Dennis faces lawsuit for using e-cigarette on flight, Ryan developing 'Stoned Alone' comedy, Demi's Canada show cancelled and other Hollywood updates

Here we bring the fresh news from the world of Hollywood.

Lauren Cohan clears up contract dispute

Known for her role as Maggie Greene in the horror series The Walking Dead, actress Lauren Cohan has cleared up her contract dispute with AMC, an American television channel.

Earlier this year, the 35-year-old actress was involved in a pay gap dispute with AMC and there was a buzz that she is leaving the show, reports suggest so.

Clearing up the dispute, Cohan explained that her request for a pay increase came during 'renegotiations' as her contract came to an end.

"It wasn't actually that I was asking for it, it was that my contract had finished. So that's pretty standard renegotiation," she said on the talk show Andy Cohen Live.

Lauren also assured that she is not leaving the show.

Season 9 of The Walking Dead will see star Andrew Lincoln bow out as Rick Grimes.

Coen's 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' turns into a movie

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a Netflix Western anthology series of actors Western Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, has now turned into a feature-length movie.

The 132-minute film will debut in competition at the Venice Film Festival this year, before hitting theaters and premiering on Netflix just in time for the awards season, reports suggest so.

The Coens said in a statement, "We've always loved anthology movies, especially those films made in Italy in the Sixties which set side-by-side the work of different directors on a common theme."

Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel shot the film with the Arri Alexa camera, making The Ballad of Buster Scruggs the Coens' first-ever digital photography production.

Joel and Ethan Coen have each been nominated for 14 Academy Awards. They collectively won the original screenplay Oscar for 1996's Fargo and the best picture, director and adapted screenplay prizes for 2007's No Country for Old Men.

The 75th annual Venice Film Festival will take place from 29 August till 8 September.

Ryan Reynolds developing 'Stoned Alone' comedy

Twentieth Century Fox has set up the comedy project Stoned Alone with Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds producing and potentially starring in the movie.

Augustine Frizzell, who directed the comedy Never Goin' Back, has been signed to direct, reports suggest so.

Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider wrote the script from an idea by Fox executive Matt Reilly with the project centering on a 20-something loser who misses the plane for his holiday ski trip and gets high at home - only to then discover that thieves have broken into his house.

The project, which is in early development, is reminiscent of Fox's 1990 comedy Home Alone, which starred Macaulay Culkin as an eight-year-old boy mistakenly left behind at his Chicago home when his family goes to Paris for Christmas vacation.

Home Alone was a massive box office success with $476 million in worldwide grosses.

Reynolds will produce through his Fox-based Maximum Effort production company and Maximum Effort's George Dewey will be an executive producer. Reynolds is a producer on the Deadpool movies, which have combined for more than $1.5 billion in worldwide grosses.

BBC wants to challenge Cliff Richard verdict

The BBC will seek permission to appeal a ruling over its coverage of a police raid on Sir Cliff Richard's home.

A high court judge ruled last week that the BBC infringed Richard's privacy in its reporting of the story in 2014, and awarded him 210,000 pound in damages.

The raid was part of an investigation into historical child sex allegations -- Richard was never arrested or charged.

The BBC argues the ruling could put press freedom at stake.

The broadcaster will later seek leave to appeal all of the main findings of law in Justice Mann's judgment - although the judge is unlikely to grant an appeal against his own ruling.

The British broadcaster wants to challenge the judge's findings, including that Richard had a right to privacy while a suspect in a police investigation -- trumping the BBC's right to freedom of expression to publish his name and cover the raid.

BBC legal affairs correspondent, Clive Coleman, said that if he refuses, it will be up to the broadcaster to decide whether to go directly to the Court of Appeal, which he understands the corporation is "carefully considering".

At the ruling earlier in July, Justice Mann said a suspect in a police investigation "has a reasonable expectation of privacy", and while Richard being investigated "might be of interest to the gossip-monger", there was not a "genuine public interest" case.

He also said that while the case could have a "significant impact on press reporting", it did not mean the law was changing or he was setting a precedent as the Human Rights Act already covers the issues at stake.

After the ruling last week, the BBC's director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth apologized to Richard and said, "In retrospect, there are things we would have done differently."

But, she said, the case marked a "significant shift" against press freedom and an "important principle" around the public's right to know what was at stake".

Speaking to ITV afterwards, the British pop singer said senior managers at the BBC have to "carry the can" for their actions, adding, "It's too big a decision to be made badly. It was nonsense."

"I want a correction made to what happened to me and it was made," he said. "Nobody said anything about freedom of speech. But I will fight to the death against the abuse of the freedom of speech.

"What the BBC did was an abuse. They took it upon themselves to be judge, jury and executioner."

(SOURCE : IANS)

 Demi Lovato's Canada show cancelled

Singer Demi Lovato's upcoming concert in Canada has been cancelled following her hospitalisation.

Lovato was scheduled to perform on Sunday at Echo Beach in Canada at the RBCxMusic benefit for Kids Help Phone with special guest singer Jason Mraz, but in the light of her ill health, it's not happening, reports suggest so.

Lovato was rushed to a hospital on Tuesday after suffering a suspected drug overdose.

Mraz tweeted on Wednesday, "Dear Friends, Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be playing in Toronto this weekend. My sincerest apologies to my fans and to the fans of Demi Lovato. We wish her good health and recovery."

A representative from Live Nation Canada said tickets will be automatically refunded.

She is reportedly awake and stable while still recovering in the hospital.

Gomez 'very upset' over Demi Lovato's overdose  

Singer-actress Selena Gomez was very "upset and emotional" when she heard that singer Demi Lovato has been hospitalised.

After an apparent drug overdose on Tuesday, Lovato was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. As word of her condition spread, celebrities including Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas publicly shared their support via social media.

Gomez wasn't among the dozens of stars to share their support publicly.

"When Selena found out the news about Demi, she was very upset and emotional," a source told an online portal

They "haven't been close friends in a while now but they always shared a special bond and they still have love for one another".

"Selena has reached out to Demi's family members to share her love and prayers, and she is really distraught about her health. She hates that Demi has been suffering," added the source.

Demi Lovato's hospital under lockdown to ensure utmost privacy

Demi Lovato is currently recuperating at the hospital and her condition is reported to be stable. However, strict security measures have apparently been set in place as the songstress recovers from the apparent drug overdose.

According to reports, the hospital has placed two security guards outside of her room and they have been instructed to not let anyone that Demi’s mom hasn’t approved to visit her.

The entire floor is basically on lockdown with the rooms next to hers remaining vacant to give her the utmost privacy.

Demi's been open about her struggle with addiction. She had been sober for six years, but this June she confirmed her relapse through her song 'Sober'.

Dennis Quaid faces lawsuit for using e-cigarette on flight

Actor Dennis Quaid is facing a lawsuit over his alleged use of an electronic cigarette on a flight two years ago. As per reports, Karl Larsen has accusedThe Parent Trap star of flouting federal aviation laws by reportedly puffing on his e-cigarette while seated next to the plaintiff on a plane back in 2016.

According to reports, he claims they had been sitting in first class en route from Toronto to Los Angeles when Quaid allegedly ignored rules, and now he is demanding compensation.

Larsen, who is pursuing the case in a Los Angeles small claims court, is seeking the cost of a plane ticket priced at just over $3,800.

Kendrick Lamar to guest star in 'Power'

Rapper Kendrick Lamar will be making a guest appearance on the television show Power. The crime drama series, which stars and is executive produced by 50 Cent, is currently in its fifth season.

Lamar will appear in a guest role opposite 50 Cent in the episode which will air on 29 July, the studio said in a statement. "Kendrick is a once in a generation talent and Courtney, 50 and I felt it would be exciting to create a role for him in 'Power.' Everyone involved is thrilled to have him join the family," executive producer Mark Canton said in the statement.

Alexandra Daddario to executive produce and star in 'Can You Keep A Secret?

San Andreas actor Alexandra Daddario will the lead the cast of the new film Can You Keep A Secret?. The project, to be helmed by Elise Duran, is a feature adaptation of Sophie Kinsella's bestseller of the same name.

Daddario will play Emma Corrigan, a girl with a few secrets who spills them all to a handsome stranger sitting next to her on a turbulent plane ride. Shortly after she meets Jack Harper, her company's young and elusive CEO who turns out to be same man who knows every single humiliating detail about Emma.

Ryan Reynolds jokes on divorce with Blake Lively

Celebrity breakups have of late been a tragic trend. And as a matter of fact, fans across regions seem more heartbroken seeing the love dies. At a recent Comic-con event in San Diego, Ryan Reynolds made a comment that he meant as a joke, however, turned out to be really unfunny.

The Deadpool actor reportedly spoke about Blake lively leaving him. He professed that his wife’s been shooting a film overseas so he has been having a ton of time to pretend like he is watching the kids, and further added that Blake is probably filing [divorce] papers as they spoke. Ryan was certainly joking; however, fans went into a tizzy because they wouldn’t want them to part ways, neither in reality nor in-jokes either.

5 blink and miss moments we bet you didn’t notice in Homecoming’s teaser

Amazon Prime Video dropped the intriguing teaser for Prime Original, Homecoming recently. Julia Roberts in the lead role looks suave, rocking bangs and a smart emerald green dress. The teaser though is replete with symbolism and leaves us with more questions than answers. Created by Sam Esmail, who was also the man behind the famed TV show Mr. Robot, here are five intriguing things from the teaser, we’re sure you’ve missed!

The Empty Spaces: The teaser starts with the camera zooming into multiple empty spaces in a large building with absolutely no trace of people. We do know from the famed podcast of the same name, that the character Heidi Bergman essayed by Roberts works at a secret government facility that helps soldiers cope with civilian life. The background score (Everything in its Right Place by Radio Head) adds to the particularly eerie feeling in the teaser. What do these empty spaces signify?

Pineapples: The fruit makes multiple appearances in the teaser. You are bound to miss it, unless you’re particularly looking out for the pineapples. Our hunch is the pineapples are central to the plot of the show. We can only wait to find out if the makers tell us more before the show’s launch

The Dead Fish: Did you know that some fish float to the top when they die? The goldfish in the teaser is also shown steadily floating to the top on its back. What does this mean in the larger scheme of the show’s plot?