Leslie Phillips Voice of Sorting Hat in 'Harry Potter' Dead at 98

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Leslie Phillips -- a prolific British actor who was part of the 'Harry Potter' franchise -- has died.

His team confirmed he passed away Monday peacefully in his sleep, this according to the BBC. No other details were released.

Phillips is perhaps best known by this generation as the voice of the Sorting Hat in the 'HP' flicks -- he starred in 3 of them ... "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," "Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets" and the final movie, "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2."

Before any wizarding work, though, LP already had quite a career on his hands ... having starred in dozens of projects between radio, film and TV. He has a whopping 174 acting credits to his name, many of which date back to the 1950s.

For starters, Phillips made several appearances in the famed "Carry On" slapstick comedy movies and TV show in Great Britain.

Other notable movies he's been in over the years ... "Empire of the Sun," "Is Anybody There?," "August," "Venus," and "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider."

When it comes to TV series ... he'd been in countless. 'Casanova '73' and 'Chancer' come to mind -- as does 'Our Man at St. Marks' and 'Honey for Tea,' among others.

The dude was known for his comedy chops and well-timed catchphrases -- definitely a big deal in British circles, especially those who consumed media in the '50s, '60s and '70s.

Phillips was 98. RIP

Elvira Kylie Looks Great as Me, But ….

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Kylie Jenner dressed up as Elvira for Halloween -- and she's got the horror queen's stamp of approval, with one proviso.

Elvira tells TMZ ... "I didn’t get a heads up that Kylie was doing the costume, but she did the costume justice and it was very flattering." While it sounds like Elvira was digging the shout-out, she goes on to say an actual digital name-drop would've been appreciated.

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She adds, "It would have been even more flattering if she tagged me."

Kylie threw up at least 4 different Instagram posts showing off her costume -- which was recreated to match Elvira's iconic look to a T. You can tell she respects the one and only, but as Elvira mentions ... Kylie never really connected the virtual dots for a notification.

She did tag the studio that shot these, and even gave herself a nickname ... "kyvira." Kylie got a lot of love in the comments, but it doesn't appear that Elvira herself said anything. It's also unclear if she officially "liked" any of Kylie's posts.

The message can hopefully be relayed here though ... Elvira's grateful for the love, but go all the way next time!

Zac Efron Lookin' Great As Kevin Von Erich ... Says The Real Wrestler!!!

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Zac Efron is blowing people away with his transformation in the upcoming film, "The Iron Claw" ... and he's got a seal of approval from a very important person -- Kevin Von Erich, the wrestling legend Zac's portraying.

Kevin tells TMZ ... not only does Zac's depiction get a big thumbs up ... it sounds like his daughters are on board with the casting choice, too.

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THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB

As for Zac's physique, Kevin says that's no easy task to pull off -- telling us it was pretty time-consuming to stay in shape like that back in his prime ... giving props to the actor for lookin' that good.

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FYI -- the upcoming film is all about the Von Erich legacy ... showcasing the family of wrestlers breaking into the game, starting way back in the '60s. Alongside Zac, Jeremy Allen White will be playing Kevin's brother, Kerry.

Kevin has had little to no involvement with the film, aside from talking to the director, Sean Durkin, a few times. He hasn't spoken to Zac about the role.

Regardless, Kevin's excited to check this one out ... and might even hold a family movie night in his backyard out in Kauai. Ahhh, island livin'!!!

Leslie Jordan Hilarious In Upcoming Movie ... Last Film Before Death

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HIS FINAL ROLE

Leslie Jordan will be gracing the silver screen one last time ... because the last film he ever starred in is on its way to being completed.

Writer and director Tracy Pellegrino tells TMZ ... "Strangers in a Strange Land," Leslie's last listed film credit in post-production, is a small independent film made up of several shorts that focuses on foreigners around the world getting into hilarious situations due to their confusion and language barriers -- and it's the L.A. portion of the film where Leslie shines.

Leslie plays a southerner in Los Angeles who tries to help give directions to a Russian man at a bus stop ... someone he finds VERY attractive.

The humor is right up Leslie's alley, and that tracks -- we're told Tracy and her husband, Mark, wrote the part with him in mind ... totally unaware if Leslie would even sign on for the project. Tracy knew Leslie for more than 20 years.

Tracy says the movie was filmed over a long period of time -- it was shot in Paris, Cannes, Rome, Düsseldorf, London, Brooklyn and L.A. She says Leslie's part was shot around 2017. There is no release date yet for the film.

As we reported, sources close to the late actor told us Leslie was driving to the set of "Call Me Kat" Monday morning when he suffered some sort of medical emergency, crashing into the side of a building. He was 67.

'Halloween' Star Omar Dorsey I've Talked to Ghosts!!!

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"Halloween" star Omar Dorsey isn't just dealing with spooky stuff when he's at work ... he says he's actually talked to ghosts during what sounds like a very freaky encounter.

We got Omar Thursday at LAX and he shared his crazy ghost experience, which he says went down while he was in New Orleans filming "Queen Sugar."

He says he was staying in a place called The Cotton Mill, and he could "feel spirits" hanging around him, every night.

He says it got to the point he felt the need to have a serious convo with them. Basically, he wanted to make sure he was in good graces with the ghosts during the 4 months he was staying there.

Omar's fully aware his ghost tale might sound kinda crazy to a lot of folks, but that's not changing his memory, and he insists it happened. He added, he's never been one of those people looking for this kinda thing ... he says given his Christian background, he's actually afraid of supernatural stuff.

Don't worry, the story has a good ending ... he obviously makes it out in one piece, but if you're in NOLA ya might steer clear of Omar's old haunting stomping grounds. 👀

'Rust' Movie Shooting D.A. Office Reviewing Evidence ... Criminal Charges Next???

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Alec Baldwin is one step closer to finding out if he will be criminally charged for the fatal shooting on his "Rust" movie set ... because cops have finally turned over the investigative findings to the District Attorney.

Prosecutors in New Mexico tell TMZ ... the Santa Fe County Sheriff gave its investigative report on the shooting incident to the D.A.'s office Thursday, who will now begin a "thorough review" of the evidence before deciding on whether or not to bring criminal charges.

It will be interesting to see if D.A. Mary Carmack-Altwies charges Alec -- and potentially others -- with a crime.

The D.A. may have already shown her hand, as we reported, she recently asked New Mexico for help in financing several potential prosecutions and named Alec as a possible defendant.

Heather Brewster, a spokesperson for the D.A., tells TMZ ... now that Carmack-Altwies has the evidence, her focus "will be on upholding the integrity of the process, enforcing the laws of the state of New Mexico, and pursuing justice."

It's been over a year since Halyna Hutchins died in the fatal shooting on the Santa Fe movie set ... and Alec's maintained her death was an accident and not his fault.

Alec's tried deflecting blame on other crew members, who he claims should have checked the gun to make sure it was functioning properly and wasn't loaded. Baldwin claims he didn't actually pull the trigger, instead claiming the revolver went off on its own after he pulled back the hammer.

Leslie Jordan Hometown Honor Coming For 'Cherished Son of Chattanooga'

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Leslie Jordan was a treasure to folks in Chattanooga, Tennessee, his hometown ... and now the city plans to honor the late actor, and it's working with his family to make it happen.

Leslie, who died Tuesday in Los Angeles, is being remembered as "one of the cherished sons of Chattanooga," according to a rep for the city ... who also tells TMZ, Leslie brought joy to the community for many years.

We're told one of Leslie's family members reached out to the city about securing a facility to honor his memory. The city is now partnering with Leslie's fam to make it happen, by finding a venue for a memorial service and making sure to pick a date that works well for Leslie's loved ones.

Chattanooga, we're told, is also open to other ideas on how to best remember Leslie -- some of the ideas being kicked around include renaming a street or building in his honor but we're told the final call will be up to his family.

The rep tells us Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly knew Leslie since they were teenagers, when they worked together at a local restaurant ... so his ties to the city run deep.

We're told Leslie made sure to return to Chattanooga to participate in civic events and volunteer with local charities even after his Hollywood success.

TMZ broke the story ... Leslie was driving his BMW in Hollywood when investigators believe he suffered a medical emergency and crashed into the side of a building.

He was on his way to the "Call Me Kat" set for filming, and we're told he had been complaining recently about shortness of breath.

Back in Chattanooga, we're told folks are still in mourning ... and the city is trying to balance showing respect for Leslie's family with being responsive to community members who want to celebrate him.

Leslie's also going to be honored in West Hollywood, where he frequented restaurants and coffee shops. We're told the WeHo city council will adjourn in Leslie's honor at their next meeting.

West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister tells TMZ ... "Leslie Jordan was a beloved figure in the city. I used to see him often at the 'Big Gay Starbucks,' where he entertained everyone in his path. When the City changed out the existing parking meters to meters lower in height, he boasted that we did it for him. Leslie Jordan was a lovely, fun, funny person. He was one in a million -- he will be missed."

Jacob Elordi I'm The King Too ... Better Elvis Than Butler???

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Here's the first look at Jacob Elordi playing Elvis Presley on the set of a new movie about Priscilla ... sparking debate about who is the better Elvis, Jacob or Austin Butler.

Jacob was in full hair and makeup Monday as the King of Rock & Roll on a movie set in Toronto for Sofia Coppola's upcoming biopic about Priscilla Presley's life ... which comes on the heels of Austin playing EP in the 2022 film, "Elvis."

As you can see, Jacob was in a couple different outfits for filming ... wearing a suit and then changing into a button-down shirt with shorts.

Lots of folks thought Austin was a dead ringer for Elvis when he played the King alongside Tom Hanks ... so it will be interesting to see how Elvis fans react to Jacob's version.

The Priscilla biopic has a working title of "Domino" ... and it's based on Priscilla's memoir, "Elvis and Me." Priscilla wasn't a focal point of the "Elvis" biopic, but now she's getting her due.

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JOB WELL DONE

Remember, the real Priscilla herself told us Austin did a fantastic job depicting her late ex-husband ... so Jacob's got some pretty big shoes to fill.

We gotta ask ... who looks more like Elvis?

Armie Hammer Sued by AmEx ... He's Dodging $67k Balance!!!

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UPDATE

3:19 PM PT -- A source with direct knowledge tells us this was a joint account Armie Hammer had with his estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, we're told it'll be resolved as they iron out the final details of the divorce.

Armie Hammer has hit the pause button on his acting career, and big potential paydays ... and now a credit card company's coming after him for a fat balance they say he owes.

American Express is suing the disgraced actor, claiming he owes upwards of nearly $67,000 for unpaid charges and/or cash advances, plus balance transfers. Unclear when he allegedly racked up the balance, but AmEx says he's had the account since 2011.

AmEx claims they've demanded he pony up in the past -- but they say Armie hasn't satisfied the balance ... and now, they're taking him to court over it.

2011 is right around the time Armie's career started blowing up. He was fresh off a great performance in 'The Social Network' and had booked a role in 'J. Edgar.' Thereafter, his fame skyrocketed ... only to come crashing down in 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

As of a couple months ago, it appears he's been working down in the Caymans selling timeshares.

Originally Published -- 3:05 PM PT

Robbie Coltrane 'Harry Potter' Star's Cause of Death ... Infection, Heart Issues

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Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the 'Harry Potter' films, died from several health issues ... the most dire dealing with infections, heart issues and his weight.

Robbie reportedly died after multiple organ failure ... according to his death certificate. The document also says he'd been battling sepsis, a lower respiratory infection as well as blockages in his heart.

As if that wasn't bad enough -- the actor's death certificate indicates he'd previously been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

As we reported, Robbie died earlier this month at the age of 72 ... he was in a hospital at the time, near his home in Scotland.

Robbie appeared in all of the 'Potter' films, but he'd been in the acting game long before that franchise -- having scored roles in scores of films, going back through the 1990s and '80s.

Superman 'Black Adam' Cameo was Headless ... Before Cavill Deal Struck

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The Rock's new movie features a cameo from Henry Cavill's Superman at the end -- which looked like the headless horseman before the real McCoy got hired. Also ... spoilers ahead!

Per THR ... the last-minute addition was actually something WB and the creatives behind "Black Adam" -- Dwayne's debut superhero flick -- had conceived even prior to getting HC onboard, which manifested in them shooting the post-credits scene with a stand-in.

That body double, however, was reportedly silhouetted and obscured in post -- to where they entirely hid his face, only showing part of a guy in Superman's costume -- because they hadn't struck a deal with Cavill yet ... even though the intention was to bring him back.

They reportedly shot the scene in a matter of minutes earlier this year and did test screenings of it -- with the headless Superman at first -- to which fans responded incredibly positively. That confirmed to producers ... they had to get Henry, one way or another.

The DP who helmed 'BA' responded to the great feedback ... "Wow, this is 100 percent going to work. Now they need to figure out if they can get the guy with the head to be there."

If you haven't heard by now ... Cavill is returning to the DCEU for at least one more 'Superman' movie (and perhaps more) after a Herculean lobbying effort by The Rock.

Reports say he moved mountains to broker a deal to get everyone's favorite MoS back into the picture, despite pushback from some studio heads ... namely, Walter Hamada, who was dead set on moving on from the Zack Snyder era, regardless of fans who voiced otherwise.

Now that WH is outta there, though, it seems the new WB -- operating in conjunction with Discovery -- is willing to try Cavill one more time. No pumpkin noggin fill-ins needed either!

BTW, if you wanna see Henry's cameo in full -- you'll have to hit a theater. Even though the cat is very much out of the bag, WB's yanking down the leaked footage all over Twitter.

ADAM SANDLER DAUGHTERS MAKING $65K FOR NEW MOVIE

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Adam Sandler's daughters are starring in a new movie about a bat mitzvah ... and they're taking home a paycheck big enough to make most bat mitzvah gifts seem, well, lesser.

Sadie and Sunny Sandler scored roles alongside their famous father in Netflix's "You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah" ... and their minor's contracts lay out their compensation.

According to the contracts, filed with the court and obtained by TMZ, Adam's teenage daughters are each earning $65,000 for the flick ... and they're gonna be paid in weekly installments during filming.

Adam's got to be loving it ... because it's almost like an allowance for his kids.

The Netflix feature film is putting Fiona Rosenbloom’s beloved coming-of-age novel on the big screen ... and Sunny is playing Stacy Friedman to Sadie's Ronnie Friedman.

Sadie and Sunny's contracts also call for them to get first-class accommodations if they have to film more than 50 miles from home, including swanky hotel rooms, business class plane tickets and car service, plus a $60 per diem and their own trailer on the movie lot.

Adam's daughters could be in for a bigger payday down the line ... there's a follow-up book in the series, and if Netflix makes a sequel the girls are each set to earn $162,500.

It pays to have a big-time movie star for a father.

Bill Paxton Son Supports 'Twister' Sequel ... Dad Would OK Female Lead

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The late Bill Paxton sadly won't be in the new "Twister" sequel, but his own flesh and blood is giving his seal of approval ... not just on the flick, but the fact there'll be a lady lead, too.

Bill's son, James Paxton, tells TMZ ... "Twisters" has his blessing and he's hopeful they make a great movie. He says he'd actually be open to being in the flick if producers were inclined and if they wanted to pay proper homage to his father -- who starred in the 1996 original.

James would actually be taken to the set way back when and hang in the famed red truck used on camera, we're told, so a cameo would go a long way for the Paxton family.

There's also this ... JP tells us his dad talked about doing a "Twister" sequel while alive and even liked the idea of a daughter character -- from his and Helen Hunt's characters -- taking on the mantle. James isn't sure if Bill's idea reached producers at the time ... but the idea's there now, because that's exactly the direction they're going in, with hopes HH comes back.

James says the OG is iconic, so whoever comes on board will have big shoes to fill -- adding, with the right people ... it can be special. He thinks "Top Gun: Maverick" is proof of that.

We broke the story ... Bill died suddenly in 2017 after suffering a fatal stroke after heart surgery. His death rocked Hollywood, especially since he was relatively young at just 61. BP left behind a storied career in films -- "Twister" being one of the biggest.

Something tells us the forthcoming sequel will do right by the Paxton family in some way, shape or form. Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment Production Company is gonna be producing ... and since they were involved in the first one, it's a sure bet they'll handle this with care.

Brad Pitt I've Got The Formula ... Hits F1 Race In Texas

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Brad Pitt's got a need for speed lately ... only this time he's trading in his bullet train for a super fast race car.

The "Bullet Train" star was in Austin, TX on Friday for the start of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

Brad is set to star in a new movie about F1, which is skyrocketing in popularity across the country ... with legendary driver Lewis Hamilton among the producers.

The upcoming film is said to have Brad playing a former racer turned team owner who comes out of retirement to coach up the next generation of drivers.

Brad's already looking the part ... slipping on a pair of bright orange ear muffs to protect from the sound of those powerful F1 engines.

BP was also rocking some sweet shades, blue jeans and a matching blue jacket at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack ... surely a fit that would make Austin's favorite son, Matthew McConaughey, proud.

'Rust' Production New Mexico in the Rearview ... Filming May Resume in Cali

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'Rust' being a western flick, it's fitting authorities in New Mexico are now reportedly saying either pay up or get outta town.

The troubled movie production will begin hunting for locations to shoot, including Southern California, this according a statement from a 'Rust' attorney to Deadline.

As for why the Alec Baldwin western may be bailing from New Mexico ... Deadline reports there are legal issues. The production was fined $136,793 by the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau for "willful and serious" workplace violations ... something the production is fighting. There's apparently no way the production could get permits until that issue is resolved.

There were also allegations the production owes others money that is long overdue.

Of course, there's also the tragic, accidental fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. One insider connected to the production told Deadline, "It's emotionally difficult for the crew and the cast to return to the same place."

As we reported, the D.A. has not received the results of the Sheriff's investigation, but prosecutors say no one has been cleared from possible charges, including Baldwin.

Halloween KILLER Auction ... Horror Props Up for Grabs!!!

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Halloween is right around the corner, and some die-hard fans are getting the chance to get their hands on some actual props from their favorite horror flicks.

Prop Store online auction house has a ton of gear -- from Freddy to Jason and more -- about to go up on the block, but the prices might scare the you-know-what outta you.

There's plenty of Jason Voorhees memorabilia to go around ... like the entire get-up worn in the 2003 "Freddy vs. Jason" flick. It features a coat, jumper, long-sleeved T-shirt, pair of trousers and a belt ... and even comes with an autographed undersuit. The 'fit is estimated to sell for $20 to $30K.

There's also Jason's infamous hockey mask worn in the 1989 flick "Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan." It's expected to fetch between $40K and $60K.

"The Omen" fans can relive the making of the 1976 film with this production-used clapperboard ... it's estimated to bring in between $6k and $8K.

It seems like these artifacts are a pretty penny, but obviously their values keep increasing over the years ... so might be worth it! The auction opens up in a couple weeks.