TONI BRAXTON "UNBREAK MY HEART" LIFETIME BIOPIC TRAILER

Toni Braxton's hospitalisation for Lupus was depicted in the first trailer for Lifetime's Unbreak My Heart premiering January 23.

The 48-year-old R&B belter executive-produced and portrays her older self in the two-hour movie, which is based on her 2014 memoir.

The made-for-TV flick will cover the seven-time Grammy winner's 67M record sales, two bankruptcy filings, and struggles with the autoimmune disease as well as Microvascular Angina

Aside from her own health problems, Toni also had to cope with her 12-year-old son Diezel being diagnosed with Autism in 2006.

Seven years later, the contralto crooner divorced her husband Keri Lewis (played by Love Thy Neighbor's Andre Hall), who also fathered her son Denim, 14.

The younger Braxton is played by fellow Maryland-born beauty, Lex Scott Davis.  

Unbreak My Heart was directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall (Abducted: The Carlina White Story, Waist Deep), an Emmy-nominated actor who currently plays Ben Urich in Netflix's Daredevil.  

STAR STUDDED STAR WARS FORCE AWAKENS WORLD PREMIERE (SEE PICS)

  

May the force be with you! Double trouble: Actors John Boyega (L) and Lupita Nyong'o cuddled up to one another at the exciting event.

They first found fame nearly four decades ago with Star Wars: A New Hope And on Monday night Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill celebrated another landmark moment in their careers at the premiere for Star Wars: The Force Awakens held at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres in Hollywood on Monday evening.

In 1977 the three actors changed the world of film forever as they teamed up with George Lucas for what would be one of the most influential and lucrative cinema endeavors of all time.
And with Episode VII of the franchise hitting theatres the trio are set to break even more records, with many experts predicting the film will shatter previous world box office numbers.

This is definitely bigger than the Oscars,' one production manager told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday.

About 24 fans have been camped outside the theater for days in anticipation - each dressed up in Star Wars costumes. 

One couple in the camp was even planning on getting married there.
The premiere comes on the heels of news that Star Wars Episode VII has officially smashed the UK record for pre-sale tickets with more than 500,000 seats booked at the largest chain Odeon, according to the Guardian.

The Force Awakens opens in the UK on December 17 and in the U.S. on December 18. 

  Love is in the air: Newlyweds Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello lit up the red carpet as they put on an affectionate display.

 Happy together: Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec put on an affectionate display at the premiere.

 Fan boy: Matthew McConaughey showed up looking as dashing as ever. 

 Zendya Coleman when for a more regal look 

 Janelle Monae obvious is feeling galactic in this outfit,

CRITICS CHOICE 2015, TARAJI P. HENSON, VIOLA DAVIS, IDRIS ELBA, SHANICE WILIAMS FROM THE WIZ, ALL GET NODS

Award season is in full effect!  The Critics’ Choice Awards announced nominations for the 2016 ceremony on Monday, with “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Fargo” leading the way.

Hosted by T.J. Miller, the awards will be held on Jan. 17 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. It will air simultaneously on A&E, Lifetime and LMN.  There will be some fresh faces this year on the red carpet, newcomer Shanice Williams earned an acting nod for her turn as Dorothy in NBC’s “The Wiz Live!”

Her co-stars David Alan Grier, Ne-Yo and Mary J. Blige were also nominated for their performances, as was the production itself.

Grier and Ne-Yo will have to face each other for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series, a category that also includes Bokeem Woodbine for “Fargo.”

“Empire,” “Blackish” and “Luther” were nominated for the small screen, while “Straight Outta Compton” followed its big screen cast nomination from SAG with another Best Acting Ensemble nod.

“Empire” star Taraji P. Henson and “How to Get Away With Murder” lead Viola Davis will again face off for Best Actress in a Drama Series; and “Blackish” stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson and Jenifer Lewis all received individual nominations.

Additional acting nods went to Idris Elba for BBC America’s “Luther,” Andre Holland for the Cinemax series “The Knick,” Keegan-Michael Key for USA’s “Playing House,” Niecy Nash for HBO’s “Getting On” and  Regina King for HBO’s “The Leftovers.”

FULL CRITICS CHOICE LIST 2015 CLICK HERE

SERENA WILLIAMS NAMED 2015 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR

Serena Williams was tapped as the Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Sportsperson of the Year on Monday.

Williams, 34, wearing a custom designer Michael Costello outfit won three Grand Slam titles and  lost three times in 56 matches as she dominated women’s tennis this year. Williams is the first individual woman to be selected to the honor since track champion Mary Decker in 1983.

“This year was spectacular,” Serena Williams said in a statement. "For Sports Illustrated to recognize my hard work, dedication and sheer determination with this award gives me hope to continue on and do better. As I always say, it takes a village— not just one person. This is not just an accomplishment for me, but for my whole team and all my fans. I am beyond honored.”

In other Serena news, over the weekend, Tennis star Serena Williams has been spotted getting a cab to the finishing line of her own 5k run, which was raising funds for her charity foundation.

Williams was seen stopping near the 2km mark of the Serena Williams Live Ultimate Run South Beach 2015 event in Miami where she jumped into taxi. The car then sped to the finish line. 

Her sister Venus, who was also taking part in the charity run, was able to complete the run to the end.

Serena had been one of 3,000 runners pounding the pavement along the course along Ocean Drive and through the Art Deco district of Miami Beach.

The 34-year-old top athlete was wearing an orange Nike t-shirt, black leggings and sneakers for the run but added a touch of her signature style with sparking earrings and matching ring.
She appeared to start the run well on Sunday morning but by around the two kilometer mark, witnesses at the event say they saw her climbing into the yellow cab. 

So we ask is she wrong for doing that or not? 

RIHANNA 2ND ANNUAL STAR STUDDED DIAMOND BALL: WILL SMITH, KEVIN HART, KYLIE JENNER & MANY MORE

 

Bajan singer Rihanna and her mother Monica Braithwaite slayed on the red carpet at Rihanna’s 2nd Annual Diamond Ball on Thursday in Santa Monica, CA.  The singer wore her long, raven locks loose and sported a dazzling diamond necklace and matching earrings. 
Rihanna also wore a full face of heavy make-up, including deep pink lipstick, frosted eyeshadow and false eyelashes. The megastar was supported at the event by members of her family, including her mother Monica Braithwaite, her aunt and her young 'niece' Majesty.

Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation Ball was attended by a plethora of A- to D-list stars, including Mr. and Mrs. Will Smith, Kevin Hart, Zendaya Coleman, Tyga, Kylie Jenner, EJ Johnson Draya and more.

 

 Ej Johnson, the eccentric and flamboyant son of NBA legend Magic Johnson, attended Rihanna’s Diamond Ball. Johnson reportedly underwent weight loss procedure that enabled him to drop over 100 pounds. But now friends are concerned that Johnson is losing too much weight. His ghastly appearance shocked everyone.

SAG NOMINATIONS 2016 VIOLA DAVIS, IDRIS ELBA, QUEEN LATIFAH & STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON ALL NOMINATED (SEE FULL LIST)

As award season quickly approaches, actors and actresses are grinding their teeth, anticipating that very moment their name is announced as a nominee. And we are proud to say they got some of the nominee right! Dozens of Hollywood power players can take a deep breath after being labeled contenders for this year’s SAG Awards.

On Wednesday morning, Anna Faris and Anthony Mackie announced the nominees for this year’s awards show,  and there was an uproar of applause when one major movie was announced: Straight Outta Compton.  

The film, which was hugely popular this year, garnered a nod for Outstanding Performance for a Cast in a Motion Picture. “What the cast was able to do was take that period in time and let it be what it was,” Mackie.

He added, “Nobody forced it, nobody made an idea of who thee people were. Everybody just lived in that moment and let you go back to that and relive it.”

Another big nominee this year, Idris Elba, who was nominated for a Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role thanks to his performance in Beasts of No Nation. The actor also garnered a nod in the Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries category for his role as DCI John Luther on BBC America’s LUTHER (BBC America)

How To Get Away with Murder’s Viola Davis staked her claim in the category for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. Meanwhile, Orange is the New Black’s, Uzo Aduba continues her streak, picking up a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.

Queen Latifah, who recently starred in NBC’s The Wiz, was also recognized in the category for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries thanks to her role as iconic jazz musician, Bessie Smith.

SAG Awards air live on Saturday, January 30, 2016 on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT). (CLICK HERE FOR FULL LIST)

RONDA ROUSEY SPEAKS "I JUST FEEL SO EMBARRASSED" ABOUT HER BEAT DOWN & WILL SHE FIGHT AGAIN?

Ronda Rousey may be down, but she’s not yet ready to go out.

The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion has been radio silent since her knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November. Aside from a short social media message in which she assured everyone of her health, Rousey has not been heard from since the first defeat of her career.

for the first time, since her surprising loss against Holly Holm. In an interview with ESPN Magazine, Rousey opens up about the devastating loss and why she’s determined to fight Holm again. See a few excerpts.

Cutting herself off from the public:

I’ve turned off my phone. I haven’t looked at it. I’ve just been having long conversations with Mochi [her 7-year-old Argentinian Mastiff].

Recalling what happened in the ring:

I got hit in that first round. … I cut my lip open and knocked a couple of my teeth loose. I was out on my feet from the very beginning. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I had that huge cut in my mouth and I just spit [the blood] out at my feet. Then they brought the bucket over and I’m like, ‘Why didn’t I spit it in the bucket?’ I never spit on the ground. It was like a dumbed-down dreamy version of yourself making decisions. … I was just trying to shake myself out of it. I kept saying to myself, ‘You’re OK, keep fighting. You’re OK, keep fighting.’ I just feel so embarrassed. How I fought after that is such an embarrassing representation of myself. I wasn’t even fucking there.

Not apologizing for her ambitions:

Maybe I can’t do it all before my prime, before my body is done. But fuck it, maybe I can.

Not being concerned about what she says being misconstrued:

It’s not my responsibility to make everything I say idiot-proof. If a dumbass can’t understand it, then I’m not going to spend my time putting everything I think into layman’s terms.

How she coped after the loss:

I kind of just slept a lot and ate fast food. First I was so sick I couldn’t eat anything. Then I just slept and pooped in the woods. I used a whole roll of toilet paper in one day.

What she believes is being said of her by the public:

That I’m a fucking failure and I deserve everything that I got

Why she refused to touch gloves with Holm before the fight:

It was just like a reaction. I was like, ‘The last time I saw you [at the weigh-in], you were putting your fist on my chin and trying to get a cheap hit on me, then you turn around and you want to touch gloves? You have to be one way or the other. So if you want to be that way with me, that’s the way it is.’

How Rousey will be remembered next:

I guess it’s all going to be determined by what happens in the rematch. Everything is going to be determined by that. Either I’ll win and keep going or I won’t and I’ll be done with everything.

If she’ll fight again:

Of course. What else am I going to fucking do?

KERRY WASHINGTON & HUSBAND MAKE A RARE APPEARANCE AT KENNEDY CENTER HONORS GALA

Kerry Washington kept husband made a rare appearance over the weekend.  She was there to support the five honorees including her 'dear friend,' the legendary actress Cicely Tyson.

Kerry Washington swayed the spotlight her way in sexy style as she attended the 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala in Washington, D.C. on Sunday.

The Scandal star, 38, proved that title right in her strapless black corset gown that featured blue feather details around the bust and fit snugly to the hips before flaring out into a decadently long train.

Kerry, who was joined at the event by her husband Nnamdi Asomugh, broke away from his side for a few minutes to take that red carpet by storm.

Her husband of two-and-a-half years - and former NFL player - looked suave next to Kerry in a black tuxedo and bow tie.

The couple, who share a 20-month-old daughter named Isabelle, wed in a hush-hush June 24 ceremony in Hailey, Idaho after dating a year, E! News reported at the time.

Nabbing the role of crisis management expert Olivia Pope in the ABC drama Scandal has been life-altering as well.

'One of the most profound things for me about [Scandal] is the number of white women of all ages who come up to me and say "I want to be Olivia Pope,"' Kerry told Vanity Fair's August issue.

'It's especially profound in a place like South Africa. It's called The Fixer over there, and it just started its second season.

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke at the ceremony that was held at the The Kennedy Center Hall of States

Kerry, meanwhile, continued her star streak as she mingled with real-life politicos during the reception at the White House.

Other celebrity attendees included Miranda Lambert, Viola Davis and more.