Lenny Kravitz to play Marvin Gaye in upcoming bio-pic

Grammy winning musician Lenny Kravitz is set to play soul music icon Marvin Gaye in a bio-pic scheduled to begin production early next year. Kravitz has been steadily beefing up his acting resume since breakout supporting performances in Oscar nominated indie "Precious" and blockbuster "The Hunger Games." He'll soon be seen in "Hunger" sequel "Catching Fire" and "Precious" director Lee Daniels' star-filled White House drama "The Butler." The Marvin Gaye project will focus on the singer's early '80s attempt at dealing with his addictions and mounting a professional comeback before his untimely murder in 1984. Julien Temple ("Absolute Beginners") is set to direct, and the music rights issues are already sorted out.  Music rights had been a stumbling block for two other long-delayed Gaye projects, one from director F. Gary Gray and another from producer James Gandolfini (which would've starred Jesse L. Martin as Gaye).

 

Berry's ex says he was threatened before fight

Halle Berry's ex-boyfriend claims the actress's fiance threatened to kill him during a Thanksgiving confrontation that left him with a broken rib, bruised face and under arrest. Gabriel Aubry's claims are included in court filings that led a judge Monday to grant a restraining order against actor Olivier Martinez, who is engaged to the Oscar-winning actress. Aubry, 37, was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after his confrontation with Martinez on Thursday, but he states in the civil court filings that he was not the aggressor and that he was threatened and attacked without provocation. Martinez told police that Aubry had attacked first, the filings state. Aubry's filing claims Martinez threatened him the day before the fight at an event at his daughter's school that he and the actors attended. Aubry, a model, has a 4-year-old daughter with Berry and the former couple have been engaged in a lengthy custody battle. Aubry claims Martinez told him, "You cost us $3 million," while he was punched and kicked him in the driveway of Berry's home. Aubry had gone to the home to allow his daughter to spend Thanksgiving with her mother, the filings state. Aubry claims Martinez threatened to kill him if Aubry didn't move to Paris. Berry was not in the driveway during the confrontation and neither was their daughter, the documents state. Aubry alleges in his court papers that as he drove up to Berry's house with Nahla in the backseat, he saw Martinez and thought it was odd since Martinez is not usually at the house during custodial hand-offs. Aubry claims Nahla said, "Olivier is here. I'm scared." After handing off Nahla to somebody named Miriam, who took the child indoors, Martinez appeared and told Aubry, "We need to talk," Aubry alleges. "All of a sudden, Mr. Martinez jumped me on the side of my body, and punched me such that he had taken me down to the ground," Aubry alleges. "He continued to punch me at least two or three times, kicked me in the ribs with his knee or foot, and took my head in his hands and slammed it to the concrete driveway. It all happened so fast and so suddenly; I did not see Mr. Martinez's actions coming, and thus, I was not ready for it and was not able to defend myself." As Martinez allegedly threatened to kill Aubry, Martinez also said, "From now on you're going to do drop offs on the street. I'm not just some f––ing actor, you don't know me," Aubry claims. "I was handcuffed to the bed while I was being examined and treated, and was not allowed to make a phone call," he says in a declaration. "I ended up suffering a fractured rib, multiple bruises on my face and my forehead, an area under my left eye, and three areas in my mouth required stitches." Photos of Aubry's face with cuts and a black eye were included in his court filing. A judge set a hearing for Dec. 17 to consider whether a three-year restraining order should be granted. Aubry has a Dec. 13 court date for the possible battery case, which has not yet been filed by prosecutors.
Dannielynn Birkhead is following in Anna Nicole Smith‘s footsteps and making an adorable appearance in the GUESS Kids spring 2013 campaign. And judging from the pictures, the 6-year-old is already a pro. Dannielynn’s modeling debut also has special meaning for her and the company. Not only was her late mother named the face of the brand in 1992, but it marks the first time GUESS has tapped the child of a former model. “Dannielynn has the same playful spirit that her mother had on set,” says creative director Paul Marciano. “She is a second-generation GUESS girl.” The cutie also joins the ranks of fellow camera-ready celeb kids including Alessandra Ambrósio‘s little girl Anja, Cindy Crawford‘s daughter Kaia, and Jennifer Lopez‘s twins Max and Emme.

 

Terrence Howard reaches settlement deal with estranged wife

Iron Man star Terrence Howard has agreed a settlement deal with his estranged wife, more than a year after she filed for divorce. Michelle Ghent submitted legal papers to end the marriage in February, 2011, days after the couple celebrated its first wedding anniversary. She was granted a restraining order against Howard last December 2011 after claiming he hurt her during their short marriage. In February 2012, a judge ordered the actor to pay her $50,000 in temporary support until they could work out the details of their divorce settlement - and now the former couple has finalized a deal. The pair signed the papers on 16 August 2012 and the restraining order against Howard will expire next week.

 

Gabriel Aubry Could Lose Custody of Nahla After Thanksgiving Dustup

Halle Berry is reportedly seeking to extend a temporary restraining order on her ex, Gabriel Aubry, in the wake of his Thanksgiving fisticuffs with Berry's fiance, Olivier Martinez. And legal sources are already guessing that if she's successful, the move could mean Aubry will lose custody of his and Berry's daughter, Nahla. "If this restraining order holds up, the legal presumption is Gabriel can't have joint custody of any kind," attorney Diana Mercer says. An ongoing argument in the former couple's long and drawn-out custody battle has been that Aubry is unable to control his temper, making him unfit to raise a child on his own.
 Has Angus T. Jones pulled a Charlie Sheen? The 19-year-old Two and a Half Men star has spoken out against the CBS sitcom in a manner that's sure to ruffle some network feathers. "If you watch Two and Half Men, please stop watching Two and Half Men," Jones says in a video posted on YouTube by TheForerunner777 in which the actor discusses his Christian faith. "I'm on Two and Half Men and I don't want to be on it. Please stop watching it. Please stop filling your head with filth." "People say it's just entertainment," he continues. "Do some research on the effects of television in your brain and I promise you, you'll have a decision to make when it comes to ... what you watch on television. It's bad news."  "A lot of people don't like to think about how deceptive the enemy is," says Jones. "There's no playing around when it comes to eternity ... People will see us and be like, 'I can be a Christian and be on a show like Two and a Half Men.' You can't. You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that. I know I can't."
On the subject of his series, Jones concludes, "I'm not okay with what I'm learning [about] what the Bible says and being on that television show. You go all or nothing."

Kevin Clash has a Third Accuser

Kevin Clash is being accused of a third sexual relationship with an underage boy  -- and the former voice of Elmo could be sued as early as Tuesday, according to a report. The latest accuser claims he was 16 when he engaged in "sexual activity" with Clash back in 2000 -- and alleges they met on a gay chat line. It's a very similar claim to the one made by accuser #2, Cecil Singleton.  The third accuser's attorney, Jeff Herman, said his client plans to file a lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court as "John Doe" ... because he doesn't want to go public.

Charlie Sheen Gave Lindsay Lohan $100,000 for Taxes
 That story that Charlie Sheen gave Lindsay Lohan $100,000 for a tax bill? One hundred percent true, says his publicist."Charlie has a long history of helping out his friends in many ways and this is just another example of that," Sheen's spokesman, Larry Solters. Sheen sent the check to Lohan's business manager after befriending her on the set of "Scary Movie 5," in which they co-star. Lohan reportedly owes the IRS more than $230,000 for unpaid taxes on income earned in 2009 and 2010.
 Put the champagne on ice. It appears Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's long-awaited wedding isn't far off – and that's from someone who would know. "I am getting more pressure from my kids, and it is something I want to do within their lifetime, but I also feel like the time has come," Pitt said Monday night at the premiere of his new film, Killing Them Softly, in New York. "The time is nigh," he added. "It's soon. I got a good feeling about it." Pitt, 48, who has been in London filming World War Z this month, has been with Jolie, 37, for seven years. They have six children together – Maddox, 11, Pax, 8, Zahara, 7, Shiloh, 6, and 4-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne – and got engaged this past spring. And yet, even with so much history together already, Pitt says the idea of tying the knot with his longtime partner is still hugely meaningful. "We've had a family, we've raised the kids," he says. "I am surprised how much [marriage] meant to me once you had that."

Dwight Howard Custody Battle: Royce Reed Wants to Make LA Lakers Star Pay

Dwight Howard's custody fight over his son is reportedly becoming more intense, as the Los Angeles Lakers star clashes with former girlfriend Royce Reed in what appears to be becoming an increasingly expensive court battle.

Reed has highlighted the immense earnings Howard receives for being one of the top basketball players in the country, so the former VH1 Basketball Wives star is pushing for him to be ordered to pay her legal costs as well as his own during their ongoing court battle. Some media reports are placing her legal bills as likely to be as much as $100,000 before the matter is resolved.  Howard wants sole custody of his son, but Reed is arguing that the playing field is not even due to his huge monetary worth. "According to the docs, Royce claims that Dwight rakes in over $1.3 million per month and should cough up the cash, otherwise, the fight's not fair. She claims he can hire an army of lawyers … while she'll get buried in bills and eventually have to drop out.""In the docs, her lawyer says she's already racked up a $44,113.50 bill and is expected to tack on another $60k plus if she continues to fight … for a grand total of $106,621.80." Dwight Howard, formerly with the Orlando Magic was traded to the Lakers in August 2012.

 She's not yet introduced them formally to the world, but True Blood actress Anna Paquin found time for a family stroll in Los Angeles with her 2-month-old fraternal twins. The Hollywood couple has yet to reveal the names of the twins and have thus far kept their sweet faces private.

Nicki Minaj calls Steven Tyler's 'Idol' criticism 'racist'

In an interview with MTV News published Monday, the Aerosmith frontman reflected at length about the much-publicized beef between new judges Carey and Minaj, who make their premiere on "Idol" in January. And those famous lips of Tyler's didn't hold back anything on the topic, with the rocker at one point opining that Minaj and Carey should "Shut the f--- up." "They should have something going on, which is called 'camaraderie,'" Tyler spouted. "They should have something going on so thick and beautiful that they can lay it over the new talent that's trying to birth itself. It needs to be birthed, not judged by 'entertainment' factors, it needs to be judged by people that [are] honest, true, that have the 'it' factor. Not the 'it' factor because they can fight. The f--- is that all about?" Added Tyler, "You just have to give your opinion. It wasn't hard for me, but I would imagine it's hard for some people, and they need a manager to say 'Shut the f--- up, and just give them your opinion. These kids, they just got out of a car from the Midwest somewhere and they're in New York City, they're scared to death; you're not going to get the best [out of them]. ... If it was Bob Dylan, Nicki Minaj would have had him sent to the cornfield!" Minaj -- whose opinions tend to be as colorful as her seemingly endless collection of wigs -- unleashed her Twitter fury on Tyler. "When Steven 1st went on Idol he was ridiculed by his peers & fans alike. Called a sell out. So what does he do? Ridicule the next judge," Minaj fumed. She also suggested that Tyler's comments might have contained a hint of racism. "You assume that I wouldn't have liked Bob Dylan??? why? black? rapper? what? go f--- yourself and worry about yourself babe," Minaj hissed. "I understand you really wanted to keep your job but take that up with the producers. I haven't done anything to you. That's a racist comment." "LOL lets make him a shirt that says 'No Coloreds Allowed' then escort him down 2 Barbara Walters so he can tell how he was threatened w/guns," Minaj added, a reference to Carey's claim to Barbara Walters that Minaj had threatened to shoot her.

TV NEWS
 We've got the best news ever, '90s kids! The dynamic duo at the heart of "Boy Meets World" has officially agreed to return to their roles in the sequel series, "Girl Meets World." The new show will be centered around the couple's young teenage daughter, Riley, who is yet to be cast. She's described as follows: "13 years old, indelible personality, an adorable girl on the cusp of whatever comes next in life, and wanting to rush into it head first. She is fiercely loyal to her friends, and spends most of her time juggling the obstacles that life throws her way... there is no obstacle in this girl's world that can dampen her bright spirit and eternal optimism." Meanwhile, Cory has followed in Mr. Feeny's footsteps and become a history teacher -- specifically, Riley's history teacher. We assume Topanga followed her dreams and became a lawyer, since that was kind of a thing in the "Boy Meets World" series finale.

"Liz & Dick," the Lindsay Lohan-starring biopic of screen legend Elizabeth Taylor, might have been slammed by the general public, but it drew decent numbers for Lifetime. Sunday's airing of the movie pulled in 3.5 million total viewers.


The crowded stages and back rooms of "Nashville" will soon have another face vying for attention. Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who plays the recurring character of Peggy Samper, will be promoted to a regular actor on the series if it is picked up for a second season. Williams-Paisley, who has been given a part to play in six of the 13 episodes originally ordered by ABC, will return at least three more times in the upcoming back 9 episodes coming this spring. The role will remain a recurring one throughout the current season but will be upped to a regular part if there is a season 2.

Cee Lo Green, the singer who brought the song "F--- You" to the world, is in need of some "Anger Management"? Improbable as it may seem, it's happening. Green, singer of the aforementioned song as well as a coach on NBC's singing competition "The Voice," will guest-star on an episode of Charlie Sheen's small-screen adaptation of "Anger Management" when it returns for a second season on FX.

Departing "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kim Zolciak is rebounding from the show with a new spin-off series. The reality TV favorite has confirmed a follow-up to her hit show "Don't Be Tardy For the Wedding," which chronicled her recent nuptials to Kroy Bierrman. There's no name for the new series as yet, but it's set to air next year. Zolciak says, "It's going to a fun, lighthearted show about our crazy everyday life. My amazing husband is doing awesome in the NFL, we're building a home, we have a teenager, a tween and two babies." The star will wrap up her time on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in the spring.


Fans eagerly awaiting a new season of Sherlock will have to be patient a tad bit longer — particularly here in the U.S. Production on the third cycle of the sleuth drama has been pushed back from January to March, thus delaying its BBC debut until late 2013.


HBO has ordered a documentary following multihyphenate mega-star Beyoncé, who will direct and exec-produce the film. The flick, which boasts an “intimate” look at the Grammy winner’s life, premieres Feb. 16, 2013.


A Fox News anchor abruptly ended an interview when the guest criticized the news network. Jon Scott was interviewing Thomas Ricks about his book, "The Generals" when Ricks accused Fox News of hyping up the recent attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi. Scott questioned Ricks as to why he would make such a claim when the attack resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including Christopher Stevens - the first U.S. Ambassador assassinated in more than three decades. Ricks asserted the incident amounted to a "small firefight" and said, "I think that the emphasis on Benghazi has been extremely political, partly because Fox was operating as a wing of the Republican Party."
At that point, Scott thanked Ricks and turned to his co-anchor, who then threw to a commercial break.
A Fox News executive, Michael Clemente, says, "When Mr. Ricks ignored the anchor's question, it became clear that his goal was to bring attention to himself and his book."

Tonight's Premieres:TNT: Rizzoli & Isles at 9p; Leverage at 10p
Tonight's Finales:ABC: Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars Results Show at 8p
Bravo: Flipping Out at 9p