George Clooney recalls his hilarious response to director who criticized his kissing skills
Turns out George Clooney was once lacking in the lip-locking skills department — at least according to one director. In a new interview with The New York Times, the star recalls the not-so-high marks he once got for an on-screen kiss. The worst part? He was doing the same thing on camera and off when it came to puckering up. "I remember early on in my career, I had to do a kissing scene with this girl and the director goes, 'Not like that," he admits. "And I was like, 'Dude, that's my move! That's what I do in real life!'" The kissing quality may have improved since then, but the awkwardness apparently has not. In the new rom-com "Ticket To Paradise" George stars opposite longtime pal Julia Roberts. "It was sort of that same way here," he says, comparing the bad kiss of his youth to some of the moments on screen with Julia. "Because everyone had plans for how we should dance, and then we were like, 'Well, actually we've got some really bad dance moves in real life.' Julia and I have done all those moves before, that's the sickest part. … And we kiss in this. But I don't want to give the whole shop away," he adds before Julia chimes in to say it was just "one kiss" but they "did it for like, six months." According to George, the kiss "took 80 takes." According to Julia, however, "It took 79 takes of us laughing and then the one take of us kissing."
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Selma Blair talks 'Dancing With the Stars' plans after MS diagnosis: 'I'm grabbing at every joy in life'
"Full Circle." That's how Selma Blair described how it feels to be competing on the new season "Dancing With the Stars" four years after she went public with her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. The actress and "Mean Baby" author joined her Season 31 castmates on "Good Morning America" on Thursday, Sept. 8, to reveal the complete list of contestants. Asked about her impressive health progress and what it means to be able to participate in such a physically demanding project, Selma admitted even she's pretty amazed. "Full circle. I'm beyond thrilled," she gushed. "… Coming back and realizing the support of people when you try … changed my life," she marveled. "So to be here with this group … This is a thrill. This is so powerful to me. I'm feeling good and I'm happy to really do things that are pushing stamina and being visible. I'm grabbing at every joy we have in life and this is one of them." Season 31's contestants also include Teresa Giudice, Gabby Windey, "RuPaul's Drag Race" alum Shangela, "CODA" star Daniel Durant, "Sex And the City" alum Jason Lewis, fitness pro (and Arnold Schwarzenegger's son) Joseph Baena, Vinny Guadagnino, Wayne Brady, Sam Champion, Charli D'Amelio, Heidi D'Amelio, Jordin Sparks, Cheryl Ladd, Jason Lewis and Trevor Donovan. "Dancing With the Stars" returns to ABC on Sept. 19.
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Olivia Wilde slams 'inaccurate' claims she left Jason Sudeikis for Harry Styles
With her new film, "Don't Worry Darling" headed to theaters on Sept. 23, Olivia Wilde is speaking out about the many rumors that have swirled around her movie and her life in recent months. That includes when and why her relationship with Jason Sudeikis ended and her romance with Harry Styles began. In a candid interview for Vanity Fair's October cover story, the actress and director minces no words when she's asked to address rumors about the timeline. "The complete horses*** idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely inaccurate. Our relationship was over long before I met Harry," she says. (Last year, Jason told GQ he and Olivia broke up in November 2020. She was photographed holding hands with Harry in January of the following year.) "Like any relationship that ends, it doesn't end overnight. Unfortunately, Jason and I had a very bumpy road, and we officially dissolved the relationship towards the beginning of the pandemic," she explains. "We were raising two kids during lockdown, so we co-parented through that time. Once it became clear that cohabitating was no longer beneficial for the children, it became the responsible thing to not, because we could be better parents as friends who live in different houses." Although the split was reportedly amicable, Jason served his ex papers related to the custody of their children when she was onstage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. (He said in a later filing that the papers were supposed to be served at Heathrow Airport, not CinemaCon, the Daily Mail recently reported.) Though Olivia says she "wasn't shocked" by what happened given the nature of the relationship, and was able to "compartmentalize" the custody papers at the time "because I had a job to do," she admits she was "deeply saddened by it — and disturbed by it in lots of ways." She's been disturbed by the judgment and gossip about her split, too. "I've had women judging me for separating from Jason. There are people who feel entitled to hurl horrendous insults at me and my family. Telling me I'm a terrible mother. Threatening me and my kids or saying I should lose my children," she says, adding that when Wendy Williams made a nasty comment about her split on her show, "the applause from the audience made me sick." As for the alleged tension between Olivia and her film's star, Florence Pugh, Olivia goes on to praise Florence and her performance. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique, meanwhile, tells Vanity Fair "Don't Worry Darling" "was one of the most harmonious sets I've ever been on, and I'm in the middle of the storm."
Rob Lowe and Drew Barrymore dish on whether his dad and her mom 'ended up together' one night in the '80s
There's a chance Rob Lowe could have counted Drew Barrymore as a sister. Kind of. On the latest edition of his "Literally! With Rob Lowe" podcast, Rob says he has "suspicions" his father, Chuck Lowe once hooked up with Drew's mom, Jaid Barrymore, after one of many nights spent partying at '80s-era Los Angeles hotspot, Helena's, a private, membership-only nightclub owned by belly dancer-turned-actress, Helena Kallianiotes. After clarifying his theory — that Chuck and Jaid "ended up together" one night at Helena's — Drew has to agree. "I wouldn't doubt it," she says. "Neither would I …I kind of like the thought of it, I have to say," Rob replies. "Literally, my mom was fun, is fun. She was a good-time gal," Drew says of Jaid. "She and I used to go to Helena's, I feel, like multiple times a week. You know how people hit the gym a few times a week? We hit Helena's a few times a week." Drew goes on to recount memories of spotting stars like Sean Penn and Madonna at the club "all the time," plus Jack Nicholson, who was reportedly an investor as well as a close friend of the proprietor. "Jack Nicholson was a fixture [at Helena's]," Drew continues. "He went to Helena's as many nights a week as me and my mom. And funny enough, I ended up, like, partying with him a lot years later at his house. It was never inappropriate. We would just party and talk and hang out. I love Jack. But I feel like I made friends with him at Helena's, which then matriculated into, a decade later, us, like, partying at his house." They Helena's heyday was relatively short-lived, though. After opening in 1985 — and swiftly adopting a ban on all photos and press — it became the place to be for everyone from Marlon Brando to Melanie Griffith. That came to an end in 1991 after Helena was injured in a car accident, according to THR. "I came there for the Academy Awards in a huge cast on my leg," she told the outlet in 2018. "I came in, and everybody was sitting there: Meryl Streep, Jack, Sam Shepard. Sam signed my cast, and I never went back."
What's next after Queen Elizabeth's death? All the details on 'Operation London Bridge'
Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday, Sept. 8, at her home in Balmoral, Scotland, ending the longest-ever reign of a British monarch after 70 years and seven months. What's next for the royal family and for the UK, however, is far more than just a funeral and a coronation. Charles, the now former Prince of Wales, became king immediately upon his mother's death. Meanwhile, a lengthy and complex process known as Operation London Bridge has been set in motion, according to the New York Times and a 2017 report from The Guardian. "From the moment the queen became monarch, Whitehall started the planning process about what would happen when she died," University of London history professor Philip Murphy told the Times. As of today, the UK's national anthem is once again "God Save the King." At Buckingham Palace, the flag was quickly set to half-mast and a notice of the queen's death was posted on the gates. Elizabeth's funeral is expected to be held 10 days after her death, during which time the country observes an "official period of mourning," per the Times. Within one day of her passing, members of Parliament are expected to pledge allegiance to King Charles, followed by an official proclamation of his accession. Charles is then expected to make four public statements related to his own allegiances, including his his accession declaration oath. A proclamation declaring Charles as king is expected to be read at 11 a.m. one day after the queen's death. Two days after her death, "the proclamation will be read out in ceremonial fashion in capitals across the United Kingdom," according to the Times, after which "high sheriffs in traditional garb will declare the news in towns and villages across the country." Other details that have long been planned for involve the bells that will be rung in honor of Elizabeth, the paper that books of condolences will be printed on, how and when flags across the country may be raised from half-staff. Prior to Elizabeth's funeral, her guarded coffin will reportedly spend four days in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, followed by its relocation for the official parade and lying in state. Elizabeth's queen's funeral will reportedly be held at Westminster Abbey. The late monarch was 96.
Eminem reflects on his 2007 overdose, sobriety and return to 'having fun' with music
In a new episode of the "Paul Pod" podcast, Eminem and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg reflect on the rapper's 2007 methadone overdose, which ultimately inspired Em to get sober and return to music. The recovery process was slow and scary, though. "It took a long time for my brain to start working again," Eminem recalls at one point. When Paul points out his post-overdose musical moments were probably the first times he really rapped without the aid of substances, Eminem agrees. He also recalls Paul worrying the rapper might have suffered brain damage. It turns out his brain was not only intact, it was vibrant, thanks to his then-newfound sobriety. "I remember when I first got sober and all the s*** was out of my system, I remember just being, like, really happy and everything was f****** new to me again," Eminem shares, thinking back to making the music for his 2009 album, "Relapse." "It was the first album and the first time that I had fun recording in a long time," he adds. It came in fits and starts, though, he said. Recalling that he was taking "75 to 80 valiums a night" because he was still in withdrawal after the overdose, Eminem admitted plenty of music ended up in the trash. One decade later, things are definitely looking up. Thanks to his recent Emmy Award win, Eminem is now just one letter away from being an "EGOT" winner — no word yet, though, on Em's would-be Broadway aspirations.
Anna Kendrick opens up about past emotional, psychological abuse
When Anna Kendrick read the script for "Alice, Darling," which revolves around an emotionally abusive relationship, she'd been dealing with similar abuse in her own life, the actress recently told People. "I was coming out of a personal experience with emotional abuse and psychological abuse," she revealed. Having seen plenty of films "about abusive or toxic relationships" that she felt "didn't really look like what was happening" in hers, she said, "Alice, Darling" offered a new perspective. "It kind of helped me normalize and minimize what was happening to me, because I thought, 'Well, if I was in an abusive relationship, it would look like that,'" she explained. "I was in a situation where I loved and trusted this person more than I trusted myself. So when that person is telling you that you have a distorted sense of reality and that you are impossible and that all the stuff that you think is going on is not going on, your life gets really confusing really quickly. And I was in a situation where, at the end, I had the unique experience of finding out that everything I thought was going on was in fact going on. So I had this kind of springboard for feeling and recovery that a lot of people don't get." Today, she said, "My body still believes that it was my fault. So even with this concrete jumping off point for me, to walk out of that relationship knowing that I wasn't crazy, it's incredible the way that recovery has been so challenging." Anna declined to name the person she was involved with. "Alice, Darling" hits theaters Sept. 11.
