Here are the fresh and new happenings from the world of Hollywood. Read on…

'Grey's Anatomy' star to direct film about Emmett Till's mother

Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams will make his directorial debut with Till, a film about Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, an African American teenager who was lynched in 1955 after being accused of flirting with a white woman.

The movie will focus on Till-Mobley's search for justice following the murder of her 14-year-old son in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, reports suggest so.

His murder was viewed as the catalyst for the next phase of the civil rights movement, and Till-Mobley famously insisted on an open-casket ceremony so her son's mutilated body could be in full view and bring awareness to the cost of racially charged violence and the cruelty of lynching.

Williams is directing from a screenplay by Michael Reilly and civil rights filmmaker Keith A. Beauchamp.

The movie is based on Beauchamp's 2005 documentary The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till, which led the United States Department of Justice to reopen the Till case in 2004.

Williams will produce the film with actress Whoopi Goldberg, who will also appear in the project. Production is expected to start next summer with the support of the Till family.

Several movies and a mini-series are also in the works about Emmett Till.

Cardi B to perform at Super Bowl

Cardi B is in negotiations to perform her remix with Maroon 5, "Girls Like You", at the Super Bowl LIII, but the main issue being discussed is whether or not the rapper will get a solo set.

According to tmz.com, she is getting a lot of offers to perform in early February 2019, so she is trying to make the best deal possible, reports suggest so.

Super Bowl LIII is being held in Atlanta.

Megan Barton-Hanson risks wardrobe malfunction

Actress Megan Barton-Hanson, who has been outspoken in her wish to end body shaming after her decade long experiences with comments, defiantly put her surgically-enhanced curves on display as she headed to a business meeting here.

The 24-year-old, known for her role in TV series Love Island risked a serious wardrobe malfunction as she went braless under a low-cut tuxedo dress as she made a defiant fashion statement, reports suggest so.

Looking incredible and body confident, Barton-Hanson, who is in a relationship with fellow Love Island co-star Wes Nelson, 20, walked tall in her ensemble.

She teamed the look with a pair of vertiginous strappy sandals, showing off a glamorous manicure pedicure.

Barton-Hanson carried a chic shoulder bag in hand and wore her blonde locks in an elegant chignon.

Katie Price takes horsebox to auction amid bankruptcy woes

TV personality Katie Price is taking her bright pink horsebox to auction after struggling to sell it online amid bankruptcy woes.

Despite already slashing 130,000 pounds off the price of the Fiat Ducato horsebox, the TV personality, who narrowly avoided bankruptcy last month, has now listed the vehicle on the John Pye online auction site in another desperate bid to sell, reports suggest so.

The 2012 registered Fiat, which has only covered a modest 7,000 miles, is now at the company's depot in Port Talbot, south Wales after failing to sell for the reduced price of 29,950 pounds.

The horsebox's additional features include an automated gearbox, alloy wheels and air conditioning, while full cream leather seats with logo and headrests and skylight roof vents are also up for grabs.

Other impressive mod-cons include a grooms locker, as well as a seven inch digital monitor and reversing camera, while tinted windows allow for some added privacy.

Price, who owns three horses, bought the vehicle from new in 2012 but is now having to part with it as she struggles to meet her reported debt of one million pounds, especially after her two million pounds house which was recently damaged by a house fire in her son Jett's bedroom.

The mother-of-five has been scrambling to raise enough cash to pay her the one million pounds debt, after spending her fortune on plastic surgery, luxury holidays and a farm with a cost of one million pounds.

Chris Evans critiques his first acting gig

Chris Evans has some critique for his younger self. The actor took to social media to share a snippet of an early project and took a dig at his style.

In the clip from an educational video titled "Biodiversity: Wild About Life!", Evans is seen sporting a bowl cut, while talking to some friends about animals, reports suggest so. 

"Here's a clip from my very first professional acting gig," Evans wrote while sharing the footage on Twitter.

"Based on my personal style choices, I'm pretty sure the movie was called, ‘Asleep at the Wheel'. Happy Monday, everyone."

The Twitter fun continued later in the day as Evans discovered a tweet that his Avengers co-star Robert Downey Jr had posted on Sunday, highlighting the resemblance between the two actors and Disney's Bambi and Faline.

"All the way down to the eye colour," Downey captioned the photo.

Evans retweeted the post, adding: "What can I say? The man knows me."

Evans is popular for his superhero avatar Captain America. Captain America: The First Avenger will air on Star Movies on 30 September.

Bradley Cooper finds a friend in Lady Gaga

Actor Bradley Cooper says he has "made a friend for life" in singer-actor Lady Gaga after filming A Star Is Born.

"I made a friend for life. As great as this movie was, the thing that I think I'll take away forever is the relationship I have with her because she is an incredible person," people.com quoted Cooper as saying.

"I'm very lucky to have worked with her," he added.

When it came to meeting her for the film, Cooper visited the pop star at her home and bonded over a meal.

"That was absolutely insane. When you're telling it, I can't believe that happened," Cooper said, adding he felt nervous singing for her.

"The only reason I had the courage is because she made me feel so comfortable."

As for Cooper's interest in pursuing a musical career, the actor said, "The answer, shooting from the hip answer is no, it's not me, it's the character."

"I don't even know how I would sing because I'm singing through him. He was a complete character. That said, there was one song that I wrote, called 'Too far gone' that I had the idea for a verse and a bridge, so I'm going to go to the recording studio and finish it," he said.

So I don't know what the answer is."

Cooper is known for He's Just Not That Into You, The Hangover, Silver Linings Playbook, Aloha and giving voice for Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy and in the sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 -- which will air on Indian small screen this month on Star Movies as part of Marvel Mania.

His directorial A Star is Born will release in India on 12 October. Warner Bros Pictures is bringing the film to India.

Lily Allen was last one to see Paula Yates alive

Singer Lily Allen has revealed that she was one of the last people to see television presenter Paula Yates alive before her untimely death 18 years ago.

Recalling Yates, who died on 17 September 2000 at the age of 41 after an accidental drug overdose, Allen said that she first met Yates at a London restaurant while working as a waitress, reports suggest so.

According to the "Smile" singer, Paula visited the eatery, called 192, for lunch and was accompanied by a known drug dealer.

Detailing the meeting in her new autobiography, "My Thoughts Exactly", Allen said, "The restaurant was where everyone groovy in the media met each other to exchange gossip, and network over lunch and drinks and dinner."

She further revealed how she spoke to police officers as part of their investigation into how Yates was found dead at her London apartment.

"You could tell she was in trouble when you looked at her. I had to talk to the police about seeing her, as part of their investigation. She was joined at lunch by this guy that we all knew was a heroin dealer. They'd left together. It was the saddest sight," Allen added.

'Star Wars' producer Gary Kurtz dead

Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz is dead. He was 78.

Kurtz died of cancer on Sunday, his family said in a statement, reports variety.com.

Kurtz had also produced American Graffiti and The Dark Crystal. His career was closely aligned with that of filmmaker George Lucas, but the two parted ways after the troubled production of The Empire Strikes Back.

Kurtz had championed Star Wars through multiple drafts and helped Lucas navigate 20th Century Fox's lack of enthusiasm for a movie they dismissed as a B-picture.

After Star Wars stunned everyone by turning into a massive hit, Lucas and Kurtz sat about crafting a sequel. Lucas handed the reins over to director Irvin Kershner, but production went over schedule and Lucas was forced to dip into his own pocket to complete the movie.

Kurtz stepped in to direct second-unit work on the film. When it was time to make Return of the Jedi, Kurtz was replaced by Howard Kazanjian as producer.

Kurtz got his start as an assistant director on Monte Hellman's Ride in the Whirlwind, a low-budget 1966 Western that starred a then-unknown Jack Nicholson.

"Gary was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, colleague, and mentor, whose work and talent spanned filmmaking, photography, music, and cinema history. He was a Marine, a world traveller, an outdoorsman, and a kind, compassionate human being.

"... Gary was a magnificent man, who will be hugely missed. His whole family thanks you for your loving thoughts," his family statement read.

(SOURCE :IANS)