The Weeknd to perform at 2021 BRIT Awards next week

May 5, 2021

The Weeknd may have a bone to pick with the Grammys, but he evidently has no problem with the British equivalent of the Grammys, The BRITs.

The artist is the latest performer to be added to the 2021 BRIT Awards show, which will take place May 11 at London's O2 Arena in front of an actual audience, many of whom will be front-line workers. The "Blinding Lights" star is up for International Male Solo Artist at the ceremony.

Other stars performing at the ceremony include Coldplay, who are opening the show, leading nominee Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Pink, who'll duet remotely with British singer/songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man.

For those not in the U.K., the awards show will be available at 3 p.m. ET May 11 on the BRITs YouTube channel.

As previously reported, The Weeknd said he'd no longer submit his music for consideration for the Grammys after he was snubbed last year.

Report: Britney Spears won’t ask judge to end conservatorship

May 5, 2021

Fans who believe that Britney Spears is somehow being held against her will due to her conservatorship may be surprised to hear that when the singer appears in court next month, she won't ask to be set free.

TMZ reports that Britney is actually fine with the conservatorship, which as been in place for 13 years. A source tells the website, "She has 99% of the freedom she'd have if she weren't in a conservatorship, and the only thing she's prevented from doing are crazy things, like buying three cars at a time" — which is apparently something she tried to do in the past.

The source further notes that Britney was aware that her life was "out of control" prior to the conservatorship, which has since given her structure and allowed her fortune to grow. "She's taken care of and she knows it," the source adds.

So why does Britney want to speak in court? Because she wants her dad, Jamie Spears, out as the co-conservator of her estate, reports TMZ. Apparently, Britney doesn't even speak to her dad anymore, because she's angry over how he's handled her business and who he's brought onto the team.

As previously reported, Britney also has a permanent personal conservator, Jodi Montgomery, but has no problem with her.

The hearing at which Britney is scheduled to speak on the "status of the conservatorship" will take place June 23. It's not clear if it'll be open to the public.

Oscars producer confirms categories were moved in the event of a Chadwick Boseman win that didn’t happen

May 5, 2021

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Oscar winning Traffic director Steven Soderbergh confirmed that the awards categories during the April 25 ceremony were shifted — ending not with the Best Picture winner, but with Best Actor — in the event of a posthumous Best Actor win for Chadwick Boseman.

However, Anthony Hopkins won for The Father instead of Boseman for his award-winning performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Since Hopkins wasn't at the event and wasn't allowed to accept his trophy via Zoom, the telecast ended abruptly, leaving many flat.

Soderbergh said the choice to end the show with Best Actor category was indeed because of Boseman, who died last August after a private, years-long battle with colon cancer.

"[A]ctors’ speeches tend to be more dramatic than producers' speeches," the filmmaker told the paper. "And then when the nominations came out and there was even the possibility that Chadwick could win posthumously, our feeling was if he were to win and his widow were to speak on his behalf, there would be nowhere to go after that. So we stuck with it."

Soderbergh also said he hadn't seen some of the negative reactions to the record-low-rated broadcast — "I don't read reviews," he noted. And when asked if producers regretted the decision to forbid winners from accepting their trophies via Zoom, he replied, simply, "No."

After viral “dad bod” pics, Will Smith says he’s getting in the ‘Best Shape of My Life’ on YouTube

May 5, 2021

Will Smith was up to something with the viral revelation of his current quarantine bod, which he described as being in "the worst shape of my life."

He'll apparently be reversing that on YouTube, with an unscripted docuseries Best Shape of My Life, in which the Men In Black and Bad Boys series star will tackle a fitness journey with the help of pro athletes, scientists, fitness experts, and YouTube creators.

He even name-dropped the show in a subsequent Instagram post, which featured a boomerang video of that literally Big Willie Style in all its glory. "I love this body, but I wanna FEEL better," Will posted. "No more midnight muffins…this is it! Imma get in the BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!!!!! Teaming up with @YouTube to get my health & wellness back on track. Hope it works!"

Zendaya shares behind-the-scenes look at ‘Euphoria’s second season

May 5, 2021

Filming on Euphoria's second season is finally underway after being put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is none happier than Zendaya.

The 24-year-old actress, who plays Rue, shared a series of behind the scenes photos on her Instagram Story while on the set of the HBO drama.

"Missed this kid," Zendaya captioned a shot of masked co-star Angus Cloud — who plays drug dealer Fez — seated on a kitchen counter dressed in baggy jeans, a blue crew neck.

"And these kids…" she added along with a picture of friend Alex and lighting technician Danny Durr relaxing on a couch in between takes.

Zendaya ended her slideshow with a photo of sound stage seven, where Euphoria is filmed. "Just being back here in general…missed it," she captioned the pic.

Euphoria's season one finale ended with Rue and Jules — played by Hunter Shafer — planning to run away together until Rue backed out, leaving Jules to leave without her, which caused Rue to relapse.

HBO dropped two so-called "bridge episodes" to hold fans over until the delayed season two.

The first, titled "Trouble Don't Always Last," aired in December and showed Rue celebrating Christmas alone in a diner, while replaying the incident in her mind as her sponsor Ali — played by Colman Domingo — helps her out.

The second special episode, which aired in January, titled "F*** Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob,” followed Jules over the Christmas holiday as she reflected on the past year.

Season two of Euphoria is expected to premiere later this year or in early 2022.

Happy Birthday, Adele: Here’s her amazing sales history

May 5, 2021

Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Adele turns 33 today. While we unfortunately don't have a new album from her called 33, we can still salute the British star for her amazing sales and chart records.

Here are some stats, according to Billboard and MRC data:

–Adele currently holds the record for the most album sales in a single week: Her 2015 album 25 sold an amazing 3.38 million copies when it was released that November.

–She also holds the record for the most weeks at number one for an album, with 24, set by her monster-selling album 21. That album also holds the record for the most weeks spent on the Billboard 200 album chart overall by an album by a female artist: 508.

–Adele's best-selling album in the U.S. is 21, which has sold just over 12 million copies. That's followed by 25, which has sold 9.6 million, and her debut, 19, which has sold just over three million copies.

–Her most streamed song is "Hello," with 1.2 billion audio and video streams combined, followed by "Someone Like You," with 807 million, and "Rolling in the Deep," with 624 million.

–Adele's most-heard song on the radio is "Rolling in the Deep," with 8.2 billion impressions, followed by "Someone Like You" with 6.2 billion and "Set Fire to the Rain," with six billion.

–Adele has scored four number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," "Set Fire to the Rain" and "Hello." "Skyfall" and "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" both made the top 10.

And while Adele is indeed working on a new album, as of October she said it wasn't finished. Perhaps 2021 will be the year she'll finally bless us with new music.

‘Teen Wolf’ star Arden Cho discusses being a victim of hate crime

May 5, 2021

Arden Cho, who played Kira Yukimura for three seasons on the MTV series Teen Wolf, is speaking up again about her experience as a victim of Asian hate.

The Korean-American actress tells E! Online that watching the videos of attacks against Asians reminds her of the pain she experienced for decades.

"I remember feeling like that was my childhood. That happened to me so many times and what's crazy is people don't believe it when you say nobody helps, nobody stops," she explains.

Cho took to Instagram in April to share the details of an incident in which she was verbally attacked while walking her dog.

"I shouldn't be scared but I am," she wrote. "All my trauma as a kid has been coming back as I'm watching my elders getting beaten and killed. I've been kicked in the face till I was unconscious and hospitalized, I was only a kid."

"I didn't realize how much that incident shaped my life. How much fear I've always lived with," she added.

The 35-year-old actress tells E! that change "has to come from all the communities."

Citing films like Minari and Chloe Zhao's Nomadland earning multiple Oscars, Cho says, "it's really exciting to see more Asian-American writers and storytellers really putting great projects and hopefully being our voices, because for so long we had non-Asian people writing our stories."

"I think in the same way the Black community really thrived in entertainment was when Black creators just started saying, 'Let's make our own movies,'" Cho continues. "I feel like 10 years ago we didn't have that, and I think this is a start."

Michael B. Jordan teases Kilmonger’s potential return in ‘Black Panther’ sequel

May 5, 2021

Never say never when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Michael B. Jordan did all but shoot down the idea of his Black Panther character, Erik Killmonger, making a comeback even though he died in the film. In fact, he's all for it — as long as "it's the right thing."

"There's always a love I have for those characters and Erik is definitely one of those that means a lot to me," he said. "So only if it's the right thing and it's impactful and if I could add something to it. If it means something then, yeah, I wanna be a part of that journey, you know?"

Although the Without Remorse actor, 34, admitted that he's not sure what director Ryan Coogler is doing with the upcoming sequel, he stated that the duo are, "definitely gonna do projects together in the future."

The pair first collaborated on the acclaimed 2013 drama Fruitvale Station, before Jordan starred in Coogler's 2015 hit Creed. Coogler also produced Creed II, and is a producer on the third installment, on which Jordan is making his directorial debut, and which was co-written by Ryan Coogler's brother Keegan.

Earlier this week, Marvel Studios announced that the highly anticipated sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, will be released July 8, 2022.

Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Mariah Carey celebrates being fully vaccinated against COVID-19

May 5, 2021

After belting out one of her signature high notes upon receiving her first COVID-19 shot, Mariah Carey revealed Tuesday that she went in for shot number two.

The singer, who is not a fan of needles, started out the video on a humorous note — where she was allowed to pick out a colorful bandaid of her choice. For those curious, she settled on hot pink.

The 51-year-old singer, who is seated in the same room where she received her first dose, then confessed she was still "still a little nervous" about rolling up her sleeve for a second time.

To help ease her nerves, she bantered with a member of the staff and asked if he was going to jab her with a "retractable needle" this time around, but learned she was going to get the same one just like everyone else.

Mariah also had some choice words for those who claimed she lied about getting the vaccine in the first place. Pointing up to the fluorescents on the ceiling, the Grammy winner scoffed, "Would I ever go into this lighting for no reason?! No!"

The vaccination went off without a hitch, with Mariah remarking, "And we're done!" She also noted that, this time around, she didn't even break out into her whistle register when getting the jab. However, the Glitter star still belted out a high note to mark her success.

Mariah was also dressed to impress for her second appointment, wearing oversized sunglasses, a black and gold shirt depicting Medusa's head, form fitting black pants, heeled sandals, a butterfly ring and a robust number of silver bangles.

According to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker, 32 percent of the U.S. population — or just under one in three people — are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Lindsay Lohan’s mom, Dina Lohan, pleads not guilty to 2020 DWI charge

May 5, 2021

Lindsay Lohan's mother, Dina Lohan, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to drunk driving charges stemming from a January 2020 crash in the parking lot of the Merrick Mall on Long Island, New York, ABC News has learned.
Dina, 58, was indicted by a grand jury in Nassau County on charges of felony drunk driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle and leaving an accident scene after she rear-ended another vehicle with her Mercedes-Benz.

She was arraigned on the indictment virtually and ordered to remain free on her own recognizance. Her driver's license remains suspended.

According to court documents, the police officer who responded found Lohan in the driver's seat of her Mercedes with the engine on and observed her with the odor of alcohol on her breath, glassy eyes, and slurred speech.

The officer said when Lohan got out of the car, she fell to the ground and accused the officer of pushing her and claimed she had only had one glass of wine.

Lohan faces up to 4 years if convicted. She’s due back in court on June 16.
Nassau County prosecutors recommended six months incarceration with five years probation in an earlier court appearance.

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The Weeknd to perform at 2021 BRIT Awards next week

Report: Britney Spears won’t ask judge to end conservatorship

Oscars producer confirms categories were moved in the event of a Chadwick Boseman win that didn’t happen

After viral “dad bod” pics, Will Smith says he’s getting in the ‘Best Shape of My Life’ on YouTube

Zendaya shares behind-the-scenes look at ‘Euphoria’s second season

Happy Birthday, Adele: Here’s her amazing sales history

‘Teen Wolf’ star Arden Cho discusses being a victim of hate crime

Michael B. Jordan teases Kilmonger’s potential return in ‘Black Panther’ sequel

Mariah Carey celebrates being fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Lindsay Lohan’s mom, Dina Lohan, pleads not guilty to 2020 DWI charge