Pulse Entertainment

NETFLIX SUSPENDS SERVICE IN RUSSIA DUE TO WAR IN UKRAINE: Deadline reports that Netflix has halted its streaming service in Russia, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They join a long list of companies who have discontinued business there amid the ongoing crisis.

WILL SMITH AND MICHAEL B. JORDAN TEAM UP FOR I AM LEGEND SEQUEL: Variety reports that Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan will both star in and produce the sequel to I Am Legend. Smith posted a teaser photo to Instagram on Friday (March 4th), tagging Jordan.

ARIEL WINTER REPLACES DEMI LOVATO IN HUNGRY: According to Deadline, Modern Family star Ariel Winter will play the lead in NBC's forthcoming comedy, Hungry. She takes the place of Demi Lovato, who had to step away due to scheduling reasons.

2022 INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED: On Sunday (March 6th), the 37th annual Independent Spirit Awards were held in Santa Monica, California, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. The big winners of the night include The Lost Daughter and Zola.

See the full list of winners here:

Best feature
The Lost Daughter

Best director
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter

Best female lead
Taylour Paige, Zola

Best male lead
Simon Rex, Red Rocket

Best supporting female
Ruth Negga, Passing

Best supporting male
Troy Kotsur, CODA

Best screenplay
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter

Best first screenplay
Michael Sarnoski, Vanessa Block, Pig

Best first feature
7 Days

Best cinematography
Edu Grau, Passing

Best editing
Joi McMillon, Zola

Robert Altman Award Mass Best documentary
Summer of Soul

Best international film
Drive My Car

Someone to Watch Award
Alex Camilleri, Luzzu

Truer Than Fiction Award
Jessica Beshir, Faya Dayi

John Cassavetes Award (for best feature made for under $500,000)
Shiva Baby

Producers Award
Lizzie Shapiro

Best new non-scripted or documentary series
Black and Missing

Best new scripted series
Reservation Dogs

Best female performance in a scripted series
Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad

Best male performance in a scripted series
Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game

Best ensemble cast in a new scripted series
Reservation Dogs

Harvey Weinstein issued an apology to Thursday (March 3rd), after getting caught with contraband Milk Duds in prison last fall.

According to Variety, the disgraced movie producer was found to be in possession of the candy during a search of his prison cell on November 10th, 2021, following a meeting with one of his attorneys.

In a statement provided to E! News on March 3rd, the 69-year-old movie mogul said, "This was an innocent misunderstanding. It will not happen again. I have been a model inmate, following the rules and regulations and I am sincerely sorry."

Weinstein is currently being held at the medical wing of a Los Angeles jail while he awaits trial for rape and sexual assault.

Ukrainian-born actress Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher have pledged to match up to $3 million worth of donations to Airbnb.org and Flexport.org through GoFundMe.org in an effort to raise $30 million for the refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Kunis wrote on the couple’s GoFundMe page, “While my family came to the United States in 1991, I was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine in 1983. Ukrainians are proud and brave people who deserve our help in their time of need. This unjust attack on Ukraine and humanity at large is devastating and the Ukrainian people need our support.”

They had already raised $3,038,150 within 10 hours of creating their page Thursday (March 3rd).

Kourtney Kardashian abstained from sex with fiancé Travis Barker as a part of an Ayurvedic cleanse, which focuses on drawing toxins out of the body.

In an interview published on Thursday (March 3rd), the reality star told Bustle her sex fast “was crazy.”

She added, “But it actually made everything better. Like, if you can’t have caffeine when you have your first matcha, it’s so good.”

Meghan Markle’s half sister has filed a defamation suit against her for portraying a false “rags to royalty” narrative about herself.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Samantha Markle claims Meghan is trashing her and spreading outright lies. Among her many claims, Samantha says Meghan fabricated tales of growing up in "virtual poverty" even though their father Thomas Markle paid for her to attend "elite and expensive private schools," and covered her tuition at Northwestern University.

Samantha claims Meghan’s lies have hurt sales of her autobiography, prevented her from getting jobs and caused emotional and mental distress.

Meghan's attorney Michael Kump calls the lawsuit "baseless and absurd.”

KIM KARDASHIAN DELETES THE WEST NAME FROM SOCIAL MEDIA: Now that Kim Kardashian is legally single, she has removed the West name from her social media accounts.  E! News reports that her Twitter and Instagram accounts were updated on Thursday (March 3rd) but her KKW Fragrance brand still bears her married initials.  

REBEL WILSON BECOMES U.S. RESIDENT: Rebel Wilson turned 42 on Wednesday (March 2nd) and celebrated with the “best birthday present.” The Australian-born actress announced in her Instagram Story that she had finally received her U.S. permanent resident card.  

PETE DAVIDSON MAY BE GOING TO SPACE: Pete Davidson is reportedly planning to join Jeff Bezos on a Blue Origin flight.  A source told Page Six, “Pete is excited. They haven’t signed a contract yet, but it looks like it’s going to happen.  The details are being finalized.”  The insider says that the trip into space would likely be later this year. 

AMY SCHUMER OPENS UP ABOUT LIPO: Amy Schumer discussed her decision to get liposuction during a recent appearance on Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea podcast.  The Trainwreck star said she decided to have the procedure done after turning 40 and having a C-section. She shared the news about her surgery on Instagram in January and tells Handler that she just wanted to be honest about the change in her appearance. Schumer said, “I just wanted to say that, because if anybody sees me in pictures or anything and they're like, she looks thinner, and whatever: it's because I had a surgery. It's too hard, and I just want to be real about it."

ACADEMY ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF OSCAR PRESENTERS: The producers of the 94th Oscars announced Thursday (March 3rd) that Kevin Costner, Zoë Kravitz, Lady Gaga, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, and Youn Yuh-jung will be among the presenters on March 27’s telecast. They will join Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes who will be hosting the broadcast together. 

JOY BEHAR FALLS ON 'VIEW' SET: Joy Behar fell just before reaching her seat at the beginning of Thursday’s (March 3rd) episode of The View. The 79-year-old comedian was helped up by co-hosts Sarah Haines and Sunny Hostin while the show’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg told her to “just stand.” Behar was uninjured and joked, “Twenty-five years, that has never happened — who do I sue?!”

JERRY SPRINGER SAYS HIS TALKSHOW WAS 'STUPID': Jerry Springer admitted to Page Six on Thursday (March 3rd) that he ‘always knew” his eponymous talk show was “stupid.” He said of The Jerry Springer Show, which aired for 27 seasons and nearly 5,000 episodes between 1991 and 2018, “I can’t think of anything more fun. I mean, I never took it seriously. I always knew it was a stupid show. But it’s fun, and people enjoyed it.”

SHERRI SHEPHERD WOULD WELCOME WENDY WILLIAMS ON HER SHOW: Sherri Shepherd would “of course” welcome Wendy Williams to be a guest on her forthcoming talk show, Sherri. The former View co-host told Deadline, “I’m so thankful to Wendy for letting me fill in for her and letting me fill the gap to support her as all the other co-hosts have also done. I’m thankful because if it wasn’t for Wendy, the eyes wouldn’t have been on me. I’m so thankful to her. We’re all praying for her.” Shepherd is currently the permanent guest host of The Wendy Williams Show while Williams has been absent due to health reasons.

Kim Kardashian is a free woman.

TMZ reports that during a bifurcation hearing on Tuesday (March 1st) a judge granted the reality star's request to be ruled legally single.

Sources tell People that Kardashian is "relieved" by the ruling and "wants everything about the divorce from Kanye West to be final."

In court documents filed on Feb. 23rd, Kardashian said, "I very much desire to be divorced. I have asked Kanye to keep our divorce private, but he has not done so. Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private family matters and co-parenting on social media which has created emotional distress. I believe that the court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children."

She added, "While I wish our marriage would have succeeded, I have come to the realization that there is no way to repair our marriage. Kanye does not agree but at least it appears that he has come to the realization that I want to end our marriage, even if he does not. I ask that the Court restore me to the status of a single person so that I can begin the healing process and so that our family can begin the healing process and move forward in this new chapter in our lives."

The SKIMS founder filed for divorce from West in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is back in the United States after spending a week trying to escape from Ukraine.

People reports that the former Dancing With the Stars pro was photographed reuniting with his wife Peta Murgatroyd at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday (March 2nd).

On Monday (February 28th), Chmerkovskiy posted an update to Instagram, saying that he had been arrested in Ukraine. He didn't state the reason for his arrest, but shared that he was trying to leave the country.

The Ukrainian-born dancer was in Kyiv filming the country's World of Dance series when Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

Kelly Rizzo posted a series of Instagram stories Tuesday (March 1st), thanking everyone who has leant her "love and support" following Bob Saget's January death.

The Full House star's widow said, "I have had people who were strangers that now have become friends on Instagram. So many people have shared their stories with me of the loss that you've been through, and you've poured out your heart, and it's just really kind that you've tried to help me by sharing your stories."

She added, "I can assure you that the kindness you all have shown has been a little bright spot and has made this a bit easier. And the thing that has really helped is seeing how much you all loved Bob because this outpouring is something, like, I don't think anybody has ever seen."

Darren Criss revealed on Instagram Wednesday (March 2nd) that his older brother recently died by suicide.

The Glee alum wrote, "It breaks my heart beyond measure to say that my beloved brother Charles has left us. His loss leaves behind a debilitating fracture in the lives of his mother, his brother, his three small children, and their respective mothers."

According to Criss, his brother had "struggled to find stability during an unfortunate rough patch" that lasted for several years.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON NEVER WENT TO THE GYM BEFORE MARVEL CASTING: Scarlett Johansson admitted to Vanity Fair that she'd never been in a gym prior to being cast as Black Widow in 2010's Iron Man 2. She told the magazine, "I had never stepped foot in a gym, and I had five weeks to prepare myself for these huge stunt sequences." She wound up at a "massive, huge muscle meathead" gym in Los Angeles and did not have a great experience. She added, "I didn't know how to use any of the equipment. I mean, I was so intimidated." However, the role turned into a 11-year commitment and a "massive lifestyle change."

SARAH HYLAND DOESN'T REMEMBER SHOOTING 'MODERN FAMILY' EPISODES: Sarah Hyland was so tired from her kidney dysplasia that she doesn't remember shooting entire episodes of Modern Family. She opened up to her former co-star Julie Bowen on the Quitters podcast, saying, "There are some episodes of Modern Family where I do not remember filming because I was asleep. Dead a–– asleep. The episode where Haley asked Luke for money and he's like, ‘Don't worry, I've got it on ice.' It's in the freezer or something. The entire episode I was asleep." She added, "I was not able to be awake for eight hours at a time. I was so exhausted."

CHRIS PINE AND ANNABELLE WALLES SPLIT: Chris Pine and his girlfriend Annabelle Walles have reportedly gone their separate ways. A source told Entertainment Tonight that the couple of four years "have broken up and haven't been together for a few months." The pair first sparked romance rumors in March 2018 when they were spotted at London's Heathrow Airport together.

SOPHIE TURNER AND JOE JONAS ARE EXPECTING: Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas are expecting their second child together. Multiple sources confirmed the news to In Touch Weekly, with one saying that the Game of Thrones alum is already halfway through her pregnancy. The news comes nearly two years after they welcomed their first child, Willa, in 2020.

ZENDAYA IS THE MOST IN-DEMAND ACTOR: A new study has found that Zendaya is the most in-demand actor in the US and Worldwide. According to a report by Business Insider, Parrot Analytics analyzed audience demand, which accounts for engagement with and interest in, or overall popularity, of a series, movie, or celebrity. Researchers determined that her global demand is 38.5 times more than the average celebrity during the same period from October to February.

'SYTYCD' TO RETURN THIS SUMMER: Fox announced Wednesday (March 2nd) that Season 17 of So You Think You Can Dance will air this summer. The upcoming season will feature highly skilled dancers between the ages of 18 and 30, showcasing their talents in various dance styles, including contemporary, tap, hip-hop, ballroom, animation, breaking and more. SYTYCD auditions will be held in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Orleans this month.

'SALUTE YOUR SHORTS' STAR KIRK BAILY DEAD AT 59: Nickelodeon star Kirk Baily died on Feb. 28th at the age of 59, after battling lung cancer. The Salute Your Shorts alum's family confirmed the news to TMZ on Wednesday (March 2nd), saying that he was only diagnosed with the disease six months ago.

JENNIFER HUDSON IS GETTING HER OWN TALK SHOW: Jennifer Hudson is getting her own talk show on Fox. E! News reports that the one-hour daytime show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, is set to premiere this fall.

PAM ANDERSON DOCUMENTARY IN THE WORKS AT NETFLIX: Pamela Anderson will get the chance to tell her own story on Netflix in a new documentary. The streamer tweeted Wednesday (March 2nd), "The film, which has been in the making for several years, will feature the pop culture icon setting the record straight as she looks back on her professional path and her personal journey." Alongside the announcement, the Baywatch alum shared a handwritten note that said, "My life. A thousand imperfections. A million misperceptions. Wicked, wild & lost. Nothing to live up to – I can only surprise you. Not a victim, but a survivor & alive to tell the real story."

In an interview with Marc Maron released on Monday (February 28th), Sam Elliott went off on Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, calling it a "piece of s--t." He seemed particularly bothered by the film's homosexual themes.

The 1883 actor said the stars in the film looked more like Chippendales dancers than cowboys. "That's what all these f--king cowboys in that movie looked like. They're running around in chaps and no shirts. There's all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the f--king movie," he said.

Maron responded, "I think that's what the movie is about."

Elliott then took jabs at Campion, who is from New Zealand, saying, "What the f--k does this woman from down there know about the American West? And why in the f--k did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana? And say this is the way it was? That f--king rubbed me the wrong way, pal."

Suffice to say Elliott's words are going to rub a lot of people the wrong way as well.

Harry Hamlin has made it clear that he doesn't have "that condition." In an interview with Andy Cohen for Interview released on Tuesday (March 1st), Hamlin said he and Lisa Rinna are still having "great sex."

Considering the fact that Hamlin and Rinna have been married for almost 25 years, Cohen asked the 70-year-old Clash of the Titans actor, "I've talked to many other married couples who've been married for 10-plus years, 15-plus years, 20-plus years, who can't say that the sex is still great. What do you attribute it to?"

Hamlin replied, "I'm sorry about that. A lack of ED erectile dysfunction, perhaps? … I don't have that condition."

"Do you take a special pill? Or you're just Harry Hamlin?" asked Cohen.

Hamlin responded, "I am Harry Hamlin. I've never had the blue pill. Is it blue or purple?"

"I believe it's blue," Cohen said.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday night (February 28th), Courteney Cox shared a spooky story about the house the used to live in. While Cox has previously said that she relates to her character in Shining Vale for "going through a midlife crisis" and going through menopause, it turns out there's another reason.

Cox told Kimmel, "I lived in this house in Laurel Canyon, which is in L.A., obviously, and it was Gypsy Rose Lee's house and Carole King … So Carole King came over to my house and she said that there had been a divorce, that was really ugly, and there was a ghost in the house. And I was, like, yeah, whatever. But other people who would stay there with me, like friends of mine, said they felt an encounter with a woman who was sitting on the edge of the bed. And I was, like, yeah, whatever."

She added that she and King even did a séance but she "didn't listen to a word" because she was so in awe of King.

Then Cox said, "I was at the house one day not being a believer. The doorbell rang. It was a UPS guy, or something, and I opened the door and he said 'Do you know this house is haunted?' And I go, 'Yeah, why? Why do you think that? And he goes, 'Because there is someone standing behind you.' And I was like, let's sell."

Kimmel responded, "What a terrible, terrible UPS guy. Why would you say that to somebody?"

Cox added that she "couldn't sleep there alone ever again."

Shining Vale premieres Sunday, March 6th on STARZ.

Love is in the air for The Kissing Booth star Joey King and her fiance, Steven Piet. King posted a photo of the pair kissing to Instagram on Tuesday (March 1st), announcing their engagement.

"I never knew happiness could be so powerful that it can take the air from your lungs, overwhelming every part of you that you can't help but feel your eyes well from the undeniable joy. I never knew that a persons presence and heart could feel like a real home. I never knew love could be so unquestionably beautiful. I never knew until you," she wrote.

King continued, "The date was 2/2/22 when you asked me to marry you and made me the luckiest lady alive. I love you more than an Instagram caption could ever do justice. Hanging out with you forever sounds like a real dream, so let's do it."

Piet also posted the news to his Instagram, writing, "The weather was less than perfect. Cold. Windy. Perfectly imperfect to ask my best friend to spend a lifetime together. A lifetime of incredibly safe and vulnerable conversations. Holding hands on silent cab rides home, exhausted from great food and red wine. And oh, the laughter. The uncontrollable laughter. You've unlocked a dimension of love in me that I never knew existed."

King and Piet met on the set of The Act, which King starred in and Piet co-executive produced.

MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY MAKES IT TO POLAND: Entertainment Tonight reports that Dancing with the Stars alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy successfully evacuated Ukraine and made it to Poland. On Tuesday (March 1st) Chmerkovskiy posted to his Instagram stories, "I'm in Poland," along with the Ukrainian and Polish flags, and a prayer emoji.

SEAN PENN WALKS MILES TO POLISH BORDER: On Monday (February 28th), Sean Penn posted a photo to Twitter and shared that he and two colleagues walked "miles" to the Polish border, leaving their car in Ukraine. "Almost all the cars in this photo carry women & children only, most without any sign of luggage, and a car their only possession of value," he wrote.

SYDNEY SWEENEY'S RING SPARKS ENGAGEMENT RUMORS: According to TMZ, Euphoria star Sydney Sweeney was spotted wearing a giant diamond ring in Los Angeles on Monday (February 28th). Fans are speculating that she is likely engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Jonathan Davino.

BRAUNWYN WINDHAM-BURKE SAYS SHE EXPERIENCED HOMOPHOBIA ON REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY: Page Six reports that Braunwyn Windham-Burke, the first openly gay star on the Real Housewives franchise, had to put up with homophobia from her Real Housewives of Orange County costars. "Making off-color jokes about me being intimate with a woman, that's not OK. Those are microaggressions," she said. Windham-Burke added, "After I came out, having to prove that I was gay, that should never have been tolerated. That is a microagression. That is homophobia … It's insanely invalidating to hear people say, ‘Oh, she's just lying. Oh, it's not true.'"

On Monday (February 28th), Dancing with the Stars alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy posted an update to Instagram, saying that he had been arrested in Ukraine. Chmerkovskiy didn't state the reason for his arrest, but he shared that he is currently trying to leave the country.

The professional dancer was in the Ukraine to film the Ukrainian version of World of Dance. Of his arrest, he said, "All good – promise. That was probably the least traumatizing moment in this whole thing as far as Ukraine is concerned."

Shortly after sharing this update, he posted to his Instagram stories, "I'm really not good right this moment. I see videos of people who's sic legs were torn off minutes ago from the shelling that is going on in Kharkov RIGHT NOW. I won't post that stuff but I see all of them and it's extremely disturbing. INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE BEING KILLED!!!! Pray the meeting going on right now will make a difference and CONTINUE TO SCREAM ABOUT THIS F**KING GENOCIDE AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS!!!! It's working and the entire planet is finally geting sic United about something!!!! F**K IT SHOW IT TO THE RUSSIANS."

Later, Chmerkovskiy shared another update: "We're heading to Warsaw (hopefully). Train to Lviv was not an option. … I'm a big man with nothing but a backpack it's TRAUMATIZING. Currently I'm in a cabin with 4 adults and 7 kids (ages 2-11) which usually is only occupied by maximum of 3 people. There's usually up to 30 people in this particular wagon. We were told we have to fit 135. Walkways are packed. People everywhere. It's sweaty and claustrophobic."

He continued, "What finally broke me is when I was watching an eight-ish year old boy, hysterically crying and not wanting to let go of his father. Verbatim: 'if you stay I want to stay too because if they kill you I won't be able to help.'"

Naya Rivera's family has settled their wrongful death suit nearly two years after the Glee star's tragic drowning. Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, filed the suit in November 2020 on behalf of their son, Josey, who is now six years old.

The family's lawyer, Amjad M. Khan, said in a statement, "Through this settlement, Josey will receive just compensation for having to endure the drowning of his beloved mother at Lake Piru."

"Though the tragic loss of Josey's mother can never truly be overcome, we are very pleased that the monetary settlement will significantly assist Josey with his life beyond this tragedy," Khan continued.

Dorsey and Rivera's estate sued Ventura County, California, arguing that Rivera's death was preventable. Rivera accidentally drowned while taking a boat out on the water with her son at Lake Piru in July 2020. The lawsuit argued that the boat she rented from Lake Piru "did not have the proper features and equipment necessary to comply with U.S. Coast Guard safety standards."

The suit also cited the lake's "deadly history," as Rivera is among more than two dozen people who have drowned in Lake Piru since 1959.

The court documents claimed there wasn't "a single sign anywhere — not at the entrance, at the dock, at the popular swimming area of Diablo Cove, not anywhere — warning of the lake's strong currents, low visibility, high winds, changing water depths, underwater caves, ledges and drop offs, or the trees, brush and other debris that congest its waters due to the vastly changing water levels and winds."

It doesn't get much cuter than this. On Monday (February 28th), Aquaman star Jason Momoa posted photos of himself with Channing Tatum, looking very excited to see Zoe Kravitz in the premiere of The Batman.

"CHEEEEHUUUUUUUU. SO EXCITED @channingtatum and I are on our way to see our ZOZO," Momoa wrote.

"Finally @thebatman premiere. I'm so beyond proud of you @zoeisabellakravitz all my aloha to @adamweitsman and @daveophilly for making this happen at the last minute. mahalo @wbpictures for the invite," he continued.

Momoa married Kravitz's mother, Lisa Bonet, in 2017, though the pair publicly announced that they were splitting last month. And while Tatum and Kravitz have never publicly announced that they're in a relationship, People confirmed that they are dating.

The Batman is slated to hit theaters on March 4th.

Laverne Cox really went there with Jada Pinkett Smith on Sunday (February 27th). The Orange is the New Black star was an E! News correspondent for the SAG red carpet event, and she definitely had some fun with it.

When talking with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Cox said, "Thank you for all the years of joy you've brought us. We can't wait for more Red Table Talk and more ... entanglements."

In 2020, Pinkett Smith revealed that she was seeing singer August Alsina while she and her husband were separated. At the time, she referred to the relationship as an "entanglement."

On Sunday (February 27th), Pinkett Smith laughed and replied to Cox, "No more of those!"

"No more entanglements! I love you, girl. I'm just kidding. I'm just joshing you," Cox responded.