Entertainment

Taylor Lautner is opening up about hateful comments he’s received about his appearance and shared an important message on mental health.

The Twilight alum, 31, posted a video to Instagram Monday sharing some of the remarks people have made, including ones that said he “did not age well.”

Lautner began the video saying he’d just gotten back from a run and was “feeling really good about myself, trying to stay healthy both physically and mentally,” which made him want to address the comments head-on.

Some of the remarks were about his hairline; another that he “aged like a raisin.”

Lautner said in the past, comments like this “really would have got under my skin, and it would have caused me to want to just go in a hole and not go outside.”

However, he’s “in a different place” these days and has worked on himself to stop putting “value in the wrong things.”

“You find value where you put it,” he explained. “And if you put your value in what other people think of you, that’s how you’re going to feel. But if you put your value in you knowing who you are, what’s important to you, what you love, that kind of stuff won’t get to you.”

Lautner continued, “I’m just so thankful I’m in the place I am today where I can see that. I’m not gonna lie and say it doesn’t bug me, but it doesn’t make me question who I am, and it doesn’t take anything away from me.”

The actor ended his video asking his followers to “just think about and remember where you put your value in life.”

“And also, just be nice,” he added. “It’s not that difficult. Let’s be nice to each other. Let’s spread love and positivity. It’s that simple.”

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As hardcore Star Wars fans already know, it takes at least three people to make The Mandalorian‘s Din Djarin the man he is.

Of course, Pedro Pascal has been billed as the man under the shiny beskar helmet since the first season of the Disney+ show, but things were very different for season 3, he tells The Hollywood Reporter.

When Din’s bucket is on, Brendan Wayne — grandson of icon John Wayne — was underneath, providing Din with his gunslinger swagger. If there’s any fistfighting or Darksaber dueling to be done, that goes to martial artist Lateef Crowder wearing the costume.

There were scenes in seasons 1 and 2 when Din had to remove his helmet, revealing Pascal’s face — a no-no to the character’s code — but that didn’t happen in season 3, and it wasn’t because of Din’s beliefs.

It was because Pascal wasn’t there, he tells the trade.

The actor was busy filming HBO’s The Last of Us when Mando‘s third season was underway, which means he only provided Din’s gravelly voice.

Pascal says of the first two seasons, “There was an extended amount of experimentation, being in the suit for a lot of it, and frankly, my body wasn’t up for the task as far as, like, the four months of it. But I was in it. I was in it a significant amount, an elastic amount.”

He adds, “But now we’ve figured it out, which is super cool, and amazingly, it gave me the opportunity to be able to go and do something else.”

Pedro says he wouldn’t change either of the other actors’ performances as his stand-ins, who were given top billing in the show’s credits for the first time this season.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Legendary singer Tina Turner, known for her sultry voice and a string of Platinum hits, has died at age 83.

The news was confirmed on Turner’s official Facebook page.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner,” the statement said on Facebook. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly.”

Turner became one of her era’s most enduring female artists, with smash hits like “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” and memorable movie appearances.

Rolling Stone once named her “one of the greatest singers of all time.”

Alongside her ex-husband, Ike Turner, she released hits such as “River Deep – Mountain High” and “Proud Mary.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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On Wednesday, Paramount+ dropped a trailer for the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. In a twist, it shows a live-action crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks, the streaming service’s offbeat, comedic animated series set in the same universe.

Strange New World‘s cast, including Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley and Ethan Peck as Spock, are all back on board the Starship Enterprise.

“Our job puts us up against death,” Captain Pike tells a crew member. “We don’t have to like it. But we do have to face it.” 

But amid the action, interstellar intrigue and romance, there’s a tension breaker: The action-packed preview also reveals The Boys‘ Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler and Brockmire‘s Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner — the same characters they voice on Star Trek: Lower Decks — but in the flesh.

“Surprise!” Mariner says, hinting that the quirky characters won’t be changing their stripes in live-action form.

At the trailer’s close, Spock sends off Quaid’s character with the other crew members in the ship’s transporter room. “Live long and prosper,” Spock tells the jittery Starfleet officer, as he’s about to be beamed off the ship. “Ah, you, uh, also live and …” Quaid stammers in reply, trying his best to mimic the Vulcan salute. 

The second season debuts June 15. 

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A week after the reality show premiered, Paramount+ announced it has renewed The Family Stallone for a second season. 

The series follows Sylvester Stallone, his wife, Jennifer, and their daughters Sistine, Scarlet and Sophia, as they navigate life as one of Hollywood’s most famous families. 

For 26-year-old Sistine, Sly and Jennifer’s eldest, watching the show back had its share of surprises. “Obviously we’ve seen him on TV and film our entire life, but seeing him play the role of Girl Dad was so strange,” she tells ABC Audio.

Sly interrupted, “I thought you were going to say, ‘He looks shorter in person.'”

Sistine laughed, “That too, that too. But it’s, you know, we’re used to seeing this macho, tough actor play this role. And now we’re seeing you petting a little Cavapoo and eating cookies.” Sky’s youngest, 20-year-old Scarlet, adds, “And also giving the best wisdom.”

The Rocky creator and Tulsa King star added sarcastically, “There goes my audience … next, I have a cooking show,” miming mixing in a bowl. “Like, ‘Hey, how are ya? Donuts with Sly.'”  

Paramount+ says The Family Stallone‘s debut on May 17 broke records, becoming the #1 original reality series premiere on the service. 

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In the new action, coming-of-age series American Born Chinese, premiering Wednesday on Disney+, Ben Wang stars as Jin Wang, a high school sophomore hoping to start the new school year by playing some soccer and asking out his crush. But his whole world is thrown upside down when a new exchange student shows up, and things start getting weird.

It’s based on a graphic novel by Gene Yang, and Wang tells ABC Audio it’s as if Yang was hiding in the bushes watching him grow up.

“It was like literally, every single panel felt like it was just painted from my life,” he explains. “That terrible haircut that Jin has, that was my haircut … the sad expression on his face and the dumb t-shirts … I’m like, ‘Wow, How did somebody, how was somebody able to so specifically capture what I thought was a very specific and unique experience?'”

Even though the story felt very specific to how Wang grew up, he’s learned that it’s surprisingly universal, sharing that, “At the very center, it’s a story about growing up.”

He adds, “It’s a story about being a teenager, feeling like you don’t fit in, feeling sort of like an underdog, maybe. And that, I think, is a really, really universal message.”

Ultimately, Wang hopes it will feel that way for others who feel alone.

“I was one of the only Asian kids in my town, in my county, in my congressional district and I know for a fact that having this show would have made me feel less lonely about my experiences,” Wang expresses. “So for the kids out there who did have a specific experience like I did, I hope this is useful for them, this show, because I know it would have been for me.”

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The MTV Video Music Awards have an air date. The ceremony will air live from New Jersey’s Prudential Center on Tuesday, September 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Additional details will be announced closer to the show. The VMAs honor the best music videos of the past year with appearances and performances from music’s biggest stars…

Deadline reports What We Do in the Shadows star Matt Berry is in talks to join Jason Momoa in Minecraft, the film adaptation of the titular video game, which is the highest-selling of all time. Plot details, including Berry’s potential role, have not been revealed. The film is set for an April 4, 2025 release…

Original Blues Clues host Steve Burns is returning to his old stomping grounds. Entertainment Weekly reports he will appear in an upcoming episode of Nickelodeon’s popular kids TV show that he co-wrote and directed, titled “The Case of the Missing Thinking Chair.” Burns was the face of Blues Clues from its debut in 1996 through 2002. He was succeeded by Donovan Patton, as Burns’ cousin Joe — who also reprises his role in the episode. They join current star Josh Dela Cruz, who plays Steve’s brother and Joe’s cousin. “The Case of the Missing Thinking Chair” airs Friday, May 26, at 11:30 a.m. ET…

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The Voice revealed its season 23 winner — Gina Miles, from Niall Horan‘s team — and said goodbye to coach Blake Shelton after 23 seasons.

A shocked Miles beat out Grace West and NOIVAS from Team Blake, who placed fifth and second, respectively; D.Smooth from Kelly Clarkson’s team, who came in fourth; and Sorelle from Chance the Rapper’s team, who finished third.

However, the night also belonged to Blake, who was honored throughout the show.

Former coach Adam Levine appeared in person to say goodbye to his buddy and longtime co-star, along with many of Shelton’s past contestants, including Dia Frampton, Xenia, Jermaine Paul, Cassadee Pope, Danielle Bradbery, Swon Brothers, Todd Tilghman, Ian Flanigan, Bryce Leatherwood, Craig Wayne Boyd, RaeLynn and Sundance Head, who performed Green Day‘s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).”

Former coaches Miley Cyrus, Camila Cabello, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Pharrell Williams, CeeLo Green, Nick Jonas, and John Legend also sent video messages, along with NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson, Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, Olympic track and field champ Jackie Joyner-Kersee and former NFL star Peyton Manning. Dolly Parton also sent best wishes, as well as George Strait, the last of whom said that he hoped to see Blake on the road sometime.

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It’s a whole new The Little Mermaid swimming into theaters this weekend. The live action remake of the 1989 animated Disney film stars Halle Bailey in the title role. She’s African-American, and many say the move is a huge leap forward in representation.

“The representation is so part of why I’m so excited to be part of this movie,” South African-British actress Noma Dumezweni, who plays a new character in the film, Queen Selina, mother to Prince Eric, tells ABC Audio.

“Because we have grown up in a different time. And look we all live in a small space and then when we meet the rest of the world, sometimes a lot of us get scared,” she continues. “Sometimes a lot of us go into adventure mode and want to meet other people. But the majority of people are fearful. And so what? For me, it is a fairy tale. A lot of people will see themselves. And for me, that’s when things make sense.”

And watching the film on the big screen at the premiere, adds Dumezweni, was a magical experience.

“To sit in an auditorium with thousands, literally thousands of people going, ‘Wow, this is it,'” she shares. “And that screen and the applause after each song. And I’m not singing, I was like, ‘This is it’s fabulous. It’s fabulous.'”

Jonah Hauer-King, who plays Prince Eric, recalls “I got quite lucky because most of our stuff, pretty much all of our stuff we actually could see around us, we actually experienced.”

Adds Jonah, “I don’t know how Halle and the mermaids and Melissa [McCarthy] … did it, because they were in a blue box, essentially. Whereas our palace, that kiss the girl rainforest, you know, that was all there.”

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On Tuesday, Netflix released the teaser to Skull Island, the animated spinoff of the “Monsterverse” movies that kicked off with 2014’s Godzilla. 

The snippet of the anime shows a group of humans marooned on the mysterious, monster-filled home of King Kong, tangling with its nasty inhabitants. 

The Hollywood Reporter says Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem voice star Nicolas Cantu will play Charlie, one of the marooned; the cast also includes Law & Order veteran Benjamin Bratt as Cap, The Duff‘s Mae Whitman playing Annie and The Tomorrow War‘s Betty Gilpin as Irene.

The series drops on June 22.

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