TMZ.com

Dua Lipa's trading in one star-studded event for another -- the singer's missing out on the Met Gala ... because she's working on her big-screen acting debut.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the "Levitating" singer's among a slew of celebs invited to the famous fundraising ball in NYC this month, but she had to decline because she's busy filming for the upcoming action thriller, "Argylle."

The movie will be Dua's first acting role, and she'll be co-starring alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood ... Samuel L. Jackson, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Bryce Dallas Howard, John Cena, Sam Rockwell and Catherine O'Hara, just to name a few.

We're told Lipa's currently in the UK shooting the film -- directed by Matthew Vaughn of 'Kingsman' fame -- otherwise, she'd be at the event. She previously attended in 2019.

The Met Gala will be held on Monday, September 13, and even without Dua, will feature HUGE names, with rumored attendees that include Beyonce, Kim Kardashian West, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Lupita Nyong’o, Camila Cabello, Addison Rae and Lewis Hamilton.

Louis Gossett Jr. isn't hanging up his acting career anytime soon -- so says the Oscar winner himself, and his reasons are interesting.

We got the acclaimed actor at LAX where we asked about his prolific and prolonged career ... even at this point in his life. Our photog pointed out the 85-year-old actually has quite a few things in the works right now -- 8 projects, in fact, which is wild.

He's been in notable productions of late too -- like the 'Watchmen' TV series. So, the natural follow-up, of course, is to ask ... ya ever gonna retire???

Watch how LGJ answers here -- it doesn't sound like he has any plans to stop in the near future. As for why, it sounds like he likes/needs to keep busy.

As he puts it ... once you hint you're done, the industry's quick to slough you off and move on -- and it seems he just doesn't want that to happen. Also, he says flexing his chops on camera is a helluva lot better than any other day job he could pick up right now.

The guy's a true legend in his field -- with more than 203 acting credits, an Emmy and, of course, his Best Supporting Academy Award for "An Officer and a Gentleman." And still, there's no sign of Louis slowing down.

Matthew Mindler, the child actor known for his role in "Our Idiot Brother," died by suicide ... according to officials.

The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office tells TMZ ... Mindler's manner of death has been ruled suicide, but the cause of death is still pending toxicology results.

We broke the story ... Matthew's college, Millersville University in Pennsylvania, confirmed his death with an announcement to the student body Saturday. It said he was found deceased that morning in Manor Township near the campus.

The first-year student had not been seen since Tuesday night after failing to return to his dorm room, and was reported missing late Wednesday.

Along with his role in "Our Idiot Brother" alongside Paul Rudd, Mindler also appeared in a sketch on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" in 2015 and had a few other acting credits to his name.

He was 19.

Sharon Stone has lost someone near and dear to her -- her baby nephew, River, has died ... just days after she announced his organs had given out on him.

The actress provided a tragic update Monday, saying the 11-month-old had passed away ... and posting a video tribute in his honor. She lists his DOB as Sept. 8, 2020, and his death as Aug. 30 ... so the kid was just a week or so shy of his first birthday.

It's unclear what led to River's organ failure to begin with -- but it was quite clear he was in dire need of immediate life-saving measures just last week ... when Sharon posted a photo of him hooked up to a ton of tubes in the hospital and asking for prayers.

All she wrote at the time about the circumstances was, "My nephew and godson River Stone was found in his crib w total organ failure today. Please pray for him. We need a miracle."

River is the son of Sharon's brother, Patrick, and his wife, Tasha. Sharon was a proud auntie -- posting pics of the newborn when he came into the world. It's been a rough year for the Stone family all around ... Sharon also lost her grandmother and godmother in the pandemic.

Kevin Spacey is back on a film set on American soil for the first time since several sexual assault allegations against him came to light.

The actor -- who was essentially exiled from mainstream Hollywood after the accusations starting coming out in 2017 -- is filming a new movie called "Peter Five Eight" ... and he was shooting scenes this week in Dunsmuir, CA.

Spacey's walking around set dressed in all black ... all smiles and lighting up a cigarette.

Sounds like Spacey's hard at work ... we're told he's been filming in the small NorCal town around the clock.

As we reported ... Spacey booked his first movie role since the scandal erupted, but he had to go all the way to Italy to do it. He filmed "L'uomo che disegno Dio." The movie title translates to "The Man Who Drew God."

Now, Spacey's back on an American film set ... and he looks happy to be there.

Matthew Mindler, the former child actor famous for starring opposite Paul Rudd in "Our Idiot Brother," has gone missing from his college in Pennsylvania ... according to police.

A freshman at Millersville University in Millersville, PA, Matthew has not been seen since Tuesday night and was reported missing late Wednesday after not returning to his dorm room and not returning calls from his family ... according to cops.

Police say Matthew was last seen walking away from his dorm at 8:11 PM Tuesday, wearing a white Millersville University hoodie with black stripes on the arm, a black backpack, jeans and white sneakers.

Cops say Matthew went to classes Monday and Tuesday but hasn't entered a classroom since.

We're told police are being flooded with tips and cops are following up on all leads.

Matthew's famous for his work as a child actor in 'Idiot Brother' and "Frequency" but he has not been acting for several years and just enrolled in college.

Letitia Wright was injured during an overnight shoot for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and while it's not super serious ... it's serious enough that she's been taken to a hospital.

Wright got hurt in an incident with a stunt rig while filming a scene in Boston, and a spokesperson for Marvel told Deadline she was hospitalized with minor injuries. She's expected to be released soon.

Wright's injury will reportedly not have an impact on the shooting schedule for the upcoming sequel to "Black Panther," in which the actor's reprising her role as Shuri.

As we reported ... Wright was on set in full costume this weekend with Danai Gurira, as the 2 were filming scenes together at the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA.

Terry Crews hasn't lost a move since "White Chicks" — or a lyric either, for that matter.

The actor took 'AGT' fans on a trip down memory lane this week with an impromptu performance of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles" ... which he, of course, famously did in the movie.

As good as that cover was on camera all those years ago, this one might be right up there as far as commitment ... 'cause the dude was all in on the lip-synching, not to mention the moves he added for extra gusto.

Check it out — Terry goes all out here, mouthing the lyrics to a T and adding accompanying steps ... ones he might not have had a chance to perform in the flick. You'll recall, his character did the whole 'Thousand Miles' in the confines of a car. So now, we’re getting the full-body number!

The 'Got Talent' crowd ate it up ... they seemed to be singing along, and gave him his props at the end — and how could they not??? This is top-notch entertainment.

Matt Damon is tired of playing hardball - the dude wants out of California ... and is offering his house at a significant discount toward that end.

Matt slashed the asking price of his massive Pacific Palisades mansion -- which sat on the market since January at $21 million. Now, he’s taken $3.1 mil off the top ... and is listing it for $17.9 mil.

Here’s hoping the reduction helps, ‘cause the dude and his fam seem to wanna get a move on with their lives in NYC -- where they recently snapped up a luxury duplex ... and where they seem to be restarting.

The house itself is a beaut -- and at $17.9M ($3 million more than what MD paid in 2013) ... it's a gotta have, right?

The house has 7 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, and all the special touches you can imagine. There’s a climate-controlled wine cellar, a wine-tasting room, a massage room, a private gym, a pool and even a children’s den.

Billy Crystal and his wife's public support for Gov. Gavin Newsom was halted after a thief made off with a yard sign outside the actor's home ... and now police are investigating.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... there has been a rash of political signs being stolen from homes in Pacific Palisades, and Billy's place was among those that got hit.

We're told the signs being yanked out of lawns were all in support of Newsom and against the recall effort.

Our sources say Billy's wife, Janice, was pissed about the sign being stolen and told neighbors about it ... and they eventually got the case looped into a larger investigation by the LAPD.

The good news? We checked out Billy and Janice's place on Tuesday, and they've got a new sign proudly displayed outside.

As you know, Newsom is facing a recall effort, squaring off against a wide range of candidates including celebs like Caitlyn Jenner. The Republican leading the pack is conservative talk show host Larry Elder.

Letitia Wright is still part of the 'Black Panther' franchise despite her anti-vax controversy and rumors she wouldn't be in the sequel ... and she's already filming scenes.

Letitia and Danai Gurira were on location this weekend at MIT campus in Cambridge, MA shooting scenes for the upcoming movie, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

The duo was in full costume, chatting in between scenes as they leaned up against a black sports car.

The pics put to bed speculation Letitia was getting left out of the sequel in the wake of her recent controversy.

Remember ... she was accused of being an anti-vaxxer just this past December, and folks wondered if there was bad blood between her and Marvel, or perhaps Disney at large.

As we reported ... rumblings Letitia was being left behind grew louder last month, when Michaela Coel joined the cast for the sequel.

Alyssa Milano might have saved her uncle's life during a scary car accident that could've taken both their lives on an L.A. freeway, reaching over and using her hand to hit the brakes as he suffered a medical emergency behind the wheel.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Alyssa was a passenger Tuesday in a Ford Edge driven by her Uncle, Mitch, who started to have a medical issue. Cops say another vehicle hit theirs as Mitch fell unconscious, suffering what appears to be a heart attack.

Their SUV drifted into another lane and struck another vehicle, but then it came to a stop thanks to Alyssa's quick thinking.

Our sources say she sprung into action from the passenger seat while her uncle was passed out, reaching over him and using her hand to slam the brakes and stop the car. We're told she started giving him CPR until help arrived and first responders took over.

Uncle Mitch was taken to a nearby hospital ... and a rep for Alyssa tells us he's still being treated.

Cops say a couple Good Samaritans stopped to help ... and Alyssa's camp tells us she's grateful for everyone who aided her uncle, including first responders and hospital staff.

Johnny Depp has addressed the elephant in the room -- which is that he's seen as a pariah in Hollywood now ... something that isn't lost on him, and which he seems to think is BS.

The embattled actor sat for an interview with the Sunday Times -- to promote his new movie, "Minamata" -- and he opened up about what he perceives as a de facto ousting from the biz, while also vowing to shed more light on the "truth" and thanking fans for sticking with him.

Johnny is quoted as saying that he feels like those who got on board late for his latest flick owe the real-life Japanese mercury poison survivors on which it's based fairness in its release -- the film's only being released in the UK, for now. A U.S. release date hasn't been set.

The distributors, MGM, have been accused of shelving it over JD's legal issues -- an alleged reaction to which Depp says ... "And for anything ... for Hollywood’s boycott of me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years?"

On that topic, he goes on to say that he's "moving towards where I need to go to make all that … to bring things to light." Sounds like he's talking about his acrimonious case against Amber Heard here in the U.S. -- the one he still has a fighting chance to win (maybe).

Remember ... he already lost a libel case over his tumultuous relationship with Heard across the pond somewhat recently, when he sued The Sun over a headline they ran that called him a "wife beater" -- something a judge there found to be true in a ruling against him.

Depp lost (again) in an appeal in that case ... and the book is closed there. The legal battle wages on, though, here at home as he continues to press the issue in a U.S. court -- going after Amber herself for outright defamation. She, in turn, has countersued him ... for a lot.

With that said, Johnny made sure to shoutout his loyal fans in this interview ... because he says they're the ones who are on the right side of history, calling them his true "employers." He adds, "I'm proud of these people, because of what they are trying to say, which is the truth. The truth they're trying to get out since it doesn't in more mainstream publications."

The star of Marvel's new superhero movie took offense to Disney calling it an "experiment" -- and now, his anger has roped in "Black Panther" comparisons ... and a larger convo on race.

Actor Simu Liu fired off a scorching tweet Saturday AM that seemed to be in direct response to what CEO, Bob Chapek, had said a few days earlier about the release of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" during an earnings call with investors.

Chapek was commenting on the fact 'Shang-Chi' -- unlike other Disney theatrical releases this year -- would get an exclusive 45-day window in theaters, as opposed to being released to Disney+ at the same time like other 2021 offerings ... which he said would make for an interesting "experiment" to see how it shakes out at the box office amid the pandemic.

Nothing derogatory about that on its face, it would seem, but Liu didn't take too kindly to the word choice ... 'cause he insists he and others who worked on the film -- other Asian actors, specifically, it appears -- are not part of whatever test Chapek and co. wanna run.

Liu writes, "We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. We are the surprise." He adds, "I'm fired the f*** up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US."

Sounds like Liu might've misconstrued what Chapek was getting at ... but his interpretation of the remark might also speak to what fans have perceived about the marketing efforts and enthusiasm over the flick ... or a lack thereof, as some alleged in the days ahead of this blowup.

Some fans who are stoked about getting a first-ever Asian-led Marvel superhero film are sour over the lack of attention in the lead-up to its release, and/or possible box office numbers this movie may or may not generate ... with "Black Panther" juxtapositions springing up as a result. That, in turn, has led to debates over what that thinking actually means.

Others suggest that bringing up 'BP' to gripe about a lack of hype around 'Shang Chi' is actually counterintuitive to inclusivity as a whole ... and some have gone as far as to call it anti-Black. Kinda like bringing something else down just to bring yourself up type of a vibe.

There's a lot of layers to this one, but the point many are making is ... why can't we all eat without taking food out of another's mouth? Also, movie releases in 2021 can't really be compared to big ticket blockbusters of years past. It's a weird year with its own scorecard.

Michael B. Jordan was recently compared to Denzel Washington -- and after much internet debate ... the man himself has weighed in himself to us on camera.

We got the movie star Friday night while leaving Catch in WeHo, and asked him what he made of people suggesting he's the next DW of his generation. Mike played it cool and humble ... saying the great Denzel is his "mentor," and saying it's all love between them.

That doesn't really answer the question, frankly, but it's a polished response he seems to have had ready -- which is fine. And, perhaps his resistance to stack himself up against Mr. Washington speaks volumes in and of itself.

ICYMI, MBJ and Denzel were both trending earlier this week after a Twitter user openly asked folks if Mike was the next Denzel of this day and age ... and his question was met with fiery responses, mostly disagreement. Of course, the jokes flew at Mike's expense too.

The consensus online seems to be ... hell no -- Michael's no Denzel, not even by a long shot. Some have pointed out that the dude seems to be more of a good-looking A-lister type instead of someone with spectacular chops, per se. Fair point ... he hasn't been nominated for too many prestigious solo acting awards in his career -- at least not yet, anyway.

Maybe that can change, though, because it seems he and Denzel might've gotten pretty close on the set of the latter's new flick, which has MBJ as the lead. It's called "A Journal for Jordan" ... and it's all about a war vet who leaves behind love letters for his kid.

Ben Affleck's doing one helluva job getting all up in Jennifer Lopez's business ... he spent HOURS on the set of her new film and got really involved.

Ben showed up at an L.A. studio Wednesday ahead of J Lo and spent around 4 1/2 hours on the set... where he mingled with the crew. He was wearing an earpiece commonly used on film sets. It's unclear if he was giving anyone notes or if he was just an observer.

J Lo's longtime manager, Benny Medina, was also at the studio ... makes sense, because Benny is almost always by J Lo's side when she's working.

Ben and Jen clearly worked up an appetite after a long day on the set 'cause, as we reported, they later hit up Craig's in WeHo with Jen's 13-year-old daughter, Emme.

You can maybe call the dinner an early birthday celebration. Ben turns 49 on Sunday. We're told he'll first do something with his kids and then celebrate with J Lo. We've heard rumblings ... it could involve an out-of-town trip.