ABC/Lou RoccoFans have been waiting patiently for Rihanna‘s long-awaited ninth studio album. Now, it seems the four-year wait is finally over.
The wait for her new album, dubbed R9, has been so protracted that it’s become a meme that even Rihanna herself jokes about.
After failing to fulfill her promise of releasing new music in 2019, the “We Found Love” singer confirmed on Thursday that she really is working on new music and even posted photographic evidence for her fans.
On her Instagram stories, Ri posted a snap from the studio with the triumphant caption, “gang. back in da STU.”
She also confirmed that someone else was there helping her out with her new music. Turns out, she’s collaborating with The Neptunes, the hip hop duo featuring Pharrell Williams.
She and Pharrell previously joined forces for 2017’s “Lemon,” which was a song by N.E.R.D. — his other group.
As previously reported, Rihanna spoke to The Cut about her upcoming plans for Valentine’s Day, which revolved around making new music. While not addressing the rumors a budding romance with rapper A$AP Rocky, she did say she was spending the holiday with Pharrell for some one on one time in the studio.
The last time Rihanna released new music was in January 2016 with Anti. Since then, her music career was placed on the back burner due to her expanding Fenty fashion and cosmetics empire.
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Permalink‘Modern Family’ stars share photos from last table read of the series
ABC/Robert Ashcroft(LOS ANGELES) — The Modern Family cast is saying goodbye to the show after 11 years.
Sofia Vergara, Eric Stonestreet and more shared photos Wednesday from the last table read from the award-winning ABC comedy’s series finale.
Many expressed just how much they are going to miss their co-stars and crew.
Stonestreet, who’s played Cameron Tucker since Modern Family‘s premiere in 2009, posted an emotional video featuring the full group at the table, set to the Trace Adkins song, “You’re Gonna Miss This.”
Vergara, who plays Gloria Pritchett on the hit show, shared a few snaps of the special moment as well. “Our last table read?? sad because its ending but so gratefull and happy to have been able to be part of this family,” she captioned her post.
“It has being More than I ever dreamed of or deserved?? Gracias my Modern Family,” Vergara added. She also shared a selfie with the caption, “going to miss Glorias trailer!!”
Ariel Winter shared some snaps from outside of her trailer. “Only 9 more production days left until we wrap filming Modern Family forever,” she wrote.
Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. The series finale will air April 8.
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Disney is conjuring a sequel to hit live-action ‘Aladdin’
Disney(LOS ANGELES) — A sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Aladdin, is in the works at Disney, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Guy Ritchie is set to return as director, with Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott expected to reprise their roles as Genie, Aladdin and Jasmine, respectively.
John Gatins and Straight Outta Compton writer Andrea Berloff have been hired to pen the script, possibly based on other stories from One Thousand and One Nights, the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales that gave us Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Sinbad the Sailor.
Last year’s live-action movie musical, based on the 1992 animated feature, delivered $355 million at the U.S. box office and $1.05 billion worldwide.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News.
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Shannen Doherty admits she is struggling with cancer diagnosis
Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Beverly Hills, 90210 actress Shannen Doherty opened up to fans about how she is handling being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Unfortunately, she admits it’s been a difficult journey.
The 48-year-old, who was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2015 and announced she was in remission in 2017, said she is still hopeful despite her cancer returning.
“I want to thank all of you for your love, prayers and support,” the actress captions against an Instagram photo of her riding her horse across an orchard as a little Shetland pony trails behind. “It’s an odd time right now and I find my feet not completely underneath me.”
The 48-year-old admitted, “To say I have stress is an understatement. To say that I’m struggling is mild.”
Despite all those negative emotions, Doherty vows she is fighting to focus on the positive and that she believes that “I will find my footing.”
“I’ll dig deep for the inner strength I need to face it all. I pray I do it all with dignity and grace,” Promises the Charmed actress before telling fans “please know how much you all help lift me.”
Fans flooded the comments’ section with kindness and encouraging words, with one fan, named LeeAnne sharing her story of being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer three years ago. “I currently am classed as NED…. No Evidence Of Disease. Don’t give up keep on going,” she promised.
Earlier this month, Doherty told Good Morning America, “I don’t think I’ve processed it … it’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”
“I definitely have days where I say why me,” she continued. “And then I go, well, why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this? None of us do.”
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Lionel Richie tells Jimmy Kimmel why he’s ‘easy’ on ‘American Idol’ castoffs
ABC/Stewart Cook(LOS ANGELES) — American Idol returns Sunday with judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie heading back behind the judges’ table. The trio dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday and teased what’s in store this season.
Katy, Luke and Lionel will once again sit through the usual parade of hopefuls — from the super talented to the just plain awful and it turns out that the job of breaking the bad news often falls to Richie, who told Kimmel he tries to temper the criticism with a little positive reinforcement.
“It’s my job to basically go in and say, ‘listen, I build you up to the point where you made it this far, but do you have a shot in this competition? Absolutely not.’ But I don’t leave them broken.”
Despite having three seasons under his belt, Richie says Bryan and Perry both manage to keep him on his toes.
“Whatever my comfort zone was, they have taken me to a new level of just, by the seat of my pants,” he admits. “I’m not sure what’s gonna happen. But going out on that show, every time we go out, I just hold my breath and go, ‘God, take me to the next level.'”
In spite of that, Perry knew Richie would be a perfect addition to the judges’ table.
“We had a drink together and he was telling me stories about Diana Ross and Whitney Houston and Prince and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve got just such an incredible history and legacy and wisdom.’ And so, [the producers] like asked me, ‘Who do you think should be on the show, who’d be really complimentary, I was like really, Lionel Richie would hold it down so hard,’ and he has.”
American Idol returns Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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Hilary Duff releases new music for the first time in four years
ABC/Eric McCandless(NEW YORK) — Hilary Duff is back! Fans of the Lizzie McGuire star were celebrating on Wednesday when she officially ended her years-long dry spell on new music. For those keeping count, it’s been roughly four years.
Teaming up with husband Matthew Koma, the two released their cheerful cover of Third Eye Blind’s “Never Let You Go.” The husband and wife duo collaborated with RAC, a Grammy award-winning DJ, on the new single.
Duff harmonizes with Koma in the chorus and repeats “I’ll never let you go” by herself throughout the song.
RAC, whose real name is André Allen Anjos, spoke about the new single on Twitter, saying that it “started out as something we were doing just for fun and I think it comes through.”
The 32-year-old actress last released new music in 2016 with her single “Little Lies” to promote the second season of her comedy Younger, which airs on TV Land.
Duff and Koma began dating in 2017 and, after welcoming daughter Banks Violet a year later, the two tied the knot in a private ceremony on December 21, 2019.
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Snoop Dogg wishes he handled Gayle King situation differently, “Two wrongs don’t make no right”
ABC/Kelsey McNeal(LOS ANGELES) — Snoop Dogg wants to take back his harsh words to Gayle King.
The 48-year-old rapper went on a savage rant about the CBS This Morning host after a clip of her interview with WNBA star Lisa Leslie revealed she brought up questions about Kobe Bryant’s 2003 rape case. Now, days later, he issued a sincere apology for how he reacted.
“Two wrongs don’t make no right,” he said in the Instagram video posted on Wednesday. “When you’re wrong you gotta fix it.”
“With that being said: Gayle King, I publicly tore you down by coming at you in a derogatory manner based off of emotions… me being angry at questions that you asked,” he continued. “Should have handled it way different than that…I was raised better than that.”
Snoop further amended, “So I would like to apologize to you publicly for the language that I used and calling you out of your name and just being disrespectful. I didn’t mean for it to be like that. I was just expressing myself for a friends that wasn’t here to defend himself.”
Snoop ended the apology by extending an invite to talk with King privately. He also took a moment to share some words of wisdom to those that look up to him.
“Anytime you mess up, it’s okay to fix it,” Snoop shared. “It’s okay to man up and say that you’re wrong.”
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Gwen Stefani cancels more tour dates due to unknown illness
Jason Merritt/Getty Images(LAS VEGAS) — Gwen Stefani isn’t feeling so well these days.
The 50-year-old singer shared the unfortunate news that she would have to cancel some of the upcoming shows for her Just A Girl Las Vegas residency on Tuesday.
“I am so sad to announce that I am still unwell & will not be able to perform my #JustAGirlVegas show tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12 at @ZapposTheater at @PHVegas,” she tweeted.
“I am resting & doing everything I can to return for my shows on February 14 – 22,” she added. “I am so sorry gx.”
The announcement comes just days after Stefani tweeted out the cancellation of her February 8 show for the same reason. She hasn’t shared the exact illness that has been keeping her from performing but she did assure ticket holders that refunds would be issued.
Stefani’s residency goes until May 16, 2020 and takes place at the Zappos Theater at the Planet Hollywood resort and casino.
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Anna Faris confirms engagement, asks James Corden to officiate wedding
Terence Patrick/CBS(LOS ANGELES) — Anna Faris confirmed her engagement on Tuesday night’s episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden.
As the two sat down to chat, Corden made notice of a new sparkly piece of jewelry that the actress was wearing on her ring finger.
“This was not here last time you were on the show,” he said about the “unbelievable ring” with a large, cushion cut stone.
The late night talk show host even joked that she was marrying Mark Zuckerberg, but he’s already taken. Faris is actually engaged to cinematographer Michael Barrett, who she’s been with since 2017. The two even worked together on the 2018 film Overboard.
Things took an unexpected turn though after Corden congratulated Faris on her engagement.
“Thank you,” she said with a big smile, then asked, “Do you officiate weddings?”
Faris clarified that Corden would have to audition for the role which she hopes will be filled by someone “humorous,” who can bring a “heartfelt sentiment,” and “doesn’t talk too much about themselves.”
That’s when Corden took himself out of the running.
“That’s a problem,” he quipped. “I really strike out on all three of those.”
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Jameela Jamil denies rumors that she has Munchausen syndrome
ABC/Image Group LA(LOS ANGELES) — Jameela Jamil understands having rumors spread about her comes with the territory of being a celebrity. However, she draws the line when it comes to spreading lies about her mental health.
Writer and producer Tracie Morrissey claimed in a lengthy Instagram highlight reel that The Good Place actress has Munchausen syndrome — a factitious disorder to describe people who pretend to have numerous physical or mental illnesses.
There, Morrissey documented every accident Jamil spoke about, such as when she was hit by a car to suffering a concussion when filming with Olly Murs, and compared the timelines.
Eventually, the writer said the sequence of events and witness accounts didn’t add up — deducing in her now-viral highlight that Jamil was exaggerating or lying about her injuries for attention.
On Wednesday, Jamil denied having Munchausens and branded Morrissey “an unhinged idiot.”
In a detailed Instagram post, the actress explained that Morrissey is the one who mixed up the timelines, writing, “She thought that because my car accident stories was “different” …. that’s because they were about two separate car accidents 13 years apart. In her rush to bully and drag, she forgot to read.”
However, Jamil decided to shake off the rumors and explained, “After a few hours of feeling upset that I’m being gaslit and targeted for harassment… I sort of realized… oh. Ok. Some people have sad, empty lives. And doing this gives them some purpose.”
The Misery Index host also decided to contribute to the rumor mill by posting bogus claims of her own on Twitter, ranging from “I’m BANKSY” to “I am single handedly causing climate change with my farts.”
She also encouraged fans to spin their own ridiculous lies about her and retweeted her favorites, such as her faking the moon landing to causing the extinction of dinosaurs.
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