By Wonderwall.com Editors
12:27pm PDT, Aug 2, 2022
Sylvester Stallone slams 'Rocky' producers for upcoming 'Drago' spin-off; Dolph Lundgren responds
Sylvester Stallone took another swipe at "Rocky" series producer Irwin Winkler over the weekend, slamming his plans for an upcoming spin-off about Dolph Lundgren's Ivan Drago character, who first appeared in 1985's "Rocky IV." And it wasn't long before the original Drago chimed in with a response. "Another Heartbreaker… Just found this out…," Sly wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post on Saturday, July 30, according Entertainment Weekly. "ONCE AGAIN , this PATHETIC 94 year old PRODUCER and HIS MORONIC USELESS VULTURE CHILDREN, Charles And David, are once again picking clean THE BONES of another wonderful character I created without even telling me," he snapped, referencing Irwin's producer sons. "I APOLOGIZE to the FANS, I never wanted ROCKY characters to be exploited by these parasites," he continued, adding that he remains on good terms with Dolph. "I have nothing but respect for Dolph but I wish HE had told me what was going on behind my back," the Oscar winner wrote. "Keep your REAL friends close." Dolph, however, says there's nothing set in stone for a Drago film. He also admits he thought Sly would be involved in anything that might come to fruition. "Just to set the record straight regarding a possible Drago spinoff. There's no approved script, no deals in place, no director and I was personally under the impression that my friend Sly Stallone was involved as a producer or even as an actor," Dolph shared on Instagram on Sunday. "There was a press leak last week which was unfortunate. In touch with Mr Balboa – just so all the fans can relax… There ya go." Sly created the now-iconic underdog boxer character Rocky Balboa in the '70s, when he wrote the screenplay for the film that would soon make him a household name. He went on to write, direct and star in five subsequent movies for the franchise, but made only what he was paid for the work due to a deal that allowed Irwin to control rights to the franchise and its spin-offs, as he continues to do, despite Sylvester's repeated demands for Irwin to turn over "what's left of" the rights. In recent weeks, those demands have turned ugly, with the star attacking Irwin and his colleagues on social media before deleting the posts.
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt to attend historically Black women's college this fall
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, is headed to Spelman College, and her mom is understandably proud. The actress, director and refugee advocate shared a photo of Zahara "with her Spelman sisters" over the weekend, praising the historically Black, women's liberal arts school and Zahara's soon-to-be classmates after the two attended an event in Los Angeles for incoming Spelman freshmen, alumnae and grads. Social media video from the "SpelHouse Family Reunion" on Saturday, July 30, even shows Angelina attempting the "Electric Slide" for a few beats before laughing and hugging her daughter as she gets a supportive arm-bump from an another parent. "Zahara with her Spelman sisters," Angelina captioned a cute photo of her daughter and some new pals. "Congratulations to all new students starting this year," she continued. "A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl. #spelman #spelmancollege #spelmansisters #HBCU." Located in Atlanta, Spelman's famous alumnae have included Alice Walker, Stacey Abrams and former "Cosby Show" star Keshia Knight Pulliam, among others. Zahara's college news comes three years after her eldest brother, Maddox, left home to attend Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. Angelina — who also shares sons Pax, 18 and Knox, 14 and daughters Shiloh, 16, and Vivienne, 14, with Brad — adopted Zahara in Ethiopia when she was 6 months old. Brad reportedly co-adopted her the following year.
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Beyonce to change offensive lyric in new 'Renaissance' song following 'ableist' criticism
Amid backlash over "ableist" language in Beyoncé's new "Renaissance" song "Heated," Bey will change the offensive lyric, her rep told the New York Times on Monday, Aug. 1. The words in question in the song, "spaz" and "spazzin'," have been used in derogatory contexts against people with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy that causes stiff limbs and motor impairments, particularly in the legs. "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced," Bey's rep told the Times. As of Monday it wasn't clear when that would happen, but the change likely can't come soon enough for disability advocates like Australia-based writer Hannah Diviney, whose June tweets about Lizzo's use of the word "spaz" in her new song "Grrrls" were met with a swift and sincere apology from the singer to the disabled community — as well as a lyric tweak. "I'm tired and frustrated that we're having this conversation again so soon after we got such a meaningful and progressive response from Lizzo," Hannah told BBC News of Beyoncé's offensive gaffe. "Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language," Lizzo said in a statement following criticism from Hannah and other activists. "As a fat Black woman in America, I've had many hurtful words used against me so I overstand the power words can have, (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally)."
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Justin Bieber returns to the stage for the first time since Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis
Justin Bieber is excited and "grateful to be back" on tour after being sidelined by Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a disorder that caused part of his face to become temporarily paralyzed. On Sunday, July 31, the singer performed at Italy's Lucca Summer Festival, marking his first show since his health scare forced him to pause his Justice Tour, and his wife, Hailey Bieber, came along to support him on the road. "I'm just so grateful to be back," Justin tells his team — and Hailey — in a video of the group gathering backstage with their arms around one another the night of the show. "I love each and every one of you guys so much," Justin adds before they're led in an evening prayer. Hailey shared a clip from the night on Instagram as well, captioning her Story post, "One thing I know for certain is you can't keep this guy down…" Another video on Justin's page shows footage of the singer reminding concert-goers about the message he hopes to convey with his tour. "This is my first day back," he says in the clip. "As some of you guys know, the Justice Tour is about equality, it's about justice for all, no matter what you look like, no matter your shape, your size, your ethnicity. We are all the same, we're all one. We know that racism is evil and we know that division is evil, it is wrong. But we are here to be the difference makers," he continues. Prior to Justin's Ramsay Hunt diagnosis, Hailey suffered a ministroke. Speaking to Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest on "Live!" last month, she said "the silver lining" to both of their health scares was that they became "closer than ever" as a couple.
Jennifer Garner shares warning about unnecessary cosmetic procedures
At 50, Jennifer Garner's learned a key lesson about beauty: Don't worry about it quite so much. "My beauty advice is always the same," the star says in a new interview with Harper's Bazaar. "Look in the mirror less, obsess less, and look at the rest of the world to see what you could be using your time for instead. We all look at our faces more than people used to, and it doesn't do you any good. You obsess over changes or how to fix something on your face." Those seeming fixes, she adds, may not be worth it in the long run, particularly when it comes to cosmetic procedures and injectables. "My advice is to look at the mirror less and be cautious when it comes to injecting anything into your face," Jen declares. "Be very, very incredibly judicious and wait as absolutely long as possible to add anything. Don't think that you're 37 and you need to be shooting up your face. You don't need to wear so much makeup or have such a constant blowout."
Alison Brie shares update on rumored 'Community' movie
"Community" fans, rejoice! A movie about the cult classic comedy might see the light of day, after all. "You know what, I'll say it. There's been movement," Alison Brie told The Wrap on the outlet's newest edition of the "UnWrapped" podcast. "There's been some talks. People are talking and certain things — wheels are turning. I said it!" she blurted out. Buzz about a possible movie take on the show surfaced on social media in June, after Alison's former co-star Joel McHale joked to the show's legion of superfans during an interview with Comicbook.com that he was "setting aside all the money to make [a movie] happen," thanks to the strong response to the series on platforms like Netflix. "Before, when I'd answer the question [about a 'Community' movie], I'd be like, 'Maybe, I have no idea.' But now, with its success on the streamers during the pandemic, the interest has returned," he explained. "I would say it's more likely than it was before, definitely, but it's like building an aircraft carrier." He went on to admit there are "a lot of moving parts" beyond confirming the original cast's interest and securing funding. "So I'm more positive than I was, definitely, but we'll see," he cautioned. "That's a terrible answer, but definitely better than my answer two years ago." The sitcom, which centered around a group of community college students (and their generally weird proclivities), also starred Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs and Yvette Nicole Brown. The beloved series aired from 2009 until 2015. .
William Shatner, George Takei share emotional tributes to late 'Star Trek' co-star Nichelle Nichols
The cast of "Star Trek" said goodbye to a longtime colleague over the weekend after the death of Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Uhura in all but 10 of the original show's episodes and was one of the first Black women cast in a major TV series. "I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nichelle," William Shatner shared on social media. "She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world. I will certainly miss her. Sending my love and condolences to her family." George Takei shared an emotional post about the actress, as well, writing: "I shall have more to say about the trailblazing, incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lt. Uhura of the USS Enterprise, and who passed today at age 89. For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend. We lived long and prospered together." J.J. Abrams, who masterminded the 2009 movie version of the iconic show honored the late star as "a remarkable woman in a remarkable role." Nichelle died of natural causes, according to a Facebook post from her son, Kyle Johnson.
