BDAY LOVE

Sean Penn's ex-wife Leila George says she wants 'lots' of kids, admits she envies her 'Animal Kingdom' alter-ego's big brood

For the past three years, Leila George has portrayed one of the most complicated mothers on television: the younger version of crime boss Janine "Smurf" Cody in the flashback storyline on TNT's "Animal Kingdom," which enters its sixth and final season on June 19. (Ellen Barkin portrayed an older version of the character in the present-day storyline on the first four seasons of the action-packed drama.)

Season 6 sees Janine in the early '90s facing arguably her greatest challenge yet: raising teenagers. The scenes she shares with her teen children — twins Pope and Julia and adopted son Baz — are intense, to say the least. But it's her exchanges with her daughter — whom she expertly manipulates — that are particularly difficult to watch.

Courtesy of TNT

Leila — the only child of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" alum Vincent D'Onofrio and Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi — drew inspiration from an unexpected source to bring the latest iteration of Janine to life: her own mother.

"Maybe I'm outing myself, but don't all mother-daughter relationships have darkness to them at times? I love my mom so much — she is my ride or die, she's my North Star. She's become one of my best friends. But when I was a teenager, we had fights like that," she told Wonderwall.com during a recent chat.

"It is kind of relatable. At a certain point, a daughter needs to fly the nest and there's a struggle for a couple of years. I feel like we can all relate to that," she added.

David M. Benett/Getty Images

While Janine — who introduced her offspring to a life of crime before they hit puberty — makes motherhood look anything but easy, walking in her shoes hasn't deterred Leila from wanting her own big brood some day.

"I've always been someone who wants kids — lots of them. I envy that in her," said the 30-year-old beauty, who split from Sean Penn in October 2021 following just 14 months of marriage. "Take away all the crime and giving your kids alcohol, take away all the bad stuff, I love that [she has this] big family. I love that they have Sunday lunches and parties and, yes, they're dysfunctional, but it's a nice to see a family get-together, isn't it? I like that."

From what we've seen so far, the family get-togethers on season 6 of "Animal Kingdom" are particularly dysfunctional…

Leila had this to say about how her on-screen alter ego is handling parenthood after a significant time-jump following the conclusion of season 5: "She's trying to make it work with [her kids] and pulling jobs — they're in a flow," she said. "They don't have it as down pat as in the future, but they're getting there. They're learning, and she's working with young Baz — played by Darren Mann — and he's kind of slowly starting to get into a bit of a leadership role. But she's wrangling Julia and Pope — played by Jasper Polish and Kevin Csolak. The three of them are phenomenal and so great to work with and such lovely young actors. I say young, but they're pretty much my age, which is kind of daunting. But it's family dynamics. … And in true 'Animal Kingdom' style, s*** hits the fan. But that's where she's at: wrangling teenagers."

Courtesy of TNT

Leila has portrayed Janine at different ages over the course of nearly two decades — from her early 20s in the '70s to her late 30s or early 40s in the early '90s. It presents a unique challenge for the actress.

"It was fun figuring out what the look was gonna be each season," she said. "When I joined the show, I didn't know how long I was gonna be on it for — I started with a contract for six episodes. So I did not know this is where it was gonna go. It has been a really interesting thing to figure out how much of her to hold back. How much of her was already there when she was 20? How much did she slowly get like Ellen Barkin along the way? … But to be able to go full Smurf in season 6 was really freeing because I have been waiting to do that and hoping that I could do that. Also being able to work in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s has been so fun — just doing all my wardrobe fittings has been one of the things I look forward to most. And listening to the music of the time and all of the sets of the time and the props of the time. It's been a really interesting challenge — one that I'm grateful to have gotten. I don't know if I'll get to do that again."

Like many "Animal Kingdom" fans, Leila couldn't help but wish she'd had more time with the role — her first on a TV series.

"I feel like each new season that I got to be a part of was a gift. Of course I was hungry for more because [the show] jumps 10 years, so there's so much that you miss seeing," she said. "Yes, there were some times when I found myself wishing that the whole thing — my whole part — had been done as a spinoff so that I did have a chance to go really deep into each decade. But isn't it better to leave something wanting more? It's nice that I'm leaving it wanting more of it as opposed to being like, 'Ugh, thank God!'"

"She was such a fun character to play. I just hope that the fans are left feeling good about the last season. That's all I really care about," she concluded.

The sixth and final season of "Animal Kingdom" debuts on TNT on Sunday, June 19.

BDAY LOVE

Rob Kardashian and ex strike 11th hour settlement in revenge porn case

The Kardashians will avoid another high-profile trial involving family nemesis Blac Chyna. 

According to reports Rob Kardashian and Chyna, with whom he shares a daughter, agreed to a settlement just before their revenge porn case was set to begin. 

REX/Shutterstock

Terms of the deal are not known, but Rob's team had wanted to avoid a trial and was pushing hard for a settlement.

Jury selection in the case was set to begin on Monday, June 20, in Los Angeles, and potential jurors were already in place. However, per TMZ, jurors were informed that they were no longer needed due to the settlement. 

The case stems from an incident in 2017, in which Rob posted several naked photos of Chyna to social media, doing so because he felt disrespected. A few days later, she obtained a restraining order against her former fiancé.

At the time, Rob's lawyer said the cyberbullying was "a spontaneous reaction that he regrets." Chyna told "GMA" that she was "devastated" by the Instagram posts.  

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Media outlets reported Chyna was looking for at least $1 million from Rob, as she claimed she lost out on several weight-loss endorsement deals because of his pictures. 

Earlier this month, Rob claimed he and Chyna struck a deal in the revenge porn case but then accused her of backing out. A judge ruled that the case move forward — that is, of course, until this settlement was reached. 

Chyna has long been a thorn in the side of the Kardashian-Jenner family. Back in 2017, she filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against the reality TV family, claiming they defamed her and torpedoed the "Rob & Chyna" reality show on E!. In early May, a jury sided with "The Kardashians" stars in the defamation case, and a judge ordered that Chyna pay their litigation costs. According to court documents obtained by TMZ last week, the First Family of Reality TV racked up $391,094 in total throughout the years-long proceedings. That figure, by the way, did not include attorney's fees. 

BDAY LOVE

Matthew Fox returning to screen, addresses 8 year acting hiatus

Matthew Fox is back. After quitting acting eight years ago, the "Lost" alum is headed back to the screen.

The actor, who famously starred in "Party of Five," has returned to acting with his role on Peacock's "Last Light." It's his first gig since 2014. 

Nacho Lopez/Dyd Fotografos/Shutterstock

During a press conference in Monte-Carlo over the weekend, Matthew addressed his reasoning for walking away, saying, "I kind of had a bucket list in my mind of things that I wanted to accomplish in the business, and after I did 'Bone Tomahawk' in 2014 that had kind of completed the bucket list. I wanted to do a Western. It's a very odd Western, but it's a Western. And so that sort of completed the bucket list."

According to Variety, he said his hiatus was tied to his family. 

"At that time in my life, our kids were at an age where I felt like I needed to really reengage," he said. "I had been focused on work for some time, and [my wife] Margherita had been running the family so beautifully, but I felt like it was time to be home, and I really felt like I was retiring from the business, and working on other creative elements that are really personal to me – some music and writing."

Arnold Jerocki/WireImage

Despite loving time spent with his family, Matthew still wanted to scratch that Hollywood itch. 

"I've just spent seven years living my life with my family and pursuing things that I'm passionate about," he said, "but storytelling is in my DNA in some way, and I felt like this form of storytelling was something that I wanted to reengage with, and see how it felt. And I'm really happy that I did so – it's been good."

For him to return, Matthew said a project had to pique his interest and "Last Light" did that, particularly given that he is an executive producer. 

"I kind of got to a point where I thought that maybe the bucket list included executive producing," he said. "I'd never done that before. The opportunity to be involved in 'Last Light' came along, and so I wanted to give it a shot. And it felt like the right time."

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Jamie Spears wants Britney to sit for deposition over 'smear campaign'

In a bit of a role reversal, Britney Spears' father is going on the offensive. 

Jamie Spears is accusing his famous daughter of actively trying to trash his name, and he's asking a judge to make her sit for a deposition. 

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Jamie argues in newly filed court documents that Britney has slandered him on Instagram (prior to her deleting it), and he's certain she'll do so again in her soon-to-be-published memoir, according to TMZ. In his paperwork, Jamie wants Britney to address her claims that he forced her to give eight tubes of blood for medical treatment, was forced to participate in therapy and was not allowed to own pain-reliever meds — all of which she argued occurred while he was in control of her conservatorship.

Since the pop star's conservatorship was terminated last November, both she and her lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, have alleged that Jamie abused his role as conservator. Brit's dad said their allegations are relevant to his case, hence why he wants the "Toxic" singer to sit down for a deposition.

Jamie's team, by the way, claims Mathew has refused to schedule a deposition. Interestingly, Mathew has tried to get Jamie to sit down for a deposition, claiming the ousted conservator has been ducking him. 

BDAY LOVE

Savannah Chrisley breaks silence after parent's conviction: 'Life is so cruel'

Through thick and thin. In her first public comments since her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, were convicted of federal crimes, Savannah Chrisley is backing her famous family and claiming life is "so cruel."

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On Thursday, June 16, the "Chrisley Knows Best" star posted a lengthy quote about "positive thinking" to her Instagram. In the post, she also included throwback pictures with her mom, dad and family members.

"Hi there my Instagram family…it's been a few weeks. Before you continue reading I would like to ask one thing of you…please be kind. This life is so cruel and we're all doing the best we can," she wrote. "I will continue to stand by my family and fight for justice. Justice for ourselves and for others that the system has failed."

Savannah, 24, didn't specify how the system "failed," and it doesn't seem like she will divulge, penning, "There is only so much I can comment on legally at this moment."

On June 7, Todd and Julie were found guilty of criminal bank fraud and tax evasion charges in federal court. Prosecutors had claimed the couple took out $30 million in fraudulent bank loans to fund their extravagant lifestyle. They were also accused of hiding their reality TV money so they wouldn't have to pay taxes on it. 

The couple, who faces up to 30 years in prison, plans to appeal to verdict.

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Savannah believes the legal situation will strengthen the family, but she admitted to feeling "let down by God" and that her "relentless prayers have been unheard.

"But I do believe that He will use every hardship and adversity we go through to strengthen us and prepare us for an even greater purpose. So I will continue believing in our Lord and Savior…I pray for strength, hope, and love," she said. "Thank you to all of those that continue to stand by our sides. This fight isn't over."

She ended her post by writing, "Now let's get back to work. Now is my time to break the glass ceiling – no matter what comes my way I WILL succeed."

BDAY LOVE

Ripley's Museum defends Kim Kardashian, claims she did not damage iconic Marilyn Monroe dress

Kim Kardashian did not damage Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress when she wore it to the Met Gala last month, according to the museum who owns the gown.

Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Fervor grew throughout the week after an image purported to show the dress torn and missing jewels after the reality TV star wore it. However, Ripley's Believe It or Not! — who bought the dress for $4.8 million in 2016 — is backing Kim, telling TMZ that the dress has been damaged over time, especially considering it's 60 years old.

"A report written on the dress's condition in early 2017 states, 'a number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes,' among other instances of damage," a Ripley's rep said in a statement.

Ripley's stated that the dress had been damaged before it was acquired. Since the purchase, the dress has been displayed around the world, which always puts it at further risk for damage.

Kim famously lost 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the gown, which Marilyn wore in 1962 while singing "Happy Birthday" to then-President John F. Kennedy.

There was almost immediate backlash when Kim showed up the gala in the dress, as purists argued that "The Kardashians" star wasn't worthy. Others worried that the dress would get damaged. 

Kim only wore the dress on the red carpet. She then quickly changed into a replica. 

"From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in," said Amanda Joiner, Ripley's VP of Publishing and Licensing.

BDAY LOVE

Depp-Heard juror claims jury was 'uncomfortable' with actress' changing emotions

The jury in the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial was not buying her "crocodile tears" and emotional swings, a juror says.

The juror, who spoke anonymously with "Good Morning America," argued that Johnny's celebrity status carried no weight in regard to the verdict. However, Amber's emotions were not believable, the juror stated.

Kevin Lamarque/AP/Shutterstock / Kevin Lamarque/AP/Shutterstock

"The crying, the facial expressions, the staring at the jury, all of us were very uncomfortable," the male juror said, adding that several members of the jury referred to her waterworks as "crocodile tears."

In the end, the jury made its decision based squarely on the evidence and felt that Amber was more of the instigator and less of a victim, he said. 

"A lot of her story didn't add up. The majority of the jury felt that she was the aggressor," the juror said. "She would answer one question and she would be crying and two seconds later she would turn ice cold."

Michael Reynolds/AP/Shutterstock

Still, the juror claimed the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star was no saint, believing that both Johnny and Amber were mutually abusive.

"[Johnny] just seemed a little more real in terms of how he was responding to questions," the man said. "His emotional state was very stable throughout."

Steve Helber/AP/Shutterstock

In its verdict, the Virginia jury found that both Johnny and Amber made defamatory statements about the other — however, Johnny was the clear victor, as he won all three defamation counts against his ex-wife, while she won one against him based on a comment made by one of his lawyers. The actor was awarded $15 million in damages, although Virginia law dropped that figure down to $8.35 million.

Afterward, Amber said she was "heartbroken" and felt the verdict was a "setback" to women. In an interview this week with "Today," Amber argued that social media, which was largely on Johnny's side, played a role in the verdict. The juror argues that nothing could be further from the truth.

BDAY LOVE

Bam Margera found in Florida hotel after fleeing rehab center

Two days after fleeing a Florida rehab and being considered missing, Bam Margera was located and transported back to the treatment center.

On Wednesday night, the former MTV star was found hiding out in a Delray Beach, Fla., hotel room. TMZ said he was cooperative when he was picked up by police and a crisis intervention team.

The prankster's disappearance earlier this week was surprising, as he was not allowed to leave the Delray Beach facility per a court order, hence the police involvement in his rehab exit. The rehab facility's manager reported Bam as missing on Monday, June 13.

Todd Williamson/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

It seems that Bam didn't hide his determination to exit, as he apparently told the manager that he was unhappy there and planned to scram. In the midst of this, he told the manager that he was switching to a different facility in the area. Shortly after, Bam was picked up in a sedan and left without authorization. 

According to reports, Bam, who seemed lucid before leaving, was upset that he wasn't getting preferential treatment in rehab, at least when compared to previous stints in other facilities.

After departing, a source close to the former MTV star said Bam was at a sober living facility, which he found to be better suited for him. In the end, he was at a hotel. In the midst of this, family and friends, knowing Bam had violated a court order, tried getting him back to the court-mandated facility. 

TMZ said Bam, who recently completed one year in the drug and alcohol treatment program, went off his medication after leaving the facility and it's unknown if he had relapsed.

@bam__margera/Instagram

In addition to the lack of special celebrity treatment, Bam supposedly had other issues with the Delray Beach facility, claiming it was not setting up physical therapy appointments that he needed after breaking his wrist in a recent skateboarding accident. 

One day after fleeing the facility, Bam posted an Instagram photo with a pal, saying the man was his "new AA sponsor."

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Ryan Gosling flashes abs in his first look as Ken in 'Barbie' film

Come on Barbie, let's go party!

Social media went nuts on Wednesday, June 15, after the first photo of Ryan Gosling as Ken in the upcoming "Barbie" movie was released. In the image, the actor dons platinum blond locks, a denim vest and "Ken"-branded underwear peeking out of his denim jeans. His tanned six-pack abs are easily noticeable. 

"OMG. TAKE MY MONEY," one person exclaimed upon seeing the snap of Ryan as Barbie's boyfriend. Another said, "Ok i need to see this movie." A gaggle of fans proclaimed it as the "perfect" casting.

However, not all the comments were positive, as an assembly of fans felt that Chris Evans was a better Ken, whereas others weren't digging the nearly-translucent hair color. 

"I grew up with Barbie…this is…new? Idk what to expect," another person said. One wondered, "Oh gosh what am I looking at?"

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Ryan was compared to Ariana Grande's brother, Frankie, and even Fred from the live action Scooby Doo movie, which was played by Freddie Prinze Jr. 

Back in April, the movie studio released photos of Margot Robbie, who plays the titular character in the summer 2023 film. 

Life in plastic, it's fantastic. 

BDAY LOVE

Nick Lachey hilariously humbled as son reacts to throwback shirtless pic of singer

Kids say the darndest things. 

Although Nick and Vanessa Lachey's children are well aware of their dad's boy band days, at least one of them wasn't prepared for how the singer actually looked a decade ago. 

John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

In a chat with E! News' Daily Pop, Nick recalled what his 9-year-old son Camden said when the tyke stumbled across a shitless picture of his dad. 

"My son, Camden, looked at it. He says, 'Who photoshopped daddy's body?,'" Nick said. 

The photo, snapped while Nick and Vanessa were on vacation, is 10 years old. 

"It was me coming out of the water," Nick said. "I was all ripped up. It was when I was in shape."

The 98 Degrees singer acknowledged that his children — Camden, Brooklyn, 7, and Phoenix, 5 — like to embarrass him, but he's not opposed to throwing it back.

"I feel like that's part of my responsibility as a loving father is to embarrass them as much as I can," he said. "My kids think I'm corny. I'm the guy that pulls up for the carpool drop-off at school and bumps the music."

While the "Masked Singer" winner is thriving as a parent, he gave his own father a sweet nod for paving the way.

"My dad was one of those dads that was never afraid to show my brother and I how much he loved us," Nick said, referring to fellow 98 Degrees member Drew Lachey. "He was constantly telling us how much he loved us, he was always there for us. So, I try to kind of extend that to my own kids. I tell them every day—to the point where they tell me to stop—just how much I love them, always there for them."

BDAY LOVE

Patricia Heaton says Disney 'castrated' Buzz Lightyear with Tim Allen snub

Patricia Heaton is taking her Tim Allen praise and Disney criticism to infinity and beyond.

The actress is publicly ripping Disney for casting Chris Evans in "Lightyear," not Tim Allen, who voiced the Buzz Lightyear character in four "Toy Story" films. 

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"Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal Tim Allen in the role that he originated, the role that he owns," she wrote. "Tim IS Buzz! Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?"

Following the "Everybody Loves Raymond" actress' post, many of her followers agreed, but others noted that casting the "Home Improvement" star wouldn't have made sense, as "Lightyear" is not about the action figure, but rather the origin story of the toy.

"Do people not pay attention?" one fan wrote back. "Tim Allen's Buzz is the toy based off of a person. Chris Evan's Buzz is the the real person that inspired the toy. The movie is about Buzz Lightyear the Person, not Andy's toy."

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

A slew of fans argued similarly. Other Twitter users, though, pointed to politics and insisted that Disney didn't cast Tim because of his well-known conservative viewpoints. Interestingly enough, the "Last Man Standing" star is starring in an upcoming Disney series called "The Santa Clause."

Still, Patricia would not concede. 

"OK, so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story — but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what [Tim Allen] created," she wrote in a follow-up tweet. "Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it?"

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In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, "Lightyear" director Angus MacLane addressed the casting controversy.

"In this film, Buzz is the action hero," MacLane explained. "He's serious and ambitious and funny, but not in a goofy way that would undercut the drama. Chris Evans has the gravitas and that movie-star quality that our character needed to separate him and the movie from Tim's version of the toy in 'Toy Story.'"

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