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Marisa Abela's casting as Amy Winehouse has been pissing people off for about a year -- and loads are STILL fuming after the trailer for the biopic dropped ... can't win 'em all.

As far as we can see, Marisa's not a dead ringer for the late icon ... but she's close enough -- going from an average everyday Londoner to a beehive-wearing, heavily-tatted powerhouse in the first international teaser trailer for "Back to Black," showing her rise in the biz.

Some refuse to cut her slack, with a crap ton of haters hitting X with their fuming takes on Marisa's casting & also predicting the movie will tank at the box office. Long story short -- a lot of users feel she's just not believable as the late, great AW ... both in look, and in voice.

It ain't all bleak, though -- others admit they're pleasantly surprised at the trailer ... enough for them to make a theatre trip -- adding that it looks super emotional.

The trailer definitely stirs up some poignancy ... Abela's Winehouse is heard saying she doesn't pen songs to be famous ... only doing it cause she doesn't know what else she'd do if she didn't.

She also hopes people forget their troubles when listening to her voice -- which arguably they did as Amy's music touched millions before her tragic passing at 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning in 2011.

The mixed reaction to the Sam Taylor-Johnson-directed biopic doesn't come as a surprise as Amy fans have been venting for a while over Marisa looking nothing like the star -- also slamming the need for a biopic in the first place.

Though, Amy's own dad Mitch is totally cool with the biopic ... telling TMZ early last year Marisa's a great choice for the role -- even if she doesn't look exactly like Amy.

Jack O'Connell plays Amy's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, and Juliet Cowan & Eddie Marsan play her mom and dad, Janis and Mitch Winehouse.

Elton John is auctioning off some incredible finds from his gorgeous Atlanta home ... and bidders can get their hands on some of the Rocket Man's most recognizable memorabilia.

The auction, called "The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road" is going down next month at Christie's in New York -- with everything belonging to the singer coming from his condo in Georgia, which he bought back in 1992.

Folks can bid on a diamond necklace that says "The Bitch Is Back," which is expected to fetch up to $40,000 ... or a pair of performance-worn silver platform boots with his initials on it, which could snag $10k.

Elton's beautiful grand piano is also heading to the auction block, and is expected to go from $30-50k ... and we're guessing something like that comes with a lot of history.

Also up for auction are more pieces of his elegant wardrobe, photographs, a unique 18K gold watch, a Julian Schnabel portrait of Elon -- which could make up to $300k -- and other artwork.

Bids open next month, and the exhibit will be open to the public throughout February at Christie's NYC showroom ... so start saving now if you're a mega fan and want some of this stuff.

Well, that was quick!

Selena Gomez is already back on Instagram 20 hours after she said she was taking a break from social media.

On Thursday, the singer/actress posted an IG photo depicting her with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in her house. Her caption read, "@gordongram stepped into my kitchen and showed me how to make an amazing Breakfast Burger."

A day earlier, Selena announced she was cooling it for a bit on social after posting a video of her and her boyfriend, Benny Blanco having fun with some kids, presumably family.

This isn't the first time Selena has stepped away from Instagram, but it was probably her fastest return.

You may recall, she recently took a break after she came under scrutiny for her remarks about the Israel-Hamas war.

Taylor Swift made some quality time for her pal amid her jam-packed schedule and sizzling romance with Travis Kelce ... linking up with Blake Lively for a night out in NYC Wednesday.

The duo hit up Lucali's Pizzeria ... Taylor wearing a crushed velvet green dress and thigh-high brown boots ... and the ex-'Gossip Girl' actress in a side-slit suede miniskirt.

It wasn't just the two of them ... later they were joined by Zoe Kravitz, record producer Jack Antonoff -- and comedians Mike Birbiglia and Jerrod Carmichael.

Taylor and Blake have been great friends since 2015 ... so it was only fitting the 'Karma' singer sought solace in her ... after she was the butt of a major joke at the Golden Globes.

TS made a swift exit after host Jo Koy poked fun at how the NFL has more camera shots of Taylor than the Globes -- leaving her visibly annoyed.

Pete Davidson was arguably serving up some serious disrespect at Aretha Franklin's funeral ... turning up to the 2018 service high on ketamine, at least according to him.

The comic detailed the drug-induced blunder in his Netflix special "Turbo Fonzarelli" ... the quipping that he was so high at the 2018 service, that he went up to the late icon's family, telling them, "Hey! I'm just here to pay my R-E-S-P-E-C-Ts!" Yeesh ... that's bad.

The ex-SNL star jokes Aretha wasn't around to know he was under the influence ... but if she were, she'd ask "what the f***" he was doing at her funeral and who the hell he was in the first place.

That's a fair assessment -- as at the time, he wasn't that famous and only attended the service as then-fiancée Ariana Grande's plus one. Still though, he was pretty known.

Now, Pete adds he was embarrassed being out and about while using ketamine -- which he used for 4 years to treat depression -- though the drug comes with a range of dissociative and hallucinogenic side effects. It doesn't seem like Pete's using ketamine anymore.

The audience clearly found the story hilarious ... but Pete sounds low-key ashamed of his actions at the time -- and perhaps for good reason, 'cause it is a pretty wild confession. That said, he's attempted to get the bad habit under control with 7 rehab stints over the years.

June 2023 was when he last checked in to rehab ... also addressing his post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.

Machine Gun Kelly's new signature guitar is being picked apart ... with critics saying the razor blade design promotes self-harm with impressionable youth.

Schecter Guitars just released a new instrument called the Machine Gun Kelly Razor Blade and it's being universally ripped online ... with tons of folks saying it promotes, glorifies and advocates cutting.

The issue ... razor blades are often used by people who cut themselves on purpose -- and not just that, but there's a stereotype about fans of pop-punk/emo rock engaging in self-harm ... which only heightens this convo, considering Kelly's affiliation with the genres.

In light of all that ... the company's Instagram post announcing the new MGK signature guitar is being bombarded with negative comments -- with folks slamming the guitar as Schecter's worst offering ever.

In introducing the guitar at a recent gig, Machine Gun Kelly explained it's "kind of an ode to Tickets To My Downfall, the line on title track and also an ode to my 20s and all the crazy times that I had." Unfortunately, folks are calling this out as promoting cutting, even if indirectly.

MGK's heard all the noise, and now he's singing a different tune ... saying, "I'll never explain my art because art is conversational and always up for interpretation, but I will say, most of you constantly interpret it wrong."

Seems like the early negative feedback may be affecting the sale price ... Schecter originally listed the guitar for $2,169 but the price tag has already been slashed to $1,499 ... a $700 reduction.

Selena Gomez is going dark yet again on social media -- this after a somewhat messy moment at the Golden Globes ... which Selena says is much ado about nothing.

The pop star/actress announced she was stepping away from her online accounts Tuesday -- writing ... "I'm off social for a while. I'm focusing on what really matters." She posted a quick clip of her boyfriend, Benny Blanco, playing with some kiddos ... presumably family.

Two things ... this is just the latest "break" that Selena has taken amid public scrutiny/backlash -- not to mention the latest declaration that she must step away. Remember, she did something similar recently amid the Israel-Hamas war, among other times.

Second ... this just further confirms that Selena's serious with BB -- after Sunday's show, she posted a shot of them smooching backstage, so she's not shying away from the relationship.

While some of her fans are certainly supporting her, others are for sure rolling their eyes.

Fact is ... a social media pause doesn't really need to be announced -- and yet, for whatever reason, SG continues to feel like she needs to broadcast her personal plans to the world.

Of course, this comes after she denied the gossipy convo seen 'round the world at the Globes -- where Selena was telling Taylor Swift something juicy ... which everyone perceived to be about Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner. She said that was BS, as did he.

Tim told us straight up that he has no issue with Selena, and strongly suggested neither did his boo -- even though not everyone has been convinced of that based on their history.

Selena Gomez is calling BS on the idea that she had beef at the Golden Globes with Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet ... by revealing what her chat with Taylor Swift was really about.

The "Only Murders in the Building" star chimed in after loads of drama circulated -- most of which claimed the hot tea she told Taylor during Sunday's award show was about Kylie and Timmy.

Selena commented -- like she often does -- on an Instagram post about the rumors ... writing, "Noooooo I told Taylor about two of my friends who hooked up. Not that that’s anyone[s] business."

Remember, folks online thought Selena was telling Tay about getting denied a selfie with Timbo by Kylie, but it sounds like the gossip was a lot hotter than that, depending on who ya ask.

Might be a bit TMI there, but it's her way of putting the rumors to bed ... and as we reported, Timothée did a bit of the same Monday night when we got him in Beverly Hills.

He mostly kept a tight lip while on his night stroll, but told us there's no drama going on between the ladies ... admitting they're cool as cucumbers.

Ex-Scorpions and Kingdom Come drummer James Kottak has sadly died ... TMZ can confirm.

Kottak's daughter, Tobi, tells us ... her father passed away Tuesday morning in Louisville, KY -- although further details about the exact circumstances weren't immediately available. Metal Sludge first reported rumblings of the musician's death.

His exact cause of death is unknown as of yet.

James is best known for being in the hard rock German band Scorpions ... joining the group in 1996 and becoming their longest-serving member until he was fired in 2016 for his alcoholism.

He had spoken of his battle with booze over the years ... saying in October 2022 he hadn't been able to completely ditch alcohol and it was an ongoing process.

Before that, he was well known for being the original drummer for Kingdom Come ... who made a significant impact in the '80s thanks to their Led Zeppelin-style music.

He also toured in other bands such as KrunK, Montrose, Wild Horses, and Buster Brown, among many others.

Alongside music, James made some reality TV show appearances -- most notably in 2012's "Ex-Wives of Rock."

He was famously married to Tommy Lee's sister Athena from 1996 to 2010 ... with a bitter custody battle ensuing over their son Matthew.

He was 61.

The mother of "The Voice" star Lauren Duski appears to have died by suicide ... this after being found dead in her car with a gunshot wound, TMZ has confirmed.

According to the Tuscarora Township Police in Indian River, Michigan, officers found a car "sitting on the edge of the roadway with a female in the driver's seat slumped over" on Friday -- and paramedics were unable to find a pulse when they arrived.

Police say she had a "single gunshot wound to the chest" and a handgun was found in the car with "one round spent." TMZ confirmed with law enforcement sources the woman was Lauren's 59-year-old mother, Janis Duski.

While cops are still investigating Janis' death, it appears all signs point to it being a suicide.

Lauren said an emotional goodbye to her mother in a touching post online Monday, saying, "My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder."

In the post, the season 12 contestant took time to remind people to "please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it."

Janis was 59.

RIP.

Sinéad O'Connor died of natural causes, British authorities announced Tuesday.

A rep for London's Southwark Coroner's Court tells TMZ ... she passed away from "natural causes" and "the coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death."

As we reported, cops in London responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at a residence ... arriving to find the 56-year-old singer already dead. Attempts were made to revive her, but they were unsuccessful.

Sinéad's 17-year-old son, Shane, died by suicide in early 2022 just 2 days after going missing from the hospital while on suicide watch. After his death, Sinéad called her son "the very light of my life" ... begging for him to be at peace.

She expressed more grief about Shane less than 2 weeks before her death, saying on social media, "He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him."

Sinéad has also struggled with her mental health in the past, telling Dr. Phil in 2017 she'd attempted suicide 8 times in a year.

She also was reported missing the year before, allegedly threatening to jump off a bridge -- but Sinéad was found safe and said the suicide claims were BS.

The singer's seen a ton of love from the community since her death ... including from Conor McGregor, who had her sing during his 2015 walkout at UFC 189 in Las Vegas. He told TMZ, "The world has lost a beautiful voice and an even more beautiful person."

Pink and Brandi Carlile also paid tribute to her, jumping on stage together to perform a moving rendition of Sinéad's hit song, "Nothing Compares 2 U."

Shawn Mendes seems to be a bit of a nature boy year-round -- evidenced by the fact that he's out hitting snowy hills in nothing but his boxers ... making for some great footage.

The pop star posted some clips of him and friends out in an undisclosed winter wonderland, where they're in a cabin of some sort and completely surrounded by blankets of white powder. Perfect for sledding, obviously -- but maybe not so much without clothes on???

Nonsense ... at least that's how Shawn feels about it, anyway. Dude was shirtless (and pant-less) in these clips he posted ... where he's pretty eager to ride his very own Rosebud.

Indeed, SM eventually went down the mini slope ... but before, he got a little winded along the way. Once they were back inside, Shawn put on some cold-weather-appropriate attire -- and it looks like he was even jamming out a bit too next to an open fire. Cozy!

Bottom line here ... this is a straight up thirst trap, and just an excuse for Shawn to show off his chiseled physique -- not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. People are drooling all over this footage online right now ... so they certainly appreciate the content.

No sign of a lovely lady at his side this time ... it's just him and the homies. And like Shawn notes, you can take the boy outta Canada -- but the Great White North's always in him.

Barry Keoghan's new movie got a song that came out over 20 years ago back on the charts -- and it's all thanks to a neat little dance he did at the end where he's butt-ass naked.

Of course, we're talking about "Saltburn" and the end scene where the main character successfully snuffs out an uber-rich family in the UK to inherit their wealth and estate. To celebrate he does an intricate number through the house in his birthday suit ... with Sophie Ellis-Bextor's 2001 song "Murder on the Dancefloor" blaring in the background.

In the context of the film, the track makes sense ... and it's very fitting for what's going on. But it seems folks are rediscovering this oldie-but-goodie anew ... 'cause it's back at #8 on the Official UK Singles Chart -- not to mention surging on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales Chart, where it sits 3rd behind songs from Cher and Dua Lipa.

Elsewhere, Ellis-Bextor's memorable is charting on different trending lists, on Spotify, etc.

"Saltburn" is obviously stuck in people's minds -- because audiences left the theater and went searching for 'Murder,' driving the song across all these different platforms/streamers.

SEB's grateful for the attention -- and extra money lining her pocket, we're sure -- telling the BBC ... "It's extraordinary. It's a song I've been singing for over 20 years, I still love singing it. I love the way people react when I do it live."

She adds, "For new people to be discovering it, for it to be making new memories with people is kind of beautiful," noting she hasn't really processed all the newfound attention.

Mind you, the all-nude dance throughout the castle is perhaps one of the least shocking moments of the film ... there's a lot of others, including a sex-with-a-grave scene, a semen-slurping bathtub highlight, etc. Yeah, it's that kind of movie -- totally freaking out there.

Ariana Grande has been out of the music scene for a good long while now -- but that's all coming to an end later this week ... so says the Princess of Pop herself.

The singer announced Sunday that she'd be dropping a brand new solo single -- her first in nearly 3 years -- this upcoming Friday ... and she's back to using commas in her song titles. The track is called 'Yes, And?' and AG teased with a blurry close-up shot of her mug.

Ari's posting a ton of promo in her IG Story too ... including lots of links for fans to pre-order the single. She also seems to be using her official "Sweetener" account to hype it up as well.

Of course, her loyal base is beyond excited about the news ... as many feel like she seriously fell off the radar for a bit too long since dropping her "Positions" album way back in the Fall 2020. After that, she's been a pretty MIA ... both in music and in public life.

That all changed last year when she divorced her now ex-husband Dalton Gomez and started dating her "Wicked" costar Ethan Slater (the 'SpongeBob' guy). The swap in her love life caused a lot of headlines ... as did her professional split from mega manager Scooter Braun.

While a lot of folks feel like Ariana fell off lately, the truth of the matter is ... she's been busy shooting this musical out in the UK, and obviously dealing with a lot in her inner circle.

Yes, she hasn't put out original music of her own in a bit -- but she has recently dipped her toe back into performing onstage in front of a crowd ... and for the holidays, it was a big hit.

Big health scare for Michael Bolton ... he says doctors discovered a tumor in his brain and it required immediate surgery.

The 80s and 90s hitmaking singer/songwriter revealed his diagnosis in a social media post, saying he found out about the tumor, and went under the knife just before the 2023 holiday season.

Michael says the health issue presented "unexpected challenges," but he says the surgery was successful and he's recovering at home, where he's being feeling love and support from friends and family.

A brain tumor and subsequent surgery is very serious stuff ... and Michael says he's going to take at least a couple months off to recover, which means a "temporary" break from touring.

Britney Spears decided she'd give Sin City another shot ... celebrating the holidays there 5 months after enduring a slap from Victor Wembanyama's security in a bizarre exchange.

Sources tell TMZ, the singer returned to Vegas over the holidays ... staying for a few days, though it's unclear if she spent Christmas Day among all the lights and excitement.

We're told Britney had a room at Resorts World and another at Aria. Video emerged on social media of Britney walking around the casino floor at The Wynn holding a beer and flanked by a few security guards.

The source tells us she was at The Wynn to watch the show "Awakening" and dined at their swanky seafood restaurant, Lakeside.

Her Vegas schedule was jam-packed -- she also took a tour of the brand-new Fontainebleau property, briefly checked out LIV, and spent time inside their members-only club, Poodle Room.

Basically, we're told her time in Vegas was super chill and inconspicuous -- nothing like last time when she was slapped by basketball player Victor's security when she beelined behind him after running into him in a hallway.

Video of the moment went viral ... and upon watching it, Britney said her reaction to the slap was "priceless."