Month: December 2023

Céline Dion’s sister, Claudette Dion, shared in new interview that the singer has reportedly lost control of some of her mobility amid her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis. The disease is considered to be rare and only affects approximately one in a million people.

According to a translation from French, Claudette Dion told 7 Jours: “She doesn’t have control over her muscles. What pains me is that she has always been disciplined. She always worked hard.” Claudette said that it is her dream and her sister’s to return to the stage one day:  “In what capacity? I don’t know. The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what gets me.”  Claudette added, “There are some people who have lost hope because it is a disease that is not known. If you only knew how many calls we receive at the Foundation to hear from Céline! People tell us they love her and pray for her. She receives so many messages, gifts, blessed crucifixes.”

Dion revealed in a video posted on social media in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome. The singer said the symptoms are what have been causing her to have severe muscle spasms in the past: “The spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to. I have to admit it’s been a struggle. All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life.” Dion’s diagnosis caused the singer to reschedule and cancel her entire 2023 tour.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Stiff-person syndrome (‘SPS’), is a disease that causes “progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms” that are triggered by environmental factors such as “sudden movement, cold temperature or unexpected loud noises.”  Yale Medicine writes that prominent SPS symptoms include muscle stiffening and painful muscle spasms that can be provoked by emotional stress or, again, outside stimuli. These spasms can be “so severe that they cause the person to fall down.”

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The musical “Wonka” debuted with $39 million in its opening in U.S. and Canadian theaters, with its star, 27-year-old Timothée Chalamet, earning his second No. 1 movie (following 2021’s “Dune.”)

“Wonka” is the first big Hollywood release to launch following the end of the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike, and its success it due in part to Chalamet’s promotion of the film.  Said Jeffrey Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros.: “It shows you the power of a star, and it also shows you the power of a star going out and working a movie. Having him out there after the strikes were over was a win for him and a win for the movie.”

Directed by Paul King, “Wonka” is a prequel to 1971’s “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” with Chalamet starring as a young Wonka trying to open a candy store. The ensemble cast includes Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key.

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” again ranked second this week with $5.8 million in its fifth week of release, with Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” dropping to third with $5.1 million in its second week of release.

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HBO revealed the Season 2 trailer for House of the Dragon, sharing on X with the caption: ‘SUMMER 2024. #HOTDS2‘

In the trailer, fans see a glimpse of Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) delivering an ominous warning, on the heels of King Viserys Targaryen’s death: “There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin. And no war so bloody as a war between dragons.”

The Season 2 trailer cones shortly after HBO dropped show’s first dueling posters featuring Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) with “blood for blood” and “fire to fire” overlayed on the apocalyptic posters. In addition, The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year that fans will meet five new dragons, and additional actors have been added: Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne. Simon Russell Beale (as Ser Simon Strong), Freddie Fox (as Ser Gwayne Hightower), Gayle Rankin (as Alys Rivers) and Abubakar Salim (as Alyn of Hull) have also joined ensemble cast.

Season 2 of House of the Dragon premieres summer 2024 on Max; take a look at the trailer – here.

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Demi Lovato is engaged to her boyfriend, Jordan ‘Jute$’ Lutes, after more than a year together. Lutes, 26, proposed to Lovato, 31, on Saturday, December 16, with a pear-shaped diamond solitaire ring. After the proposal, Lutes surprised Lovato with an engagement party at Los Angeles’ Craig’s, where her close friends and family were waiting. People was first to report the news.

Lovato showed off her engagement ring in a photo of her and Lutes, posting on Instagram with the caption: “I’m still speechless last night was the best night of my life and I can’t believe I get to marry the love of my life @jutesmusic. My love, I’m beyond excited to marry you.. every day I’ve spent with you has been a dream come true and I can’t wait to love and cherish you forever. Here’s to the rest of our lives. I love you baby ”

Us exclusively revealed in August 2022 that the singer was “really happy” in a “healthy relationship” with a musician. Later that month, Lovato was linked to Lutes after they were spotted holding hands on a dinner date in New York City. “They were snuggling and sneaking kisses throughout their meal,” an insider told Us at the time.

Lovato and Lutes – professionally as Jute$ — confirmed their relationship when they celebrated Demi’s 30th birthday in August 2022, two years after she called off her previous engagement with Max Ehrich.  Prior to her failed engagement to Ehrich, Lovato dated Wilmer Valderrama from 2010 to 2016.

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Actor Jonathan Majors was found guilty by a Manhattan jury of one count of assault in the third degree and another count of harassment, but acquitted him on two other counts. The six-person jury deliberated for about four hours before rendering their verdict on Monday, December 18. In addition to the two guilty verdicts, Majors was also found not guilty of one count of assault in the third degree and the other charge for aggravated harassment in the second degree. Majors, 34, was seated with his family, lawyers, and girlfriend Meagan Good when the verdict was read. He had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

The charges were brought against Majors by his ex Grace Jabbari, with the actor arrested in New York City after he allegedly assaulted Jabbari in the backseat of a private vehicle. Jabbari testified she grabbed Majors phone after seeing a text message from another woman. and as Majors attempted to retrieve his phone, she felt “a hard blow” across her head that resulted in bruising, swelling and substantial pain. Prosecutors alleged that Majors was manipulative and controlling throughout their two-year relationship, with the jury being shown prior text messages between Jabbari and Majors where he had dissuaded his ex-girlfriend from going to the hospital to treat a head wound.

Within hours after the verdict had been made public, Disney/Marvel Studios fired the Emmy-nominated actor, who had played Kang the Conquerer. Judge Michael Gaffey will announce the sentencing on Feb. 6, with Majors faces up to a year in jail.

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Ariana Madix will make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” for an eight-week limited engagement from Jan. 29 through March 24 at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City.  The musical posted: “We’re Vander-pumped! @officialdwts finalist Ariana Madix joins the cast of Broadway’s longest-running musical on January 29 for 8 weeks only! Get tickets: https://chicagothemusical.com”

Madix, 38, stars on the Bravo reality series Vanderpump Rules, which completed its 10th season in June.  Her casting comes as her personal life has played out in the headlines during the reality TV scandal dubbed the #Scandoval, which revolved around Madix catching her long-time boyfriend Tom Sandoval cheating with one of her close friends and “Vanderpump” co-star, Raquel Leviss.

Subsequently, Madix has branched out since the scandal,  recently competing on “Dancing With the Stars,”and earning several brand endorsements, as well as a Lifetime movie role.

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