There was no shortage of celebrity beefs in 2017.
Whether the fights were between co-stars or once close friends, the shade just kept coming. Let's take a look back at the most intense celebrity feuds of the year.
1. Blac Chyna vs. Rob Kardashian
Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian's split turned a new level of nasty when the former couple exchanged wild accusations against one another in a heated, Nsfw social media war in June. Kardashian shared graphic naked photos of Chyna, accused her of cheating on him multiple times and also accused her of being on drugs. Meanwhile, Chyna took to Snapchat to accuse Kardashian of also cheating on her and being physically abusive.
One month later, a judge granted Chyna's request for a temporary restraining order against Kardashian.
"Revenge porn is a form of domestic abuse," Chyna's attorney, Lisa Bloom, said during a press conference.
Greg Doherty/Getty Images
But the two now appear to be keeping...
Whether the fights were between co-stars or once close friends, the shade just kept coming. Let's take a look back at the most intense celebrity feuds of the year.
1. Blac Chyna vs. Rob Kardashian
Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian's split turned a new level of nasty when the former couple exchanged wild accusations against one another in a heated, Nsfw social media war in June. Kardashian shared graphic naked photos of Chyna, accused her of cheating on him multiple times and also accused her of being on drugs. Meanwhile, Chyna took to Snapchat to accuse Kardashian of also cheating on her and being physically abusive.
One month later, a judge granted Chyna's request for a temporary restraining order against Kardashian.
"Revenge porn is a form of domestic abuse," Chyna's attorney, Lisa Bloom, said during a press conference.
Greg Doherty/Getty Images
But the two now appear to be keeping...
- 12/15/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
John Travolta hasn't portrayed a lof of real people. Back in the '90s, he kind of played Bill Clinton in Primary Colors and had the role of non-famous actual lawyer Jan Schlichtmann in A Civil Action. Then last year he embodied the part of famous O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro on television and earned an Emmy nomination for the performance. Now he's about to grace the big screen in another true story as notorious mobster John Gotti Sr. The first trailer has arrived for the biopic, titled Gotti, care of Good Morning America. Travolta fits the part of the titular Gambino family boss well, through the decades. We've seen a lot of this sort of real-life mafia movie, from Goodfellas to Black Mass, and we've seen Travolta...
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- 9/26/2017
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
John Travolta hasn't portrayed a lof of real people. Back in the '90s, he kind of played Bill Clinton in Primary Colors and had the role of non-famous actual lawyer Jan Schlichtmann in A Civil Action. Then last year he embodied the part of famous O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro on television and earned an Emmy nomination for the performance. Now he's about to grace the big screen in another true story as notorious mobster John Gotti Sr. The first trailer...
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- 9/26/2017
- by affiliates@fandango.com
- Fandango
Peggy Albrecht Friendly House Los Angeles, the first residential program in the country for women recovering from alcohol and drug abuse, will honor MusiCares/Map Fund’s Senior Director Harold Owens with the Excellence In Service Award; entrepreneur and television personality Eden Sassoon with the Woman of the Year Award; and tattoo artist, author, activist and musician Kat Von D with the Shining Star Award at their 28th annual Awards Luncheon, Saturday, October 28, 2017 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills.
“We are honored to celebrate each of these remarkable individuals for their generosity, commitment, and myriad of contributions to our community,” said Friendly House Board Chair, Peggy Albrecht. “Our organization is fortunate to have such dedicated supporters. With their generosity, we are able to provide an environment where women can recover from the devastation of drug and alcohol addiction, help to renew family relationships and reintegrate each woman back into the community.
“We are honored to celebrate each of these remarkable individuals for their generosity, commitment, and myriad of contributions to our community,” said Friendly House Board Chair, Peggy Albrecht. “Our organization is fortunate to have such dedicated supporters. With their generosity, we are able to provide an environment where women can recover from the devastation of drug and alcohol addiction, help to renew family relationships and reintegrate each woman back into the community.
- 9/20/2017
- Look to the Stars
Dream Kardashian is the cutest!
Rob Kardashian made his return to social media on Friday, sharing an adorable photo of his 8-month-old daughter, whom he shares with ex Blac Chyna.
Related: Exclusive: Blac Chyna's Lawyer on Restraining Order Against Rob Kardashian: She's 'Not Trying to Start a
The captionless pic shows a wide-eyed Dream in a cute light gray onesie while sitting in a ball pit.
Watch: Blac Chyna's Attorney Calls Restraining Orders Against Rob Kardashian a 'Complete and Total Victory'
Kardashian, 30, and Chyna have been in a legal battle after he shared private images of his ex-fiancée on social media earlier this month. The 29-year-old model was granted a restraining order against Kardashian, which orders him to physically stay away from her, as well as forbids him to post anything about her online. The former couple will still be sharing custody of Dream.
While the original restraining order also stated that Kardashian mustn't...
Rob Kardashian made his return to social media on Friday, sharing an adorable photo of his 8-month-old daughter, whom he shares with ex Blac Chyna.
Related: Exclusive: Blac Chyna's Lawyer on Restraining Order Against Rob Kardashian: She's 'Not Trying to Start a
The captionless pic shows a wide-eyed Dream in a cute light gray onesie while sitting in a ball pit.
Watch: Blac Chyna's Attorney Calls Restraining Orders Against Rob Kardashian a 'Complete and Total Victory'
Kardashian, 30, and Chyna have been in a legal battle after he shared private images of his ex-fiancée on social media earlier this month. The 29-year-old model was granted a restraining order against Kardashian, which orders him to physically stay away from her, as well as forbids him to post anything about her online. The former couple will still be sharing custody of Dream.
While the original restraining order also stated that Kardashian mustn't...
- 7/22/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Mohamed Hadid has been sentenced after pleading no contest to charges involving his 30,000-square-foot mansion under construction. According to court officials, the real estate developer must complete 200 hours of community service, a 36-month summary probation and pay an undisclosed amount of fines. "We're interested in one thing and one thing only … bringing this building into compliance," his attorney Robert Shapiro told reporters via the Los Angeles Times after today's sentencing hearing. "I can assure you that when this building is complete, it will be one of the most beautiful homes in Bel-Air, if not the country." ———— One of...
- 7/20/2017
- E! Online
Regardless of whatever decisions he makes, the KarJenner clan will never give up on Rob Kardashian.
“The idea that anyone in the family would ever turn their backs on Rob is silly. They’ll never be ‘done’ with him,” a source close to the family tells People.
In the wake of his social media rampage against ex-fiancée Blac Chyna on July 5, during which he repeatedly shared graphic and expletive-ridden content about her on Twitter and Instagram and accused her of drug use, alcohol abuse and infidelity, an insider told People that his family was “horrified” by his actions.
But in...
“The idea that anyone in the family would ever turn their backs on Rob is silly. They’ll never be ‘done’ with him,” a source close to the family tells People.
In the wake of his social media rampage against ex-fiancée Blac Chyna on July 5, during which he repeatedly shared graphic and expletive-ridden content about her on Twitter and Instagram and accused her of drug use, alcohol abuse and infidelity, an insider told People that his family was “horrified” by his actions.
But in...
- 7/14/2017
- by Elizabeth Leonard and Natalie Stone
- PEOPLE.com
A week after Rob Kardashian‘s social media tirade against ex-fiancée Blac Chyna, the reality star has apologized to his family — and now admits their relationship was a “terrible idea,” a source tells People.
“He did apologize. Finally!” the source says of the 30-year-old, who has been ordered by a judge to stay at least 100 ft. away from his ex and is banned from posting personal photos or information about her and her children, per a set of restraining orders granted on Monday.
“Rob is very stubborn,” the source continues. “It took him forever to admit it was a terrible...
“He did apologize. Finally!” the source says of the 30-year-old, who has been ordered by a judge to stay at least 100 ft. away from his ex and is banned from posting personal photos or information about her and her children, per a set of restraining orders granted on Monday.
“Rob is very stubborn,” the source continues. “It took him forever to admit it was a terrible...
- 7/12/2017
- by Patrick Gomez
- PEOPLE.com
Blac Chyna was granted a restraining order against Rob Kardashian on Monday, after Chyna's ex-fiance shared private images of her on Instagram and Twitter last week.
Following the 29-year-old model's day in court, her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, sat down with Et at her office in Woodland Hills, California, where she opened up about how she says her client feels following her successful bid for a restraining order, and what the future holds for the former couple.
"She walked out with a big smile on her face, she gave me lots of hugs and said, 'Thank you, Lisa,' and that was very gratifying to me," Bloom shared. "I think it was like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders."
Watch: Blac Chyna's Attorney Calls Restraining Orders Against Rob Kardashian a 'Complete and Total Victory'
While Kardashian was ordered to stay away from Chyna, the two will still be sharing custody of their 8-month-old daughter...
Following the 29-year-old model's day in court, her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, sat down with Et at her office in Woodland Hills, California, where she opened up about how she says her client feels following her successful bid for a restraining order, and what the future holds for the former couple.
"She walked out with a big smile on her face, she gave me lots of hugs and said, 'Thank you, Lisa,' and that was very gratifying to me," Bloom shared. "I think it was like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders."
Watch: Blac Chyna's Attorney Calls Restraining Orders Against Rob Kardashian a 'Complete and Total Victory'
While Kardashian was ordered to stay away from Chyna, the two will still be sharing custody of their 8-month-old daughter...
- 7/10/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
In addition to claiming her ex Rob Kardashian “punched” her, Blac Chyna is now detailing the reality star’s “multiple” suicide threats.
In a written statement provided along with her request for a restraining order against her ex — who went on an explicit social media tirade on June 5 in which he posted nude photos of her — Chyna says Kardashian “threatened to kill himself multiple times in text messages since we broke up in December 2016, trying to manipulate me to respond to his outbursts.”
“I take his threats seriously because he showed me his gun at his house,” explains Chyna, who...
In a written statement provided along with her request for a restraining order against her ex — who went on an explicit social media tirade on June 5 in which he posted nude photos of her — Chyna says Kardashian “threatened to kill himself multiple times in text messages since we broke up in December 2016, trying to manipulate me to respond to his outbursts.”
“I take his threats seriously because he showed me his gun at his house,” explains Chyna, who...
- 7/10/2017
- by Patrick Gomez
- PEOPLE.com
2017-07-10T12:00:19-07:00Blac Chyna Granted Restraining Order
Blac Chyna has been granted a temporary restraining order against her ex-fiancé Rob Kardashian, Us Weekly can confirm. The Lashed Bar owner was granted the request during an appearance in court on Monday, July 10. Chyna was accompanied by her lawyer Lisa Bloom, while Kardashian’s attorneys Robert Shapiro and Sam Klein appeared on his behalf.
The news comes after Kardashian’s lawyer said that the Arthur George sock creator, 30, wouldn’t be fighting Chyna in court over the social media rant he went on last week during which he posted nude photos of the former stripper and accused her of cheating and allegedly doing drugs.
Kardashian’s attorney added that Kardashian’s behavior was “a spontaneous reaction that he regrets."
Read the rest of this article at Us Weekly.
Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna are the stars of Rob & Chyna.
Blac Chyna has been granted a temporary restraining order against her ex-fiancé Rob Kardashian, Us Weekly can confirm. The Lashed Bar owner was granted the request during an appearance in court on Monday, July 10. Chyna was accompanied by her lawyer Lisa Bloom, while Kardashian’s attorneys Robert Shapiro and Sam Klein appeared on his behalf.
The news comes after Kardashian’s lawyer said that the Arthur George sock creator, 30, wouldn’t be fighting Chyna in court over the social media rant he went on last week during which he posted nude photos of the former stripper and accused her of cheating and allegedly doing drugs.
Kardashian’s attorney added that Kardashian’s behavior was “a spontaneous reaction that he regrets."
Read the rest of this article at Us Weekly.
Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna are the stars of Rob & Chyna.
- 7/10/2017
- by EG
- Yidio
Blac Chyna's Attorney Calls Restraining Orders Against Rob Kardashian a 'Complete and Total Victory'
Blac Chyna's attorney, Lisa Bloom, was pleased to announce that a judge granted a request for temporary restraining orders against Rob Kardashian, the 29-year-old model's ex-fiance and the father of her child, after he shared private images of her on social media last week.
Dressed in an all-white suit, Chyna joined Bloom -- along with her other lawyers, Vernon Ellicott and Walter Mosley -- outside the the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, and briefly addressed the press. "First and foremost, I want to thank the judge for granting a restraining order to protect me," she said, adding that she plans to go back to "co-parenting Dream," the 8-month-old daughter she shares with Kardashian.
Photo: Blac Chyna Arrives in Court, Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against Rob Kardashian
While Kardashian was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Chyna, he will still share custody of Dream. “The court is not in the business of separating biological...
Dressed in an all-white suit, Chyna joined Bloom -- along with her other lawyers, Vernon Ellicott and Walter Mosley -- outside the the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, and briefly addressed the press. "First and foremost, I want to thank the judge for granting a restraining order to protect me," she said, adding that she plans to go back to "co-parenting Dream," the 8-month-old daughter she shares with Kardashian.
Photo: Blac Chyna Arrives in Court, Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against Rob Kardashian
While Kardashian was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Chyna, he will still share custody of Dream. “The court is not in the business of separating biological...
- 7/10/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Rob Kardashian has apologized for his social-media freakout aimed at his ex Blac Chyna last week. Or, at least, his attorney has. Kardashian’s attorney, Robert Shapiro, spoke to reporters Monday morning, after his client’s ex-girlfriend Blac Chyna obtained a restraining order against Kardashian. “We had a very brief appearance in court. We agreed to stipulate to the temporary restraining order and all conditions attached attached thereto, and our primary going forward for Mr. Kardashian is the health and welfare of the baby, and both parents are going to work toward that goal,” Shapiro said. Also Read: Blac Chyna to Rob Kardashian: 'If.
- 7/10/2017
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
While Rob Kardashian is facing some harsh realities back home as his ex Blac Chyna is granted a restraining order, mom Kris Jenner is off on a romantic European vacation.
Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble were spotted arriving in St. Tropez for a tropical getaway, days after Kardashian’s explicit social media rampage last week against ex fiancee Blac Chyna.
“Kris and Corey arrived in Europe over the weekend. They were first in St. Tropez with friends,” a source reveals to People. “They enjoyed the sun and relaxed on a yacht. They are in Italy now and had dinner in Portofino last night.
Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble were spotted arriving in St. Tropez for a tropical getaway, days after Kardashian’s explicit social media rampage last week against ex fiancee Blac Chyna.
“Kris and Corey arrived in Europe over the weekend. They were first in St. Tropez with friends,” a source reveals to People. “They enjoyed the sun and relaxed on a yacht. They are in Italy now and had dinner in Portofino last night.
- 7/10/2017
- by Megan Stein
- PEOPLE.com
[[tmz:video id="0_1gdulm8j"]] Blac Chyna got the restraining order she sought against Rob Kardashian ... and she celebrated outside court with her attorneys. Chyna was flanked by Lisa Bloom and Walter Mosley as they laid out the terms of the restraining order. Rob is now barred from any further cyberbullying of Chyna -- including posting photos or videos of her, or making any personal comments about her. He also has to stay away from her. Rob was not in court,...
- 7/10/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
E! News can confirm Blac Chyna was granted a temporary restraining order against Rob Kardashian today. The 29-year-old model headed to a Los Angeles court alongside her attorney, Lisa Bloom, to file for the Tro, which she was granted by the court. Though Rob did not appear in court, his attorneys, Robert Shapiro and Sam Klein, appeared on his behalf. The Tro does not cover their 8-month-old daughter, Dream Kardashian, as the former couple's nannies drop her off between parents. The L.A. Superior Court Commissioner James E. Blancarte said the court's primary concern is the baby, and the pair will have to figure out a visitation schedule. "The court is not in the business of separating...
- 7/10/2017
- E! Online
Blac Chyna appeared at Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, where she was granted restraining order against her ex-fiance, Rob Kardashian.
A judge ordered Kardashian to stay at least 100 yards away from Chyna and to not share any pictures of her, their 8-month-old daughter, Dream, or Chyna's son, Cairo, on social media. The next hearing is Aug. 8.
Chyna, dressed in a white suit, was with her attorneys, Lisa Bloom, Vernon Ellicott and Walter Mosley. The 29-year-old model, who was also surrounded by an entourage of friends including her hair stylist, Kellon Deryck, remained stoic as reporters peppered her with questions.
Backgrid
Watch: T.I. Gives Advice to Rob Kardashian After He Claimed Rapper Paid to Have a Threesome With Blac Chyna
Once inside the court, Chyna was spotted walking through the hallway arm in arm with Bloom and Mosley. Bloom was also overheard telling Chyna, "God is watching over you."
Meanwhile, Kardashian...
A judge ordered Kardashian to stay at least 100 yards away from Chyna and to not share any pictures of her, their 8-month-old daughter, Dream, or Chyna's son, Cairo, on social media. The next hearing is Aug. 8.
Chyna, dressed in a white suit, was with her attorneys, Lisa Bloom, Vernon Ellicott and Walter Mosley. The 29-year-old model, who was also surrounded by an entourage of friends including her hair stylist, Kellon Deryck, remained stoic as reporters peppered her with questions.
Backgrid
Watch: T.I. Gives Advice to Rob Kardashian After He Claimed Rapper Paid to Have a Threesome With Blac Chyna
Once inside the court, Chyna was spotted walking through the hallway arm in arm with Bloom and Mosley. Bloom was also overheard telling Chyna, "God is watching over you."
Meanwhile, Kardashian...
- 7/10/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
[[tmz:video id="0_8x4cpfkd"]] Blac Chyna had a poker face as she arrived at the courthouse with her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, as they set their sights on a restraining order against Rob Kardashian. Chyna wouldn't talk about additional allegations of violence, first reported by TMZ ... she said nothing as she arrived for the 8:30 Am Pt hearing. As we reported, Rob's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, told TMZ he'd stipulate to the restraining order, which prohibits Rob from slut shaming his baby mama.
- 7/10/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Wow. When Rob Kardashian decided to lawyer up for his revenge porn case against Blac Chyna, he kept it in the family. Rob hired Robert Shapiro, who worked with his father on the Oj Simpson murder trial!
- 7/10/2017
- by Jason Brow
- HollywoodLife
Rob Kardashian will not fight Blac Chyna in court Monday ... we've learned he will agree to the restraining order she is seeking against him. Rob's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, tells TMZ, Rob's cyberbullying last week was "a spontaneous reaction that he regrets." We're told Shapiro will appear on Rob's behalf and immediately tell the judge there is no need for a hearing because Rob has no interest contesting her request for a restraining order that prohibits...
- 7/10/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Blac Chyna is breaking her silence following a social media feud with her ex-fiance, Rob Kardashian, that quickly escalated to him sharing private images of her.
Chyna -- dressed in an all-black suit and turtleneck blouse -- joined her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, for an interview with ABC News' Lindsey Davis that aired in part on Monday's Good Morning America, and recalled her initial reaction to learning that Kardashian -- the father of her 8-month-old daughter, Dream -- had posted to social media naked photos of her along with graphic messages, accusing her of cheating on him. His Instagram account was disabled soon thereafter.
Watch: T.I. Gives Advice to Rob Kardashian After He Claimed Rapper Paid to Have a Threesome With Blac Chyna
"I was devastated, of course. I’m like, 'How could somebody, like, post these pictures of me?'" the 29-year-old model-turned-reality star told Davis. "And I’m like ‘Wow, Ok.’ This...
Chyna -- dressed in an all-black suit and turtleneck blouse -- joined her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, for an interview with ABC News' Lindsey Davis that aired in part on Monday's Good Morning America, and recalled her initial reaction to learning that Kardashian -- the father of her 8-month-old daughter, Dream -- had posted to social media naked photos of her along with graphic messages, accusing her of cheating on him. His Instagram account was disabled soon thereafter.
Watch: T.I. Gives Advice to Rob Kardashian After He Claimed Rapper Paid to Have a Threesome With Blac Chyna
"I was devastated, of course. I’m like, 'How could somebody, like, post these pictures of me?'" the 29-year-old model-turned-reality star told Davis. "And I’m like ‘Wow, Ok.’ This...
- 7/10/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Rob Kardashian's lawyer will appear in court Monday morning and tell the judge ... his client will voluntarily refrain from attacking/bullying Blac Chyna on social media. Sources connected with Rob tell us, he'll be represented by Robert Shapiro of Oj Simpson fame, and Shapiro will not oppose the Tro ... mostly because they are routinely granted when the alleged victim claims violence. As we reported, Chyna says Rob got physical with her back in April.
- 7/10/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Blac Chyna's representatives say she is taking legal action against Rob Kardashian.
Just two days after the formerly engaged couple got into a Nsfw social media war when Rob started posting explicit pics allegedly of the model, claiming she was on drugs and has been cheating on him with multiple men, Los Angeles-based attorney Lisa Bloom took to Twitter to reveal she would be representing Chyna in court.
Watch: Blac Chyna Makes a Colorful Public Appearance Amid Rob Kardashian Drama
"I represent Blac Chyna," Bloom tweeted on Friday. "I just gave Rob Kardashian notice that we'll be in court Monday seeking restraining orders against him. More to come."
She also released the following statement on why she decided to represent Chyna:
One day earlier, Bloom retweeted an article about Rob and Chyna's feud from The Washington Post, giving her personal take on the messy situation.
"What Rob Kardashian did to Blac Chyna could be 'revenge porn' and...
Just two days after the formerly engaged couple got into a Nsfw social media war when Rob started posting explicit pics allegedly of the model, claiming she was on drugs and has been cheating on him with multiple men, Los Angeles-based attorney Lisa Bloom took to Twitter to reveal she would be representing Chyna in court.
Watch: Blac Chyna Makes a Colorful Public Appearance Amid Rob Kardashian Drama
"I represent Blac Chyna," Bloom tweeted on Friday. "I just gave Rob Kardashian notice that we'll be in court Monday seeking restraining orders against him. More to come."
She also released the following statement on why she decided to represent Chyna:
One day earlier, Bloom retweeted an article about Rob and Chyna's feud from The Washington Post, giving her personal take on the messy situation.
"What Rob Kardashian did to Blac Chyna could be 'revenge porn' and...
- 7/7/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Conrad Hilton pleaded not guilty to violating a restraining order obtained by his ex, Hunter Salomon, and to stealing her father's car, while appearing Thursday at an arraignment that was originally postponed due to his bizarre behavior. His lawyer, famed celebrity attorney Robert Shapiro, told the judge his client has been undergoing treatment at a psychiatric clinic, per court order. The 23-year-old hotel heir and youngest sibling of Paris Hilton was arrested in May after police found him inside a Bentley owned by Hunter's dad Rick Salomon, parked at her mother's E.G. Daily's home. He was charged with disobeying a domestic...
- 6/29/2017
- E! Online
Conrad Hilton's family will use his arrest after going off the rails at his ex-girlfriend's house to get him help ... TMZ has learned. We broke the story ... Conrad was arrested Saturday at 4 Am after allegedly stealing Rick Salomon's Bentley, driving it over to his ex-girlfriend's house and trying to break in. Conrad was arrested for violating a restraining order after going on a vulgar rant against Lapd cops. Hilton, the younger brother of Paris...
- 5/9/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Robert Kardashian Sr. might not have believed in friend O.J. Simpson‘s innocence, despite helping defend the NFL star in his 1994 murder trial, according to new claims.
According to RadarOnline, Caitlyn Jenner writes in her new memoir, The Secrets of My Life, that Kardashian once implied he thought Simpson killed his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman.
Jenner reportedly says she was in the car with Kardashian in the late ’90s – following Simpson’s initial acquittal and later conviction of manslaughter in a civil trial – when he allegedly said, “I would’ve been okay with it if they...
According to RadarOnline, Caitlyn Jenner writes in her new memoir, The Secrets of My Life, that Kardashian once implied he thought Simpson killed his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ron Goldman.
Jenner reportedly says she was in the car with Kardashian in the late ’90s – following Simpson’s initial acquittal and later conviction of manslaughter in a civil trial – when he allegedly said, “I would’ve been okay with it if they...
- 4/11/2017
- by Lindsay Kimble
- PEOPLE.com
Playing real-life characters has worked out pretty well for John Travolta as of late, with a turn as defense attorney Robert Shapiro in American Crime Story, and taking on the title role in the years-in-development but hopefully-soon-to-be-released The Life And Death Of John Gotti. Travolta’s latest role also falls into the category of true crime: Deadline reports that Speed Kills is not, in fact, a sequel to a Keanu Reeves movie, even though it’s better than the actual title of that sequel (Speed 2: Cruise Control). Instead, the film will explore the volatile life of boat designer, racer, and businessman Don Aronow, who created a speedboat empire featuring the famous Cigarette boat, among others. Aronow won awards for racing, ran several companies, and built speedboats for pals like the Shah of Iran, Malcolm Forbes, and Lyndon Johnson. He also sold boats to cocaine runners for the Miami drug...
- 4/4/2017
- by Gwen Ihnat
- avclub.com
Sunday night, The Golden Globes were handed out to actors, directors, producers, musicians, screenwriters, and television show creators in a setting of inebriated debauchery that The Golden Globes are so well known for. While La La Land broke a record in total awards received, there were also a few surprises on the TV side of the awards.
The Biggest Winners
1. The Night Manager
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Tom HiddlestonBest Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Hugh LaurieBest Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Olivia Colman
The Night Manager stars Tom Hiddleston playing Jonathan Pine, a lonely night manager at a Cairo hotel, who gets recruited into infiltrating Richard Onslow Roper's (Hugh Laurie), an arms dealer,...
The Biggest Winners
1. The Night Manager
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Tom HiddlestonBest Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Hugh LaurieBest Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Olivia Colman
The Night Manager stars Tom Hiddleston playing Jonathan Pine, a lonely night manager at a Cairo hotel, who gets recruited into infiltrating Richard Onslow Roper's (Hugh Laurie), an arms dealer,...
- 1/9/2017
- by Drew Carlton
- LRMonline.com
11:50 Am Pt -- Robert Shapiro tells TMZ: "The earbuds were left behind in a canister and Mrs. Parker had no intention of doing anything but finding the rightful owner. As she had her own earbuds as well as her own headphones, and she regrets the inconvenience this has caused everyone."Former Miss USA Lu Parker is going to a support group for petty thieves ... 'cause that beats the hell out of going to trial...
- 12/16/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
It's a good year to be John Travolta. The movie star's TV turn earned him a nomination at the 22nd Critics' Choice Awards for his portrayal of attorney Robert Shapiro in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. "When this happens," the 62-year-old told E! News' Marc Malkin Sunday, "you kind of savor it." Indeed, television has been good to Travolta—but it hasn't always been so good to his faith. Late last month, A&E premiered Leah Remini's docu-series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. In it, Remini accuses the Church of Scientology of abuse, lies and sexual misconduct. Travolta has not watched any of the episodes, telling E! News he's...
- 12/12/2016
- E! Online
Janice Dickinson has been looking for her true love for a long time.
“It’s taken me half a century to find a soulmate and thanks to the universe my stars were aligned the day Rocky and I met,” the supermodel tells People exclusively of Robert “Rocky” Gerner, whom she wed Saturday in the Los Angeles area. “He’s the best and he’s the brightest man I’ve ever met.”
Dickinson, 61, and Gerner, 70, were introduced by Gerner’s son, Robert Gerner Jr., who set them up for a blind date in 2012. By the end of that year, the two were engaged.
“It’s taken me half a century to find a soulmate and thanks to the universe my stars were aligned the day Rocky and I met,” the supermodel tells People exclusively of Robert “Rocky” Gerner, whom she wed Saturday in the Los Angeles area. “He’s the best and he’s the brightest man I’ve ever met.”
Dickinson, 61, and Gerner, 70, were introduced by Gerner’s son, Robert Gerner Jr., who set them up for a blind date in 2012. By the end of that year, the two were engaged.
- 12/10/2016
- by Patrick Gomez
- PEOPLE.com
John Travolta used to be an A-list actor with an ongoing string of hits, but he hasn’t headlined a major Hollywood production since 2010 action film From Paris with Love barely broke even at the domestic box office. Ever since, Travolta has received steady work from lower-profile outings that typically receive limited, if any, theatrical release before debuting on video-on-demand. Already this year, the Oscar-nominated star of classics like Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction has appeared in action thriller I Am Wrath and Western In a Valley of Violence, alongside Ethan Hawke. Now, he leads his third 2016 release with Life on the Line.
The film centers on a team of linemen, the workers responsible for repairing power lines and maintaining the electrical grid. Travolta stars as Beau, the grizzled veteran of the group and uncle to orphaned niece Bailey (Kate Bosworth), who finds herself at a romantic crossroads with...
The film centers on a team of linemen, the workers responsible for repairing power lines and maintaining the electrical grid. Travolta stars as Beau, the grizzled veteran of the group and uncle to orphaned niece Bailey (Kate Bosworth), who finds herself at a romantic crossroads with...
- 11/18/2016
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- We Got This Covered
Well the verdict is in, and it looks like the cast of Fox’s New Girl have come out of this Halloween victorious.
Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris came together recently to create the best group Halloween costume yet.
The group channelled the cast of FX’s Emmy-winning hit American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson for a spot-on recreation of the show’s infamous ’90s personalities.
The shot oddly doesn’t come from a Halloween-themed episode of the sitcom, but from a Christmas-centric outing which is scheduled to air later this year.
Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris came together recently to create the best group Halloween costume yet.
The group channelled the cast of FX’s Emmy-winning hit American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson for a spot-on recreation of the show’s infamous ’90s personalities.
The shot oddly doesn’t come from a Halloween-themed episode of the sitcom, but from a Christmas-centric outing which is scheduled to air later this year.
- 11/1/2016
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
“Movies originally attracted the artist because of the freedom, and now all that freedom is on TV,” said The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story’s John Travolta, holding the show’s Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series. In addition to playing Simpson legal meister Robert Shapiro, and being nominated for the supporting role, Travolta also served as a producer on the FX program, which took home five Emmys tonight, to go with its four at the Creative Arts Emmys last…...
- 9/19/2016
- Deadline TV
The crime of the century became a media circus, with no angle hidden -- yet behind what we saw on TV was even more conflict and consternation. This eight-hour miniseries is a beautifully constructed recreation with excellent casting, even though its O.J. doesn't remind us much of the original. It's highly absorbing stuff to anyone who lived through it. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story Blu-ray Fox Home Video 2016 / Color /1:78 widescreen / 498 min. / Street Date September 6, 2016 / 49.99 Starring Sarah Paulson, John Travolta, Sterling K. Brown, Kenneth Choi, Christian Clemenson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Bruce Greenwood, Nathan Lane, David Schwimmer, Courtney B. Vance, Robert Morse, Steven Pasquale, Cheryl Ladd, Larry King, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Billy Magnussen. Cinematography Nelson Cragg Film Editors Chi Yoon Chung, Stewart Schill, Adam Penn Original Music Mac Quayle Written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski (creators), Jeffrey Toobin, D.V. DeVincentis, Joe Robert Cole, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky Produced by Alexis Martin Woodall,...
- 9/17/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
[[tmz:video id="0_c6djkj66"]] Robert Shapiro tried his best to hide his contempt for the people behind "People vs. Oj Simpson," for a cartoonish-like portrayal of him. We got Oj's real lawyer Friday outside Bristol Farms in Bev Hills, and he was critical of John Travolta -- who played him -- for not bothering to even meet him before the cameras rolled. As for whether Shapiro will congratulate Travolta if he wins an Emmy ... Read more...
- 9/17/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
As if everything we know about Scream Queens Season 2 wasn't already terrific, there's even more news to share.
Did we think it was impossible to improve upon the already announced cast? Honestly, no.
And yet, here we are. Kirstie Alley is on board, we learned today. As a series regular!!
Alley is a Golden Globe winner. She's an Emmy winner. She starred on Cheers, headlined NBC's Veronica's Closet, mocked herself in the hilarious and underrated Showtime series Fat Actress and recently took to TV Land for Kirstie.
Now? She'll be playing a brilliant and devious administrator along side Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Billie Lourd, Glen Powell and Niecy Nash who are set to reprise their Scream Queens Season 1 characters.
Others joining Scream Queen Season 2 as regulars are John Stamos, Taylor Lautner and James Earl.
View Slideshow: 13 Best Shows in Showtime History
That's not...
Did we think it was impossible to improve upon the already announced cast? Honestly, no.
And yet, here we are. Kirstie Alley is on board, we learned today. As a series regular!!
Alley is a Golden Globe winner. She's an Emmy winner. She starred on Cheers, headlined NBC's Veronica's Closet, mocked herself in the hilarious and underrated Showtime series Fat Actress and recently took to TV Land for Kirstie.
Now? She'll be playing a brilliant and devious administrator along side Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Billie Lourd, Glen Powell and Niecy Nash who are set to reprise their Scream Queens Season 1 characters.
Others joining Scream Queen Season 2 as regulars are John Stamos, Taylor Lautner and James Earl.
View Slideshow: 13 Best Shows in Showtime History
That's not...
- 9/12/2016
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
John Travolta is fantastic in The People v. O.J. Simpson. In season one of FX’s new American Crime series, he’s hilarious as the insecure and loud Robert Shapiro. It’s a big, committed performance, and arguably his best work in years. Earlier this year, we also saw the actor in the action movie I Am Wrath, which didn’t seem to generate […]
The post ‘Life on the Line’ Trailer: Gentlemen, It’s Going to Get Bad appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Life on the Line’ Trailer: Gentlemen, It’s Going to Get Bad appeared first on /Film.
- 9/5/2016
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Editor Adam Penn had no idea what to expect when he hired on to FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” To him, “The Trial of the Century” was a caricatured media circus. But he trusted director Ryan Murphy after collaborating on several series, most recently “American Horror Story.” The experience not only earned him an Emmy nom for the pilot (“From the Ashes of Tragedy”), but was also a revelation concerning the personal lives of these larger than life players.
“The biggest challenge was taking people that everybody’s familiar with and reshaping it a little bit so you’re not necessarily thinking Cuba Gooding Jr., you’re thinking O.J.,” said Penn, who splits his time as a screenwriter and co-producer on another buzzy Emmy series, “Mr. Robot.”
So Penn stood back and got out of the way of the performances and camera movement and relied on invisible cutting.
“The biggest challenge was taking people that everybody’s familiar with and reshaping it a little bit so you’re not necessarily thinking Cuba Gooding Jr., you’re thinking O.J.,” said Penn, who splits his time as a screenwriter and co-producer on another buzzy Emmy series, “Mr. Robot.”
So Penn stood back and got out of the way of the performances and camera movement and relied on invisible cutting.
- 8/17/2016
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” forced Marcia Clark to relive one of the most difficult moments of her professional career – but more than 20 years after the verdict, she’s found peace.
Clark, now a successful author, joined Sarah Paulson – the actress who played her on “People v. O.J.” – on stage Monday in their first public appearance together. Together, they held a candid conversation about the series, sexism and life after O.J.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to heal completely from the injustice of it, the unfairness,” Clark told “People v. O.J.” executive producer Ryan Murphy, who moderated the conversation at 20th Century Fox’s Zanuck Theatre. “But I’ve come to understand it more deeply.”
Clark said the racial divide was something Los Angeles’ district attorney office was aware of, and an issue they knew would be a focal point...
Clark, now a successful author, joined Sarah Paulson – the actress who played her on “People v. O.J.” – on stage Monday in their first public appearance together. Together, they held a candid conversation about the series, sexism and life after O.J.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to heal completely from the injustice of it, the unfairness,” Clark told “People v. O.J.” executive producer Ryan Murphy, who moderated the conversation at 20th Century Fox’s Zanuck Theatre. “But I’ve come to understand it more deeply.”
Clark said the racial divide was something Los Angeles’ district attorney office was aware of, and an issue they knew would be a focal point...
- 8/16/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Movie producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are pinching themselves. They know that you don’t usually jump into television for the first time and emerge with 22 Emmy nominations. Not to mention an ongoing anthology series—they’re developing more seasons of “American Crime Story” on FX.
What did they do right? Well, for one thing they didn’t know the rules—which made the ten-part “People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” series impossibly tough to execute in 110 days. They had the sense to make a television deal with FX, optioned New Yorker scribe Jeffrey Toobin’s 1996 non-fiction book, “The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” hired A-list screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander (“The People vs. Larry Flynt”) as lead writers, and eventually partnered with television veteran Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) who taught them what they needed to know.
When I arrived at...
What did they do right? Well, for one thing they didn’t know the rules—which made the ten-part “People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” series impossibly tough to execute in 110 days. They had the sense to make a television deal with FX, optioned New Yorker scribe Jeffrey Toobin’s 1996 non-fiction book, “The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” hired A-list screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander (“The People vs. Larry Flynt”) as lead writers, and eventually partnered with television veteran Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) who taught them what they needed to know.
When I arrived at...
- 8/1/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Movie producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are pinching themselves. They know that you don’t usually jump into television for the first time and emerge with 22 Emmy nominations. Not to mention an ongoing anthology series—they’re developing more seasons of “American Crime Story” on FX.
What did they do right? Well, for one thing they didn’t know the rules—which made the ten-part “People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” series impossibly tough to execute in 110 days. They had the sense to make a television deal with FX, optioned New Yorker scribe Jeffrey Toobin’s 1996 non-fiction book, “The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” hired A-list screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander (“The People vs. Larry Flynt”) as lead writers, and eventually partnered with television veteran Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) who taught them what they needed to know.
When I arrived at...
What did they do right? Well, for one thing they didn’t know the rules—which made the ten-part “People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” series impossibly tough to execute in 110 days. They had the sense to make a television deal with FX, optioned New Yorker scribe Jeffrey Toobin’s 1996 non-fiction book, “The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” hired A-list screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander (“The People vs. Larry Flynt”) as lead writers, and eventually partnered with television veteran Ryan Murphy (“American Horror Story”) who taught them what they needed to know.
When I arrived at...
- 8/1/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Before John Travolta was singing “Greased Lightning,” he was singing the Band Aid tune in the shower for a TV commercial in 1973. The two-time Oscar nominee appeared in the commercial five years prior to his first major role as Danny Zuko in the legendary “Grease,” opposite Olivia Newton-John. Travolta was recently praised for his portrayal of Robert Shapiro on “The People v. Oj Simpson: American Crime Story,” and starred in action-crime-drama “I Am Wrath” earlier this year. Watch the clip, which also includes a snippet from a shampoo commercial he did in his early days, below! Inspired by this post? Check out our commercial audition listings!
- 7/8/2016
- backstage.com
Exclusive: John Travolta has signed with CAA. The two-time Oscar nominee and two time Globe-winning actor is coming off his performance as attorney Robert Shapiro in the FX series American Crime Story: The People Vs O.J. Simpson. It was Travolta’s first TV stint in two decades. Travolta had been with Wme. The cumulative gross of the actor’s films exceeds $4 billion, including Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever, Grease Urban Cowboy, Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. Travolta…...
- 6/24/2016
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: John Travolta has signed with CAA. The two-time Oscar nominee and two time Globe-winning actor is coming off his performance as attorney Robert Shapiro in the FX series American Crime Story: The People Vs O.J. Simpson. It was Travolta’s first TV stint in two decades. Travolta had been with Wme. The cumulative gross of the actor’s films exceeds $4 billion, including Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever, Grease Urban Cowboy, Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty. Travolta…...
- 6/24/2016
- Deadline
[[tmz:video id="0_en14zls5"]] Famed attorney Robert Shapiro thinks there's little doubt ... Disney is going to pay dearly for the alligator attack that resulted in the gruesome death of a 2-year-old boy. O.J. Simpson's former lawyer was leaving Madeo Thursday night when our photog asked about Disney's legal exposure. TMZ broke the story ... neighboring resorts specifically warned of alligators, but the Disney resort in question only had "No Swimming" signs. Fact is ... the 2-year-old was not even swimming...
- 6/17/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
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We check out the John Travolta films that have been bypassing cinemas over the past few years...
In the days leading up to writing this article, which will cover a recent period in which he’s made a bunch of films that have quickly drifted to DVD or VOD, I had to stop and ask myself a genuine question: how do I actually feel about John Travolta?
The answer that rose from the depths of my coal-black, hell-bound soul was weirdly surprising. Brushing aside his personal life – which is not worth getting into here – I found I had nothing but good feelings surrounding his work as an actor.
I grew up with Carrie, Grease, Look Who’s Talking and perhaps his best film, Brian De Palma’s Blow Out. I also grew up with some of his clunkers, like the Look Who’s Talking sequels and 80s concept comedy The Experts. He’s been acting since before I was born, so he’s always been in the background of my pop culture landscape – working solidly for more than 40 years.
Over those decades, his catalogue has defied explanation. He seems to unapologetically pick whatever he feels moved to be a part of regardless of criticism and, goddamn it, there’s something inherently admirable about that. Unlike, say, Bruce Willis, he doesn’t seem happy with doing just a couple of days work on a shoot in a smaller part; more often he will choose to be the star, or at least have equal-ish screen time – even if the project isn’t boasting a huge budget or a big name director. When Pulp Fiction thrust him back into the mainstream, he was still picking up stuff like Phenomenon and Michael in the following years.
I can confidently say that I’ve never seen the man actively 'phone in' a performance and even when he’s overcooked it, there’s usually a decent reason. I mean, if you find yourself on the set of Face/Off going up against The Cage, you’re gonna need to fight fire with fire. Even in Battlefield Earth, he was at least trying.
But in the last half decade we’ve found ourselves in a deeper Travolta trough than we’ve ever been in before. His films aren’t quite cutting the mustard in the industry like they used to and, after a run of flops that have seen him drift back into television with an impressive turn as Robert Shapiro in The People V. O.J. Simpson, I find myself wondering 'will Travolta ever be big business again?'
So, I took a look at four of the films that Travolta’s worked on in the last few years - each of which has effectively gone straight to DVD (save for a few days in a cinema) - to see if anything’s slipped under our radar that needs a boost…
The Forger (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 7% IMDb Rating – 5.7/10
In The Forger, John Travolta is a man serving a prison sentence who makes a call to get out of it early so he can spend more time with his dying son. In exchange for help with bribing the judge to release him early, John’s expected to help forge a Monet for his erstwhile crime boss, played by Hell On Wheels’ Anson Mount.
As the film casually flits between the forge/heist story and the bonding relationship between John and his son, it’s a testament to director Philip Martin - who comes from a TV background where he’s learnt his trade by helping to bring Prime Suspect and Wallander crime stories to life – that it isn’t a complete disaster. In someone else’s hands, it very well could have been.
Instead, The Forger has a delicate touch and a lot of the shots are interesting and unexpected without being jarring. It flows very smoothly and there’s an undercurrent of genuine love stemming from Travolta’s performance. After losing his own son, making a film about losing a son might have been cathartic and definitely quite close to the bone. I don’t want to read too much into Travolta’s choices, because that way madness lies, but it does really come across as though he cared about this one.
The Forger’s family scenes - with Travolta’s son Tye Sheridan and father Christopher Plummer - play really well, and while the tone of these scenes doesn’t gel with the heist elements of the plot, there’s good stuff here.
Overall, there’s not quite enough substance to sail the whole thing smoothly down the river, but it’s not bad by any stretch and the reviews have been a little harsh on what is actually a perfectly average film. No, you won’t watch it again, but neither will you probably regret watching it in the first place.
Criminal Activities (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 47% IMDb Rating – 5.8/10
Hoo boy, that title. That’s the worst title. I can’t imagine anyone involved could have wanted it. It’s maybe the most generic title I’ve ever seen. It’s so bad that even when I picked up the DVD, looked at the cover and saw that Michael Pitt (Hannibal, Boardwalk Empire) and Dan Stevens (The Guest, The Guest, The Guest) were Travolta’s co-stars in this, I still felt like I was drowning in the beigeness of it.
The film itself - Jackie Earle Haley's directorial debut - is an unfortunate mess. The plot, such as it is, involves Michael, Dan and the rest of the lads from their childhood gang borrowing money from a mob boss (Travolta) to invest in some sure-fire stocks that immediately collapse, leaving them out of pocket and in John’s. To pay off the debt, he wants them to kidnap a guy, because that guy’s friend kidnapped someone else. It’s convoluted and makes little sense, due to the fact that there’s a big twist coming at the end which will clarify most, if not all of it.
The actors are doing wayyy too much in the film - directed by an actor who clearly wants the actors to have room to act - and therein lies the fundamental problem. Apart from a great turn by Edi Gathegi (Gone Baby Gone, X-Men: First Class, Crank) it’s impossible to point a finger at anyone else in the cast and say 'yep, you, good job' because there’s just too much going on.
The twist is actually decent, but everything leading up to it is a headache. Working on a low budget, most of the scenes are dialogue-heavy, arduous and reliant on excessive coverage – so what you end up with is a film where a load of dudes sit in a room together and shout and swear at each other a lot. I wanted to take that final twist aside, buy it a drink, hug it, and reassure it that it deserved better.
I’m afraid to say there’s not much here to recommend, which is ironic given that it’s had the most positive reviews of the bunch.
I Am Wrath (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 13% IMDb Rating – 5.2/10
I Am Wrath is the worst film of these four by a long chalk.
Here, John stars as a man who decides payback is needed when his wife (Rebecca de Mornay) is killed before his eyes. That’s really all there is, plot-wise. See, it turns out he’s a man with a very particular set of skills and yada yada yada off he goes.
The script - written by Paul 'nope, nothing you’ve heard of' Sloan - is so very, very bad. I am going to tell you how bad it is, so you don’t think I’m just whistlin’ Dixie here:
During his wife’s funeral, John tells the priest that he’s an atheist after the priest gives him a bible in his time of need. Later, Travolta flings this bible across the room angrily. He then stops, pulls a full Joey Tribbiani 'smell-the-fart', slowly approaches the discarded bible, picks it up and reads a line about wrath with the dumbest revelatory expression on his face as the music builds. He sees this as a sign that he should become wrath, despite his earlier insistence that he thinks religion is total garbage.
Later, when asked who he is, Travolta looks determinedly into a mirror and says “I am wrath” – he said the name of the movie you guys! Holy shit. Honestly, I could not believe how hackneyed the whole thing was, not to mention bizarre - the film regularly abandons its serious 'violence begets violence' tone whenever John’s Bff Christopher Meloni turns up, suddenly becoming a jokey buddy comedy.
This was hard to get through. Please avoid it at all costs, for there is nothing here to keep you warm at night.
Killing Season (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 11% IMDb Rating – 5.4/10
De Niro and Travolta – together at last?
Well, the opening sequence gives us a bit of background on the reason we’re all here. Something bad happened during the Bosnian War that will bring our two main dudes together for some serious vengeance. The sequence is sepia, because past, and ohhhhh god, here comes the present…
It’s at this point that we discover that John is going to attempt an Eastern European accent. It is Not Good. It is not John Malkovich in Rounders, but it is Not Good and we are stuck with it for the duration.
His facial hair during this first scene is also completely ridiculous. I can’t adequately describe how bonkers it is, but try to imagine a werewolf that can only grow stubble carefully shaving a circle into its face. It’s a relief to find that they decided to tone this down for the rest of the film - he looks more like he’s wearing a black chinstrap from then on.
Despite the accent and the questionable chin beard, it’s a lot easier to buy Travolta as a man on a mission of vengeance during Killing Season than it was during I Am Wrath. He’s obviously jazzed to be working with De Niro and he’s knuckled down to bounce off him, keeping it low-key and making an effort not to overdo it.
As a result of this equilibrium, we also get a glimpse of a pre-Meet The Parents De Niro - which is very much welcomed, sweet lord - and the two men head into the second act ready to take each other on, hunt each other down and resolve those Bosnian sins of the past in the most violent way possible.
The script - by proposed Tomb Raider reboot scribe Evan Daugherty - occasionally stumbles, but is solid enough. The direction is fine. It’s fine. It’s probably Mark Steven Johnson’s best film (but when his other major films are Daredevil and Ghost Rider, that’s not exactly a gush) and as the two leads hunt and trap each other, a lot of Predator love oozes out of the frame. Unfortunately, this is not Predator, but you could do worse on an evening than to sit through this instead (if you don’t own Predator).
…Oh my god you guys. We should totally watch Predator right now.
Until next time, and until the next rebirth of Mr Travolta, I bid you adieu.
Next time: the straight to DVD movies of John Cusack
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We check out the John Travolta films that have been bypassing cinemas over the past few years...
In the days leading up to writing this article, which will cover a recent period in which he’s made a bunch of films that have quickly drifted to DVD or VOD, I had to stop and ask myself a genuine question: how do I actually feel about John Travolta?
The answer that rose from the depths of my coal-black, hell-bound soul was weirdly surprising. Brushing aside his personal life – which is not worth getting into here – I found I had nothing but good feelings surrounding his work as an actor.
I grew up with Carrie, Grease, Look Who’s Talking and perhaps his best film, Brian De Palma’s Blow Out. I also grew up with some of his clunkers, like the Look Who’s Talking sequels and 80s concept comedy The Experts. He’s been acting since before I was born, so he’s always been in the background of my pop culture landscape – working solidly for more than 40 years.
Over those decades, his catalogue has defied explanation. He seems to unapologetically pick whatever he feels moved to be a part of regardless of criticism and, goddamn it, there’s something inherently admirable about that. Unlike, say, Bruce Willis, he doesn’t seem happy with doing just a couple of days work on a shoot in a smaller part; more often he will choose to be the star, or at least have equal-ish screen time – even if the project isn’t boasting a huge budget or a big name director. When Pulp Fiction thrust him back into the mainstream, he was still picking up stuff like Phenomenon and Michael in the following years.
I can confidently say that I’ve never seen the man actively 'phone in' a performance and even when he’s overcooked it, there’s usually a decent reason. I mean, if you find yourself on the set of Face/Off going up against The Cage, you’re gonna need to fight fire with fire. Even in Battlefield Earth, he was at least trying.
But in the last half decade we’ve found ourselves in a deeper Travolta trough than we’ve ever been in before. His films aren’t quite cutting the mustard in the industry like they used to and, after a run of flops that have seen him drift back into television with an impressive turn as Robert Shapiro in The People V. O.J. Simpson, I find myself wondering 'will Travolta ever be big business again?'
So, I took a look at four of the films that Travolta’s worked on in the last few years - each of which has effectively gone straight to DVD (save for a few days in a cinema) - to see if anything’s slipped under our radar that needs a boost…
The Forger (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 7% IMDb Rating – 5.7/10
In The Forger, John Travolta is a man serving a prison sentence who makes a call to get out of it early so he can spend more time with his dying son. In exchange for help with bribing the judge to release him early, John’s expected to help forge a Monet for his erstwhile crime boss, played by Hell On Wheels’ Anson Mount.
As the film casually flits between the forge/heist story and the bonding relationship between John and his son, it’s a testament to director Philip Martin - who comes from a TV background where he’s learnt his trade by helping to bring Prime Suspect and Wallander crime stories to life – that it isn’t a complete disaster. In someone else’s hands, it very well could have been.
Instead, The Forger has a delicate touch and a lot of the shots are interesting and unexpected without being jarring. It flows very smoothly and there’s an undercurrent of genuine love stemming from Travolta’s performance. After losing his own son, making a film about losing a son might have been cathartic and definitely quite close to the bone. I don’t want to read too much into Travolta’s choices, because that way madness lies, but it does really come across as though he cared about this one.
The Forger’s family scenes - with Travolta’s son Tye Sheridan and father Christopher Plummer - play really well, and while the tone of these scenes doesn’t gel with the heist elements of the plot, there’s good stuff here.
Overall, there’s not quite enough substance to sail the whole thing smoothly down the river, but it’s not bad by any stretch and the reviews have been a little harsh on what is actually a perfectly average film. No, you won’t watch it again, but neither will you probably regret watching it in the first place.
Criminal Activities (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 47% IMDb Rating – 5.8/10
Hoo boy, that title. That’s the worst title. I can’t imagine anyone involved could have wanted it. It’s maybe the most generic title I’ve ever seen. It’s so bad that even when I picked up the DVD, looked at the cover and saw that Michael Pitt (Hannibal, Boardwalk Empire) and Dan Stevens (The Guest, The Guest, The Guest) were Travolta’s co-stars in this, I still felt like I was drowning in the beigeness of it.
The film itself - Jackie Earle Haley's directorial debut - is an unfortunate mess. The plot, such as it is, involves Michael, Dan and the rest of the lads from their childhood gang borrowing money from a mob boss (Travolta) to invest in some sure-fire stocks that immediately collapse, leaving them out of pocket and in John’s. To pay off the debt, he wants them to kidnap a guy, because that guy’s friend kidnapped someone else. It’s convoluted and makes little sense, due to the fact that there’s a big twist coming at the end which will clarify most, if not all of it.
The actors are doing wayyy too much in the film - directed by an actor who clearly wants the actors to have room to act - and therein lies the fundamental problem. Apart from a great turn by Edi Gathegi (Gone Baby Gone, X-Men: First Class, Crank) it’s impossible to point a finger at anyone else in the cast and say 'yep, you, good job' because there’s just too much going on.
The twist is actually decent, but everything leading up to it is a headache. Working on a low budget, most of the scenes are dialogue-heavy, arduous and reliant on excessive coverage – so what you end up with is a film where a load of dudes sit in a room together and shout and swear at each other a lot. I wanted to take that final twist aside, buy it a drink, hug it, and reassure it that it deserved better.
I’m afraid to say there’s not much here to recommend, which is ironic given that it’s had the most positive reviews of the bunch.
I Am Wrath (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 13% IMDb Rating – 5.2/10
I Am Wrath is the worst film of these four by a long chalk.
Here, John stars as a man who decides payback is needed when his wife (Rebecca de Mornay) is killed before his eyes. That’s really all there is, plot-wise. See, it turns out he’s a man with a very particular set of skills and yada yada yada off he goes.
The script - written by Paul 'nope, nothing you’ve heard of' Sloan - is so very, very bad. I am going to tell you how bad it is, so you don’t think I’m just whistlin’ Dixie here:
During his wife’s funeral, John tells the priest that he’s an atheist after the priest gives him a bible in his time of need. Later, Travolta flings this bible across the room angrily. He then stops, pulls a full Joey Tribbiani 'smell-the-fart', slowly approaches the discarded bible, picks it up and reads a line about wrath with the dumbest revelatory expression on his face as the music builds. He sees this as a sign that he should become wrath, despite his earlier insistence that he thinks religion is total garbage.
Later, when asked who he is, Travolta looks determinedly into a mirror and says “I am wrath” – he said the name of the movie you guys! Holy shit. Honestly, I could not believe how hackneyed the whole thing was, not to mention bizarre - the film regularly abandons its serious 'violence begets violence' tone whenever John’s Bff Christopher Meloni turns up, suddenly becoming a jokey buddy comedy.
This was hard to get through. Please avoid it at all costs, for there is nothing here to keep you warm at night.
Killing Season (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score – 11% IMDb Rating – 5.4/10
De Niro and Travolta – together at last?
Well, the opening sequence gives us a bit of background on the reason we’re all here. Something bad happened during the Bosnian War that will bring our two main dudes together for some serious vengeance. The sequence is sepia, because past, and ohhhhh god, here comes the present…
It’s at this point that we discover that John is going to attempt an Eastern European accent. It is Not Good. It is not John Malkovich in Rounders, but it is Not Good and we are stuck with it for the duration.
His facial hair during this first scene is also completely ridiculous. I can’t adequately describe how bonkers it is, but try to imagine a werewolf that can only grow stubble carefully shaving a circle into its face. It’s a relief to find that they decided to tone this down for the rest of the film - he looks more like he’s wearing a black chinstrap from then on.
Despite the accent and the questionable chin beard, it’s a lot easier to buy Travolta as a man on a mission of vengeance during Killing Season than it was during I Am Wrath. He’s obviously jazzed to be working with De Niro and he’s knuckled down to bounce off him, keeping it low-key and making an effort not to overdo it.
As a result of this equilibrium, we also get a glimpse of a pre-Meet The Parents De Niro - which is very much welcomed, sweet lord - and the two men head into the second act ready to take each other on, hunt each other down and resolve those Bosnian sins of the past in the most violent way possible.
The script - by proposed Tomb Raider reboot scribe Evan Daugherty - occasionally stumbles, but is solid enough. The direction is fine. It’s fine. It’s probably Mark Steven Johnson’s best film (but when his other major films are Daredevil and Ghost Rider, that’s not exactly a gush) and as the two leads hunt and trap each other, a lot of Predator love oozes out of the frame. Unfortunately, this is not Predator, but you could do worse on an evening than to sit through this instead (if you don’t own Predator).
…Oh my god you guys. We should totally watch Predator right now.
Until next time, and until the next rebirth of Mr Travolta, I bid you adieu.
Next time: the straight to DVD movies of John Cusack
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