In the end, his riveting portrayal of "Rent" playwright Jonathan Larson took home gold -- and rightfully so.

Sounds like the after-party could've been a blast for Andrew and Lin ... here's hoping they stopped the clock and found their way home!

'Rust' Crew Member Spider Bite Victim Recovering, but Many Challenges

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Jason Miller -- crew member on Alec Baldwin's "Rust" -- is still recovering from a gnarly spider bite he got on set ... but says he's made some great progress in his recovery.

Jason tells TMZ ... he's still dealing with severe pain. As we reported, he was bitten by a venomous brown recluse spider while in NM shooting the film. The bite sent Jason to the hospital, where doctors talked about amputation -- luckily that wasn't necessary.

Jason tells us he's taking huge steps towards recovery ... but there are still challenges. He can't lay down without his shoulder getting inflamed, making it hard to sleep at night.

He also has a problem with range of motion ... unable to raise his arm above his head or reach behind his back, making it pretty difficult to do everyday tasks.

A GoFundMe was created shortly after he was hospitalized -- currently sitting at $14,600. Jason says the money has been a huge weight off his back ... putting $3K towards renting a new home and the rest going to savings ... since it's uncertain when he'll work again.

Jason was able to get worker's comp from the insurance company associated with "Rust" ... something we previously reported was a point of contention.

Of course, Jason's spider bite wasn't the worst thing to come from that set, with the death of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Halyna's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit ... with Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director David Halls listed as defendants.

Leslie Odom Jr. Mentions Ukraine at SAG Awards

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SAG STANDS WITH UKRAINE

Ukraine got a mention during the SAG Awards this weekend -- but it was somewhat brief and fleeting ... as Hollywood seemed determined to keep things light for the show.

The crisis was quickly addressed Sunday during the opening few minutes, with presenter Leslie Odom Jr. saying they were all hoping for peace in Ukraine, before the categories got underway.

LOJ was part of the first group to come up and talk on stage -- he was up there with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Daveed Diggs ... none of whom talked Ukraine in the initial moments.

Eventually, after playing a quick montage of standout acting moments from the past year ... the camera panned back to Odom Jr., who said what he said -- which amounted to a few seconds of screen time.

Many suspect Ukraine would be a big topic of the night ... but so far, as the ceremony gets rolling, it doesn't seem too many of the hosts and winners are going out of their way to talk about it much.

There's still time, though ... perhaps someone will make a stirring statement later in the broadcat.

Jeremy Renner Fan Cast to Play Zelenskyy in Biopic But, Like, Too Soon, No???

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The Ukraine crisis is still very much underway, and yet ... some are already opining about who could play Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a movie -- and Jeremy Renner seems to be it.

Twitter users are up in arms again over this one ... perhaps for good reason. Essentially, this is a debate about whether talking about a would-be biopic is appropriate when the situation is unfolding live -- let alone musing about which actor could star as Ukraine's president.

Of course, some Tweeters couldn't help themselves ... firing off takes about how Hollywood is already cooking up a flick behind the scenes, and how Renner may well be the top choice to portray VZ.

The reason ... well, they look high-key alike -- almost dead ringers, if we're being honest. Same type of facial structure and everything ... and they're especially similar in appearance when wearing fatigues and whatnot.

But even if they are doppelgangers of one another, the other question is ... what difference does it make??? A good majority of folks online argue -- *now* is NOT the time to be discussing a possible film about Zelenskyy or Ukraine, because it's a serious situation.

Indeed, people are dying and/or fleeing for their lives ... so it does seem like a bad time to be making light of things -- and publicly spit-balling about a possible biopic down the road certainly feels like that ... namely, it's too freakin' soon to even bring up as a topic.

Interestingly, those who are batting this type of thinking down are attributing it to a uniquely American mindset -- suggesting that U.S. citizens often seem to be more interested in entertainment than real-life lives that are actually at risk.

We'll leave that philosophical ball for the Twittersphere to kick around -- but here's one thing that can't be denied ... Renner and Zelenskyy do bear a striking resemblance, and yes ... Renner is a fantastic actor, proven time and again in his pre-Marvel days.

And yes ... there may even be a studio out there that has a script in mind -- that's certainly not outside the realm of possibility, as Tinseltown never sleeps on the next big thing, and Zelenskyy's life story alone is totally worthy of the movie treatment (objectively).

Still, it sounds like what's got people pissed off is, obviously, the timing of such discussions -- but also, the callousness and lack of thoughtfulness in cavalier posts like these.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Renner, meanwhile, is minding his own business out in the woods of Lake Tahoe ... so ya gotta figure he might be upset to hear how he's getting roped into this nonsense.

In other words, leave him out of it. For now, anyway ... 😅

'M*A*S*H' Star Sally Kellerman Dead at 84

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Sally Kellerman -- famous for playing Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in 'M*A*S*H' -- has died.

The Oscar-nominated actress died early Thursday morning at an assisted care facility in Los Angeles, following a battle with dementia ... according to her son, Jack Krane.

We're told Sally was diagnosed with dementia around 2017 and wasn't doing well the last couple years. Her son says he last saw her Wednesday night, when it became clear to him it would be her last time seeing her, and he said his final goodbyes.

While Sally was most known for the husky voice she used to play a U.S. Army major on 'M*A*S*H' she was also famous for her singing chops ... releasing an album and even having a Grand Funk Railroad song written for her.

Sally also starred in "Back To School" as the love interest for Rodney Dangerfield's character ... and Trekkies will remember her for playing Dr. Elizabeth Dehner on the third episode of "Star Trek," when she sacrifices her life and has some last words for Captain Kirk.

The actress made a ton of guest appearances on TV shows back in the 1960s ... including "12 O'Clock High," "Ben Casey," "Mannix," "That Girl" and "The Outer Limits."

In addition to TV and movies, Sally also acted in plays and found success in soap operas as her career progressed ... getting a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2015 for her work on "The Young and the Restless."

Sally lent her voice to commercials and animation too ... doing voiceover work for Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and a few animated movies.

She was twice married ... first to "Starsky & Hutch" writer and director Rick Edelstein from 1970 to 1972 ... and then tying the knot in 1980 to "Face/Off" producer Jonathan Krane.

Sally was 84.

RIP

Daniel Radcliffe Let's Get Weird!!!

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Here's Daniel Radcliffe getting very much into character as Weird Al Yankovic ... talking to and getting tips from the legend himself!!!

Daniel's going all-in on the "weird" look for an upcoming biopic on the parody singer ... as you can see he's rocking a mustache, huge afro wig, checkerboard Vans, a Hawaiian shirt and some round wire-frame glasses.

Al was keeping a watchful eye from the sidelines as Daniel filmed some scenes Monday in Los Angeles for "WEIRD: The 'Weird Al' Yankovic Story" ... and in between takes Al and Daniel chopped it up on set.

It's likely Daniel was turning to Weird Al for some guidance on how to best play the role ... mannerisms, situations and whatnot ... and the pair really seemed to get along, even sharing a few laughs during some animated conversations.

Weird Al's certainly a larger-than-life character ... just check out his flowing locks and flashy button-down shirt ... but it seems Daniel is up to the task.