By Wonderwall.com Editors
6:34am PDT, Jul 7, 2022
Hayden Panettiere talks newfound sobriety after alcohol, opioid addiction treatment
As she heads back to work as Kirby Reed on the forthcoming "Scream 6," Hayden Panettiere opened up for the first time about her secret battle with alcohol and opioid addiction. "I was on top of the world and I ruined it. I'd think I hit rock bottom, but then there's that trap door that opens," the actress, 32, tells People in a cover story that debuted online on July 6. Looking back, she says the substance abuse began after she was offered "happy pills" to make her "peppy during interviews" on red carpets at age 15. "I had no idea that this was not an appropriate thing, or what door that would open for me when it came to my addiction," she said. Though she soon started drinking and taking opioids off-camera, she said she "couldn't be messy" at work. "But things kept getting out of control… And as I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn't live without." Once her now 7-year-old daughter Kaya was born, she endured severe postpartum depression, which she got help for, though her alcohol dependency continued to worsen. "I would have the shakes when I woke up and could only function with sipping alcohol," she recalled of her lowest moment. Finally, after a period of "wanting to do everything I wasn't supposed to do" while feeling "so bad about myself that I lost trust in myself," she landed in the hospital with jaundice. "Doctors told me my liver was going to give out," she recalled. During those same years, Hayden was also mired in an abusive relationship with Brian Hickerson. "It was a very dark and complicated time in my life. But a lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it's OK to ask for help." Many months of trauma therapy and inpatient treatment later, Hayden is sober, single, working and trying to focus on "forgiveness" with Brian, who she said has also gotten help.
Brad Pitt talks anxiety around perceived prosopagnosia disorder
If you meet Brad Pitt twice and he forgets your name, don't be offended. The 58-year-old star is pretty sure he suffers from prosopagnosia. Often dubbed "face blindness," the condition to believed to be caused by problems with the part of the brain that controls facial perception and memory, rendering those who have it routinely unable to recognize faces. "Nobody believes me!" he says in GQ's August 2022 cover story after acknowledging he feels "ashamed" when he can't identify people in social settings. "I want to meet another [person with the disorder]," he admits to GQ's writer, who says Brad "struggles to remember new people, to recognize their faces, and he fears it's led to a certain impression of him: that he's remote and aloof, inaccessible, self-absorbed." Though he has not been diagnosed, he's discussed the problem in the past, telling Esquire back in 2013 that he worries, "people hate me because they think I'm disrespecting them" when he can't recognize them. "That's why I stay at home," he said at the time.
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Rihanna named Forbes' youngest billionaire on its 'Richest Self-Made Women' list
It's turning out to be quite a year for Rihanna. After becoming a mom in May, the 34-year-old singer and Fenty creator was named the youngest billionaire on Forbes' new list of "America's Richest Self-Made Women." Rihanna's fortune is estimated to be worth about $1.4 billion, according to the list, which also gave her a high-ranking "10" for having amassed her wealth independently and against multiple odds. Much of that wealth comes from Rih's Fenty Beauty cosmetics line, as well as her 30 percent share of her Savage x Fenty lingerie lines. Rihanna, who was previously named the world's wealthiest female musician, is also the first person from Barbados to make Forbes' cut. The youngest person on the list this year (sans billionaire status) is Kylie Jenner, whose worth is estimated at $600 million.
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Travis Scott stops concert due to fan safety concerns
Eight months after Travis Scott's Astroworld festival set in Houston left 10 people dead following a crowd surge, the rapper stopped his performance at the Coney Island Art Walls' Independence Day show out of concern for fans' safety. Video published by TMZ shows attendees climbing a metal lighting truss after Travis made a surprise appearance onstage with Meek Mill. "We need y'all to get down," the rapper can be heard telling people on the truss. As a concertgoer dressed like Sipder-Man began making his way off the metal structure, Travis told him, "My brother, just make sure you're OK," according to the video, which showed a tightly-packed audience pressed in toward the stage at outdoor event. Before resuming the music, Travis asked fans who were crowded into the front section by the stage to "take two steps back." He then hollered, "If everybody's OK let me hear 'h*** yeah!' If everybody wants to party let me hear 'h*** yeah!'" to get things going again. Travis, who shares a son and daughter with Kylie Jenner, has mostly avoided the spotlight since the concert tragedy unfolded in Houston last November. He and his production partners are currently facing multiple lawsuits from victims' families.
Kim Kardashian, more stars call for WNBA star Brittney Griner's freedom amid Russian detention
Kim Kardashian, Amy Schumer, Questlove, Lisa Rinna and more celebs are calling for immediate action to get WNBA star Brittney Griner released from custody in Russia, where she's been detained since February. Russian officials have accused the 31-year-old, who has reportedly played basketball in Russia during the WNBA off-season for years, of having vape cartridges containing cannabis in her possession. The U.S. government maintains she is innocent of the charges, which could land her in prison in Russia for 10 years if she's found guilty. As the AP recently noted, fewer than 1 percent of defendants in Russia are acquitted of criminal charges. On her Instagram Stories on July 5 — amid news Brittney wrote a personal letter to President Joe Biden asking for help — Kim posted a photo of the pro athlete looking terrified while handcuffed as she entered a Russian court during her trial. "Let's go, everybody. This is not okay. #freebrittneygriner now," the caption read. "All hands on deck. Make some noise." Amy Schumer shared the same post last week, as did Questlove, who included Michael Angelad's caption. "THIS IS WHAT TRAUMA LOOKS LIKE," it read. "The lack of urgency and care for Black women personified in Britteny Griner. This must be treated like the international crisis it is! #BrittenyGriner #FreeHerNOW." The drummer also added a personal plea: "can my media people take compassion to bring attention to this situation?" Brittney's wife Cherelle appeared on CBS this week where she said she was "disheartened" that the White House had yet to respond to Brittney's moving letter. "As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I'm terrified I might be here forever," the letter said, in part. "On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father, who is a Vietnam War veteran," Brittney continued. "It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day, because freedom means something completely different to me this year." Brittney's next court date is scheduled for July 7.
Bette Midler clarifies comments deemed 'transphobic'
Bette Midler has clarified comments she made about women with regard to the recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, assuring Twitter users she meant nothing "exclusionary or transphobic" in a previous tweet. On July 3, Bette, 76, had posted a message to "WOMEN OF THE WORLD," writing, in part: "They don't call us 'women' anymore; they call us 'birthing people' or 'menstruators' …," and so on. "Don't let them erase you! Every human on earth owes you!" she urged. The post quickly sparked backlash, with drag queen Rory O'Neill, among others, dismissing Bette's claim as "anti trans fake nonsense." "No one is erasing women. In a few small healthcare cases where appropriate they are using trans inclusive language," Rory wrote. In a Twitter thread on July 5 (via the Daily News), Bette clarified her message. "PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! My tweet about women was a response to this fascinating and well written piece in the NYT on July 3," she wrote, posting a link to Pamela Paul's, "The Far Right and Far Left Agree on One Thing: Women Don't Count." "In a world of chosen gender identities, women as a biological category don't exist. Some might even call this kind of thing erasure," the writer argued in the Times. Over on Twitter, meanwhile, Bette continued: "There was no intention of anything exclusionary or transphobic in what I said. It wasn't about that." She added: "If anyone who read that tweet thinks I have anything but love for any marginalized people, go to Wikipedia and type in my name. … I've fought for marginalized people for as long as I can remember. Still, if you want to dismiss my 60 years of proven love and concern over a tweet that accidentally angered the very people I have always supported and adored, so be it. … We must unite, because, in case you haven't been paying attention, divided we will definitely fall."
Carlos Santana diagnosed with heat exhaustion, dehydration after collapse
Guitar titan Carlos Santana is recovering after he collapsed onstage outside Detroit, Mich., on July 5. According to an Instagram update from the musician's wife and drummer, Cindy Blackman, he was "diagnosed with heat exhaustion and dehydration" while performing at the Pine Knob Music Theater, where Cindy noted it was "100 degrees onstage and 114 under the lights." She said "that coupled with not enough water" caused him to pass out. "Hi Everyone! Carlos & I thank you so much for your prayers, love, care & concern for him! Please know that he's resting and doing very well!," she wrote in the post. She added that "he'll be as good as new soon" before thanking fans again for their concern and well wishes. Carlos, 74, was reportedly a few songs into his set when he sat down on the stage, mid-song, then fell backward. He was able to wave at the audience as emergency workers wheeled him off the stage.
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