Lance Reddick Honored at 'John Wick 4' Premiere ... Cast Wears Blue Ribbons

Published | Updated

Lance Reddick's tragic absence was felt at the "John Wick: Chapter 4" premiere this week -- but his costars made sure to pay tribute to him with a notable symbol ... including Keanu Reeves.

The cast and crew members who were on hand for the film's debut Monday night were all wearing a blue ribbon ... several of which were passed out before the screening in honor of Lance. There was even a little note everybody got that gave a nod to LR by name.

It read, "We kindly ask you to wear this royal blue ribbon in honor of our dear friend Lance Reddick." The color is actually in line with Lance's taste -- the guy loved blue, so they picked it with his preference in mind.

Like we said ... just about everybody in the 'JW' world was rocking this. Not just the stars themselves -- like Keanu, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and the rest -- but it looks like just about everyone who went to the premiere was able to wear the ribbon too.

Of course, Keanu and co. also got a chance to talk about Lance with the media.

Their interviews are touching -- you can tell how much Lance's passing has affected them. Keanu called him a beautiful person and a special artist, going on to say it was the honor of a lifetime to work with him. Laurence was even more emotional ... almost tearing up.

Lance had been in all 4 'John Wick' movies, playing Charon ... the concierge at the Continental Hotel, a home base of sorts in the flicks where JW would check in, get guns and have conversations with other characters ... including Lance's, who was a fan fave.

TMZ broke the story ... Lance died last week unexpectedly. A cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but we're told it appeared to be of natural causes.

He was 60. RIP

Demi Moore & Fam Emotional Sing-Along For Bruce Willis' 68th Bday

Published | Updated

Demi Moore is sharing a heartwarming family moment honoring Bruce Willis ... she was by her ex-husband's side to wish him a very happy birthday as he copes with dementia.

Demi posted a sweet video Sunday ... as Bruce's entire fam gathered around to celebrate his 68th birthday. Bruce and his current wife Emma Heming, Demi and a mix of their kids all sang to him and presented a candlelit pie.

Bruce was smiling, and seemingly mocking his family's attempt to harmonize. It's really the first time we've heard him speak since he was diagnosed last year with aphasia.

In her caption, Demi wrote ... "Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes -- we all feel them."

Of course, the birthday wishes come about a month after his family announced his original diagnosis of aphasia progressed to frontotemporal dementia.

hulu-kal
INVESTIGATING FLIGHT 23

Demi and Bruce share 3 daughters together -- Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah -- who all celebrated alongside their dad.

emma birthday
it's a hard life

He has been married to his current wife Emma for about 13 years.

Their 2 children -- Mabel and Evelyn -- were on hand for the special day as well ... and Emma shared an emotional video as she opened up about their hardships since Bruce's FTD diagnosis.

Remember ... last year, Bruce family revealed he was also ending his acting career because aphasia would severely impact his ability to communicate.

Adam Sandler Gets Mark Twain Award ... Chris Rock Jokes About Trump Arrest

Published | Updated

Adam Sandler is the latest to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor -- which got just about every comedian to D.C., including Chris Rock, who dropped some new, timely Donald Trump material.

Sandler was on hand Sunday to get the prestigious award at the Kennedy Center ... with a packed house of celebs and politicians watching and joining the celebration. Some of the A-listers included Ben Stiller, Dana Carvey, David Spade, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Conan O'Brien, Steve Buscemi and more.

032023_chris_rock_1583617
TRASHING TRUMP

A lot of people got on the mic to sing the legendary comic/actor's praises -- including Drew and Steve -- highlighting his epic 'SNL' tenure and his prolific career in Hollywood. But, the recipient himself got major laughs during his acceptance speech ... he joked he was worried the award "might be the weapon used to bludgeon me to death."

One person who sorta stole the spotlight was his pal Chris ... who did a mini stand-up set and referenced the supposedly imminent arrest of the former prez. Chris humorously, we think, warned that doing so would make Trump more popular than ever.

hulu-kal
INVESTIGATING FLIGHT 23

CR also made a crack about Paul Pelosi -- who was in the audience next to his wife, Nancy -- by saying he was the only one who knew what it was like to get assaulted ... referring to the SF attack at his home. So yeah, Chris is still talking Oscars slap.

He also gave President Biden a back-handed compliment, saying he'd come "back from the dead" to become Commander in Chief. Edgy stuff, but it seemed to go over well enough.

Anyway, back to Sandler ... the guy's contributions speak for themselves, and he's certainly deserving of some recognition.

Some of his most notable movies include 'Billy Madison,' 'Happy Gilmore,' 'The Wedding Singer,' '50 First Dates,' 'The Waterboy,' 'Mr. Deeds,' 'Big Daddy,' 'Punch-Drunk Love,' 'Uncut Gems' ... just to name a few.

Adam joins an exclusive and pretty damn funny list -- other recent Mark Twain honorees include Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy and more.

Congrats!

Ben Affleck I'm So GD Happy in My Life Right Now! 'Air' Rocks, JLo in Next 🎥

Published | Updated

Ben Affleck is on top of the world lately -- making movies with his best bud, and having his wife star in films he's producing ... which he says is the pinnacle of success and happiness.

The actor-director sat down with CBS Sunday Morning for a chat about his new movie, "Air" which follows the story of Nike signing Michael Jordan to his legendary shoe deal ... and which just debuted at SXSW this weekend to rave reviews and thunderous applause.

ben lopez
this is happiness

The film stars Ben and Matt Damon, and the reunion has truly had a shining effect on BA -- as you can tell in this interview. He talks about how chasing money in showbiz (or any biz, really) isn't the key to fulfillment, as he says he's found out.

Instead, he says he's realized that right now ... he's at his most joyous. That's because he loved coming to work for this "Air" flick -- hanging out with his childhood BFF and collaborating, seeing his kids more often and doing projects he's actually passionate about.

hulu-kal
INVESTIGATING FLIGHT 23

That brings the convo to Ben and Matt's new productions company -- Artists Equity -- which guarantees the ancillary crew members a bigger cut of the pie ... unlike traditional studios.

"Air" is AE's first movie (which is being distributed by Amazon) and they already have another sports biopic in the works ... which will star Jennifer Lopez. Ben addresses the apparent nepotism here in the interview ... and insists he got the best actors for the job, her included.

There's more in the full interview ... like what MJ himself wanted in terms of demands. One of those asks, as Ben shares, was that Viola Davis play his mom -- and she does.

Good to see Ben's in his element and doing what he wants. Dude's earned it!

'Shazam 2' Bad Box Office Start ... Amid 2-Year Snyder Cut Anniversary

Published | Updated

James Gunn's new DCU has yet to see the light of day -- and shedding the old guard is proving brutal ... both at the box office and on Twitter, where it's all Zack Snyder all day.

First, there's 'Shazam 2' -- which just hit theaters this weekend, and is already off to a tough start with a projected $30M domestic opening ... one of the worst for any DC movie. Remember, Zachary Levi's future in Gunn's world going forward hangs in the balance ... and you gotta imagine that his film here (part of the former DCEU) bombing doesn't bode well.

There might be more growing pains for Gunn and co. before they can get to their actual new slate -- which will start with "Superman: Legacy" in like two years. DC has yet to release 'Aquaman 2' and "The Flash" ... both of which were completed before Gunn came on.

Time will tell how those do, but for now ... 'Shazam 2' ain't paying off. In the meantime, Snyder fans are celebrating the two-year anniversary of his "Justice League" flick -- the "Snyder Cut" as it's known. And yes ... they're once again clamoring for more ZS superhero content.

hulu-kal
INVESTIGATING FLIGHT 23

There are a few "Snyder" trends going off on the bird app, including folks calling on Warner Bros. to release the rights to Zack's creations to Netflix ... where he's now making other movies. The reason ... they want their guy to continue the "Snyderverse," with all those former actors/heroes -- like Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, etc.

Of course, that probably isn't gonna happen ... but the fervent fan base demands it anyway.

Making matters even more complicated is Zack himself ... who, just this week, teased an announcement -- courtesy of one of his big DCEU villains, Darkseid. Unclear what it is ... but he had the internet on fire with speculation -- so ZS is not really going away either, it seems.

And, one last Zack mention -- where someone was, again, reveling in the glory days -- came from BA himself ... who was singing the director's praises in a new THR profile this week.

Bottom line ... the DCEU has left some mighty big shoes to fill, and those shoes keep on getting brought up as everyone waits for Gunn and Peter Safran's vision to come to life.

Starting over from scratch, as it turns out, is a long and tedious process. Lots to clear out from the garage, and not everyone wants the leftovers on sale ... as WBD is now finding out.

A super-sized headache, indeed.

Lindsay Lohan Parents React to Baby News ... We'll Be in Grandkid's Life!!!

Published

Lindsay Lohan won't have to do parenthood all on her own, 'cause she'll have Mom and Dad to help bring up the baby around Lohan family members ... so say her parents.

Michael Lohan tells TMZ he plans to be in Lindsay's kid's life, one way or another. He says he and his daughter are on good terms, and have been for years now. Ditto for his relations with his ex-wife, Dina, who's also planning to be involved as a grandma.

We're told the pregnancy has brought the Lohans closer as a family unit, and they're all on the same page in terms of introducing the child to extended relatives ... like grandpa Mike and grammy Dina.

As for logistics, Mike says he doesn't know where Lindsay will give birth, but he assumes it'll be in Dubai ... where she lives with her husband, Bader Shammas. If that's the case, ML says he probably won't make the birth in person ... but he's excited to meet his grandkid shortly thereafter.

Now, in terms of gender -- something Lindsay has yet to announce -- Mike says he knows what it is, but can't disclose it at this point. He doesn't care if it's a boy or girl, he says all that matters is the newborn is healthy.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

When it comes to Dina ... she's equally excited, telling TMZ they're all in a good place, and over the moon. One big difference from Mike, though, is she says she'll be with Lindsay for the birth.

We're told this has been a long time coming for Lindsay, who Dina says always wanted to be a mom ... and who she believes will do a rock star job at it. DL says Lindsay told her the news quite a while ago, and is already working on the nursery.

She wouldn't give up whether it's pink or blue.

As for where Lindsay and Bader plan to raise their child ... Dina says they'll split time between Dubai and NY -- as LiLo's main work projects will be Stateside.

One last thing ... Dina says she's already been sharing motherly advice with Lindsay, and they're more in sync than ever. She also expects she'll have more than one kid, but no timeline for baby #2. One at a time, right?

There's also this p.s. from Mike -- he says he knows for sure Lindsay is NOT having twins. Sorry, "Parent Trap" fans!

Tom Sizemore Behind-the-Scenes from Last Film Role

Published
031523-tom-sizemore-kal
behind-the-scenes

Tom Sizemore's work on his last feature film before he died was much like a heavyweight champ giving it his all despite being past his prime ... so says his director on the project.

The late actor plays a police detective in Bruce Bellocchi's upcoming flick, "The Legend of Jack and Diane," in what turned out to be Tom's final movie role ... and TMZ got this behind-the-scenes footage of Tom on set.

As you can see in the clip, Tom's super engaged with the director and his costars as he prepares to shoot a scene as Detective Parker.

Tom was 60 when he filmed the movie, and Bruce says he looked much older than that, was often hunched over and looked very tired all the time. However, he adds ... "That being said, he was professional and I thought always gave his best."

The movie's about a young couple, Jack and Diane, in Indiana who are planning to move to L.A. when they suddenly discover secrets about the death of Diane's mother ... and once their worst fears are confirmed, they create a hit list to get revenge on everyone involved.

Tom's scenes were shot on location in and around L.A. and production wrapped in March 2022 ... about a year before Tom's death.

TMZ broke the stories ... Tom suffered a brain aneurysm at his home in February and was rushed to a hospital, where he was placed on life support. He never regained consciousness and his family ultimately made the difficult decision to remove him from life support.

He died on March 3.

The director says Tom called him a few months after production wrapped and apologized, saying he wasn't sure he gave his best work. But, Bruce says he assured Tom his performance was great.

Bruce summed up the experience with a vivid sports metaphor ... "It was like getting into the ring with the heavyweight champ and although you knew he was past his prime, it was still a surreal experience just to be able to share time together."

The director says he and Tom had a lot in common, telling us they "shared many nights in deep conversation about battling past demons and having the will to keep moving forward."

Bruce is upset the Academy omitted Tom from its 'In Memoriam' segment during the Oscars and believes they snubbed an actor who turned in some of the finest performances in modern cinema.

'Jack and Diane' is being released next week on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play ... and Bruce says it was an honor to direct Tom in his final film.

Ryan Reynolds Scores Huge Payday!!! T-Mobile to Acquire Mint Mobile

Published | Updated

Ryan Reynolds' has the Midas touch ... his Mint Mobile company just got swallowed up for a price tag of $1.35 BILLION ... and he gets a HUGE chunk of that.

Mint will be sold to T-Mobile, as part of a larger deal with Mint's parent company, Ka'ena Corp.

It's unclear exactly how much Ryan will pocket -- he's a 25% stakeholder in Mint -- but it not gonna be chump change, for sure.

Ryan released a statement, saying "We're so happy T-Mobile beat out an aggressive last-minute bid from my mom," adding the company's 5G network is slightly more sophisticated than "my mom's slightly-above-average mahjong skills."

Mint Mobile founders Rizwan Kassim and David Glickman will stay on board at T-Mobile and continue to manage their company ... while Ryan will remain as the spokesperson. The deal is set to close later this year.

Brooke Shields Shares Sexual Assault Story ... Blamed Herself

Published | Updated

Brooke Shields says she was sexually assaulted in her 20s -- something she says she blamed herself for at the time ... and will be discussed further in her new doc.

The 1980s icon opened up to People Mag ahead of her new Hulu project, 'Pretty Baby,' which drops next month. After having already teased the fact she was assaulted in her youth, she describes it here for the first time ... and says it went down during her college years.

Shields says she was a recent Princeton grad and went out to dinner with an unnamed Hollywood exec, whom she thought was going to land her a new acting gig ... this after her career had somewhat flatlined. Unclear where/when this happened -- she doesn't say.

Shields says he invited her back to his hotel afterward so she could make a call -- and she went with him. Once there, she claims he sexually assaulted her ... but doesn't go into much detail. All she says is she didn't fight back -- and felt guilty afterward.

Shields says of her thoughts at the time ... "I kept saying, 'I shouldn't have done that. Why did I go up with him? I shouldn't have had that drink at dinner."

She went on to describe her reaction like this ... "It was really easy to disassociate because by then it was old hat," she recalls. "And because it was a fight-or-flight type of choice. Fight was not an option, so you just leave your body. 'You're not there. It didn't happen."

031423_brooke_shields_kal
READY TO TELL THE STORY

We got Brooke earlier this week on camera, and she talked to us about the new doc as well ... getting emotional about it, and telling us just how hard her life had been.

The full story will hit streaming on April 3.

Brendan Fraser Hits Famous Club After Oscars Win ... Leaves Mark, Supports Son

Published | Updated

Brendan Fraser's Oscars celebration is now a full-fledged family affair ... after his fun night at a legendary Sunset Strip club where his son hopped onstage to jam out.

TMZ obtained video of Brendan and his son, Leland, having a ball Monday night at Whisky a Go Go in WeHo ... chilling in the green room and signing the performer's wall.

Brendan takes a few beats to find the perfect space to leave his John Hancock, with onlookers making a wisecrack about his handwriting ... and then Leland follows suit, and gets an earful too.

031423_brendan_fraser_son_kal
ABSOLUTELY SHREDDING

Folks who were there tell us Brendan and his son got to the venue around 9 PM and watched an '80s cover band perform ... with Leland even jumping on the stage to play guitar with the band at one point.

Leland's dad was a big hit at the Whisky, as tons of people came up to his table to congratulate him 24 hours after his Academy Award victory ... and we're told he didn't turn away anyone. Folks who met Brendan described him as very down-to-earth.

The father-son duo hung out until about midnight. Another long and happy night to follow up Brendan's Best Actor Oscar for his performance in "The Whale."

Robert Blake Son Says Kimmel Joke in Poor Taste ... Upset About Oscars 'Memoriam' Omission

Published | Updated

Robert Blake getting left out of the Oscars "In Memoriam" tribute was a big mistake on The Academy's part -- at least, according to the late actor's son, who's also pissed his dad's death was a punchline.

Noah Blake tells TMZ ... people are allowed to have their own opinion about his father -- which obviously many have -- but he says when it comes to an annually anticipated segment like the Oscars Memoriam, opinions shouldn't be a factor.

He also points out his dad wasn't the only one left out ... as you know, stars like Tom Sizemore, Anne Heche, and Paul Sorvino were excluded from the broadcast. It's something that seems to happen every year, and Noah thinks it once again wasn't handled well.

Noah also gave us his thoughts on Jimmy Kimmel's joke about whether or not to include Robert in the segment -- obviously, he found it to be in poor taste. He also says it landed flat, because he was confused if the "interactive portion" was legit or just a gag.

For what it's worth, the audience laughed ... clearly getting it was a gag.

He adds he doesn't usually believe in jokes being "too soon," but points out the fine line Jimmy was walking on when he poked fun at the actor.

Noah tells us he's going to go live on Instagram at 5:30 PM PST Tuesday to talk about his dad and his life.

As we reported, Robert died last Thursday ... 3 days before the Oscars, meaning there certainly was time to add him to the "In Memoriam" montage -- but it's clear that was never the plan.

Pauly Shore Oscars Jabs at Me Were Funny ... Movie Industry's Been Tough, Though!!!

Published | Updated
UPDATE

10:24 AM PT -- Pauly tells us he was misquoted as far as his feelings about the Oscars jokes ... he actually thought Kimmel's monologue jab at him was "very funny," and even posted about it on IG.

UPDATE

However, he says he is critical of Hollywood as an industry ... and that's what he was referring to when he talked about people putting him down and "buying and selling" human beings.

Pauly Shore is pissed off at Jimmy Kimmel making him the butt of a joke during the Oscars ... saying it was gratuitous and hurtful.

The comedian/actor told Page Six how he felt when JK used him as a punchline while celebrating his 2 former costars from 'Encino Man' -- one of Pauly's cult classics from the '90s.

kimmel shore
PULLING PAULY'S LEG

Turns out ... the jab left a wound. PS says, "We love to hate people when they’re on top. People wanted to smash me down and they did. I was always nice to everyone, always cool, I put my heart into all my films."

He adds, "You’re buying and selling a human being. Human beings have feelings, it’s not like selling real estate." He says he's quite happy for Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan ... both of whom acted in 'Encino' and each of whom won their own statuette Sunday night.

Pauly goes on to talk about a comeback of his own and how he wants to get back into acting. At the moment, he's touring and about to hit SXSW soon -- he also teases a possible TV show that might come about that focuses on his upbringing from the '70s and '80s.

It seems having a couple of his old costars swing back into the spotlight has him itching for some of that too. Pauly ends by saying, "I am not going to stop. I’m going to keep going. I know I’m going to get that call, and get that opportunity. That’s what it's about."

While Pauly might be craving mainstream success again ... he's actually been steadily working. Dude's got roles racked up for just about every year going back to the 2010s/'00s ... albeit, none of those projects are as memorable as what he did in the 20th century.

If Brendan and Ke can do it ... anyone can, we suppose. Go get 'em, Mr. Shore!

Chadwick Boseman Family Full of Gratitude After Oscars Recognition

Published | Updated

Chadwick Boseman got a lot of love at the Oscars ... something his family was well aware of and super appreciative to hear during the big night.

Allen Boseman, Chadwick's cousin and the attorney for the Boseman family tells TMZ ... "It's been incredible how Chadwick has been received by the entire Hollywood family and how his legacy continues to live on."

chad oscars
REMEMBERING A LEGEND

He goes on to say ... "Even though he's physically gone his spirit remains in the hearts and minds of his peers and fellow actors and actresses on Hollywood's biggest stage. While he was a figurative king in the movie, he appears to be a real king to many others, including those in our family."

ICYMI, Danai Gurira, who starred alongside CB in "Black Panther", paid homage to Chadwick before Rihanna performed "Lift Me Up".

Ruth E Carter, who took home Best Costume Design for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" also made a moving tribute to Chadwick and her late mother during her acceptance speech ... saying "Chadwick, please take care of mom."

You'll recall Chadwick played King T'Challa in "Black Panther". He died in 2020 after a 4-year battle with colon cancer.

He was 43.

Michelle Yeoh Takes 'Prime' Swipe at Don Lemon After Best Actress Oscar Win

Published | Updated

Michelle Yeoh made history last night during the Oscars, but her big win isn't the only thing that has folks talking ... it's also her direct message to Don Lemon.

The 60-year-old became the first Asian-identifying woman to take home the award for "Best Actress" for her role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once” ... and during her acceptance speech Sunday night, she seemingly took aim at the CNN anchor.

Michelle said “Dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime!!!” Her speech drew cheers in the Dolby Theater, and folks immediately ate it up on social media.

One user wrote, "'MICHELLE YEOH CALLING OUT DON LEMON IS GIVING ME LIFE"

Of course, Michelle's words sounded like a response to Don's comment last month -- he said 51-year-old republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley isn't in her prime ... after she suggested all elected officials over 75 undergo competency testing.

At the time, Don doubled down on his stance adding ... " a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s" and telling his co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins to look it up.

He later apologized and, after a few days off, CNN execs told Lemon he's on thin ice for his comments.

BTW, Michelle also became the second woman of color to win the category, after Halle Berry won in 2002.

You could say Michelle came out on top in everything, everywhere all at once ... and made a strong point in the process.

Oscars 2023 The Stars Have Arrived ... Classy, Traditional Looks Pre-Show

Published | Updated

Hollywood's most famous faces are touching down at the Dolby Theater ahead of the 2023 Oscars -- and it looks like they decided to go traditional this year ... with some elegant 'fits.

Check out all the stars who have arrived in L.A. so far ... posing for the cameras as they head inside and grab their seat, and flexing their outfits. As you can see, just about all the hotshots -- namely, the actors who are nominated -- went with fairly classic looks.

Dudes in black and white tuxes ... and the ladies are in gorgeous gowns of varying color. Must say, everyone's dressed to impress -- and the aesthetic is certainly Oscar worthy.

As for who's made their showcase at this point ... Austin Butler, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser, Ana de Armas, Kerry Condon, Stephanie Hsu, Jonathan Majors, Danai Gurira, Zendaya, Sandra Oh, Florence Pugh, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Mescal, Paul Dano, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sigourney Weaver, Halle Bailey, Idris Elba, Antonio Banderas and more.

Some of these folks are up for actual Oscars, but a vast majority of them are presenting tonight's awards. There are at least 40 A-listers who've been tapped to hit the stage and hand out statuettes ... so Dolby is going to be absolutely packed with talent everywhere.

The odds-on favorite to make a clean sweep in just about every category is 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' -- with Michelle Yeoh and Ke He Huy Quan leading the charge. They just got there in person ... but are quite clearly the beloved Oscar darlings this season.

There's a lot to look forward to, but the one thing that just about everyone is waiting to see is how host Jimmy Kimmel addresses last year's Oscars slap ... which he's said he'll do.

We're just under an hour out from showtime, and there's more celebs rolling in by the minute. The stage is set, and the champagne-colored carpet is rolled out/being trotted on.

Stay tuned!

2023 Oscars Calm, Peaceful & Joyous ... Behind the Scenes

Published | Updated

The 2023 Oscars are underway, and so far -- everything's looking pretty kumbaya behind the scenes, with no signs of hostility and violence ... just the way it should be.

Check out all the hugging and embracing that's going on between the stars inside the Dolby Theater -- where it's all good vibes and lifted spirits ... a bit of a 180 compared to last year, when things ended on a sour note after Will Smith smacked Chris Rock.

That sort of dread that permeated in 2022 was no where to be found this time around. Instead we got celebs like Florence Pugh, Stephanie Hsu, The Rock, Austin Butler, James Hong, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keogan, Samuel L. Jackson and Sandra Oh bringing it in close and showing major love -- all while looking incredibly dapper and elegant, no less.

There's a lot of celebrating to be done ... stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan and others have already walked away with statuettes -- and everyone seems to be stoked.

On the issue of the slap itself, host Jimmy Kimmel took some time to address it during the broadcast -- making some jokes about the ugly moment at the top of the show, which went down well with the crowd. His takeaway message was ... keep your hands to yourself!

Welp, it looks like people are certainly doing that -- and if they are making contact, it's the touchy-feely type ... and not the other way around. That's all you can ask for 365 days later.

Let the happy times flow, y'all. It looks good on everyone.