Pulse Entertainment

STUART MARGOLIN DIES AT 82: According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Rockford Files actor Stuart Margolin died on Monday (December 12th) at the age of 82. His stepson, Max Martini, shared the news to Instagram. "The two most profound moments in my life… the birth of my kids and being bedside as my step-father passed this morning. My mother, brother and I holding his hands," Martini wrote. In addition to his Emmy-Award winning performance on The Rockford Files, Margolin held roles in films such as S.O.B., A Fine Mess, The Stone Killer, and Death Wish.

‘THE WHALE' DIRECTOR SAYS THE FILM'S BACKLASH ‘MAKES NO SENSE TO ME:' Darren Aronofosky, the director of the new film The Whale, is responding to claims that the movie promotes "fatphobia." In September, film critic Katie Rife tweeted, "I can't recommend in good conscience that fat people watch ‘The Whale.' I can't recommend that skinny people watch it either, since it reinforces the notion that fat people are objects of pity who have brought their suffering upon themselves through lack of coping skills." In a recent interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Aronofosky said "People with obesity are generally written as bad guys or as punchlines. We wanted to create a fully worked-out character who has bad parts about him and good parts about him; Charlie is very selfish, but he's also full of love and is seeking forgiveness." He added, "So the controversy makes no sense to me. Brendan Fraser is the right actor to play this role, and the film is an exercise in empathy."

EUGENE LEVY TO HOST ‘THE RELUCTANT TRAVELER:' According to Entertainment Tonight, Schitt's Creek star Eugene Levy will return to television as the host of a new travel show called The Reluctant Traveler. The Apple TV+ series will premiere on February 24th, 2023, and will show Levy visiting Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Portugal, South Africa and the U.S.

CHECK OUT THE NEW TRAILER FOR ‘SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE:' Sony Pictures dropped the official trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Tuesday (December 13th). According to Vulture, the film had 1,000 animators working on it, with Oscar Isaac playing Spider-Man and Issa Rae playing Spider-Woman.

On Monday (December 12th), Netflix dropped the trailer for the second part of Harry & Meghan, which is set to be released on the streaming platform Thursday (December 15th). In the clip, Prince Harry comments on the "institutional gaslighting" the pair endured, while Meghan Markle says she was "fed to the wolves."

The Duke of Sussex also wonders aloud what might have happened had they not stepped away from their royal duties and "gotten out when we did." Markle adds, "Our security was being pulled. Everyone in the world knew where we were."

"They were happy to lie to protect my brother (Prince William), they were never willing to tell the truth to protect us," Harry says.

Like the first part of the docuseries, the new trailer also features intimate pictures and videos of the couple's life—including a sweet black-and-white photo of them carrying their two children, Archie and Lilibet Diana.

Al Roker appeared on Monday's (December 12th) episode of the Today show and provided an update on his condition. The beloved weathercaster returned home from the hospital last week after being treated for a blood clot in his leg that traveled to his lungs.

Roker told his coworkers via Zoom, "It's good to be home. It's good to see your faces," adding that his recent health struggles have been a "tough slog," and that he spent four weeks in the hospital.

"Listen, it's been a tough slog. I'm not going to deny this. It's been the hardest one yet. You know, I've had my share of surgeries. But it gives you a profound sense of gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks. I'm a very fortunate person," he said.

As for when he'll return to the morning show, he commented, "You lose a certain amount of muscle mass for every week you're in the hospital. I was in the hospital for four weeks. It's just a certain amount of weakness. I'm doing physical therapy every day, occupational therapy. I've got to just get my strength back."

Austin Butler sat down with Janelle Monae for Variety's Actors on Actors series Sunday (December 11th) and shared how method acting for Elvis got in the way of his relationships with family.

"During Elvis, I didn't see my family for about three years," he said. "I was prepping with Baz, and then I went to Australia. I had months where I wouldn't talk to anybody. And when I did, the only thing I was ever thinking about was Elvis."

The film was shot in Australia, and Butler said that he was so devoted to the character that he even addressed his family members in the singer's signature voice. "I was speaking in his voice the whole time," he added. "So then I'd talk to my sister, and she's gotta listen to that."

Monae commented on the lengths actors go to when it comes to portraying a character. "You had to say, 'This is who I am. This is what it takes,'" she replied.

Entertainment Weekly has chosen none other than Jennifer Coolidge as one of their 2022 Entertainers of the Year. In an article published Monday (December 12th), Ariana Grande interviewed the White Lotus star to celebrate the title.

Though Coolidge has held a number of memorable roles in films like Best in Show and Legally Blonde, she attributes her success as of late to Grande impersonating her on The Tonight Show and inviting her to be a part of her "Thank U, Next" music video.

"I'm curious if you know that when people ask about how my life has changed … Yes, I got to do White Lotus, but I think it really started with you asking me to be in the ‘Thank U, next' video. I mean, from there I got Promising Young Woman, and this whole thing. You were sort of the instigator. I really believe that. I think if you hadn't put me in ‘Thank U, next,' and done that imitation, I don't think I would be here where I am," she told the singer.

Grande said this was "very kind" of her to say but denied taking credit for Coolidge's accomplishments. "No, I really think that!" Coolidge responded. "And I think it's pretty cool. I was kind of flatlining, and you got things going for me. I just want to thank you. I know you're a very humble person, you wouldn't admit to it, but I'm just going to thank you."

Grande then congratulated Coolidge on being named one of Entertainment Weekly's Entertainers of the Year. "There's no more deserving person in the entire planet. You've been my Entertainer of the Year since Best in Show came out. And then everything that followed: hit, after hit, after hit, after hit, after hit. It's an honor to know you, to call you my friend, and to watch everything that you do. It is an absolute gift," she said.

DANICA MCKELLAR DEFENDS CANDACE CAMERON BURE'S ‘TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE' COMMENTS: How I Met Your Mother actress Danica McKellar commented on Neal Bledsoe leaving Great American Family recently due to Candace Cameron Bure's "traditional marriage" comments, which many saw as harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. "Neal is a wonderful person," McKellar told Fox News Digital. "He's such a great actor and I have enjoyed working with him so much. He and I both share our love and support of the LGBT community for sure… (but) I don't agree with his interpretation of her comments. I just didn't see them the same way."

JAY LENO JOKES THAT HIS FACE LOOKS ‘BETTER' THAN BEFORE GARAGE FIRE: In an essay published by The Wall Street Journal Sunday (December 11th), Jay Leno wrote that he prefers to joke about the garage fire that left him with third-degree burns last month. "You have to joke about it," he said. "There's nothing worse than whiny celebrities. If you joke about it, people laugh along with you." In this vein, the former Tonight Show host said that he has "a brand-new face," adding that "It's better than what was there before."

DWAYNE ‘THE ROCK' JOHNSON SHOWS OFF HIS ‘DADDY CURLS' WORKOUT ROUTINE: On Sunday (December 11th), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shared the creative way he strengthens his biceps with the help of his daughters. In a video posted to Instagram, the Black Adam actor performs "daddy curls," during which one of his daughters wraps herself around his arm and he lifts her like a dumbbell. "Flew all night long just to walk thru the door in time for breakfast and ‘daddy curls' at 7am," he captioned the post.

FANS JOKE ABOUT KATIE HOLMES' Y2K JINGLE BALL OUTFIT: According to Page Six, people were having a field day on social media in response to the outfit Katie Holmes wore to iHeartRadio Z100's Jingle Ball event in New York Friday (December 9th). The Dawson's Creek actress wore a blue dress over a pair of jeans with sneakers, channeling a trend that took off in the aughts. "I WILL NOT go back!!!!! DO YOU HEAR ME???? NO!!!!!!!!" one person wrote on Instagram. Another user quipped that the outfit was a party on the top and business on the bottom. "Did she think it was a zoom event?" a third user joked.

T.J. HOLMES AND AMY ROBACH WILL REMAIN OFF THE AIR PENDING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION: Page Six reports that T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach won't be returning to GMA3: What You Need to Know while ABC conducts an internal investigation into their relationship. ABC News president Kim Godwin updated the staff via email on Monday (December 12th), writing, "Amy and T.J. will remain off-air pending the completion of an internal review, and there will be a rotation of anchors at GMA3 for the time being."

JAMES CAMERON MISSES ‘AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER' PREMIERE DUE TO COVID-19: According to Deadline, James Cameron didn't make it to the Avatar: The Way of Water premiere in Los Angeles Monday night (December 12th) after testing positive for COVID-19. "I am in LA, just back from Tokyo, and I managed to pick up Covid on the plane, so I'm isolated and can't go to my own premiere tonight," he told the outlet. "The number of people I've told over the years, ‘ah, we'll catch up and I'll see you at the premiere…well, I guess not. Man proposes, and God disposes."

A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN IS IN THE WORKS: Today reports that R.J. Cutler's production company This Machine is working on a feature-length documentary about the late Grease actress Olivia Newton-John. The documentary will focus on "Newton-John's life and work as an iconic entertainer, best-selling music artist, animal rights and environmental activist and health, wellness and plant medicine advocate," according to the outlet.

THE 2023 GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS ARE ANNOUNCED: According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 2023 Golden Globe nominations were announced on Monday (December 12th), with The Banshees of Inisherin and Abbott Elementary leading the way. The Banshees of Inisherin received eight nominations, including best picture (musical/comedy), while Abbott Elementary received five nominations, including best TV series (musical/comedy) and best actress in a TV series (musical/comedy) for Quinta Brunson. In the film category, Everything Everywhere All at Once followed close behind with six nominations, while Babylon and The Fabelmans each earned five. The 80th Golden Globes are set to return on NBC on January 10th, hosted by Jerrod Carmichael.

See the full list of nominations below:

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Avatar: The Way of Water
Elvis
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Cate Blanchett, Tár
Olivia Colman, Empire of Light
Viola Davis, The Woman King
Ana de Armas, Blonde
Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Austin Butler, Elvis
Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Hugh Jackman, The Son
Bill Nighy, Living
Jeremy Pope, The Inspection

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Triangle of Sadness

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Lesley Manville, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
Margot Robbie, Babylon
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu
Emma Thompson, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Diego Calva, Babylon
Daniel Craig, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Adam Driver, White Noise
Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Ralph Fiennes, The Menu

Best Motion Picture – Animated

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Inu-Oh
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina)
Close (Belgium)
Decision to Leave (South Korea)
RRR (India)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Dolly De Leon, Triangle of Sadness
Carey Mulligan, She Said

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
Brad Pitt, Babylon
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Eddie Redmayne, The Good Nurse

Best Director — Motion Picture

James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Baz Luhrmann, Elvis
Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Todd Field, Tár
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin
Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, The Fabelmans

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin
Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Hildur Guðnadóttir, Women Talking
Justin Hurwitz, Babylon
John Williams, The Fabelmans

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

"Carolina," Taylor Swift (Where the Crawdads Sing)
"Ciao Papa," Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro, Roeban Katz (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio)
"Hold My Hand," Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice (Top Gun: Maverick)
"Lift Me Up," Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
"Naatu Naatu," Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj (RRR)

Best Television Series – Drama

Better Call Saul
The Crown
House of the Dragon
Ozark
Severance

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Emma D'Arcy, House of the Dragon
Laura Linney, Ozark
Imelda Staunton, The Crown
Hilary Swank, Alaska Daily
Zendaya, Euphoria

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Jeff Bridges, The Old Man
Kevin Costner, Yellowstone
Diego Luna, Andor
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Adam Scott, Severance

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Only Murders in the Building
Wednesday

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Jean Smart, Hacks

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Donald Glover, Atlanta
Bill Hader, Barry
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Black Bird
Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
The Dropout
Pam & Tommy
The White Lotus

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Jessica Chastain, George and Tammy
Julia Garner, Inventing Anna
Lily James, Pam & Tommy
Julia Roberts, Gaslit
Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Taron Egerton, Black Bird
Colin Firth, The Staircase
Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven
Evan Peters, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Under the Banner of Heaven
Niecy Nash, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

F. Murray Abraham, The White Lotus
Domhnall Gleeson, The Patient
Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird
Richard Jenkins, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series

Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Julia Garner, Ozark
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series

John Lithgow, The Old Man
Jonathan Pryce, The Crown
John Turturro, Severance
Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Henry Winkler, Barry

On Thursday (December 8th), Trevor Noah said goodbye to The Daily Show during his final episode. Noah hosted the show for seven years after taking over for Jon Stewart in 2015.

"I'm grateful to you. Every single one of you," he told the audience. "I remember when we started the show, we couldn't get enough people to fill the audience ... And I look at this now and I don't take it for granted, ever."

The comedian got especially emotional as he gave "a special shout-out to Black women," and thanked them for shaping who he is today. "I've often been credited with having these grand ideas ... and I'm like, 'Who do you think teaches me? Who do you think has shaped me, nourished me and formed me?' From my mom, my grandma, my aunts," he said.

"I'll tell you now, do yourself a favor, if you truly want to know what to do or how to do it, or maybe the best way or the most equitable way, talk to Black women," Noah added. "They are a lot of the reason I am here. I'm grateful to them, and I'm grateful to every single one of you. It's been an honor."

Bam Margera was reportedly hospitalized last week in San Diego, California, due to COVID-19 complications. The Jackass star was being treated in the ICU for pneumonia, and TMZ reported that doctors had him on a ventilator.

On Saturday (December 10th), the professional skateboarder shared a photo of himself with a friend to Instagram. "I'm out! Thank you to my friends, family and you for the love, support and prayers," he captioned the post.

This comes after Margera made headlines in June and September for trying to escape multiple rehab centers. In October, his Jackass costar Steve-O told Jim Norton he would "never give up" on Margera. "I've been physically present at almost every stop on his years-long tour of rehabs and psych wards," he said.

On Monday's (December 12th) episode of the SmartLess podcast, Emily Blunt revealed that Tom Cruise told her to "stop being such a p—y" while the pair were filming Edge of Tomorrow. Blunt shared that she was struggling with her 85-pound costume, and Cruise "didn't know what to do."

"We had to wear these enormous suits, which I think would've been great if we had CGI'd them, but we wanted to do it in a tactile way," she said. "When you hear the word ‘tactile,' you think that sounds nice and cozy. There was nothing cozy about these suits. It was like 85 pounds. It was so heavy. The first time I put it on I started to cry, and Cruise didn't know what to do."

So, naturally, Cruise stared at her "for a long time," she said. "He goes, ‘Come on, stop being such a p—y, OK?'" Blunt added that this made her laugh.

As theaters prepare for the highly anticipated release of Avatar: The Way of Water on Friday (December 16th), the box office is quiet. Deadline reports that this past weekend became the second lowest this year, bringing in an estimated total of $38.3 million.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever held on to the number one spot with $11.1 million. The movie is on track to surpass Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' domestic run by next weekend.

Box Office Numbers from Friday (December 9th) through Sunday (December 11th):

1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, $11.1 million
2. Violent Night, $8.7 million
3. Strange World, $3.6 million
4. The Menu, $2.7 million
5. Devotion, $2 million
6. Black Adam, $1.34 million
7. The Fabelmans, $1.18 million
8. Met Opera: The Hours, $791,000
9. I Heard the Bells, $750,700
10. Spoiler Alert, $700,000

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S REP RESPONDS TO DOCUSERIES CRITICISM: In response to some of the criticism Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been receiving for their new Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, a representative for the couple released a statement to Entertainment Tonight claiming that "the Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back" from the royal family. The statement continued, "This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence. In fact, their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series."

OCTAVIA SPENCER AND WILL FERRELL SHUT DOWN HECKLER AT HER HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME CELEBRATION: According to The Los Angeles Times, a heckler tried to ruin Octavia Spencer's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony last week, but she and Will Ferrell told him to "keep it moving." As Ferrell took the podium to honor Spencer, the heckler screamed that it was "a beautiful day to celebrate rich people!" To this, Spencer swiftly replied, "Okay, honey. Not on my day, Satan!" Ferrell added, "Not on Octavia's day! Keep it moving. Keep it moving. The wax museum's down there. That thing is wide open." Eventually, the Anchorman actor was finally able to honor Spencer. "Everyone here who has worked with Octavia knows this: She makes everyone better," he said.

LADY GAGA PERFORMS JENNA ORTEGA'S VIRAL ‘WEDNESDAY' DANCE: Lady Gaga is the latest celebrity to recreate Jenna Ortega's beloved dance scene from the Netflix series Wednesday. According to PopSugar, Ortega choreographed the moves herself and had COVID-19 when she filmed the scene. In a video posted to TikTok Thursday (December 8th), Gaga dressed in the style of Wednesday Addams and even put her hair into braided pigtails before performing the dance. One fan commented, "If I was Jenna Ortega I'd be losing it right now."

JOSH LUCAS TURNED DOWN A DOCTOR WHO OFFERED TO GIVE HIM KEVIN COSTNER'S NOSE: Josh Lucas revealed to Extra in a recent interview that he turned down an offer to have his nose look like his Yellowstone costar Kevin Costner's nose. "Earlier this year, I got a wood splitter… and one of the pieces of oak exploded and it hit me so badly in the face that it badly busted my nose. I had to have complete reconstructive surgery on my nose. I had to have it rebuilt," he told the outlet. "So I went to the plastic surgeon and he showed me photographs of myself and photographs of Kevin Costner… He showed me Kevin's nose on my face and he said, ‘We can give you Kevin's nose.'" The Sweet Home Alabama actor replied, "No, I don't want Kevin's nose. I want my nose!"

HELEN SLAYTON-HUGHES DIES AT 92: Deadline reports that Parks and Recreation actress Helen Slayton-Hughes passed away last week at the age of 92. Hughes played court stenographer Ethel Beavers on the show, and Aubrey Plaza took to social media Friday (December 9th) to honor her. "It was always Ethel Beavers. Always. Rest in Peace Helen. You were so loved and admired and I wanna be you when I grow up," she wrote. Slayton-Hughes also appeared on shows such as Nash Bridges, The Drew Carey Show, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Arrested Development, and Fresh Off the Boat.

GARY FRIEDKIN DIES AT 70: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Happy Days and Star Wars actor Gary Friedkin passed away on Friday (December 9th) at the age of 70. He died due to COVID-19 complications at a hospice facility in Youngstown, Ohio. Friedkin made his acting debut in Under the Rainbow and appeared in films such as Young Doctors in Love and Mother's Day. "While Gary may have been short of stature, he was a giant amongst his family and friends," his family said.

TODD PHILLIPS SHARES FIRST LOOK AT JOAQUIN PHOENIX IN ‘JOKER' SEQUEL: On Saturday (December 10th), Joker director Todd Phillips shared a first-look photo of Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie a Deux to Instagram. The photo shows a shirtless Phoenix getting his face shaved at Arkham Asylum. "Day 1. Our boy. #joker," Phillips captioned the post.

JACKIE CHAN REVEALS ‘RUSH HOUR 4' IS IN THE WORKS: According to Variety, Jackie Chan announced at the Red Sea International Film Festival that he's in talks for a Rush Hour 4 movie. Admitting that he thought the first movie would be a flop, Chan said, "I got a phone call. Brett Ratner and Chris Tucker call me from New York. They're crazy. We were $70 million in the first weekend. For me, I don't know how to count." He added, "We're talking about ‘Rush Hour 4' right now."

Amber Riley says that Lea Michele would probably say she "doesn't see race."

The Glee alum recently appeared on Ziwe's self-titled series and clarified her 2020 comments that the Funny Girl star wasn't racist.

She clarified, "I think that she would probably say she doesn't see race, but as we discussed earlier, everyone does."

When accusations that Michele bullied her coworkers of color surfaced in 2020, Riley told journalist Danielle Young in an Instagram Live, "I'm not going to say that Lea Michele is racist. That's not what I'm saying. That was the assumption because of what's going on right now in the world and it happened toward a Black person. I'm not going to say that she's racist."

Al Roker is home from the hospital.

The Today Show personality wrote on Instagram Thursday (December 8th), "Home! So incredibly grateful to family, friends, medical folks, @todayshow family and all your thoughts and prayers.

Roker has made multiple trips to the hospital in the past month and missed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 27 years because he was seeking treatment for blood clots in his legs and lungs.

Angelina Jolie is reportedly taking control of her dating life following her 2016 split from Brad Pitt.

Sources close to the star told RadarOnline Thursday (December 8th), "She gets a thrill out of arranging to meet up for afternoon trysts."

The insider added, "She's very alpha about the whole thing. She makes the guys sign NDAs, arranges the hotel suites — never under her own name — and she sets the time and never, ever spends the night"

According to the outlet, the Maleficent star only dates guys she's met through mutual friends because she doesn't trust the apps.

PARIS HILTON'S READY FOR KIDS: Paris Hilton is ready to have kids. The heiress told E! News that she and husband Carter Reum are "getting the eggs all ready." She added, "I always loved kids, but I just never found the person that I could trust to do that with. But now that I did, I just can't wait, and he's gonna be the best father and we're gonna have the most magical life together."

DLAN MINNETTE AND LYDIA KNIGHT SPLIT: Dylan Minnette and musician Lydia Knight have split after four years together. The Regrettes singer wrote on her Instagram Stories Thursday (December 8th), "Dylan and I have decided to end our romantic relationship. We love and care about each other very much and that won't change as we enter a new phase of our lives. please respect our privacy during this time." Knight and the 13 Reasons Why star have been linked since they were first spotted at Knotts Scary Farms in October 2018.

CHRIS KATTAN HOSPITALIZED WITH PNEUMONIA: Chris Kattan was hospitalized and had to undergo emergency surgery on December 4th. Radar Online reports that the Saturday Night Live alum was on the road for his stand-up comedy tour when he contracted a severe case of pneumonia. According to the outlet, the surgery was a success, and he is expected to be discharged on Friday (December 9th).

BILL HADER AND ALI WONG HAD REBOUND RELATIONSHIP: Bill Hader and Ali Wong had a brief rebound romance that started "at least two months ago." According to Page Six the two hooked up after the Barry star's split from Anna Kendrick and Wong's divorce from Justin Hakuta. Sources told the outlet, "They're no longer dating. They dated very briefly. They're just super busy with things, but the split was certainly amicable. They're certainly friends."

WHITNEY WAY THORE SHARES NEWS OF HER MOTHER'S DEATH: Whitney Way Thore shared the news of her mother's passing on Instagram Thursday (December 8th). The My Big Fat Fabulous Life star wrote, "My mother died last night just as the credits rolled on her favorite movie. Dad, Hunter, and I held her as she took her last breaths. It was 10:32pm, the same exact time she brought me into this world almost forty years ago.". Barbara Thore had cerebral amyloid angiopathy, an untreatable condition that causes dementia, seizures, and strokes.

The 2022 year end results are in and the musician that was Google searched the most was Adam Levine.

He got more attention that he wanted in connection to his alleged affair with Instagram model Sumner Stroh back in September.

Rounding out the top 5 were Mary J. Blige, Lil Tjay, Kendrick Lamar, and Migos.

Outside of the "musician" category...Will Smith, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were in the over-all top 5 Google searches of 2022.

TL;DR:

JERROD CARMICHAEL TO HOST GOLDEN GLOBES: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jerrod Carmichael has signed on to front the 80th Golden Globes. The show will air live Jan. 10th on NBC and its streaming service Peacock from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

MATT DAMON AND CASEY AFFLECK TO STAR IN THE INSTIGATORS: Matt Damon and Casey Affleck will star in director Doug Liman's The Instigators for Apple Original Films. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Damon and Affleck will play two thieves on the run with the help of one of their therapists after a robbery goes wrong.

MICHELLE YEOH AND JEFF GOLDBLUME'S 'WICKED' ROLES REVEALED: E! News reports that Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum will star in Jon M. Chu's Wicked movies as, Madam Morrible and The Wizard, respectively. They join previously announced cast members Cynthia Erivo, Araina Grande, Jonathan Bailey and Jonathan Slater.

REESE WITHERSPOON RETURNS TO TRACY FLICK ROLE: Reese Witherspoon is reprising the role of Tracy Flick. Paramount Pictures announced Thursday (December 8th) that the Election star will return 23 years after the original film to star in Tracy Flick Can't Win. It is based on the Tom Perrota book by the same name.

Toni Collette and Dave Galafassi have called it quits after 20 years of marriage.

The former couple announced their breakup in a joint statement on The Staircase star's Instagram page Wednesday (December 7th).

Collette wrote, "It is with grace and gratitude that we announce we are divorcing. We're united in our decision and part with continuing respect and care for each other. Our kids are of paramount importance to us and we will continue to thrive as a family, albeit a different shape. We're thankful for the space and love you grant us as we evolve and move through this transition peacefully."

The news comes after photos of Galafassi kissing another woman during a beach outing in Sydney were published by The Daily Mail.

According to Jennifer Lawrence, the biggest conversation surrounding her casting in The Hunger Games was "How much weight are you going to lose?"

She told Viola Davis for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series that she didn't feel comfortable losing weight to play a character from a book beloved by children.

Lawrence said, "Along with me being young and growing and not able to be on a diet, I don't know if I want all of the girls who are going to dress up as Katniss to feel like they can't because they're not a certain weight. And I can't let that seep into my brain either."

During their conversation, the Oscar winner declared that before the 2012 film, "nobody had ever put a woman in the lead of an action movie because it wouldn't work."

Fans quickly pointed out on Twitter that several women previously starred in action movies. For example, Sigourney Weaver played Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise starting in 1979 and Angelina Jolie starred in the 2001 and 2003 Tomb Raider movies.

Five women are suing Bill Cosby, NBCUniversal, Carsey-Werner and Kaufman Astoria Studios under a New York law that temporarily lifts the statute of limitations on sexual assault claims.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the suit alleges that the companies facilitated sexual assault by "bestowing Bill Cosby with the power or the appearance of power at The Cosby Show." It also claims that they either knew or should have known that the comedian was "sexually abusing, assaulting, and/or battering women, including on their premises, but did nothing to stop it."

The allegations made by Lili Bernard, Eden Tirl, Jewel Gittens, and Jennifer Thompson date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cindra Ladd says she met Cosby in 1969 and they were platonic friends until he drugged and raped her.

Cosby's spokesperson Andrew V. Wyatt sent The Hollywood Reporter a statement in response to the suit, which said the plaintiffs are unwilling to accept that Cosby "was vindicated by the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court almost a year and a half ago." He says, "As we have always stated, and now America can see, this isn't about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault, it's ALL ABOUT MONEY. We believe that the courts, as well as the court of public opinion, will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegation waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court."