Former assistant accuses Vin Diesel of sexual battery

Universal

A report in Vanity Fair says a former assistant to Vin Diesel is suing the star, claiming he sexually battered her in the fall of 2010.

The incident reportedly happened in Atlanta while she was working for Diesel when he was filming Fast Five, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles.

According to the legal documents obtained by Vanity Fair, Asta Jonasson claims she was asked to wait in Diesel’s suite at the St. Regis Hotel while he entertained hostesses from a club he’d visited. Once they left, Diesel is accused of pulling Jonasson onto the bed. She managed to “escape,” and asked him to leave, the accusation continues.

And instead, the documents claim, he began groping and kissing her chest against her will, “and molested her body, running his hands over Ms. Jonasson’s upper legs, including her inner thighs.”

VF quoted the suit as saying, “Ms. Jonasson was afraid to more forcibly refuse her supervisor, knowing that getting him out of that room was both crucial to her personal safety and job security.”

Diesel’s camp has yet to comment about the accusations.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘Barbie’, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Oppenheimer’ among new potential Oscar nominees

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ – Marvel Studios

On Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced more potential Oscar nominees.

Among them are hopefuls in the categories of Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Sound and Visual Effects.

Nominations voting begins on Thursday, January 11, and runs through Tuesday, January 16.

The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, with the ceremony taking place live on ABC Sunday, March 10, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Fifteen films made the cut for the Original Score category. These include:

American Fiction
American Symphony
Barbie
The Boy and the Heron
The Color Purple
Elemental
The Holdovers
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Saltburn
Society of the Snow
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Zone of Interest

The shortlist for Best Original Song also includes 15 nominees with Barbie, The Color Purple, and Flora and Son represented by multiple songs:

“It Never Went Away” – American Symphony
“Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)” – Asteroid City
“Dance The Night” – Barbie
“I’m Just Ken” – Barbie
“What Was I Made For?” – Barbie
“Keep It Movin’ – The Color Purple
“Superpower (I)” – The Color Purple
The Fire Inside” – Flamin’ Hot”
“High Life” – Flora and Son
“Meet In The Middle” – Flora and Son
“Can’t Catch Me Now” – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
“Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” – Killers of the Flower Moon
“Quiet Eyes” – Past Lives
“Road To Freedom – Rustin
“Am I Dreaming” – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Beau Is Afraid
Ferrari
Golda
Killers of the Flower Moon
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
Society of the Snow

Best Visual Effects:

The Creator
Godzilla Minus One
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Poor Things
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
Society of the Snow
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Rachel McAdams answers why she’s missing from ‘Mean Girls’ reunions

Photo by CBS via Getty Images

Rachel McAdams has sounded off on why she won’t appear in the Mean Girls musical movie — or those viral Walmart ads that snagged her co-stars Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert.

Regina George’s alter-ego explained to Variety of the commercial, “I didn’t know that everyone was doing it.”

She added, “I would, of course, always love to be part of a Mean Girls reunion and hang with my Plastics, but yeah, I found that out later.”

McAdams also told the trade that when she was pitched the idea of reprising her role for the ad, “I guess I wasn’t that excited about doing a commercial if I’m being totally honest. A movie sounded awesome, but I’ve never done commercials, and it just didn’t feel like my bag.”

As for the forthcoming musical version, which also stars her former co-star — and Mean Girls writer and producer — Tina Fey, McAdams said, “Tina and I sort of dabbled with a few ideas, but it was tough to make it all work in the end.”

She added, “I was really down for whatever she wanted to do.”

That said, the Doctor Strange franchise veteran will apparently be there in spirit — or at the movie theater when the film opens January 12. “I think the direction it went in will be fantastic and I cannot wait to see it,” she enthused.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Golden Globes gift bag goodies total more than half a million bucks

CBS/Sonja Flemming

When it comes to awards shows, as they say, it’s an honor just to be nominated — but it really pays off just to present, too.

That’s the takeaway from the take-away goodies nominees and presenters will be given in a gift bag reportedly worth more than $500,000.

In a statement, The Robb Report — the luxury lifestyle magazine for well-heeled people, or people who just wish they were — says it has teamed up with the annual awards show and piled a half-million dollars’ worth of goods and services for those special attendees.

The more than 35 goodies run the gamut from Le Domaine skin cream valued at $250, to “bespoke” Opie Way custom-made sneakers ($1,500), to a five-day luxury yacht charter in Indonesia aboard the Celestia Phinisi yacht valued at $83,000.

Robb Report president Luke Bahrenburg says, “While ‘The Ultimate Gift Bag’ may be the most valuable ever at over $500,000 in value, it’s also the most unique in terms of presentation, delivery, and curation of items. We are excited to have created a collection of the world’s finest luxury brands and experiences, from iconic names we all know to very limited craft brands.”

The Robb Report is also auctioning off “a select number of bags, alongside a special Golden Globes experience,” to benefit The Golden Globes Foundation.

The “immensely grateful” president of the Golden Globes, Helen Hoehne, says in the announcement, “This generous contribution not only embodies the spirit of giving but also marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to uplift underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry.”

The 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, January 7, at 8 p.m. ET.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Experts say ‘Home Alone’ family was in the 1%

Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Taking a huge family — minus one — on a Christmas trip to Paris might have been your first tip-off that the family from Home Alone was loaded, and you’d be right for assuming that.

In fact, they’re in the 1%.

That’s according to a deep dive the New York Times did on the McCallister family’s finances, with a little help from experts from Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

First off, there’s the stately Chicago home that Macaulay Culkin‘s Kevin vowed to defend from Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern‘s bumbling Wet Bandit robbery team.

The home itself, 671 Lincoln Avenue in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, sits in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the United States, Realtor.com offers.

Back in 2022, Zillow estimated the house’s price at about $2.4 million.

The Times re-wound the clock back to 1990, when the movie was released. According to economists, Kevin’s parents — played by John Heard and Catherine O’Hara in the film — would have had to be bringing in $305,000 a year to afford that house. That translates to more than $716,000 a year today.

That’s not bad considering we never learned what Kevin’s forgetful parents actually do for a living — though a novelization of the hit film says Kevin’s mom is in the fashion industry, while Kevin’s dad is a generic businessman.

Todd Strasser, who wrote the book, offered, “I don’t know how much the McAllisters made, but it sure did a lot for my bank account.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Cameron Diaz says “we should normalize separate bedrooms” for married couples

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images

Cameron Diaz has a suggestion for married households.

During a recent appearance on the Lipstick on the Rim podcast, hosted by Molly Sims and Emese Gormley, Diaz, 51, along with her business partner Katherine Power, discussed their wine brand Avaline as well as some personal stories.

At one point during the conversation, Diaz gave a candid response to a comment from one of the women, who shared that her husband snores in the bedroom.

“We should normalize separate bedrooms,” said Diaz, who is married to musician Benji Madden.

She continued, “To me, I would literally — I have my house, you have yours. We have the family house in the middle. I will go and sleep in my room. You go sleep in your room. I’m fine.”

Diaz also added that couples can “have the bedroom in the middle that we can convene in for our relations.”

One of the women later noted that Diaz’s statement might be considered controversial by some, to which the actress replied, “I’ve already said it.”

She clarified, however, “By the way, I don’t feel that way now because my husband is so wonderful. I had said that before I got married.”

Diaz and Madden have been married for eight years, tying the knot on January 5, 2015.

Earlier this year, the Good Charlotte rocker took to Instagram to celebrate the couple’s eighth wedding anniversary sharing a sweet tribute to his wife beside a work of art that appeared to have been painted by him.

“In Love, Inspired, Happy and Grateful,” Madden wrote in the caption at the time. “Let’s do 80 more and then forever,” he added.

The pair share a daughter, Raddix, who was born in December 2019.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘Barbie’ co-writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach marry after 12 years together

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Greta Gerwig married her Barbie co-writer and longtime partner Noah Baumbach after 12 years of dating, Gerwig’s rep tells People.

Gerwig, 40, and Baumbach, 54, tied the knot at New York City Hall, a source tells the outlet.

The couple met in 2010 while shooting the film Greenberg and started dating a year later. The Oscar nominees share two sons together, ages 4 and 10 months.

Baumbach was previously married actress Jennifer Jason Leigh, with whom he shares a child.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In Brief: Starz cutting ‘Shining Vale’, and more

NCIS will honor the late David McCallum with a special tribute in the second episode of the show’s upcoming 21st season, set to air on February 19, according to TVLine. “In the episode, the team will learn of Ducky’s passing and reflect on their memories of him as they grieve,” NCIS co-showrunners and executive producers Steven D. Binder and David North tell the outlet. “And true to Ducky’s meticulous and compassionate nature, even after he’s gone, he still manages to solve one last crime with the team.” McCallum played Ducky for 20 seasons until his death September 25 at the age of 90. He was the last remaining original cast member following the exit of series lead Mark Harmon early in season 19 …

Paul Giamatti will be the recipient of the The Palm Springs International Film Awards’ Icon Award for his performance in Netflix’s The Holdovers. “For his storied career of quintessential cinematic roles, it is our honor to present him with the Icon Award for this career-best performance,” the film society’s chairman, Nachhattar Singh Chandi, said in a statement on Wednesday, December 20. Past winners of the Icon Award include Glenn CloseWillem DafoeMichael DouglasRobert DuvallTom Hanks and Meryl Streep. The Palm Springs International Film Awards will take place January 4 at the Palm Springs Convention Center …

Variety reports season 2 of the Starz horror comedy Shining Vale will be its last, and the show’s first two seasons will be cut by the streaming service at the end of the year. “What an absolute joy I had working on this show. Not a single bad day. Please watch the STARZ (turns out limited) series Shining Vale by 12/31,” the show’s creator, Jeff Astrof, wrote on Instagram next to a cast photo, according to the outlet. The series, starring Courteney Cox, followed a family that moves to a small town into a haunted house…

 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Zack Snyder on crafting the intricate universe in ‘Rebel Moon’

Netflix

Are you ready to travel to Rebel Moon?

Zack Snyder’s latest directorial effort is the sprawling space epic Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire, which streams Thursday on Netflix. Snyder told ABC Audio that the film is a cathartic redemption story.

“It’s about finding home, and about finding a family and finding that thing in your life that is worth fighting for, worth dying for,” Snyder said.

The film’s universe was intricately crafted. Snyder says he and his team spent the last five years building out mythology and languages, trying to always find the answer to specific questions that came up along the way.

Such questions included: “What does Motherworld’s historical map look like? What are their origin stories? Where did they come from? What are their genesis myths? What are their religious, competing religious beliefs that all got kind of distilled down to a single kind of singular way of thinking?” Snyder said.

In fact, Snyder’s been crafting this universe so intricately, he says it’s reminiscent of a guy in a basement with a corkboard full of pictures connected with strings.

“I have a version of it,” Snyder said. “We have a giant dry erase that has, like, all the different planets and their stories and the timeline. And there’s a few of those around the different offices.” 

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire becomes available for streaming Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on Netflix. 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Shannen Doherty says ‘Charmed’ co-star got her fired from series

Getty Images

On the latest episode of her Let’s Be Clear podcast, Shannen Doherty let something off her chest: She never quit the series Charmed.

Doherty recounted with her guest, former Charmed co-star Holly Marie Combs, that she was all but fired by their co-star Alyssa Milano.

“The narrative that I ‘quit’ was assigned to me by other people,” Doherty declared.

The actress added, “I don’t want to keep lying about something that meant the absolute world to me, something that I loved doing. I loved going to that job. I loved the people that I worked with.”

She continued, “Now, at my age, and dealing with Stage 4 cancer, I just don’t feel like I have to keep telling a lie.”

Combs agreed with Doherty’s revelation, explaining Milano had reportedly threatened legal action against the former Beverly Hills, 90210 star.

Recalling a conversation with Charmed producer Jonathan Levin, Combs quoted him as saying, “‘We were told that it’s her [Doherty] or me. Alyssa has threatened to sue us for a hostile workplace environment.'”

Combs continued, “Because [Milano] went to … the corporate mediator … she built a case for herself where she was documenting every time she felt uncomfortable on set and for whatever reason, whereas you and I refused to speak to him. So that’s where the deck was stacked.”

For her part, Shannen says, “I don’t ever remember being mean to [Milano] on set. I remember an episode that I directed where … they asked me to work around some things with her and I couldn’t have been more kind and understanding.”

Doherty asserted the network built the show around her, but the “competitiveness” soon kicked in between her and Milano.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.