#MAGFAB: Bradley Cooper & Carey Mulligan for Deadline - December 2023
Leonard Bernstein — the composer of West Side Story and considered one of the world’s greatest conductors — has lived rent-free in Bradley Cooper’s head since 2018, when Steven Spielberg met with him about what was going to be a straightforward biopic of a musical genius. Somehow, Spielberg knew that Cooper had been obsessed with conducting since he was a child. Not because he was some kind of musical prodigy, but because of an episode of The Bugs Bunny Show in which the hero conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, arms flailing wildly.
“Growing up, there was always classical music playing in the house,” Cooper recalls. “So, because of the cartoons I was watching, I used to wave my hands about and pretend that I was creating the music that I was hearing. One Christmas I asked Santa, and all of a sudden I had a baton that I was able to wield.”
He spent hundreds of hours waving his arms, conducting, just like Bugs. “So, I always knew that, in a way, I’ve been prepping this character since I was little. I guess it was the same thing with my last movie, A Star is Born: I’d been playing air guitar since I was a kid.”
Spielberg elected not to advance with the project, but when he reached that conclusion, Cooper, who’d initially known nothing about the composer and conductor other than “what he looked like and that he was an icon,” was already hooked. The timing was perfect: having just finished A Star is Born with Lady Gaga, he’d come to realize something about himself: “What I really love is to write and direct movies and spend a lot of time on a piece of art.”
It was with some trepidation, then, that he went to Spielberg and asked, “Would you consider giving me this project?” On seeing an early cut of A Star is Born, Spielberg willingly handed over the reins. “If you can get the rights to the music,” he warned, “because they’re about to lapse.”
That was a fact Cooper hadn’t been aware of, so he arranged to meet the “the Bernstein kids,” as he calls them, in New York, having recently moved there. He screened A Star is Born for them, and he shared his enthusiasm and curiosity about their dad with them. “Luckily, they went with us. And that’s when it began. Lenny just sort of took hold of me.”
The movie was born in the research. Poring over their correspondence, private papers, home movies and the like, Cooper discovered so much more about Lenny. As the classical music world knew very well, Leonard Bernstein was bisexual, and continued having homosexual affairs throughout his marriage to Felicia Montealegre, a classically trained actress. But this was not a marriage of convenience; it was a partnership of equals, albeit one that suffered bitter ups and downs. So, Cooper went back to the Bernstein kids and informed them that this was going to be no ordinary biopic. “In order to make a movie,” he told them, “there has to be something else. And I think that what moves me in your father’s story is the relationship between your parents.”
“That really stunned them,” Cooper says. “They didn’t quite believe I was actually going to focus on their mother too. But that’s all I was interested in.”
Not quite all, though, because there was always going to be a focus on Bernstein’s music, which he considers to be another major character in the story. “I always thought, ‘This has to be symphonic — the film itself, in its structure — and it’s got to be sympathetic to his music.’ I mean, what better way to show his impact than to play his music?”
Cooper immediately dove into Felicia’s life, listening to recordings of her radio shows and appearances on television. Her top billing over Charlton Heston in a 1949 live TV version of W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage especially intrigued him when he realized that, at that time, she was a bigger star than her future husband.
Cooper didn’t have anyone earmarked for the role of Felicia. He’d known Carey Mulligan for a while, but mostly from the circuit. He thinks they might have met for the first time in around 2009, possibly at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards. Mulligan was just starting out, garnering accolades — including a best actress BAFTA win and her first Academy Award nomination — for her breakthrough role in An Education. Over the years they saw each other around and about, and though he was, he confesses, “a huge fan of her work,” that was all.
Get more at Deadline
#RHOA: You Need to See Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia's Matching Christmas Pajamas
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum and her hubby celebrated the holiday season in the most adorable way.
This fall, for example, The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum took her daughter, Pilar Jhena McKinley, and some pals on a stylish pumpkin patch outing that we couldn't get enough of. Then, by the time Thanksgiving 2023 rolled around, Porsha and PJ got crafty for the holiday, showing off a turkey that PJ decorated herself. "My baby [PJ] did such a good job on her [first] Turkey for Gobble Gobble Day!!," the proud mama wrote in the caption of the post. "We love our Mommy and me art Projects!! I had no idea how it was going to turn out but I am so happy with how [it] work[ed] and I'm glad I put it on a wood base so it'll be a great keepsake!"
More recently, Porsha took on Christmas with her husband, Simon Guobadia, showing how the pair wore matching pajamas just in time for the holiday.
On December 21, Porsha hopped on her Instagram page to share one of the coziest photos we've seen of her and Simon sporting the cutest matching holiday-themed pajamas. The pair was sitting in what Porsha deemed the "perfect snuggle chair," aka a living room recliner chair.
"I think our best piece of furniture is my recliner! lol I used to sit in it all the time when I was pregnant with Pj to help relieve my hip pains! BUT now it’s the perfect snuggle chair for my whittle family we literally try to beat each other to get in it," Porsha joked of her and Simon cuddling up in the chair together.
For the snap, the pair wore gray onesie pajamas that featured white prints of reindeer and snowflakes. The onesies also featured red collars and cuffs around the wrists and ankles.
"Oh and yes I force hubby to wear holiday onsies with me almost everyday day," she hilariously concluded her post. "[Three] christmas later with you[.]"
Porsha and Simon's matching pajamas aren't the first time we've seen Porsha get in the spirit this holiday season.
Earlier in December, Porsha shared a gorgeous video of herself on her Instagram page. In the clip, Porsha traipsed down the stairs in what appears to be her Georgia home. "I’m feeling the holiday spirit," she captioned the post of herself in a floaty sheer black gown with a coreset bodice and black floral accents.
Porsha decked out her banister with beautiful garlands studded with small red ornaments and gold leaves. We also spotted gorgeous wreaths hun gon the walls, an enormous tree with plenty of red, gold, and silver ornaments and a giant red bow on the banister at the bottom of the staircase.
It looks like Porsha and her family are making the most of the 2023 holiday season!
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" single shatters Spotify record
“Growing up, there was always classical music playing in the house,” Cooper recalls. “So, because of the cartoons I was watching, I used to wave my hands about and pretend that I was creating the music that I was hearing. One Christmas I asked Santa, and all of a sudden I had a baton that I was able to wield.”
He spent hundreds of hours waving his arms, conducting, just like Bugs. “So, I always knew that, in a way, I’ve been prepping this character since I was little. I guess it was the same thing with my last movie, A Star is Born: I’d been playing air guitar since I was a kid.”
Spielberg elected not to advance with the project, but when he reached that conclusion, Cooper, who’d initially known nothing about the composer and conductor other than “what he looked like and that he was an icon,” was already hooked. The timing was perfect: having just finished A Star is Born with Lady Gaga, he’d come to realize something about himself: “What I really love is to write and direct movies and spend a lot of time on a piece of art.”
It was with some trepidation, then, that he went to Spielberg and asked, “Would you consider giving me this project?” On seeing an early cut of A Star is Born, Spielberg willingly handed over the reins. “If you can get the rights to the music,” he warned, “because they’re about to lapse.”
That was a fact Cooper hadn’t been aware of, so he arranged to meet the “the Bernstein kids,” as he calls them, in New York, having recently moved there. He screened A Star is Born for them, and he shared his enthusiasm and curiosity about their dad with them. “Luckily, they went with us. And that’s when it began. Lenny just sort of took hold of me.”
The movie was born in the research. Poring over their correspondence, private papers, home movies and the like, Cooper discovered so much more about Lenny. As the classical music world knew very well, Leonard Bernstein was bisexual, and continued having homosexual affairs throughout his marriage to Felicia Montealegre, a classically trained actress. But this was not a marriage of convenience; it was a partnership of equals, albeit one that suffered bitter ups and downs. So, Cooper went back to the Bernstein kids and informed them that this was going to be no ordinary biopic. “In order to make a movie,” he told them, “there has to be something else. And I think that what moves me in your father’s story is the relationship between your parents.”
“That really stunned them,” Cooper says. “They didn’t quite believe I was actually going to focus on their mother too. But that’s all I was interested in.”
Not quite all, though, because there was always going to be a focus on Bernstein’s music, which he considers to be another major character in the story. “I always thought, ‘This has to be symphonic — the film itself, in its structure — and it’s got to be sympathetic to his music.’ I mean, what better way to show his impact than to play his music?”
Cooper immediately dove into Felicia’s life, listening to recordings of her radio shows and appearances on television. Her top billing over Charlton Heston in a 1949 live TV version of W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage especially intrigued him when he realized that, at that time, she was a bigger star than her future husband.
Cooper didn’t have anyone earmarked for the role of Felicia. He’d known Carey Mulligan for a while, but mostly from the circuit. He thinks they might have met for the first time in around 2009, possibly at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards. Mulligan was just starting out, garnering accolades — including a best actress BAFTA win and her first Academy Award nomination — for her breakthrough role in An Education. Over the years they saw each other around and about, and though he was, he confesses, “a huge fan of her work,” that was all.
Get more at Deadline
#RHOA: You Need to See Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia's Matching Christmas Pajamas
This fall, for example, The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum took her daughter, Pilar Jhena McKinley, and some pals on a stylish pumpkin patch outing that we couldn't get enough of. Then, by the time Thanksgiving 2023 rolled around, Porsha and PJ got crafty for the holiday, showing off a turkey that PJ decorated herself. "My baby [PJ] did such a good job on her [first] Turkey for Gobble Gobble Day!!," the proud mama wrote in the caption of the post. "We love our Mommy and me art Projects!! I had no idea how it was going to turn out but I am so happy with how [it] work[ed] and I'm glad I put it on a wood base so it'll be a great keepsake!"
More recently, Porsha took on Christmas with her husband, Simon Guobadia, showing how the pair wore matching pajamas just in time for the holiday.
On December 21, Porsha hopped on her Instagram page to share one of the coziest photos we've seen of her and Simon sporting the cutest matching holiday-themed pajamas. The pair was sitting in what Porsha deemed the "perfect snuggle chair," aka a living room recliner chair.
"I think our best piece of furniture is my recliner! lol I used to sit in it all the time when I was pregnant with Pj to help relieve my hip pains! BUT now it’s the perfect snuggle chair for my whittle family we literally try to beat each other to get in it," Porsha joked of her and Simon cuddling up in the chair together.
For the snap, the pair wore gray onesie pajamas that featured white prints of reindeer and snowflakes. The onesies also featured red collars and cuffs around the wrists and ankles.
"Oh and yes I force hubby to wear holiday onsies with me almost everyday day," she hilariously concluded her post. "[Three] christmas later with you[.]"
Porsha and Simon's matching pajamas aren't the first time we've seen Porsha get in the spirit this holiday season.
Earlier in December, Porsha shared a gorgeous video of herself on her Instagram page. In the clip, Porsha traipsed down the stairs in what appears to be her Georgia home. "I’m feeling the holiday spirit," she captioned the post of herself in a floaty sheer black gown with a coreset bodice and black floral accents.
Porsha decked out her banister with beautiful garlands studded with small red ornaments and gold leaves. We also spotted gorgeous wreaths hun gon the walls, an enormous tree with plenty of red, gold, and silver ornaments and a giant red bow on the banister at the bottom of the staircase.
It looks like Porsha and her family are making the most of the 2023 holiday season!
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" single shatters Spotify record
Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” single continues to break records almost 30 years after its release.
TMZ revealed that the holiday hit shattered the all-time record for the most Spotify streams in a single day — and it was all accomplished on Christmas Eve. On Sunday (Dec. 24), the Carey and Walter Afanasieff-produced offering generated 23,701,697 streams on the aforementioned platform, beating her own previous record of 21,273,357 streams on the same day. The outlet also noted that “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been making consistent gains since 2020, when the figure was over 17.2 million.
While Carey’s iconic track dominates the streaming world, it temporarily experienced a rare defeat on the charts. For a couple of weeks in December, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” nabbed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, effectively pushing “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to No. 2 during that period. As Billboard explained earlier this month, the accomplishment marks the first time for Lee since 1960, with only the third holiday No. 1 in the chart’s history. The position was short-lived, however — Carey returned to the top of the Hot 100 last Monday (Dec. 18).
Back in 2021, we spoke to Carey after “All I Want for Christmas Is You” accumulated 1 billion streams.
“It’s an amazing thing, and I’m very thankful. I can’t believe this song I wrote so long ago when I first started,” she stated. “Christmas songs take a while to permeate the culture, you know what I mean? It’s an honor and honestly, it’s all because of my fans. Even people who aren’t necessarily my fans, they’re just like, ‘Whatever, we like that song.’ It’s a huge honor and I’m thankful for all of it. The billion streams, the diamond award, all of it.”
#HipHopNews: Kanye West Apologizes To The Jewish Community: "It Was Not My Intention To Hurt Or Demean"
Kanye West issued an apology for his past antisemitic comments today (Dec. 26). Writing in Hebrew on Instagram, the musician expressed his remorse to the Jewish community.
His post read, “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community… It was not my intention to hurt or demean [anyone], and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.”
The statement quickly gained traction, amassing over 1 million likes in just seven hours, with many followers also inquiring about his upcoming LP.
West’s apology came after a series of controversies in 2022, including antisemitic remarks and actions that led to severed ties with major brands. In October of that year, he tweeted, “I’m going [DEFCON 3] on Jewish people… You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone [who] opposes your agenda.”
As a result, Adidas ended its partnership with the Yeezy designer, with the footwear label describing his remarks as “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” In September, the company’s chief executive Bjørn Gulden explained, “I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a bad person. It just came across that way.”
Last Friday (Dec. 22), West’s upcoming joint album with Ty Dolla Sign was confirmed to have gotten a new release date. Vultures is now slated to come out on Jan. 12, 2024. The project reportedly will feature Offset, Freddie Gibbs, Kodak Black, Chris Brown, Playboi Carti and more.
On the lead single and title track, “Vultures,” West addressed last year’s backlash with the lyric, “How I’m antisemitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b**ch.” Lil Durk and Bump J also make guest appearances on the cut.
The Color Purple Tops Christmas Day Box Office With $18 Million Debut
The Color Purple topped the Christmas Day box office with a $18 million debut.The film's debut was "much bigger" than was anticipated, Deadline reports. Original estimations for the film's opening day were between $8 million and $12 million.
The box office achievement ties with the Christmas day grosses of the 2012 Les Misérables film adaptation, which went on to gross $148.8 million throughout its run.
The movie musical's debut is the biggest Christmas Day opening for a film since 2009 and the second-biggest Christmas opening day of all time.
While demographics have shown that older audiences had not returned to movie theaters as much recently, The Color Purple's largest demo was people over the age of 55. The box office win proves that audiences are ready to return to cinemas.
The film's opening day is also the biggest out of any of the last three movie musicals released in theaters, including In the Heights ($11 million), West Side Story ($10.5 million), and Dear Evan Hansen ($7.5 million).
This bold new musical take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones.
The film stars Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, David Alan Grier, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste, Louis Gossett, Jr., Tamela Mann, Deon Cole, Stephen Hill, Terrence J. Smith, Tiffany Elle Burgess, Aba Arthur, Elizabeth Marvel, and more.
The screenplay is by Marcus Gardley (“Maid,” “The Chi”), based on the novel by Alice Walker and based on the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.
Beyoncé's Childhood Home Goes Up In Flames On Christmas Day
While Beyoncé was seen on Instagram wrapping up Brazil’s premiere event of her new movie RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ, her childhood home in Houston, Texas, went up in flames early Christmas morning (Dec. 25).
ABC13 reported, “The Houston Fire Department told ABC13 they received a call about the fire at about 2 a.m. Monday. When firefighters arrived at the home in the 2400 block of Rosedale Street, the home’s second story was already fully engulfed in flames.”
Thankfully, none of the current residents were harmed while leaving the house. The family, while still in their holiday-themed pajamas, were able to escape safely. The fire department chief said, “They did a great job. I’m going to say in less than 10 minutes, we had a really good grip on this fire,” while detailing the response time from the HFD.
Beyoncé and her family moved out of the home dozens of years ago, but the home is still seen as a landmark for those who are familiar with the Texas-bred musician. Not too long ago, the “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” singer returned to the house during a trip to her hometown for the “Renaissance World Tour.”
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Swims to the Top at the Domestic Box Office
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to have an underwhelming box office debut weekend, grossing only $30 million compared to the previous Aquaman film's $72 million opening.
The poor reviews for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with a "rotten" score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, sees the DCEU franchise coming to an end with hardly a splash.
Despite the competition, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom took the top spot at the box office during a crowded Friday.
An era of DC superhero movies is coming to an end this week, but hardly with a splash. Warner Bros.’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to conclude the DC Extended Universe's decade-long run with an underwhelming debut at the domestic box office, after grossing just under $14 million on Friday, which includes the $4.5 million that it made in Thursday previews. The film is expected to generate around $30 million across the traditional three-day weekend, with a $43 million gross being projected for the extended four-day Christmas weekend.
By comparison, 2018’s Aquaman grossed $72 million in its extended opening weekend, and stayed afloat through the holiday season on its way to an astonishing $1.1 billion global haul — the highest-ever for a DC superhero movie. But times have changed for the genre since then. W.B. has delivered three superhero box office duds itself this year — Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle and The Flash.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with its poor reviews — the movie currently sits at a “rotten” 36% score on the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes — is the final nail in the franchise’s coffin, before it is rebooted in 2025 with James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. But W.B. can find solace in the fact that the movie isn’t entirely tanking despite huge competition this weekend, and is actually performing better than fellow Christmas release Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
The studio is also taking the second spot, with last week’s Wonka eyeing a $28 million four-day haul, which represents a strong hold. Starring Timothée Chalamet, the prequel to Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” grossed $40 million in its first weekend, and will pass the $80 million mark at the domestic box office by Sunday. Wonka grossed $6.5 million on its second Friday, and should shoot past the $200 million milestone worldwide this weekend.
The third and fourth spots this weekend will likely be claimed by Universal’s original animated film Migration and Sony’s buzzy rom-com Anyone But You. Migration could potentially take over from where the studio’s sleeper hit Trolls Band Together left off. The film grossed $5.8 million on Friday, including previews, after having opened in select overseas markets last week. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, Anyone But You is looking at an $8.5 million four-day haul after grossing $3.4 million on Friday.
Diddy All Smiles In New Family Christmas Pictures Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuits
Sean "P. Diddy" Combs seemingly doesn't let his legal issues dampen his spirits this holiday season. The rapper, who has been keeping a low-profile since being slapped with numerous lawsuits, has been seen all smiles in new family Christmas pictures with his kids.
On Monday, December 25, the hip-hop mogul's daughter Chance Combs made use of her Instagram page to share the photos documenting their time together on the holiday. In the images, the 54-year-old made a hand gesture to mark the number of his children, seven, while standing behind them.
They were joined by one of Diddy's baby mamas, Sarah Chapman, as well as his mother Janice Combs. They wore matching pajamas from Yung Miami's Caresha Please Christmas line which came in white, red and pink colors. Diddy added a Santa hat while his youngest child, Love, donned a red outfit with an image of Santa's hat on its front side.
Diddy did not share the photos on his own social media account, but he previously posted birthday tributes to his mother and twin daughters Jessie and D'Lila, whom he had with late model Kimberly Porter.
Diddy has been lying low since he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Cassie filed the first lawsuit on November 17, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking and physical abuse during their relationship from 2007 to 2018. The former couple settled the lawsuit just one day later, but the emcee was slapped with a second lawsuit by another woman, Joi Dickerson-Neal, who accused him of rape, drugging and revenge porn back in 1991.
A third woman, identified as Jane Doe, dragged Diddy to court as well, claiming that he and R&B star Aaron Hall took turns raping her and her friend at an MCA Records event in New York City in the early 1990s. She claimed that an "irate" Diddy later came to the plaintiff's home and physically assaulted her, "choking Jane Doe to the point that she passed out."
After a fourth woman accused him of gang rape and sex trafficking in another lawsuit, Diddy said in a statement issued on December 6, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday." He added, "Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth."
Tamar Braxton And Jeremy 'JR' Robinson Re-Engaged Weeks After Reconciliation
Tamar Braxton and Jeremy "JR" Robinson have something more to celebrate on Christmas. The "Braxton Family Values" alum and her boyfriend announced their second engagement just weeks after they reconciled.
On Monday, December 25, Tamar took to her Instagram account to share some videos of her spending Christmas along with her now-fiancee. The couple could be seen rocking matching pajamas with one video featuring JR proposing to the "All the Way Home" singer.
Celebrating the big moment, Tamar wrote in the caption, "3 months ago we thought we HATED each other and we were completely OVER…. Here we are after a simple football game box you got for your birthday and one REAL HARD conversation … we knew that whatever happened in the past was just that and ANYTHING other than US and our family only mattered."
"So the truth is WE DONT CARE if anyone disagrees with it … we choose to love each other OUTLOUD and PROUD because we found something worth fighting for and forgiving each other for EVERYDAY in front and behind the scenes," the 46-year-old star went on saying. "I love you with my entire heart and from now on our troubles are miles away….I'm having myself a Merry little Christmas now."
JR, meanwhile, made use of his own page to share a better look at her engagement ring. "Merry Christmas from our family! Love @tamarbraxton forever…," so he gushed in the caption.
In the comments section, some of Tamar's famous friends expressed their happiness for her. Taraji P. Henson left a congratulatory comment which read, "So happy for you sis. You deserve all the good this world has to offer." Supa Cent echoed the sentiment, saying, "Yasssss Tamar!!! Congratulations queen."
However, some fans were against the re-engagement. "After watching Tommiee's interview…. he rub me the wronggg wwaayyy," one said. Another said, "Something not right about dude."
Tamar and JR's second engagement came after JR announced their split in October. "Yes, Tamar and I are no longer together. I ended the relationship to focus on getting back to positive energy and being a better person," he said at the time. "What happened and why - that's our private place. No, I never cheated. No, I wasn't there when she was at her mothers place when her car was burglarized. No, I never cared about fame. Who reveals their most embarrassing moments in their life to find fame."
He continued, "I have always represented famous people and the truth is I was in an amazing place financially and mentally. I turned down QueensCourt several times before I gave in. Ultimately, I fell in love and it didn't end how I wanted it." Concluding his post, the attorney wrote, "So, I want to heal. Tamar and I will always be friends and family for life. Thank you for respecting our privacy."
The two then decided to give their romance another try. JR confirmed their reconciliation earlier this month, writing a lengthy message that read, "Are we willing to not give up on our partners no matter what happens? Are we willing to set aside our own egos to protect what is still left of our love? Lots of questions, but the answer is: I had to fight hard to push past the hurt, and past my own ego, because God kept bringing me back to how much I love @tamarbraxton - and yet, I still needed to heal to see the beauty of our love."
Shaun King Says Instagram Banned His Account Because He Was ‘Fighting For Palestine’
TMZ revealed that the holiday hit shattered the all-time record for the most Spotify streams in a single day — and it was all accomplished on Christmas Eve. On Sunday (Dec. 24), the Carey and Walter Afanasieff-produced offering generated 23,701,697 streams on the aforementioned platform, beating her own previous record of 21,273,357 streams on the same day. The outlet also noted that “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been making consistent gains since 2020, when the figure was over 17.2 million.
While Carey’s iconic track dominates the streaming world, it temporarily experienced a rare defeat on the charts. For a couple of weeks in December, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” nabbed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, effectively pushing “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to No. 2 during that period. As Billboard explained earlier this month, the accomplishment marks the first time for Lee since 1960, with only the third holiday No. 1 in the chart’s history. The position was short-lived, however — Carey returned to the top of the Hot 100 last Monday (Dec. 18).
Back in 2021, we spoke to Carey after “All I Want for Christmas Is You” accumulated 1 billion streams.
“It’s an amazing thing, and I’m very thankful. I can’t believe this song I wrote so long ago when I first started,” she stated. “Christmas songs take a while to permeate the culture, you know what I mean? It’s an honor and honestly, it’s all because of my fans. Even people who aren’t necessarily my fans, they’re just like, ‘Whatever, we like that song.’ It’s a huge honor and I’m thankful for all of it. The billion streams, the diamond award, all of it.”
#HipHopNews: Kanye West Apologizes To The Jewish Community: "It Was Not My Intention To Hurt Or Demean"
His post read, “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community… It was not my intention to hurt or demean [anyone], and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.”
The statement quickly gained traction, amassing over 1 million likes in just seven hours, with many followers also inquiring about his upcoming LP.
West’s apology came after a series of controversies in 2022, including antisemitic remarks and actions that led to severed ties with major brands. In October of that year, he tweeted, “I’m going [DEFCON 3] on Jewish people… You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone [who] opposes your agenda.”
As a result, Adidas ended its partnership with the Yeezy designer, with the footwear label describing his remarks as “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” In September, the company’s chief executive Bjørn Gulden explained, “I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a bad person. It just came across that way.”
Last Friday (Dec. 22), West’s upcoming joint album with Ty Dolla Sign was confirmed to have gotten a new release date. Vultures is now slated to come out on Jan. 12, 2024. The project reportedly will feature Offset, Freddie Gibbs, Kodak Black, Chris Brown, Playboi Carti and more.
On the lead single and title track, “Vultures,” West addressed last year’s backlash with the lyric, “How I’m antisemitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b**ch.” Lil Durk and Bump J also make guest appearances on the cut.
The Color Purple Tops Christmas Day Box Office With $18 Million Debut
The Color Purple topped the Christmas Day box office with a $18 million debut.The film's debut was "much bigger" than was anticipated, Deadline reports. Original estimations for the film's opening day were between $8 million and $12 million.
The box office achievement ties with the Christmas day grosses of the 2012 Les Misérables film adaptation, which went on to gross $148.8 million throughout its run.
The movie musical's debut is the biggest Christmas Day opening for a film since 2009 and the second-biggest Christmas opening day of all time.
While demographics have shown that older audiences had not returned to movie theaters as much recently, The Color Purple's largest demo was people over the age of 55. The box office win proves that audiences are ready to return to cinemas.
The film's opening day is also the biggest out of any of the last three movie musicals released in theaters, including In the Heights ($11 million), West Side Story ($10.5 million), and Dear Evan Hansen ($7.5 million).
This bold new musical take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (“Black Is King,” “The Burial of Kojo”) and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones.
The film stars Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, David Alan Grier, H.E.R., Ciara, Jon Batiste, Louis Gossett, Jr., Tamela Mann, Deon Cole, Stephen Hill, Terrence J. Smith, Tiffany Elle Burgess, Aba Arthur, Elizabeth Marvel, and more.
The screenplay is by Marcus Gardley (“Maid,” “The Chi”), based on the novel by Alice Walker and based on the musical stage play, book (of the musical stage play) by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.
Beyoncé's Childhood Home Goes Up In Flames On Christmas Day
ABC13 reported, “The Houston Fire Department told ABC13 they received a call about the fire at about 2 a.m. Monday. When firefighters arrived at the home in the 2400 block of Rosedale Street, the home’s second story was already fully engulfed in flames.”
Thankfully, none of the current residents were harmed while leaving the house. The family, while still in their holiday-themed pajamas, were able to escape safely. The fire department chief said, “They did a great job. I’m going to say in less than 10 minutes, we had a really good grip on this fire,” while detailing the response time from the HFD.
Beyoncé and her family moved out of the home dozens of years ago, but the home is still seen as a landmark for those who are familiar with the Texas-bred musician. Not too long ago, the “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” singer returned to the house during a trip to her hometown for the “Renaissance World Tour.”
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Swims to the Top at the Domestic Box Office
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to have an underwhelming box office debut weekend, grossing only $30 million compared to the previous Aquaman film's $72 million opening.
The poor reviews for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with a "rotten" score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, sees the DCEU franchise coming to an end with hardly a splash.
Despite the competition, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom took the top spot at the box office during a crowded Friday.
An era of DC superhero movies is coming to an end this week, but hardly with a splash. Warner Bros.’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to conclude the DC Extended Universe's decade-long run with an underwhelming debut at the domestic box office, after grossing just under $14 million on Friday, which includes the $4.5 million that it made in Thursday previews. The film is expected to generate around $30 million across the traditional three-day weekend, with a $43 million gross being projected for the extended four-day Christmas weekend.
By comparison, 2018’s Aquaman grossed $72 million in its extended opening weekend, and stayed afloat through the holiday season on its way to an astonishing $1.1 billion global haul — the highest-ever for a DC superhero movie. But times have changed for the genre since then. W.B. has delivered three superhero box office duds itself this year — Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle and The Flash.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with its poor reviews — the movie currently sits at a “rotten” 36% score on the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes — is the final nail in the franchise’s coffin, before it is rebooted in 2025 with James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy. But W.B. can find solace in the fact that the movie isn’t entirely tanking despite huge competition this weekend, and is actually performing better than fellow Christmas release Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
The studio is also taking the second spot, with last week’s Wonka eyeing a $28 million four-day haul, which represents a strong hold. Starring Timothée Chalamet, the prequel to Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” grossed $40 million in its first weekend, and will pass the $80 million mark at the domestic box office by Sunday. Wonka grossed $6.5 million on its second Friday, and should shoot past the $200 million milestone worldwide this weekend.
The third and fourth spots this weekend will likely be claimed by Universal’s original animated film Migration and Sony’s buzzy rom-com Anyone But You. Migration could potentially take over from where the studio’s sleeper hit Trolls Band Together left off. The film grossed $5.8 million on Friday, including previews, after having opened in select overseas markets last week. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell, Anyone But You is looking at an $8.5 million four-day haul after grossing $3.4 million on Friday.
Diddy All Smiles In New Family Christmas Pictures Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuits
On Monday, December 25, the hip-hop mogul's daughter Chance Combs made use of her Instagram page to share the photos documenting their time together on the holiday. In the images, the 54-year-old made a hand gesture to mark the number of his children, seven, while standing behind them.
They were joined by one of Diddy's baby mamas, Sarah Chapman, as well as his mother Janice Combs. They wore matching pajamas from Yung Miami's Caresha Please Christmas line which came in white, red and pink colors. Diddy added a Santa hat while his youngest child, Love, donned a red outfit with an image of Santa's hat on its front side.
Diddy did not share the photos on his own social media account, but he previously posted birthday tributes to his mother and twin daughters Jessie and D'Lila, whom he had with late model Kimberly Porter.
Diddy has been lying low since he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Cassie filed the first lawsuit on November 17, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking and physical abuse during their relationship from 2007 to 2018. The former couple settled the lawsuit just one day later, but the emcee was slapped with a second lawsuit by another woman, Joi Dickerson-Neal, who accused him of rape, drugging and revenge porn back in 1991.
A third woman, identified as Jane Doe, dragged Diddy to court as well, claiming that he and R&B star Aaron Hall took turns raping her and her friend at an MCA Records event in New York City in the early 1990s. She claimed that an "irate" Diddy later came to the plaintiff's home and physically assaulted her, "choking Jane Doe to the point that she passed out."
After a fourth woman accused him of gang rape and sex trafficking in another lawsuit, Diddy said in a statement issued on December 6, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday." He added, "Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth."
Tamar Braxton And Jeremy 'JR' Robinson Re-Engaged Weeks After Reconciliation
On Monday, December 25, Tamar took to her Instagram account to share some videos of her spending Christmas along with her now-fiancee. The couple could be seen rocking matching pajamas with one video featuring JR proposing to the "All the Way Home" singer.
Celebrating the big moment, Tamar wrote in the caption, "3 months ago we thought we HATED each other and we were completely OVER…. Here we are after a simple football game box you got for your birthday and one REAL HARD conversation … we knew that whatever happened in the past was just that and ANYTHING other than US and our family only mattered."
"So the truth is WE DONT CARE if anyone disagrees with it … we choose to love each other OUTLOUD and PROUD because we found something worth fighting for and forgiving each other for EVERYDAY in front and behind the scenes," the 46-year-old star went on saying. "I love you with my entire heart and from now on our troubles are miles away….I'm having myself a Merry little Christmas now."
JR, meanwhile, made use of his own page to share a better look at her engagement ring. "Merry Christmas from our family! Love @tamarbraxton forever…," so he gushed in the caption.
In the comments section, some of Tamar's famous friends expressed their happiness for her. Taraji P. Henson left a congratulatory comment which read, "So happy for you sis. You deserve all the good this world has to offer." Supa Cent echoed the sentiment, saying, "Yasssss Tamar!!! Congratulations queen."
However, some fans were against the re-engagement. "After watching Tommiee's interview…. he rub me the wronggg wwaayyy," one said. Another said, "Something not right about dude."
Tamar and JR's second engagement came after JR announced their split in October. "Yes, Tamar and I are no longer together. I ended the relationship to focus on getting back to positive energy and being a better person," he said at the time. "What happened and why - that's our private place. No, I never cheated. No, I wasn't there when she was at her mothers place when her car was burglarized. No, I never cared about fame. Who reveals their most embarrassing moments in their life to find fame."
He continued, "I have always represented famous people and the truth is I was in an amazing place financially and mentally. I turned down QueensCourt several times before I gave in. Ultimately, I fell in love and it didn't end how I wanted it." Concluding his post, the attorney wrote, "So, I want to heal. Tamar and I will always be friends and family for life. Thank you for respecting our privacy."
The two then decided to give their romance another try. JR confirmed their reconciliation earlier this month, writing a lengthy message that read, "Are we willing to not give up on our partners no matter what happens? Are we willing to set aside our own egos to protect what is still left of our love? Lots of questions, but the answer is: I had to fight hard to push past the hurt, and past my own ego, because God kept bringing me back to how much I love @tamarbraxton - and yet, I still needed to heal to see the beauty of our love."
Shaun King Says Instagram Banned His Account Because He Was ‘Fighting For Palestine’
Shaun King’s 6 million followers on Instagram (IG) woke up on Christmas morning to find the activist’s account had been banned and deactivated by the photo- and video-based social media platform.
In a subsequent Facebook post, King explained that “Instagram has banned me for fighting for Palestine, and speaking up for the human rights and dignity of Palestinians.”
King has devoted his IG in recent months to documenting the plight of Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza. IG banning King came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed his country’s military is “not stopping” attacks on areas where Palestinians have been trying to seek refuge from violence.
It was unclear what exactly prompted IG’s parent company Meta to ban King’s account there while keeping his Facebook account active. Facebook is also owned and operated by Meta.
In the Facebook post, King accused Israel of “genocide” and said he had been using his IG account to help show the world the atrocities faced by Palestinians who were also using their accounts to share the unspeakable imagery of death and injuries, including those of children.
“My goal and hope was to always be a cover for Palestinians in Gaza who simply cannot afford to lose their accounts,” King wrote on Facebook early Monday morning. “They are documenting their own genocide. And our working theory was that I would go as hard as humanly possible to provide a cover for everybody else there in Gaza and the West Bank. Doing so was my honor. I speak daily to 100+ Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and have grown to love them like my own family.”
King suggested that his IG account being banned will be the start of similar action towatd the very people he said he’s trying to help.
“Now my fear is that Meta may come for Palestinians now even more than they already are,” King added.
The same video was shared from another IG account with a written message encouraging people to “go harder for Palestine than ever before.”
Recent estimates put the death toll at more than 20,000 Palestinians since the militant Hamas group launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
“The deaths, amounting to nearly 1% of the territory’s prewar population, are just one measure of the devastation wrought by the conflict that over 11 weeks has displaced nearly 85% of Gaza’s people and leveled wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave,” CBS News reported.
King, who has for years been dogged by allegations of online fundraising scams, is among a growing number of Black Americans who are showing solidarity with the Palestinian people, whose experiences in the face of terror have been likened to the Black experience in the U.S.
The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) has addressed the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza by not only calling for the violence to end in no uncertain terms but also calling out the role the U.S. is and has been playing in the Middle East for decades.
Condemning “the nearly century-long genocidal occupation of Palestine by the right-wing Israeli government,” M4BL demanded a ceasefire.
In a recent conversation with NewsOne, minister, activist and scholar Nyle Fort offered a nuanced explanation of the long-reciprocated solidarity between Palestinian people and Black people in the United States despite the American government’s longstanding support of Israel.
“African-descendant people have a long tradition of standing on the side of the oppressed,” Fort said while emphasizing how that type of shared trauma can bond Black folks with the Palestinian people.
“Black people, who’ve been on the underside of American democracy, who have precisely known what democracy is because we know what democracy is not … we know that every life is precious,” Fort concluded. “So as we learn more and more about the political situation, let’s never lose sight of what this is really about: It’s about defending, protecting, affirming the beauty and the humanity of Palestinian people and of all people.”
Kamar de los Reyes, ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘Call of Duty’ Actor, Dies at 56
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, de los Reyes made his “One Life to Live” debut in 1995 as Antonio, and played the character in a total of 267 episodes until 2009. The actor, who grew up in Las Vegas, also played Jobe in the Fox TV series “Sleepy Hollow” and Ryan Caradine in “The Rookie.”
One of De los Reyes’ biggest roles was that of Raul Menendez in the acclaimed 2012 video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II.” He reprised the role in 2018’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.” His career also veered into feature film territory with roles in 2000’s “The Cell,” 2005’s “Love & Suicide” and 2010’s “Salt.”
Most recently, de los Reyes starred as Coach Montes in seven episodes of the CW series “All American.” At the time of his death, de los Reyes was filming “All American” and had recently shot roles in Hulu’s not-yet-released “Washington Black,” starring Sterling K. Brown, and a significant part in Marvel’s upcoming “Daredevil” series.
De los Reyes shined early on as a singer and dancer, but knew he wanted to act when he came to Los Angeles in the late-80s. In 1994, de los Reyes originated the role of Pedro Quinn in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play, “Blade to the Heat,” which led to the role of Ferdinand in George C. Wolfe’s Shakespeare in the Park production of “The Tempest.”
He is survived by his wife, actress Sherri Saum; sons Caylen (26) and twins Michael and John (9); his brothers Daniel and Walfredo, Jr; his sisters Lily and Ilde; his mother Matilde and his father Walfredo.
DJ Envy Requested To Submit Documents To Court Or Face Arrest In Latest Development From Real Estate-Gate
If Envy does not meet the deadline he could be arrested and make a mandatory deposition in New Jersey bankruptcy court.
Envy already missed one deadline as Judge Gambardella states Envy did not comply witha subpoena to provide financial and communication documents by Nov. 28. The order also lists Pina and his wife, Jennifer Iturralde Pina, under the same Jan. 8 deadline. If the trio fail, Judge Gambardella could host a hearing “to address appropriate sanctions against Cesar Pina, Jennifer Iturralde Pina and Raashaun Casey for contempt of this Court’s order, including, but not limited to an order for arrest to bring the parties to the United States Bankruptcy Court.”
Last month, DJ Envy and Cesar Pina were named in a new lawsuit over their real estate business practices. In court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Envy, and Pina are being sued by Derik Deangelo, Chamblin Group Real Estate Ventures LLC, and Reispec Developments LLC.
The suit claims state the two men used their “Flipping New Jersey” seminars as “funnels to draw in victims” to their real estate scam. The lawsuit includes violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, a breach of contract, a civil RICO violation, fraudulent transfer, and more. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and request $2,000,000 in damages.
“During these private consultations and meet and greets, members of the Pina network attempted to ‘size up’ the financial resources of each attendee and solicited individuals with sufficiently high net worth to ‘partner’ with Pina, DJ Envy, and other members of the network in real estate ‘joint ventures,’” the docs read. “During these meetings, Pina also offered his personal ‘consulting services’ wherein he made himself available for one-on-one private meetings with guests at his office for flat rate fees ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 per meeting and more.”
You can read more of the court documents here.
Recently, DJ Envy’s cohost, Charlamagne Tha God, spoke with the Rap Radar podcast and revealed that he would keep the show going if Envy was no longer part of the crew.
“‘The Breakfast Club’ is bigger than any of us as individuals,” Charla said. “I’ve always felt like that.”
He added, “I’ve never felt like The Breakfast Club was just a show about three individuals. That’s always where my mind was.”
Kevin Hart And Kenan Thompson Set To Host The 2023 Back That Year Up Event
Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson are slated to be the hosts for the 2023 Back That Year Up event, where they will dive into significant highlights from the past 365 days.
Collaborating seamlessly, Hart and Thompson will bring forth their unfiltered perspectives on pop culture, sports, social media, and politics, infused with humor, unmatched charm, and uproarious points of view. This one-hour special will showcase guest appearances by some of the year’s foremost celebrities, including Simone Biles, Kelly Clarkson, Jim Cramer, Ron Funches, David Alan Grier, Jay Pharoah, and many others.
“We are so excited to bring audiences another ‘Back That Year Up’ special as we celebrate all the ups, downs, and memorable moments of this past year. Hold onto your party hats, because this is going to be one for the books,” Hart said.
Thompson also spoke on the upcoming event stating, “We’re back! Always the best time being together with my brotha Big Kev!!! Join us once again this holiday season as we close out the year with some incredible guests and all the laughs. Happy New Year!”
The 2023 Back That Year Up is set to premiere on Peacock on December 26th. Kenan Thompson and Kevin Hart, who also serve as executive producers alongside Jeff Clanagan, Bryan Smiley, David Nickoll, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Kevin Healey, and co-executive producer Paul Harrison, will bring their creative vision to the project. The direction is in the capable hands of Leslie Small, with production handled by HARTBEAT.
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