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James Franco has been cast as Fidel Castro, something John Leguizamo says is an outrage ... but the film's producer's punching back, albeit with an explanation that's a bit confusing.

The news was announced this week that JF would be playing the late Cuban dictator, who came to power in the '50s and ushered in Communism. It sounds like James is going to portray a somewhat younger Castro ... and, of course, it's gotten some double takes.

Leguizamo was perhaps one of the most vocal critics, writing ... "How is this still going on? How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well? No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F'd up!"

He adds, "Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong! I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!"

So John's beef seems to be with the fact that a dramatized film about Castro can't help but humanize him, which he thinks is wrong considering FC's notoriously harsh regime ... but more importantly, James is a white dude. So the casting is already off to bad start, per JL.

Welp, he's just plain wrong on this one ... so says a producer of the film, John Martinez O'Felan, who tells THR that John's missing the big picture. What that larger point is, though, doesn't really come through all that well in JMOF's explanation, to be frank.

He says, "A guy like John Leguizamo has historically been looked up to by Hispanics as one of America's earliest actors of Latin descent since the 90s and I've always admired him as a fellow underdog. But his comments are culturally uneducated and a blind attack with zero substance related to this project."

O'Felan goes on to say ... "The reality of the ignorance piece falls within his statement suggesting his personal view on being 'Latino,' because a land mass or living area does not determine a person’s blood history or genetics."

He continues by saying Jon's words are "a great talking point because they represent the same confusion and identity crisis in Hollywood right now within the Hispanic community in America who are arguing that we should only identify as Latin, which is mostly because of the falsehoods being spread by the actors who are supposed to be representing us, but instead create division amongst their own people." Uhhh, what???

Yeah, it's a word salad of a response -- but from what we can gather ... he just doesn't have an issue with James being white, maybe 'cause Castro had Spanish roots. It opens a can of worms on whether Latinos can be considered white racially ... and yes, they technically can.

And for those pissed about the inauthentic casting here, that argument is sorta deflated now with the casting of Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, another iconic historical figure, but on the American side. ADA still maintains traces of her Spanish accent in her performance.

Tyler Perry won't be having "the talk" with his son any time soon, because despite increased racial tensions in the country ... he doesn't want a 7-year-old to have to think about those issues. Not yet.

Tyler opened up about this critical parenting decision, during an interview with AARP -- yes, he's over 50 -- where he said he wants to wait as long as possible to talk to Aman about race and racism in the world.

He explained, “I don’t want to tell him that there are people who will judge him because of the color of his skin, because right now he’s in a school with every race, and all these kids are in their purest form. When he describes his friends, he never defines them by race”.

In case you didn't know, Tyler had Aman with model Gelila Bekele, and although the couple reportedly ended things back in 2020 -- after more than a decade together -- they are happily co-parenting.

"The talk" ... as all Black American families know it ... has been a big topic in society in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder -- so, Tyler's approach is interesting. The sad fact is most Black children can't be shielded from the harsh reality of racism, but Tyler would be the first to say he's in an extremely fortunate position.

He says, "the moment [Aman] loses that innocence is going to be a very, very sad day for me" ... but, he acknowledged the day will come eventually, since his son is already asking tough questions.

Alyson Hannigan can break out the bubbly ... because she finally found a buyer for her home, which was a filming location for NBC's hit show "This Is Us."

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... the "How I Met Your Mother" star accepted an offer Thursday on her 5-bedroom estate, which she listed for $18 million.

The place is 7,605 square feet and it was featured in "This Is Us" as the home Mandy Moore's character, Rebecca, tells Justin Hartley's character, Kevin, to build in memory of Milo Ventimiglia's character, Jack.

Alyson's place was used in multiple flash-forward scenes over the final couple of seasons on the NBC show ... and she's on the record saying she liked having her digs converted into a filming set, because NBC footed the bill for a ton of repairs.

The house is a go-to for Hollywood producers ... it's also been used in "Fun With Dick and Jane," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" and "Fractured," plus a Hyundai Super Bowl commercial starring Kevin Hart.

The estate sits on 3 acres of land in a gated community in Encino ... and includes a main residence, guest house, home gym and office space. The place is decked out with a pool, tennis court and a vegetable garden.

The very private property is super green, too -- dotted with palm trees, orange trees, avocado trees, sycamores and succulents ... which can be seen from every room in the house.

Alyson and her husband Alexis Denisof bought the home in 2016 for $7.95M, and last month they reportedly bought a new home in Santa Monica.

Ana de Armas is getting trashed for her performance in an upcoming Netflix Marilyn Monroe movie because of her Cuban accent, but she's getting critical support from Marilyn's estate ... and they say she hit the mark.

Nick Woodhouse, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Authentic Brands Group, which owns MM's estate, tells TMZ ... "Ana has artfully captured the essence of Marilyn's voice. Marilyn was known for her breathiness, which was actually a tactic taught to her by a speech therapist during her childhood to help her overcome a stutter."

In other words, the estate thinks the accent is unimportant ... her style of speaking is what people remember and captures the true Marilyn.

As we reported ... lots of folks are griping about Ana's accent after seeing the preview, with some haters saying it's distracting and others wondering if Ana got anything out of 9 months of professional dialect.

Woodhouse goes on to say, "Marilyn has served as a muse and inspiration to fans of all genders, all ethnicities and all walks of life, and her influence will only continue. There are no rules when it comes to how an artist can pay homage to her legacy."

He adds, it's not one size fits all when it comes to interpretations of Marilyn ... Kim Kardashian and Michelle Williams put their own spin on MM, and now it's Anna's turn.

"Blonde" premieres Sept. 28 on Netflix, and accent aside ... there's no debating Ana is a dead ringer for Marilyn.

Angelina Jolie isn't afraid to cut a rug, not even in front of her daughter, Zahara, who she joined at a freshman event for Spelman college ... dancing to the electric slide!!!

Angelina hit the dance floor Saturday night while attending the annual freshman send-off ... all smiles while she busted a move with her kiddo and others at the event. Jolie dances to the popular song for a bit, before rooting for others from the sideline.

The event welcomes new students in the area who will attend historically Black colleges Spelman and Morehouse ... introing new students to faculty and alumni as well.

Clearly, mama Jolie couldn't be happier about Zahara's choice for the next 4 years.

Pat Carroll, famous for voicing Ursula in 'The Little Mermaid,' has died.

The longtime actress and comedian passed away at her Cape Cod home Saturday after a bout with pneumonia -- according to her daughter, Kerry Karsian, who confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter.

Carroll is perhaps best known for playing Ariel's half-octupus/half-human nemesis in the 1989 hit Disney movie -- and for all the show-stopping numbers she pulled off on her own, doing all of the singing for the film by herself ... and reprising the role throughout the years.

PC had done a lot more before that, though ... she was a veteran in sitcoms well before 'TLM' came along -- having starred in fan favorites such as "The Danny Thomas Show," "The Mickey Rooney Show," "The Red Skelton Hour," "Getting Together," "Busting Loose," "Galaxy High School," "Too Close for Comfort," "Foofur," "She's the Sheriff" and many more.

Carroll also had lots of guest appearances on iconic series, plus regular bookings on variety, game and talk shows throughout the 20th century -- her humor and wacky personality was a hit with audiences and hosts alike.

Her career speaks for herself ... the woman had won a Grammy, an Emmy and accolades from her theatre work as well. As many have rightly said, she was a pioneer in the biz.

Caroll is survived by her daughters and granddaughter. She was 95 years old.

Sylvester Stallone isn't pulling any punches over his dissatisfaction with where the 'Rocky' franchise is heading -- once again publicly lashing out at one of the OG producers.

Sly went on the attack for a second time this weekend, posting a very scathing message aimed at Irwin Winkler ... who helped get 'Rocky' off the ground way back in the day, and who apparently has an ownership stake in the IP -- while SS has none himself.

That's where Sylvester's beef lies, and he made it clear in yet another critique on Instagram ... throwing up art renderings that depict Irwin and others as animals and evil villains, who are stabbing Sly in the back, etc.

Sylvester writes, "After IRWIN WINKLER And FAMILY SUCK ROCKY DRY ! Presumed to be the most hated , untalented , decrepited , Producer in Hollywood and his cowardly children have found their next meal… Drago , RETURN MY RIGHTS BLOODSUCKERS!"

He's talking about the fact that Dolph Lundgren is reported to be starring in a spin-off film that'll see him reprise his character from 'Rocky IV' -- something Sylvester says he wasn't made aware of, and which he strongly disapproves of ... saying he never meant these precious characters of his to be milked to this degree in future projects.

Sylvester says he sees this as nothing but a greedy money-grab, and even calls out his old costar by name -- asking why he didn't reach out to talk about this before the word was out.

BTW, a couple weeks ago ... Sylvester was also venting frustrations about not owning any of 'Rocky' for himself ... and he pleaded with Irwin to do the right thing and hand over some of the rights, which he feels -- at least in part -- belong to him since he's the creator of 'Rocky.'

Sylvester has been speaking out about this more and more lately -- and it's starting to turn ugly. Some fans side with Sly ... while others are calling him out for acting unprofessionally.

As for Dolph, he's addressed Sly's concerns, writing ... "Just to set the record straight regarding a possible Drago spinoff. There’s no approved script, no deals in place, no director and I was personally under the impression that my friend Sly Stallone was involved as a producer or even as an actor. There was a press leak last week which was unfortunate. In touch with Mr Balboa - just so all the fans can relax…There ya go."

Elizabeth Olsen may or may not be present in the MCU going forward, but she certainly was present this weekend when it came to catching some live tunes ... just take a look!

Here's the 'WandaVision' and 'Avengers' star rocking out Saturday at a Wild Hearts Tour stop in Berkeley, CA -- where she and her husband, and perhaps one friend, attended with some decent seats within the Greek Theatre.

In footage obtained by TMZ, you can see EO chatting with her hubby, Robbie Arnett, before the house lights came down ... as well as her busting a move when they eventually did.

It's pretty cool seeing her cut loose like this -- especially since she portrayed a deadly serious character in one of the last big Marvel flicks, 'Doctor Strange' in the Multiverse of Madness,' where she played a murderous villain that was dead set on getting her way.

BTW, we're told that when Liz was boogying here, it was while singer-songwriter Angel Olsen (no relation) was onstage and performing. She's teamed up with Sharon Van Etten and Julien Baker for this national outing.

Elizabeth and Robbie reportedly live in L.A., but it seems they might've wanted to escape the spotlight a bit to catch this music act -- which was just here a day prior -- up north.

Ana de Armas has gotten buzz over her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in a forthcoming flick -- but some can't get over her in-character voice ... which still leans very Spanish-sounding.

Here's the deal ... ADA is starring in this Netflix movie that's coming out in September called "Blonde," which is an NC-17 depiction of some of Marilyn's life -- albeit through a hyper-stylized lens (it's based on a fictional book exploring MM's struggles, plus rape/abuse, etc.)

We'll get to the graphic content in a bit -- because there's outrage over that too -- but first, we gotta get into people griping about Ana's still-there accent ... which came to light in Netflix's latest trailer for the movie that came out this past week. It's got Twitter in a tizzy.

As you can see (and hear) for yourself, there are still pretty noticeable traces of Ana's native language coming through in her performance. She's from Cuba and came to the States in adulthood ... and pretty much all of her movies thus far feature her natural accent.

The problem here -- at least for bird app users -- is that it feels somewhat distracting, seeing how Marilyn had a typical American accent. Some say Ana not perfecting it for this Oscar-bait role is strange, especially since so many actors these days (international and otherwise) do accent crossover roles all the time, often to rave reviews and much fanfare.

Plus, Ana said early on that she underwent 9 months of professional dialect training for this part -- but now, a handful of people are wondering what she's got to show for it.

Of course, many are defending Ana as well -- saying any criticism of her accent is misplaced and misguided -- and perhaps teetering on xenophobic territory. Some say that there are tons of examples of American actors butchering foreign accents, but no one minds them.

There's also some who feel like the accent isn't make or break -- arguing it shouldn't be the single element that snaps folks out of their suspension of disbelief, especially since we do it all the time for superhero movies. In other words, Film Twitter is divided over this one.

While that debate rages, there's also a convo about this film potentially exploiting Marilyn's story and legacy ... all for the sake of shock value in depicting her suffering tremendously on camera, which many see as gross -- especially with the free reign of an NC-17 rating.

Nichelle Nichols, who famously played Lt. Uhura on 'Star Trek,' has died ... this according to her family.

Nichols' son, Kyle Johnson, confirmed the news on Sunday with an update posted to a website dedicated to the life and career of his mother ... writing, "I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years."

He adds, "Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light, however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration. Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all."

Kyle ends by saying this ... "I, and the rest of our family, would appreciate your patience and forbearance as we grieve her loss until we can recover sufficiently to speak further. Her services will be for family members and the closest of her friends and we request that her and our privacy be respected." He also sent a "Live long and prosper" shout out.

Nichols made history as the first African-American woman to play a lead role on television. And with "Star Trek: The Original Series" costar William Shatner ... she also shared the first on-screen kiss between a Black woman and white man on American television.

She played the role for a handful of years and starred in dozens of 'Star Trek' episodes between '66 and '69. However, her acting career went far beyond just the Galactic Barrier.

With 69 acting credits to her name, NN has appeared on several hit shows and movies over the years, including notable voice-over roles, such as ... 'The Lieutenant,' 'Peyton Place,' 'Tarzan,' 'Truck Turner,' 'The Supernaturals,' 'Batman: The Animated Series,' 'Gargoyles,' 'Spider-Man: The Animated Series,' 'Futurama,' 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command,' 'The Simpsons,' 'Snow Dogs,' 'Are We There Yet?' 'Heroes,' 'The Young and the Restless,' and so many others.

Toward the end of her life, Nichols was in an often bitter conservatorship battle with her son -- this after he was granted control of the apparatus once she'd been diagnosed with dementia ... a legal fight that went on for some years, and, at times, got pretty ugly.

Nichelle Nichols was 89.

Arnold Schwarzenegger hit a milestone in age this weekend -- but he doesn't really wanna talk about that ... instead, he put the focus on his late mother, with a very touching tribute.

The ex-California governor and legendary movie star hit the big 7-5 Saturday, and he's getting tons of tributes online and elsewhere ... with everyone wishing him a happy 75th birthday. Of course, it's well-deserved -- but AS's mind seems to be elsewhere right now.

On Friday -- the day before Arnold's own bday -- he posted a remembrance for his mom, Aurelia, whom he said would've turned 100. He explains how much his mother meant to him while she was alive, and what she taught him growing up that he still upholds today.

Arnold writes, "Today my mother, Aurelia, would have turned 100. She was the best mother you can imagine and I’ll always love her. I can’t explain how much she meant to me, but she is the number one reason I won’t call myself self-made."

He adds, "She showed me unconditional love, the importance of keeping my house clean, how to make the perfect schnitzel, and patience. A lot of patience. Make sure to tell your mothers how much they mean to you!"

Aurelia passed away while visiting the gravesite of her late husband, Gustav, in her native Austria back in 1998. She collapsed during the visit after suffering a heart attack -- and despite being flown to the nearest hospital, she died.

It greatly affected Arnold at the time, whose Hollywood star was at its peak ... he said his world was crushed, and clearly -- his mother's death still means a great deal to him today.

Will Smith has spoken out on camera for the first time over slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, and he clearly feels a lot of shame and remorse.

Smith posted his mea culpa on Facebook, answering questions from fans about the moment that shocked millions of people.

Smith says he didn't go ballistic because Jada Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes at Rock's joke ... he says he did it on his own because he felt the joke was insulting and disrespectful. He also made it clear ... he and Chris Rock had 'history," and clearly not in a good way.

Smith said he has suffered trauma, primarily for disappointing his fans and others, saying "I didn't live up to people's image and impression of me."

As for why he didn't apologize to Chris, he says he reached out but Chris wasn't ready to talk to him, but he apologized in the new video.  The 2 haven't spoken since the Oscars.

He went on to say ... "I am human and I made a mistake and I'm trying not to think of myself as a piece of s**t."

As for his former good friend Tony Rock, Chris' brother, Will apologized to him and conceded the damage done is probably "irreparable."

Johnny Depp's back in the City of Love, and still feeling lots of it from fans waiting for him wherever he goes in the French capital.

JD was leaving a restaurant in Paris early Thursday morning when he ran into a wall of supporters -- fans hoping to get some pics and autographs from the actor/rock star.

It was an offer he couldn't resist, as the guy said Bonsoir, and signed what he could before making his way out of there.

Johnny's in Paris to shoot his first film since the trial against Amber Heard -- he's playing King Louis XV in Maïwenn's "Jeanne du Barry."

Johnny recently made headlines after being seen out with a mystery woman ... while many believed the redhead in question was a new flame, we learned she's his French teacher for the upcoming film.

As we reported, Amber recently filed to appeal the $10.3M verdict in her defamation case ... a spokesperson for the actress told us, "We believe the court made errors that prevented a just and fair verdict consistent with the First Amendment."

Gwyneth Paltrow told a crappy joke to Hailey Bieber about sleeping with her father, Stephen Baldwin ... in a bathroom of all places, creating an awkward on-camera moment between the two.

The Oscar-winning actress appeared Wednesday on Hailey's vlog, "Who's in my Bathroom," and everything seemed normal going in.

Hailey gave a rousing introduction to Gwyneth, who walked out with a smile and warmly embraced the model.

The two sat down and began their chit-chat, and that's when things got really weird.

Gwyneth, who starred with Stephen in the 1994 film, 'Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle' with Hailey's dad ... referred to him as "great" and "so nice."

Hailey took the bait ... "I like hearing that. Imagine if you had some horror story. "He was terrible! It was a nightmare working with him!"'

Gwyneth then dropped the hammer ... "That would be bad. Or if I, like, f***ed your dad in the bathroom?"

Hailey tried to laugh it off, but she was visibly uncomfortable and delivered a word salad ... "I've had that happen to me actually. I don't know if he even knows that I know that. But, I've had that happen."

Gwyneth started laughing ... telegraphing it was only a joke ... "I didn't! I didn't!."

Paul Sorvino, famous for his work in "Goodfellas," has died at the age of 83 ... TMZ has learned.

Sorvino's rep, Roger Neal, tells us he died this morning with his wife Dee Dee by his side. Dee Dee says, "Our hearts are broken, there will never be another Paul Sorvino, he was the love of my life, and one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen and stage.”

Paul appeared in nearly 50 movies during a long career in Hollywood, and he's best known for playing mobster Paul Cicero in the 1990 Martin Scorsese masterpiece, "Goodfellas."

He also played Henry Kissinger in the 1995 movie "Nixon" and Fulgencio Capulet in 1996's "Romeo + Juliet." Paul made his film debut in 1970 with "Where's Poppa?" and also acted in TV shows like "Law & Order" and on Broadway.

One of Paul's last roles was the TV show "Godfather of Harlem," where he played Frank Costello.

Sorvino was born and raised in Brooklyn ... his father was an immigrant from Italy. Paul wanted to be an Opera singer before getting into acting while studying at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York.

Paul lived with severe asthma, mastering different breathing techniques to manage his condition, writing a best-selling book, "How to Become a Former Asthmatic," and starting the Sorvino Asthma Foundation.

He has 3 children, including Oscar winning actress Mira Sorvino and actor/producer Michael Sorvino.

Mira is one of Harvey Weinstein's accusers and the last time we saw Paul, he was pretty pissed with HW.

He was 83.

'Fast & Furious' director Justin Lin just got several million dollars richer ... cause he's found a buyer for his penthouse condo in the heart of Los Angeles.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Justin Lin accepted an offer on the condo this week, and the price tag is definitely a come-up from the $2.6 mil he paid back in 2012.

Justin was using the 3-level penthouse as an office for his production company, Perfect Storm Entertainment over the past few years ... and, the third floor was used as a small apartment.

From the looks of it, the new owner is gonna enjoy some pretty amazing views of downtown L.A., along with some cool features ... including a 24-hour concierge, a newly remodeled gym, swimming pool and a rooftop that's fully decked out!

It's really done up ... exposed brick with an industrial feel. Very cool.

Although he recently stepped away as director of 'Fast & Furious 10' -- slated for a May 2023 release -- Lin has a busy schedule, so selling this place is one less thing to worry about!