Month: April 2025

Russell Brand has addressed the rape and sexual assault allegations made against him. On Friday, April 4, London’s Metropolitan Police charged the 49-year-old actor and comedian with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault (per a news release).

The charges, which are related to four separate women dating back to 1999, and follows an investigation that started in 2023. According to Deadline, Brand allegedly “raped a woman in Bournemouth in 1999, indecently assaulted a woman in 2001 in Westminster, London, orally raped and sexually assaulted a woman in Westminster in 2004, and between 2004 and 2005 sexually assaulted a woman, also in Westminster.”

Brand was previously accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse by four women in September 2023, and was sued by another woman a few months later. He also denied those allegations at the time.

After news broke of the new charges against him, Russell released a new video on X denying the allegations: “We’re very fortunate in a way to live in a time when there’s so little trust in the British government. We’re very fortunate, I suppose, that this is happening at a time where we know that the law has become a kind of weapon to be used against people, institutions and sometimes entire nations that will not accept and tolerate levels of corruption around precedent, and I’m speaking particularly to those of you in the UK,” he started off the minute and a half-long video. “How do you feel about your legal system right now? How do you feel about some of the high profile cases that are not being pursued or prosecuted?”

“When I was young and single, before I had my wife and family, I was a fool, I was a fool before I lived in the light of the lord. I was a drug addict, sex addict and an imbecile,” he continued. “But what I never was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity. I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.”  He then concluded the video by thanking those who have supported him.

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Prosecutors have filed a new and third indictment against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The additional counts relate to an individual identified as Victim-2, bringing the total number of counts facing Combs to five.

The new indictment against Combs adds an additional charge of sex trafficking and an additional charge of transportation to engage in prostitution, with Combs potentially receiving additional prison time if convicted .In addition to the extra counts, federal prosecutors updated the language of the racketeering conspiracy charge Combs faces, clarifying that “Combs kidnapped and carried and displayed a firearm to female victim, and that the defendant dangled a female victim over an apartment balcony.”

Combs’ legal team issued this response to the superseding indictment: “These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships. This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”

Combs was arrested last year after being charged in a sprawling sex trafficking indictment. He has denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty to both previous indictments. Prosecutors said the additional counts and the updated language should not affect the schedule, as they want Combs to be arraigned on the new indictment during the final pretrial conference later this month. His trial is set to start May 5.

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MGM+ is previewing Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem, set to premiere on April 13.

Forest Whitaker portrays Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson, a crime boss in 1960s Harlem, with an official synopsis reading that Season 4 follows Johnson as he “continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).” Johnson is also trying to come to terms with the fact that his daughter, portrayed by Antionette Crowe-Legacy, is working with the Black Panthers after Malcom X is assassinated (Jason Alan Carvell had portrayed Malcolm X in earlier seasons).

Season 4 will also star Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Erik LaRay Harvey, Michael Raymond James, Elvis Nolasco and Erik Palladino.

See the trailer for Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem – HERE.

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Filmmaker Sam Mendes has officially confirmed the main cast for his series of four Beatles biopics, adding that each film will premiere one at a time over four weekends in April 2028.

Cast as the Fab Four is: Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

Sony Motion Pictures’ Tom Rothman described the rollout of the film series as the first “bingeable moment in cinema,” adding that “we are going to dominate the culture that month.”  Each of the movies will focus on a different member of group, with the project being given the working title of The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event.

The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event will mark the first scripted films to be granted the band’s music and life rights. The project’s official synopsis reads: “Each man has his own story, but together they are legendary. The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event. In theaters April 2028.”

Mendes said of the four-movie concept: “There had to be a way to tell the epic story for a new generation. I can assure you there is still plenty left to explore, and I think we found a way to do that.”

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Apple TV+ is previewing the upcoming drama series Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Jon Hamm.

The new trailer for Your Friends & Neighbors, debuting Friday, Apr. 11, stars the ‘Mad Men’ alum as hedge fund manager Andrew “Coop” Cooper ,” who resorts to robbing houses in his upscale neighborhood after being fired – not long after going through a divorce.

The show, which was already renewed for a sophomore season back in November, also stars Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, Lena Hall, Aimee Carrero, Eunice Bae, Isabel Marie Gravitt and Donovan Colan.

Season 1 is slated to premiere April 11; see the trailer – HERE.

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Famous friend and former colleagues of Val Kilmer are paying tribute to the actor, after news broke of his death yesterday at the age of 65.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told The New York Times in a statement that her father died of pneumonia on Tuesday. Kilmer had battled throat cancer, which robbed him of his voice, for more than a decade.

Kilmer was also known for his roles in Top Gun, Willow, Top Secret, Real Genius, The Doors, Thunderheart, True Romance, Batman Forever, Prince of Egypt, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Top Gun: Maverick. Prime Video also released a documentary in 2021 about the Kilmer titled Val, who stepped away from Hollywood at the height of his career

Director Francis Ford Coppola posted on Instagram: “Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him.”

Actor Josh Brolin wrote: “See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you,” Brolin wrote. “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts. #valkilmer #marktwain.”

Cher – who was romantically involved in the 1980s with Kilmer and remained friends with him after their relationship ended – wrote in a post on X: “VALUS Will miss u,” actress and hitmaker. U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the a–, GREAT FRIEND, kidsU, BRILLIANT as Mark Twain, BRAVE here during ur sickness.”

Actress Jennifer Tilly posted: “A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie The Doors. It was kind of a cattle call. They paired together potential Jims with potential Pamela’s. And they were running behind so we were spilling out of the casting office, sitting on the porch, the lawn, and the driveway. All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors Music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants. We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance. Rip King.”

Kilmer was previously married to actress Joanne Whalley from 1988 until their divorce in 1996. The former couple shared daughter Mercedes Kilmer and son Jack Kilmer.

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