Latest news with #Dreamgirls'
Los Angeles Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Eddie Murphy spills a family secret: He and Martin Lawrence are in-laws after kids marry
Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence's children just built on the friends' relationship without even casting them in a new movie together: Their two oldest are now married — to each other. Yup, the two comedy legends are also in-laws. 'Saturday Night Live' veteran Murphy, 64, broke the news in an interview airing Thursday on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show.' He explained to his 'Dreamgirls' co-star that everyone in both families expected a big wedding after the two got last fall, but his son Eric and Lawrence's daughter Jasmin wound up tying the knot without a lot of hoopla. 'Yeah, we're in-laws,' he said, noting that now 'Bad Boys' star Lawrence, 60, 'doesn't have to pay for the big wedding.' 'They got married about two weeks ago,' Murphy told Hudson. 'They went off. Everybody was making the big wedding plans and then they decided they wanted to do something quiet with just the two of them and then they got married. 'They didn't have a wedding. They went off and they got married at the church. ... They just had the two of them and the preacher.' Murphy said he expects the newly blended clan to have 'a big party' to celebrate the occasion soon. Eric Murphy, 35, proposed to Jasmin Lawrence, 29, last November in a small event with high production values: myriad candles, romantic lighting, flower petals covering the floor and a glowing orange heart as a backdrop. The two had gone Instagram-official with their relationship back in June 2021. 'We're engaged!! God truly blessed us with a love that feels like destiny. We couldn't be more excited for this next chapter,' she wrote on Instagram. 'Special thank you to everyone who made this moment so beautiful!!' Jasmin Lawrence is Martin Lawrence's eldest daughter. She's from his first marriage, to Patricia Southall. She has two younger sisters, Iyana and Amara, from her dad's marriage to Shamicka Gibbs, which ended in 2012. Eric Murphy is the oldest of Eddie Murphy's 10 children. His mom is Paulette McNeely. The comedian has three more sons and six daughters with four other women, including his current wife and mother of two, model Paige Butcher. Eddie Murphy's crack about Lawrence not paying for the big wedding goes back to when the latter joked to Jimmy Kimmel in 2022 that their children might have a 'comedy super-baby' together and said, 'I'm gonna try to get Eddie to pay for it.' Murphy snarked back a year later on Canadian TV, saying, 'If it goes down, Martin is paying. And the wedding better be wonderful.' We bet it was. Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
George Clinton Files $100 Million Copyright Lawsuit Against Former Business Partner
George Clinton has filed a $100 million copyright lawsuit against former business partner Armen Boladian and his Bridgeport Music company, alleging that Boladian fraudulently obtained copyrights to approximately 90 percent of his catalog. In the suit, filed today in Florida District Court and reviewed by Variety, Clinton claims that Boladian and Bridgeport, as well as Westbound Records, Nine Records, Southfield Music and Eastbound Records, unlawfully continue to profit off of his music. Clinton held a press conference outside of the Apollo Theatre to announce the suit along with his attorney Ben Crump and fellow counsel, stating that he intends to reclaim ownership of his catalog to provide generational wealth to his family. More from Variety Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2025: George Clinton, Doobie Brothers, Ashley Gorley, More Eddie Murphy to Play George Clinton in Biopic From 'Dreamgirls' Director Bill Condon 'The Masked Singer' Reveals Identities of Gopher and Venus Flytrap: Here's Who They Are 'These songs we're talking about is my history,' said Clinton. 'I have to fight for them, I have to make sure that I did not do all of this my whole life and have my family here, not get what's due to them, what they inherit. We don't have a chance to pass down 40 acres and mules to our families. We do not have the copyrights for the songs. So I'm here along with Ben and partners to make sure that Armen does not get what we worked so hard for.' The suit claims that Boladian, Clinton's longtime business partner, withheld millions of dollars in royalties and engaged in deceptive and fraudulent practices over the years. Clinton alleges that between 1982 and 1985, Boladian fabricated multiple versions of agreements designating additional rights to his catalog and added fake names and pseudonyms to copyright registrations to dilute shares in his royalties. In the past, Boladian has been litigious over commercial use of Clinton's music, filing hundreds of lawsuits in 2001 against musicians who sampled his work. The suit filed today notes that Clinton was not included as a plaintiff in those lawsuits and did not receive any of the millions Boladian got from them. Boladian did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment. Clinton and Boladian have been locked in legal warfare for years, with Clinton losing a copyright lawsuit against him in 2001 after a Florida judge ruled that music written from 1976-83 belonged to Boladian's Bridgeport Music. In 2021, Boladian lost a defamation suit against Clinton over claims that the musician made in his 2014 autobiography 'Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard On You?: A Memoir.' In the book, Clinton claimed that Boladian had 'fabricated documents,' 'robbed' him of his songs and 'fraudulently backdated and altered' contracts between them. 'I will continue to speak truth to power and to fight against the forces that have separated so many songwriters from their music,' Clinton said at his press conference. 'I encourage all my fellow artists to investigate, interrogate, litigate, unseal, reveal. If we don't get this right, then they win, and I refuse to let them win. This is about my family and the family of the other legacy artists and us being able to give generational wealth to our family from our intellectual property.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennifer Hudson Takes a Basketball to the Face at Knicks Game
Being courtside at a basketball game might not be as glamorous as expected – just ask Jennifer Hudson. The 'Dreamgirls' star took a basketball to the face Tuesday night while attending a New York Knicks game with her boyfriend Common. 'Protect Jennifer Hudson,' one commentator said while watching a replay of the incident. 'Oh no, not the glasses,' the other commentator added. 'Those look expensive too partner.' Jennifer Hudson was smacked in the face with a basketball at an NBA game. — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 5, 2025 For his part, Common did make an attempt to deflect the ball – which was lost in transition by Knicks player Miles McBride. His block was only partially successful unfortunately. 'Let me see what Common did, did he protect her?' the commentator asked. 'He tried.' Hudson can now be seen hosting her talk show 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' – which features the increasingly viral spirit tunnel walk segment that features her guests walking out to affirmative chants from people working on the show. Back in February, Hudson revealed they had to turn off comments for Aaron Pierre's tunnel walk because the actor was 'too hot for y'all to handle.' 'That's the first time I have heard that and I do not know what to say,' Pierre told People when asked about the viral moment on the carpet of the American Black Film Festival Honors last Monday. He was in attendance to receive the gala's Rising Star Award. 'It's all love,' the actor added. 'And I really believe it's all very joyful. I receive that, and I'm grateful for that. It's a special thing … so thank you.' Watch the video of Hudson at the game in the video above. The post Jennifer Hudson Takes a Basketball to the Face at Knicks Game | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Basketball hits Jennifer Hudson in face during Knicks game
NEW YORK — Jennifer Hudson was hit in the face by a basketball during Tuesday's New York Knicks game in a courtside experience that was anything but common. The 43-year-old titular talk show host and rapper beau Common were caught off guard when the ball flew into the crowd, with Knicks point guard Miles McBride rushing over to try and stop the ball from making contact with Hudson's face, according to TNT footage making the rounds on social media. Despite his best efforts, the 24-year-old athlete failed to save the day as the ball knocked Hudson's glasses off her face. 'Protect Jennifer Hudson!' said one commentator, while another remarked that the glasses 'looked real expensive.' The Oscar-winning couple was a bit shaken, with 52-year-old Common shaking McBride's hand as a reeling Hudson folded her glasses against her shirt and blinked and could be seen mouthing, 'Wow,' as Common rubbed her shoulder. The commentators determined that the 'Silo' star, real name Lonnie Rashid Lynn, 'tried' to shield Hudson. Playback footage also shows both Hudson and Common bracing for the incoming impact of the ball. The Bleacher Report's tweet showing the incident, which took place before the Golden State Warriors beat the Knicks 114-102, has been viewed more than 2 million times on X alone. The 'Dreamgirls' star and Common confirmed their relationship in January 2024, though they were initially linked in 2022 while working on the film, 'Breathe.' That year was a big one for Hudson, as it also solidified her EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner) when she won the Tony for Best Musical as a producer for 'A Strange Loop.'
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
West End superstar Samantha Barks wins The Masked Singer
Samantha Barks has won 'The Masked Singer' The 34-year-old actress had secretly been taking part in the ITV singing competition - in which celebrities conceal their identities behind extravagant costumes whilst they perform pop songs - as Puffer Fish and was crowned champion of the whole series on Saturday (15.02.25) evening. Speaking to host Joel Dommett immediately after her victory, she said: "I feel like I've lived this double life because I've had these crazy experiences but nobody in my life knows [about] this, so I've loved it! "I've had the best time, I really have. "Underneath the mask, it's been hurting my cheeks because I've been smiling so hard! Thank you so much!" Guest judge Danny Jones correctly guessed her identity, as did Davina McCall and Maya Jama, but Jonathan Ross thought it might be Nicole Scherzinger. The West End star had performed the Britney Spears classic '...Baby One More Time'' during the final but gave a rendition of 'Dreamgirls' number 'One Night Only' after being unmasked. Earlier in the show, Samantha had taken to the stage as Puffer Fish with McFly star Danny - who won the 2024 series of the show - as he dressed in his Piranha costume for a rendition of the Bonnie Tyler classic 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'. Samantha found fame when she took part in the BBC's 'I'd Do Anything' in 2008 - which sought an actress to play Nancy in a revival of 'Oliver!' - and finished in third place behind Jessie Buckley and 'Coronation Street' star Jodie Prenger. Shortly after that, she played Eponine in the London production of 'Les Miserables' before going on to reprise the role in the 2012 film, starring alongside A-listers such as Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne. From 2021 until 2024, she starred as Elsa in the West End production of 'Frozen' and also featured as a judge on ITV's 'Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream' alongside Alan Carr, Amber Riley and Jessie Ware. Just before Samantha's win, Grammy Award-winning star Gregory Porter was unmasked as Dressed Crab having finished as runner-up. He said: "This was amazing. I'm not gonna lie, I have to get over a little bit of claustrophobia but who needs oxygen?" Earlier in the show, he had performed with last year's contestant Keala Settle - who is known for starring in 'The Greatest Showman' - as she donned her Air Fryer costume once again for a rendition of 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'.
