Source: James Devaney / Getty Aaliyah Is Going To Be Honored With Her Own Wax Figure The Princess of R&B is finally getting her own wax figure. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is going to honor Aaliyah with a figure of her in their throwback room. Starting on August 22, fans will be able to jam and reminisce with the late icon at the museum. The famous Las Vegas museum is also hosting a contest for some lucky fans to attend the VIP launch party for the unveiling of the figure. To enter, contestants must share their best Aaliyah-inspired look with the hashtag #ShowUsYourAaliyah on Instagram and the Aaliyah app. You can find out more info here . In a video announcement for the new figure, Aaliyah’s brother gives us all insight into how dedicated she was to her fans before announcing the big news. Check out the video below to hear all about the upcoming honor:
Source: Pattanaphong Khuankaew / EyeEm / Getty Cyntoia Brown Is Finally Released From Prison Cyntoia Brown is FREE! According to CNN , the now 31-year-old was sentenced to life in prison when she was only 16 after killing a man who paid her for sex. In January, she was granted clemency by then-Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Now, Cyntoia is finally returning to a life outside bars. “I look forward to using my experiences to help other women and girls suffering abuse and exploitation,” Brown said after being released on Wednesday. Brown’s case drew national attention over the years with activists, lawmakers and even celebrities like Rihanna bringing attention to her case. The hashtag #FreeCyntoiaBrown even went viral on social media back in 2017 . Brown will be coming out with a bachelor’s degree and she’s collaborated with Tennessee’s Juvenile Justice System to help advise young people who are at risk. “She is light years today, as a woman, different from the traumatized 16-year-old that she was,” Derri Smith, CEO and founder of non-profit End Slavery Tennessee, said back in January. “She’s mentoring troubled youth, working on her college degree, she is planning a nonprofit so she can help other young people.” Congrats to Cyntoia and hopefully we can expect more great things!
After Jay Smith spent weeks in ICE custody, his boss bailed him out . He's enjoying his freedom. Jay's girlfriend is enjoying his freedom by his side. It looks like this experience brought them even closer together than before, because they've now taken things to the next level. That's right: Jay and Kayla are now Instagram official . The funny thing about having all of these eyes on his relationship is that a lot of fans are reaching the same conclusions. In some photos, Kayla seems to look an awful lot like Ashley. Does Jay have a type or what? 1. Jay went through a miserable divorce He and Ashley’s marriage fell apart more than once on 90 Day Fiance. Finally, in April, Ashley discovered that Jay had a whole other relationship and signaled that it was the end — no more taking him back. 2. Even divorced, their troubles weren’t over Months ago, when Ashley went on vacation with her family, she returned to find that Jay had allegedly broken into her house to take some of her belongings. She contacted the police. 3. Breaking and entering is a crime Using what she says is evidence of abuse during their marriage, Ashley secured a PFA order — Protection From Abuse — from the court on July 1. 4. Unfortunately … Page one of the order enjoins Jay from discussing the PFA, but he for some reason decided to mention it on his Instagram Stories for all to see — almost immediately. 5. Ashley was devastated When she learned that he was going to be arrested even earlier than immigration officials had planned, the part of her that still loves Jay began to grieve intensely. 6. Here, Jay did the right thing He turned himself in to law enforcement authorities. That’s smart. If you have the option, don’t ever make them come to you. View Slideshow
Back on July 5, as you very likely know by now, Amber Portwood was arrested on three charges of felony domestic violence. Prior to this date and this alleged incident, however, it appears the teen Mom OG star may have known that something explosive was on the way. Something explosive via her own hand, that is. In a sneak peek clip for next Monday night’s brand new episode of Teen Mom OG, Amber breaks down in tears during her therapy session. And thens he even says the following, presumably of herself and/or her mental status: It’s like a ticking time bomb. It’s unclear exactly when this admission was filmed, likely several weeks prior to Amber’s arrest. As seen in previous installments of the MTV franchise, Portwood recently started welcoming the network cameras inside her therapy sessions. In one episode, she was nearly in tears while admitting to her therapist that she wishes there was a cure for her mental illness so she can walk outside and be “happy.” Portwood also acknowledged a few weeks ago on air that she is “f-ckin nuts .” The polarizing mother of two, who has never been quiet when it comes to this important topic, has said she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 17 or 18 years old. “I got like four different opinions and it was all the same,” she told Chyenne Floyd on a July episode of the show, adding at the time: “And then I had borderline personality disorder, BPD. That stems more from your childhood and things that you went through.” She added in this same discussion: “Obviously since the day we started this show, I’ve been f-cking nuts, so I mean, come on.” Amber has acknowledged in the past that she suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to her son last summer. She even thought about killing herself at the time. Fast forward almost a year exactly and Portwood is accused of throwing a shoe at her boyfriend after the two got into an argument because the family got stuck in traffic and missed a July Fourth fireworks show. Glennon told police that he hid in the couple’s bathroom after this, only for Portwood to use a machete and try to break the door down. Amber has reportedly admitted to the show throw, but denied the use a machete. In the month or so since this arrest, Portwood has been ordered to stay away from Glennon. She is permitted to see her son, but only under the supervision of a court-approved individual. The veteran reality star has also seemingly accused Glennon of cheating and, as you can read about below, of being a drunk driver. Portwood is next due in court on August 22 and, as always, The Hollywood Gossip will keep you well-apprised of the latest happenings and news in regard to this unfortunate scandal. View Slideshow: Amber Portwood: Andrew Glennon is a Danger! He Drives Drunk!
Joshua Rush, a 17-year old actor who played the first-ever openly gay Disney Channel character on the show Andi Mack , came out on Tuesday as bisexual. He did so via a series of revealing and candid Tweets. “first to respond to this tweet is bi lol,” Rush wrote, prior replying to his own post as follows: “first! i win! it’s me. i’m bi. And now that I’ve said that, I have a few things to rant about. “There are more important things to talk about than me liking a whole bunch of genders, but I do want to share a few things with you guys.” The actor then referenced his aforementioned Andi Mack character, expounding in detail: “I saw so many of you watch Cyrus come out and said ‘Hey! I can be me!’ How ironic, isn’t it, that me, playing that character, never had mustered up that courage? “Instead of feeling the courage to tell you today that I am an out and proud bisexual man because of the character I played for four years, I feel that courage thinking of all of you, who felt emboldened by Cyrus to come out.” Coming to terms with his sexual orientation was something Rush said was challenging for awhile… even while portraying a character going through a similar thing on screen. “I had a close friend of mine come out to me in fifth grade. FIFTH GRADE! That was well before I had any clue of my own identity and orientation. I suffered with some level of my own internalized homophobia even while playing the first openly gay character on Disney Channel,” he wrote, later adding: “I stuffed the existential crisis of talking about my sexual orientation into a box in my mind for years. Today, I release it into the world. “Being bi isn’t all of my identity, nor is it the most important part of my identity. “Bi erasure and issues like it are important, but trans women of color still have a life expectancy of THIRTY FIVE YEARS and that is absolutely unacceptable.” So … how did Rush get to this point? He gave a lot of credit to material produced by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and he encouragedd his followers to donate to this organization. “Our show wouldn’t have existed in the form that it did without them, but also because their hard work in furthering acceptance in media helps an uncountable number of people,” he wrote, continuing: “I also want to encourage you to read their page on bisexuality. “It has been incredibly helpful to me, and their resources have helped me to find where I fit on the spectrum of sexuality.” Thankfully, most followers responded to Rush’s admission with praise and support. He concluded his honest and vital message as follows: I also want to ask you to donate to The Trevor Project, who are literally saving lives every day. Helping young LGBTQ+ voices feel heard and loved is utterly crucial. Thank you to you for giving me the courage to know who I am and tell you this today. Happy 20biteen! View Slideshow: 35 Bisexual Celebrities
Just a few days ago, Chris Harrison shattered the Bachelor Nation’s hopes and dreams by claiming that Tyler Cameron will not be the next Bachelor . To hear him tell it, Tyler had disqualified himself by continuing to date — seeing both Hannah Brown and Gigi Hadid. Funny thing, though: a very believable report says that Tyler’s still in the running. TMZ reports that sources intimately familiar with the inner workings of The Bachelor say that Tyler Cameron could totally still be the Bachelor. Chris Harrison’s claim on Monday that Tyler was disqualified for being a fame-seeking playboy? That was misdirection … up to a point. It turns out that Tyler is currently considered to be in third place for the leading man … but a distant third. As for why he’s not the show’s first choice, that has to do with attitude and intentions. “You may not believe this, but sincerity is really important,” the production source tells TMZ . “The bachelor has to really want to find love,” the insider explains. “And,” the source states. “Tyler doesn’t really have his heart in it.” “And the audience can see through it,” the insider concludes. Tyler’s interest in his modeling career is a distraction from his quest for love, apparently, and makes him a less appealing leading man. So could Tyler be the next Bachelor? Yes. But TMZ ‘s sources say that no one should be getting their hopes up about it. “There’s a tremendous amount of juggling that goes into being the bachelor,” the source says. The insider characterizes that there are always “lots of balls in the air.” “And,” the source laments. “He just doesn’t have it.” The first two picks for the role seem like much more likely candidates at the moment. Those two men, this same report reveals, are exactly who you think they are: Mike Johnson and Peter Weber. It’s not as simple as labeling one or the other as #1 or #2. Apparently they are neck-and-neck in terms of production favorites to be the next Bachelor. Meanwhile, one source expresses: “I’d be shocked, shocked if Tyler ends up the bachelor.” Obviously, we have to address the degree of absurdity in what the sources are saying. When did they make this “sincerety” rule, exactly? Because one can only assume that it was made after Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s season and not before. Arie seemed so clearly to be after fame. He broke up with his real-life girlfriend just three days before his casting was announced. Meanwhile, Tyler having real and heavy conversations with Hannah and going on a couple of dates with Gigi Hadid doesn’t sound insincere to us. It sounds like, well, a guy looking for love. Isn’t that what the show’s all about? So, if Peter Weber ends up being the Bachelor, what does it mean? Some people still feel a sense of unease over him breaking up with his girlfriend, even though he did so three months before he met Hannah. Also, some folks are going to have very high expectations because of what he and Hannah did in that windmill. Of what they did four times. Meanwhile, Mike Johnson is handsome and charming, but will unfortunately have to deal with racism. Given past experience, he’ll probably have to tackle not only social media racism (and lowered ratings), but some racists among his own contestants. On the plus side, Mike as the leading man slightly raises the chance that Demi Lovato might try out to be a contestant next season. View Slideshow: Tyler Cameron Photo Montage: Holy Hotness! Propose RIGHT NOW, Hannah!
Source: Tony Rivetti / Getty Actress Afton Williamson , who played the role of Talia Bishop on ABC’s The Rookie , has quit the show amid claims of sexual harassment and assault along with racial discrimination. In an Instagram post, Williamson announced her departure while naming those who carried out the alleged acts. “I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie,” Williamson wrote in the caption for the post. “I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers.” She added, “During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star, Demetrius Grosse, and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head, Sally Ciganovich escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party. The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised. Ciganovich was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims.” In the following post, Williamson thanked her fans and supporters after making her announcement. “I am so beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind words, scriptures, strength filled quotes and devout support that has come my way. One Instagram post is just like those 2 fish and 5 loaves of Bread,” Willamson wrote. “The rippling effect it has had in just a few hours shows how much this world is aching with victims of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse all of it. I am no stranger to all of the above even before this experience. But it is through this experience and my platform that God pushed me to use the power within me.” View the posts below. View this post on Instagram I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie. I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers. During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star,Demetrius Grosse,and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept.Head, Sally Ciganovich escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party.The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised.Ciganovich was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims. The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement. This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers. After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that Grosse would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet. Grosse reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him. I asked the Showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the Grosse had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that “everything was handled.” The investigation hadn’t even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked. Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it’s time to use my Voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from Above. “Greater is He that is within Me than he that is in the world” A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on Aug 4, 2019 at 1:12am PDT View this post on Instagram To my Fans, my Friends, my Supporters: I want to Thank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. I am so beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind words, scriptures, strength filled quotes and devout support that has come my way. One Instagram post is just like those 2 fish and 5 loaves of Bread. The rippling effect it has had in just a few hours shows how much this world is aching with victims of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse all of it. I am no stranger to all of the above even before this experience. But it is through this experience and my platform that God pushed me to use the power within me. It just takes a VOICE. I never imagined so many of us have experienced these horrible circumstances and that can NO LONGER GO UNHEARD. We have a voice. ALL OF US. It is our DUTY to use it. I used to fear the word Victim. I scoffed at it because all I was told when these injustices happened to me, was to Survive. Survivor I am. Victim I am also. A victim of injustice. A victim of assault. A victim of abuse and harassment. If you have experienced any of the above, you are too and I for one stand with you and I’m no longer afraid to be vocal about it. We Can Stand Together. Let’s Change This Sickness. That Change starts with US. This season on The Rookie, I was sexually harassed by fellow actor Demetrius Grosse. I was Racially Bullied and Discriminated against and Sexually Assaulted by Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich. Let’s BE the CHANGE we WANT to SEE A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on Aug 5, 2019 at 5:06pm PDT — Photo: Getty
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty M amie Till-Mobley, mother of Emmett Till, will be the central focus for season one of ABC’s Women of the Movement, a new series that will highlight and chronicle the civil-rights movement “as told by the women behind it.” The series will be produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith, both of whom were vital to securing the show a spot on ABC’s lineup. The show will focus on Mamie Till, whose son — Emmett Till — was lynched by a white mob in Mississippi for allegedly winking at a white woman in 1955. Following his death, Till-Mobley went on to join a forces with major players in the fight for civil rights justice following her son’s death. She dedicated the rest of her life to the civil justice and reform until her own passing in 2003. Jay-Z originally teamed up with HBO to work on a miniseries surround Emmet Till, where Taraji P. Henson was set to play his mother, but when director John Middleton died in April, the project was believed to be dissolved. It is not confirmed, but speculated that Women of the Movement is a the product of the work already done into the aforementioned miniseries surround Till. When proposed with the possibility of grabbing the rights to this, ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke instantly loved the idea as the series would turn attention to the women who were responsible for so many key events associated with the civil rights movement. This move aligns perfectly with Burke’s proposition to get more women in programming at the station.
Source: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images / Getty FX Renews “Atlanta” And “Snowfall” FX has renewed two of their most popular shows for new seasons. Donald Glover’s “Atlanta ” will return for season 4, as well as the late John Singleton’s “FX.” The news comes as production has yet to begin on “Atlanta” season 3. Variety reports that FX made the “Atlanta” announcement Tuesday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “What more can be said about ‘Atlanta’ than the critical acclaim and accolades that Donald, Paul, Dianne, Stephen and Hiro have earned for two exceptional seasons of what is clearly one of the best shows on television,” said Eric Schrier, president of FX Entertainment. “This group of collaborators and cast have created one of the most original, innovative stories of this generation and we are proud to be their partners.” View this post on Instagram when you hit add to cart twice. atlanta seasons 3 and 4 will be filming this spring. A post shared by fxnetworks (@fxnetworks) on Aug 6, 2019 at 2:09pm PDT As for “Snowfall”, season 4 will premiere in 2020. The renewal was also announced Tuesday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “ Snowfall has continued its creative leap forward this season with the hard work and contributions of John Singleton and the brilliant performance of Damson Idris ,” said Grad. “We are grateful to Dave Andron, Thomas Schlamme, Michael London, Trevor Engelson and Walter Mosley for honoring John’s legacy through their commitment to building on the artistic excellence of Snowfall with a fourth season on FX.” Congrats to the talented actors on BOTH of these shows! View this post on Instagram Can’t stop, won’t stop. #SnowfallFX is coming back for Season 4. A post shared by Snowfall (@snowfallfx) on Aug 6, 2019 at 2:44pm PDT
Source: Apega/WENN.com / WENN Serena Williams Covers ESSENCE Serena Williams is covering ESSENCE’s September global fashion issue. In it, the tennis great/greatest athlete rocks face paint by artist Laolu and later rocks designers duds by Carolina Herrera, Giuseppe Zanotti, Talbot Runhof, Issey Miyake and more. The photos were taken by photographer Kwaku Alston and styled by ESSENCE Fashion Director Marielle Bobo. The multi-hyphenate wife/mom/entrepreneur also told ESSENCE’s Entertainment Director Cori Murray all about her S By Serena New York Fashion Week moment, what she looks for in fashion, the importance of speaking up and freedom. View this post on Instagram September is coming!! Thank you @Essence for this opportunity to be seen and heard on the cover of the September issue. Photographer: @kwakualston Visual Art: @laolunyc Makeup: @natashagrossmakeupartist Styling: @mariellebobo Hair: @vernonfrancois A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Aug 6, 2019 at 6:09am PDT ON WHAT SHE LOOKS FOR IN FASHION: “Wow. I love fashion, obviously. It has to connect to me, first of all. I like things that are unusual, but also a little classic. It depends: It could be a crazy pop of color, and it’ll totally get me excited. Or it could be something fresh I haven’t seen before. Honestly, I can go in any direction. Just depends on how I feel…” ON HER “S BY SERENA” NYFW MOMENT: “Everything that’s on the runway will be ready for sale for 24 hours on September 10th. As far as the clothing, we really wanted to have fun and be confident. It’s kind of like all the aspects of my life. But not just my life, most women’s lives. We have a job, or we have somewhere to go for an event, or we have something more serious that we wanted to dress down for, or we might want to go out with our friends and relax, or we may just be walking around the house as a mom. So when we were designing the collection, we wanted to speak to every aspect of that woman…” ON BODY POSITIVITY IN FASHION: “We want to be inclusive. We have an extended size, and we call it great because I don’t like the word “plus.” So we call it S Great because every woman is great. Hopefully, the word “great” will catch on and people will get rid of the word “plus.” ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING UP AND FREEDOM: “Freedom means standing up and not being afraid to say, ‘I’m here’ or ‘Hear my voice’ or ‘This isn’t what I agreed to’ or ‘This isn’t fair and that isn’t right.’ I’ve done it my whole career. It’s knowing where I’ve come from, knowing my history, in particular, the sport that I’m in. When I first started, there weren’t a lot of people who looked like me. So it was really important to always help other people feel as if this is something they could also be a part of…” View this post on Instagram “When you invest in yourself, it helps your confidence, and you’ll know forever that whether you make it or not, you stepped up to the plate.”- @serenawilliams Tap the in bio for more on our Global Fashion Issue. ( : @kwakualston) A post shared by ESSENCE (@essence) on Aug 6, 2019 at 6:34am PDT Take another look at Serena for ESSENCE on the flip.
