Ariana Grande didn’t waste any time telling Britney Spears exactly how she feels after the latter sweetly shouted her out on Instagram Wednesday.
Britney spoke out about becoming a “makeup junkie” and, after opening up about feeling anxious about welcoming her third child, wrote, “It’s going to be okay and now that @ArianaGrande sent me this unbelievable packaging with her new makeup line @REMbeauty … I believe my day is set !!!”
Britney said she “already put it on” and raved about Ariana’s “awesome” beauty line. “Thank you Ariana for this amazing gift,” she added. “I needed eyeshadow !!! How did you know ??? God bless.”
Soon after, Ariana rushed to the comment section and called Britney “queen !!!!!”
“You deserve every single ounce of love and joy that this life has to offer,” the Don’t Look Up actress continued. “Thank you & i’m so glad you’re enjoying your gifts.”
Ariana also took to her Instagram story to link Britney’s post, which she captioned, “Love you so much.”
In other Ari news, she shared a positive update about her Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund, a new initiative aimed at helping those who would be impacted by anti-LGBT legislation. As of Thursday morning, it has raised more than $762,000, which is more than halfway to its $1,500,000 goal.
Ariana previously announced, “I will be matching all funds raised up to $1,500,000” and explained funds will be divided equally between “organizations advocating for the rights of trans youth.”
Among the beneficiaries of the fund are Gendernexus, House of Tulip, Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, JASMYN, and organizations in states that have put forth anti-LGBT legislation.
Travis Barker newest ink honors late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
In an Instagram post, the Blink-182 rocker unveiled a new tattoo of a hawk on his ankle. In the caption, he wrote, “HAWK forever.”
Along with photos of the fresh piece, Barker also shared a throwback picture of him and Hawkins together.
Hawkins passed away unexpectedly on March 25 in Bogotá, Colombia, ahead of a Foo Fighters show scheduled there for later that night. He was 50 years old.
Barker was among the many artists who paid tribute to Hawkins following the news, writing in part, “To say I’ll miss you my friend isn’t enough. Till the next time we talk drums and smoke in the boys room…Rest in Peace.”
In related news, Shinedown covered the Foo Fighters song “Wheels” in honor of Hawkins earlier this week during a show in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Fan-shot footage of the performance is streaming now on YouTube.
Legendary R&B artist Mary J. Blige will receive the Icon Award at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, Billboardannounced on Thursday. And as part of the recognition, the 10-time BBMA winner will perform in the show.
Blige is now added to a list of only 10 other artist to receive the prestigious award, which recognizes outstanding artists for their Billboard charts excellence and contributions to music. Past recipients include Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Prince and Stevie Wonder.
“My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses and now even my own music festival,” Blige said in the announcement. “Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.”
Some of Blige’s many BBMA accolades include taking home top trophies at the 2006 show, including Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year, for The Breakthrough, an award she previously won at the 1995 awards show, for My Life.
The 2022 Billboard Music Awards air live from Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian troops invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Russian forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.
In recent days, Russian forces have retreated from northern Ukraine, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv, the United States and European countries accused Russia of committing war crimes.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 14, 10:13 am
Ukraine says 30 citizens returned in 4th prisoner swap with Russia
Thirty prisoners of war will be returned to Ukraine on Thursday as part of the latest exchange of captives with Russia, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
Vereshchuk said in a statement via social media Thursday that, following an order from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, five officers and 17 servicemen were exchanged, along with the release of eight civilians, including one woman.
“In total, 30 of our citizens are going home today,” Vereshchuk said.
Thursday’s prisoner swap marked the fourth to take place between the two countries since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Apr 14, 10:01 am
9 humanitarian corridors to reopen in eastern Ukraine on Thursday
Nine humanitarian corridors are expected to reopen in eastern Ukraine on Thursday to allow civilians escape heavy fighting, according to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
She said in a statement via social media Thursday that evacuation routes were agreed upon for those traveling by private cars from besieged Mariupol in the Donetsk Oblast, as well as from Berdyansk, Tokmak and Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast — all of which lead to the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
In the Luhansk Oblast, Vereshchuk said routes were established from the cities of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna, Hirske and Rubizhne, leading to the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk Oblast.
Humanitarian corridors were not reopened the previous day because Russian forces had blocked evacuation buses in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast and violated the cease-fire in the Luhansk Oblast, according to Vereshchuk.
“All this creates such a level of danger on routes that we are forced to refrain from opening humanitarian corridors today,” she said in a statement via social media Wednesday.
Apr 14, 9:01 am
Two eastern Ukrainian towns may face ‘indiscriminate attacks,’ UK warns
Russian forces are likely to attack the towns of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine, the U.K. Ministry of Defense warned in an intelligence update Thursday.
The towns are both located in the Donetsk Oblast of the disputed Donbas region, where Russian troops are “striking Ukrainian forces in preparation for a renewed offensive,” according to the ministry.
“Urban centres have faced repeated indiscriminate attacks from Russia throughout the conflict,” the ministry said. “The towns of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka are likely to be Russian targets for similar levels of violence.”
The railway station in Kramatorsk was the site of rocket attack that killed dozens of civilians trying to evacuate the region on April 8.
“The combination of widespread missile and artillery strikes and efforts to concentrate forces for an offensive represents a reversion to traditional Russian military doctrine,” the ministry added. “However, this will require significant force levels. Ukraine’s continued defence of Mariupol is currently tying down significant numbers of Russian troops and equipment.”
Mariupol, a strategic port city in the Donetsk Oblast, has been under heavy Russian bombardment since the start of the invasion on Feb. 24. Strong resistance from Ukrainian troops have prevented Russian forces from taking full control of Mariupol.
Apr 14, 4:51 am
197 children killed in invasion, Ukraine says
At least 197 children have been killed in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday.
Another 351 children have been injured during the invasion, the office said. The actual number of casualties was assumed to be higher, because Ukraine’s official figures didn’t include “full consideration of places with active hostilities,” the office said.
Two children died after being hospitalized for injuries from a rocket attack on a train station in eastern Ukraine last Friday, according to Thursday’s update. Seven children have now died following that Russian attack, the update said.
Apr 13, 9:43 pm
Ukraine claims to have struck Russia’s Black Sea fleet flagship
Several Ukrainian government sources reported Wednesday that armed forces have struck Russia’s Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva.
The governor of Odesa Maksym Marchenko claimed on Telegram that two anti-ship cruise missiles struck the cruiser in the Black Sea, causing “very serious damage.”
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych and Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported there was an explosion and that the cruiser is on fire.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said a fire onboard the Moskva caused a subsequent broadside munitions explosion.
“The ship received serious damage, the crew was evacuated,” the ministry said, adding that an investigation is underway.
There was no mention of a missile strike in the ministry’s statement, which was carried by Russia’s state-run news agency TASS.
For Bridgerton fans who’d like nothing more than to sleep with star Jonathan Bailey, there’s now an app for that.
The actor, who plays dashing, romantic Anthony Bridgerton on the hit series, has voiced a Sleep Story for the wellness app Calm.
British actor Bailey’s dulcet tones can be heard on “Love Letter from an Englishman.” Set to snooze-inducing violin music, it’s the calming tale of “The captain of the HMS Dreamscape, who sets sail across tropical waters in the 1800s in search of a rare and beautiful flower for his beloved.”
The Bridgerton actor is following in the footsteps of last season’s stud Regé-Jean Page, who also voiced a Sleep Story for the app.
“I’ve listened to many Sleep Stories over the years narrated by an eclectic mix of super talented readers, so it’s an honour to release my own,” Bailey said in a statement. “I hope people cosily doze off as they set sail with me…”
He adds, “I know how hard it can be to silence your mind at night. I hope my sleep story…will take people on a soothing romantic journey into a deep energizing slumber.”
Cracker Jack, the caramel-coated popcorn-and-peanut snack, is introducing the first female mascot in its 125-year history — with some help from Normani.
The brand is launching Cracker Jill, special packages with a female sailor on the front, to celebrate women in sports. A new ad starts with images of young girls watching women in various sports, along with the tagline, “Sometimes all it takes to believe you can do something, is to see someone who looks like you do it.”
We then see Normani step to the microphone to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” but instead of singing, “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack/I don’t care if I never get back,” she sings, “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jill, no one can stop you if you have the will.”
She continues, “So let’s root, root, root for a girl’s dream, we’re adding our face to the game/And we’ll run, throw, never a doubt/It’s a new ball game.”
“As a young girl, I remember being inspired by athletes and artists who looked like me,” Normani says in a statement. “They made me believe that I could also achieve greatness as I watched them break barriers for women.”
She adds, “I’m proud to be part of a campaign entrenched in inclusivity and empowerment because it’s vital for young girls to see themselves represented and join in on the celebration of the achievements made by the women before them.”
Crack Jack is also donating $200,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation. If you donate five dollars or more, you’ll get a free bag of Cracker Jill. While Cracker Jill is being launched to coincide with the 2022 baseball season, the new mascot will continue to be a part of the brand ethos.
They say honesty is the best policy, and that’s just what Charlie Puth needed to take his music to the next level.
While appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, the singer recalled receiving some harsh criticism from Elton John that made him reevaluate things.
“When you write a song, it’s important to tell the truth, and I wasn’t kinda doing that in 2019. And the person who kind of awoken my senses was none other than Elton John,” Charlie began.
After explaining that the two met at Craig’s restaurant in Los Angeles, he shared that the English singer told him, “You know, your music sucked in 2019. It wasn’t good.”
Instead of getting bent out of shape about the unexpected feedback, Charlie turned it into an opportunity to get better.
“It was like a gut punch, but I had been thinking that as well. It was kind of a wake-up call,” the “Light Switch” singer admitted. “I was in denial a little bit and then the whole world shut down and I was able to kinda sit with my new way of making music and just decided that I would never put out a song again if it weren’t the truth.”
Speaking of “Light Switch,” Charlie also performed the song on Ellen. His forthcoming self-titled album, Charlie, is due out this year.
Gatt in 2015 – Amy Graves/Getty Images for GBK Productions
Game of Thrones actor Joseph Gatt is responding to allegations of that he engaged in “online sexually explicit communication with a minor.”
Taking to social media, Gatt, 50, defended himself in a statement beginning, “I obviously want to address the absolutely horrifying and completely untrue allegations recently leveled against me. They are 100% categorically wrong and reckless.”
“I have confirmed errors and misleading information in today’s press release,” he continued. “I am fully cooperating with police and LAPD to get to the bottom of this. I look forward to clearing my good name.”
Gatt then thanked his friends and supporters and said “for legal reasons I cannot comment further on social media.”
On April 6, Gatt was arrested at his LA-area home on suspicion of engaging in “online sexually explicit communication with a minor” by detectives from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the Los Angeles Police Department Wednesday, Los Angeles police reached out to the public in search of people who may have been victimized by him.
Detectives served a search warrant at Gatt’s home, “after they received information that Gatt had been engaged in online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines,” according to an LAPD statement.
Gatt was arrested on a felony warrant for “contact with a minor for sexual offense,” police said. Details of his alleged crime were not released.
Gatt had a minor role in Game of Thrones, playing one of the Free Folk in season four. His other acting credits include NCIS: New Orleans, Thor and Star Trek Into Darkness, according to IMDb.
27th Annual SAG Awards/Getty Images for WarnerMedia
Frank Langella has been axed from Netflix’s limited series The Fall of the House of Usher following an investigation into his alleged misconduct on set.
Sources tell Deadline that the Frost/Nixon actor was the subject of an investigation that determined he was involved in unacceptable conduct on set.
Langella was set to play Roderick Usher in the eight-episode series, based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The part is being recast and the scenes Langella has already filmed will be re-shot.
Langella had not been scheduled to work this week, according to the outlet. Filming on the series will reportedly continue with scenes not involving the Roderick Usher character until a new actor is cast.
TMZ reported on Tuesday that the investigation was launched after the 84-year-old actor was accused of sexual harassment, including making inappropriate comments to a female co-star on set during work.
The Fall of the House of Usher also stars Carla Gugino, Mary McDonnell, Carl Lumbly and Mark Hamill.
For All Mankind‘s Jodi Balfour has landed a major recurring role on Apple TV+’s Emmy-winning series Ted Lasso, according to Deadline. She’s the first known cast addition for the show’s upcoming third season. Balfour will play Jack, “a charming venture capitalist.” She joins Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Phil Dunster and Nick Mohammed on the series…
Salma Hayek is joining the cast of Channing Tatum’s new Magic Mike sequel for HBO Max, replacing Thandiwe Newton. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. told Variety on Wednesday that Newton “made the difficult decision to step away from the production…to deal with family matters.” In Magic Mike’s Last Dance, Tatum returns as male stripper Mike Lane, a character that was loosely based on his own experiences as a stripper in Florida. The movies have grossed more than $285 million in theaters worldwide…
Kristen Stewart has joined the cast of Love Lies Bleeding, a romantic thriller set in the world of bodybuilding, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story is centered on the extreme qualities it takes to succeed in the competitive world of bodybuilding, sources tell the outlet. Stewart earned her first Oscar nomination earlier this year for playing future Princess of Wales Diana Spencer in the biopic Spencer…
Jesse L. Martin is leaving the CW’s The Flash after eight seasons for a lead role in NBC’s drama pilot The Irrational, according to Deadline. While he’ll longer be a series regular on The Flash, he is expected to appear in multiple episodes of the DC drama’s upcoming ninth season. Martin, whose contract is up at the end of the current season, hasn’t been approached to return, leaving him available for pilots and series. The pilot for The Irrational, which Martin will also produce, will be shot in late May-early June in Vancouver, where The Flash also films. It won’t be in consideration for NBC’s fall schedule, Deadline says…
