Marie Osmond breaks her silence on brother Wayne’s death

Marie Osmond has broken her silence on her brother Wayne’s death at age 73 on New Year’s Day.

The singer said she had a ‘giant hole’ in her heart after his shock passing due to a ‘massive’ stroke.

‘There’s no question that Wayne had a long and successful career as an entertainer, musician, and songwriter. But what stands out to me as his sister were the joy-filled, humorous times I spent laughing with him and our deep intellectual conversations that left me edified,’ said the Dancing With The Stars veteran.

‘He was always my safe place to go when I needed advice,’ she added.

Marie also said that Wayne loved deeply.

‘He showered this love upon his beautiful wife, Kathy, whom he loved with all his heart, and his beautiful children and grandchildren. It’s all he ever talked about!♥️ ‘ she said in the post.

Marie Osmond has broken her silence on her brother Wayne’s death at age 73 on New Year’s Day. The singer said she had a ‘giant hole’ in her heart after his shock passing due to a ‘massive’ stroke

‘There’s no question that Wayne had a long and successful career as an entertainer, musician, and songwriter. But what stands out to me as his sister were the joy-filled, humorous times I spent laughing with him and our deep intellectual conversations that left me edified,’ said the Dancing With The Stars veteran

Osmond also said she ‘admired’ him for his ‘deep love and unwavering devotion to God our Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.’

Marie continued: ‘Throughout his life, Wayne was an honorable member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

‘It was his eternal compass, and he was a great light to others as he testified of God’s great plan for us in this life. If you can, listen to one of his favorite albums that my brothers wrote called “The Plan.”

‘So right now, if I could say anything to him, it would be: “Wayne, I could not cherish the gift God gave me more than to be loved by you in this life! You are a true, loving brother, and I will miss you so very much.

‘I testify eternally of my great love for you with every fiber of my heart and soul! #TillWeMeetAgain

‘I know many of you understand these feelings from losing your precious loved ones. My deepest prayers are with you!’

Her note began with an explanation.

‘I’ve taken a break from social media for the past 9 months and will continue to do so as I have felt a need to unplug and spend time with family,’ said the crooner.

‘I’m so grateful that just a few weeks ago, I was able to take a long drive to spend time with my brother Wayne. I really felt the Spirit compel me to go see him, and I’m so thankful I listened to what I was feeling. I will cherish those hours I spent with him for the rest of my life. I didn’t know that just a few days after my visit, he would have a massive stroke.

The Osmonds seen here; from left, Wayne, Jay, Merrill, Jimmy, Marie, Alan and Donny during a visit to the UK circa 1974 in England

Here he was seen in 2007 on stage in Las Vegas

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Wayne Osmond was married to Miss Utah and was a ‘devoted’ father of five before he died at 73

‘I haven’t done any interviews or issued any statements until this post. The truth is, it’s just too hard to put into words, but I will try my best to honor one of the most loving men I have ever known.

Wayne’s caused of death was revealed last week.

His brother Merrill Osmond shared that his brother ‘had a massive stroke.’ Twelve years earlier he had his first stroke.

He said upon hearing the news he immediately drove to the hospital and ‘was able to say [his] goodbyes.’ Also there was Wayne’s wife Kathlyn Louise White, a former Miss Utah.

The crooner had a history of health problems.

In 1997, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which was successfully treated, but he lost his hearing. The treatment damaged his cochlea, leaving Wayne nearly deaf. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar.

Wayne told Coping magazine how his health went downhill while touring with his brothers in 1994: ‘One day when I was working in Branson, I noticed I couldn’t play my saxophone anymore because my head would start throbbing.

‘And my knees would fall out from under me when I was on stage. This all began happening within a week.’

That was when Wayne was diagnosed with ependymoma cancer and endured a 17-hour surgery to remove a tumor, followed by weeks of radiation therapy before he was allowed to return to the stage.

His brother Merrill Osmond shared that his brother ‘had a massive stroke.’ Twelve years earlier he had his first stroke. The brothers in 1972

Wayne worked with his siblings in Las Vegas, where they had a show, and also reunited often for birthdays. Seen in 1973 in London

The Utah native was the second-oldest of the original Osmond Brothers singers and the fourth oldest of the nine Osmond children.

Wayne is the first of the Osmond siblings to pass away.

The Osmonds legend’s passing was confirmed by his family in an emotional statement to KTVX.

‘Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,’ the family’s statement obtained by local ABC affiliate KTVX read.

‘His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world.

‘He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert. We love him and will miss him dearly.’

Wayne and his family started singing at a young age and came to fame in the 1960s when performing at Disneyland.

His famous siblings include Marie Osmond and Donny Osmond of the 1970s variety show Donny & Marie

Donny and Marie also both competed on Dancing With The Stars

WHAT IS A STROKE?

An ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or reduced. This prevents brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts and causes bleeding in the brain. The blood increases pressure on brain cells and damages them.

A stroke is a medical emergency. It’s crucial to get medical treatment right away. Getting emergency medical help quickly can reduce brain damage and other stroke complications.

The good news is that fewer Americans die of stroke now than in the past. Effective treatments also can help prevent disability from stroke.

Information courtesy The Mayo Clinic

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That led to several appearances on the popular variety show The Andy Williams show. The Mormon family became known for being close knit and wholesome.

The boys also became teen idols.

Wayne worked with his siblings in Las Vegas, where they had a show, and also reunited often for birthdays.

Several of Wayne Osmond’s siblings have taken to social media to pay tribute to him.

Jay Osmond said throughout his life he has ‘always felt the most connected to Wayne out of all of my siblings.’

He added: ‘My heart is deeply saddened for the loss of my brother Wayne. It is said that where there is great love there is great grief as we part during our earthly journey.

‘What gives me joy is to know that my brother Wings has earned his wings and I can only imagine the heights he is soaring right now.’

Merrill added, ‘My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in.

‘His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some, but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine.’

Wayne’s daughter Amy Cook also took to Facebook to announce her father’s death, calling him a ‘beloved husband and father.’

She said he had ‘passed away peacefully’ surrounded by ‘his loving wife and five children.’

Abbott Elementary” producers cut an extensive Frank-Mr. Johnson backstory from “It’s Always Sunny” crossover episode

“Abbott Elementary” producers cut an extensive Frank-Mr. Johnson backstory from “It’s Always Sunny” crossover episode

Maureen Lee Lenker

January 9, 2025 at 3:00 AM

Warning: This article contains spoilers about Wednesday night’s episode of Abbott Elementary, “Volunteers.”

We always knew that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Frank (Danny DeVito) would easily match Abbott Elementary’s Mr. Johnson’s (William Stanford Davis) weird.

But we just didn’t know how much. Abbott producers Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker revealed to Entertainment Weekly that Wednesday’s crossover episode was originally supposed to feature an elaborate backstory between the two characters. But they had to cut it for time.

“We did at one point have a whole backstory between Frank and Mr. Johnson that they did know each other,” Schumacker says. ” It was that they went to high school together. They dated the same woman who was a canonical character in Sunny, this character dynasty. That ended up falling away just as a function of, ‘Hey, we can’t tell that story. Maybe let’s save it for another time.’ 21 and a half minutes is not a lot of time to tell a story.”

Related: Talia Shire cast as Melissa Schemmenti’s mother on Abbott Elementary after Bette Midler pleaded for role

In addition to Frank and Mr. Johnson, there were plenty of other hysterical pairings in the episode, including Mac (Rob McElhenney) becoming an assistant to Ava (Janelle James), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) impresses Janine (Quinta Brunson) until she tries to seduce Gregory (Tyler James Williams), and Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph) tries to teach Charlie (Charlie Day) to read.

Halpern and Schumacker took us behind the scenes of crafting the first of two crossover episodes, including how they decided who to pair with who, if Charlie’s new-found literacy will remain canon across shows, and more.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did this come to be? Was it totally spurred by the social media interactions between both casts?

PATRICK SCHUMACKER: There were a couple of points of entry. There was social media stuff, but it really kicked off backstage at the Emmys or possibly the TV upfronts. There were two different instances where Quinta and Rob were occupying the same space in person. At first, it felt like just an in joke. And with every subsequent inadvertent run-in it became more of an, “Actually, I think we could maybe make this work.”

Related: Lisa Ann Walter wants a musical episode of Abbott Elementary: ‘Pretty much everybody can blow’

It’s Always Sunny is a lot more adult than Abbott. They’re on cable and not primetime, so they can do and say a lot of things that you guys can’t. Was it difficult to find the voices of these characters without having access to that explicit content?

JUSTIN HALPERN: No, because it was told from our POV. It’s an Abbott episode, and when that’s our entry point and the POVs are our characters, it becomes much clearer to us. We were more concerned at the start about, “Tonally will their characters be able to fit?” rather than they can’t curse and can’t do the crazy stuff that they do? Once we figured out the story where the tones would work, then it was fun. The writer, Garrett Werner, is a massive Sunny fan, so he had those voices down pretty well. And then, we shared the script with Rob and their team and told them, “Hey, if anything sounds off, tell us what it is and we will change it.” There was a couple lines like that, but for the most part it was pretty good.

SCHUMACKER: We were pretty judicious, but we still were able to put in some things that were maybe a little bit more out there for a typical Abbott episode. Mr. Johnson, Gregory, and Frank’s story, for instance, is not something that you would see on a typical episode of Abbott with Frank getting caught in the trap covered in piss-soaked belts. We were able to do it lightly.

Related: Lisa Ann Walter worried women would ‘hate’ her Abbott Elementary character for becoming ‘kind of a hoe’

The next season of Sunny hasn’t premiered yet, but have you guys already shot the crossover? Do you know what that’s going to look like yet?

SCHUMACKER: Yeah, it’s been written, it’s been shot. I was present for quite a bit of it, and it’s very cool. The ideal viewing experience will eventually be watching these two episodes back to back, even though I don’t know if they’ve even solidified their date yet, but eventually, they’re going to end up on Hulu together and it’ll be very easy to access both of them back to back. They do very much play off of each other.

Okay, so this episode’s very self-contained. They could easily leave Abbott and never be heard from again. Is there a clear throughline between the two episodes besides the characters entering each other’s worlds?

HALPERN: Their episode is what’s happening in between our episode in the scenes that we’re not showing. You’re seeing what they’re doing. It’s really clever the way that they piece together their episode. It’s really ambitious.

SCHUMACKER: There was a lot of trust between both writing staffs and producers in each other’s ability to capture the essence of each other’s shows. When we were breaking our episode, we had to send the Sunny team a rough beat sheet before we were able to write out the entire script. They had to start working on their episode a little bit early because their episode with our cast was the first one that they shot in their production order.

Related: Chris Perfetti lookalike Plasma wants to bring Drag Queen Story Hour to Abbott Elementary in Drag Race crossover

In terms of breaking those beats, how did you figure out which characters you wanted to pair off with whom?

HALPERN: We work from a place of what do we want to see as writers on the show, but then we also coalesced around a couple things in their show that are canonical to Sunny that seemed to fit nicely in our universe. The fact that Charlie can’t read lends itself nicely to, “This is a school, so somebody finds that out. We have empathetic teachers. They’re going to want to help that person.” And seeing Sheryl Lee Ralph teach Charlie how to read is really funny to us.

SCHUMACKER: Those two got along like gangbusters. Sheryl wants to do a spinoff.

From the earliest discussions, was it a given from the start that Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter) would have been to Paddy’s in the past?

SCHUMACKER: We did an initial brainstorming session that we did with Rob and Charlie in the room, and the question was, “Who’s going to recognize ’em? Who’s going to put two and two together when they show up?” Given where she’s from and the crowd that she runs in, Melissa’s the obvious choice for that.

Related: Sheryl Lee Ralph shares tales from her storied career: a Barbie from Denzel, a haunted hotel, Bill Clinton, and more

You often reference pop culture or celebs in the show, particularly Barbara getting people’s names wrong. So do both Frank and Danny DeVito exist in the Abbott universe?

SCHUMACKER: Wow, I don’t know that we’ve explored that.

HALPERN: I would say no because I don’t think Danny DeVito and Frank exist in Sunny. So now that we have said we are in a shared universe with Sunny, we have to adopt some of their rules.

SCHUMACKER: Has Bradley Cooper been in a movie with Danny DeVito?

HALPERN: You are f—ing up our brains right now.

Related: Quinta Brunson wants Daniel Radcliffe to play Mr. Johnson’s son on Abbott Elementary

In terms of Barbara teaching Charlie to read, does that mean that in future seasons of Sunny that he will be slightly less illiterate?

HALPERN: That’s a good question for them. He reads a little at the end of our episode, but he’s not taking down Cormac McCarthy.

SCHUMACKER: It’s probably a muscle he’s going to have to continue to exercise. If he doesn’t, it’s going to atrophy. They can do with it what they want. I would believe it either way. But to your point about whether there are real consequences of this episode in the mythology of both shows. Certainly for our show, there are consequences with regard to the golf club. This is an episode that it isn’t wholly self-contained. It’ll reward viewers who have been sticking with this entire season in that there is a little bit of movement in that overarching storyline. We wanted to make sure that it still felt like an Abbott episode and that it wasn’t this gimmicky thing that if you were unfamiliar with Sunny, you could watch it and it would still feel like, “Hey, these are really cool guest stars that we got on the show playing interesting characters that maybe you’ve never seen before.” Maybe it turns you onto Sunny, which would be amazing.

Was Janine calling Dee “bird-ass” intended to be a reference to the guys always calling her Bird?

HALPERN: That was serendipity.

Related: Abbott Elementary’s Larry Owens recites Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Sister Act 2 monologue to her face

Mac came out awhile ago on Sunny, but he’s clearly not above offering Ava sexual favors. Can you talk about sussing that out and their strange dynamic?

SCHUMACKER: His intent was not that what he was offering was overtly sexual. He just meant anything that she needs. She took it to mean that. There was this whole run that they went on that we couldn’t use all of because there were some things that definitely would not fly on ABC.

Like what?

SCHUMACKER: Ava has a line about the white guys that she’s into, and she names Johnny Knoxville and Johnny Bravo. I almost ruined a take off-camera cackling and spitting out my coffee because Rob ad-libbed, “That Johnny Knoxville guy destroyed his penis. There’s nothing there.” I was like, “Okay, well that one, we can’t say on ABC.”

HALPERN: I bet they can say it on Dr. Odyssey.

Actually, there was a man who broke his penis on Dr. Odyssey.

SCHUMACKER: Well see that show has the monopoly on destroyed penises then.

Related: Glenn Howerton takes issue with Abbott Elementary doc cameras in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover clip (exclusive)

Dennis refuses to be on camera. Did Glenn Howerton have limited availability or what propelled that choice?

SCHUMACKER: You got it. Glenn had a show that he is a series regular on called Sirens. It’s the Netflix show, and it was shooting in New York. He flew in specifically to work on this and had to fly back. We had him for half a day, so we had to build that in. That was one of those ones where we didn’t know if we had him, and so, we had to stay a little bit nimble as far as breaking the story. But he’s very heavy in their episode.

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Jacob almost says their show title at the end. Did you go back and forth on whether you wanted to have it in there at all? Why’d you decide to cut it off mid “Philadelphia?”

HALPERN: From the first draft, Garrett put that little touch in. I don’t even think that was in the outline. From the writer’s draft, it was always cut off right there.

Would you be open to doing more crossover episodes?

SCHUMACKER: One a year is probably our max, given the complexity of actually pulling it off.

HALPERN: Maybe Ava will go on location at the White Lotus.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly

American Primeval Review: A Wild West Melting Pot Boils Over

Whenever westerns surge in popularity, as they have on TV since Yellowstone became a surprise megahit in 2018, you can be certain our collective understanding of American identity is in flux. After decades of morally simplistic cowboys-and-Indians movies that reinforced the intrepid self-image of a rising world power, revisionist westerns proliferated during the Vietnam War, critiquing the violence of white imperialism. Recent reinventions of the genre have focused on such contemporary concerns as corporate overreach and the complex set of internecine conflicts that inevitably arise within — and threaten to destroy — pluralistic societies.

American Primeval, Netflix’s most ambitious western series to date, is unusually explicit in its aim of exploring the latter theme, with results that range from astutely observant to ham-fisted and jarringly sentimental. The setting is the Utah Territory in 1857, where, as North and South hurtle towards war, different factions battle for control of the frontier. There are mountain men, bounty hunters, so-called pioneers. Brigham Young (Kim Coates) leads a militia of Mormons whose quest for religious freedom has turned frighteningly cutthroat; a U.S. Army charged with preventing him from gaining too much power surveils his every move. The people with the oldest, best claim on this land are Indigenous communities including the Ute, Paiute, and Shoshone, each of which has its own strategies for surviving the influx of colonizers.

Into this crucible ride Sara (Betty Gilpin) and her preteen son, Devin (Preston Mota), en route from the Northeast and in need of a guide for the treacherous final leg of their journey to reunite with Sara’s husband. When they meet Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), the near-feral man who will eventually lead them, at Fort Bridger in Wyoming, he scandalizes Sara with his casual nudity. But she has secrets that heighten her desperation for his help. Completing their found family is Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a young Native American woman fleeing a horrific home. What she and Sara share is that archetypal quality of western heroes: resilience. Fort Bridger, ruled by its gruff but goodhearted namesake Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham), doubles as the launchpad for a series of grim, bloody encounters between Young’s militia, a pair of Mormon newlyweds (Dane DeHaan and Saura Lightfoot-Leon), Shoshone warrior Red Feather (Derek Hinkey), and an increasingly jaded Army captain (Lucas Neff).

There’s no question that the increasingly histrionic Yellowstone is the most influential western of the moment, spawning not just prequels like 1883 and 1923, but also creating a market for other tales of rugged patriarchs battling powerful outsiders to save their drama-prone families’ ranches, from Netflix’s Territory (Australian Yellowstone) to Amazon’s Outer Range (sci-fi Yellowstone). Primeval has a different sensibility. More stark than soapy, in line with creator Mark L. Smith’s screenplay for The Revenant, it has the desaturated look of a sepia-tone photo and requires a strong stomach for gore. At its most trenchant, the show touches on similar themes to the great 2022 Amazon-BBC miniseries The English, which contrasted the psychopathic belligerence of various Wild West cohorts with an idealistic but never naive vision of cross-cultural connection.

Smith and director Peter Berg’s misstep is to foreground the trite story of Sara and Isaac — yet another righteous woman melting the heart of a cold, wounded man. Though they kill when they have to, their party functions as an oasis of relative decency amid the war of all against all that rages around them. By the end of the six-episode season, this narrative has lapsed into mawkishness, despite strong performances from Gilpin (who’s made a career on blending grit with vulnerability) and Kitsch, a perennially underrated actor who broke out in Berg’s Friday Night Lights. As their romance inches towards its predictable conclusion, the more intriguing characters who populate Primeval’s periphery — where a web of allegiances, compromises, and betrayals echoes our current state of sociopolitical chaos — fade into a fog of gunpowder.

Reacher fans convinced season 3 will be best ever for ‘solid reason’

Reacher fans have already declared the upcoming third season will be the best to date.

First hitting screens in 2022, the action crime drama is based on the Jack Reacher book series by Lee Child.

It stars Alan Ritchson as the titular character, a self-proclaimed hobo and former U.S. Army military policeman who possesses ‘formidable strength, intellect, and abilities’ and comes up against dangerous criminals during his travel.

Next month the eight-episode third season, based on the 2003 novel Persuader, will be released.

This week a trailer also dropped, with fans already counting down to tune in.

It begins with Reacher being enlisted as an undercover informant to help investigate the owner of a rug import business who is involved in some dodgy dealings.

After being hired for a job for the businessman Zachary Beck (Anthony Michael Hall), Reacher then meets his bodyguard Paulie (Olivier Richters) who manages to tower over him at a massive 7’2.

The pair instantly become competitive, engaging in an arm wrestle before they get ready for fist fight after Reacher punches him in the face.

He also faces other chilling foes, with one clip showing him hiding behind a tree in a forest while being shot at. Reacher is also heard asking ‘how much danger this job is putting me in?’.

After watching the trailer, many expressed their excitement.

‘Somebody is bigger than Reacher. This alone is a solid reason to watch Season 3,’ rishabhbose29 commented on YouTube.

‘Finally, a worthy opponent for Reacher! This deserves unlimited seasons, keep em coming!’ GR-qw9jr shared.

‘Reacher vs a man bigger than Reacher? Now that’s the fight I’m eager to see!’ Kanyhalos777 added.

Many others declared ‘bring it out’ while others begged for ‘another 30 seasons’.

It’s already been teased by Amazon Prime that: ‘In the third season of the action-packed series, Reacher hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise when trying to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out. There he finds a world of secrecy and violence — and confronts some unfinished business from his own past.’

Ritchson has also said season 3 is the ‘best’ to date.

‘Things get pretty dangerous. Things get — and I mean this, I would never lead you astray — there’s been a little tiny something in each season where I’ve been like, “I wish we could do that better”. Season 3 is by far the best season we’ve ever made,’ he said during the CCXP convention in Brazil recently.

‘Start to finish, this is high octane action, this is peak TV and I cannot wait for everyone to watch this. […] I don’t want to ruin it for you.

‘In Persuader, Reacher has to go undercover, and he’s gotta do some heavy lifting, both to stay alive and to find someone he’s looking for. Things get quite dangerous. But he also comes across his most formidable foe yet, in Paulie. Paulie is someone who makes Reacher look absolutely tiny.’

Reacher season 3 is streaming from February 20 on Amazon Prime Video.

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2025 SAG Awards nominations are out: Here’s the full list

The ‘Actor’ statue on display during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Christopher Polk / Getty Images for Turner

Nominations for the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced Jan. 8.

Joey King and Cooper Koch were scheduled to read the nominations in-person at a live event on Jan. 8, as is typical of many awards shows, but that plan was canceled due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, prompting SAG to reveal the nominees via press release and on its website.

“Emilia Pérez,” “Wicked” and “Conclave” were among the movies nominated, while “Shōgun” and “Abbott Elementary” received recognition on the TV side.

Two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda will also be honored with the life achievement award at the ceremony.

Kristen Bell — herself a nominee for “Nobody Wants This” — will host the SAG Awards, which will stream live Feb. 23 on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET.

Read the list of nominees below.

Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role

Outstanding performance by a stunt ensemble in a motion picture

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or limited series

Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”

Liam Payne died of ‘polytrauma’, UK inquest hears

Polytrauma is a term used to describe a person’s body and internal organs sustaining multiple injuries.

Singer Liam Payne’s cause of death has been confirmed in the opening of an inquest in the UK.

The former One Direction star died on October 16 last year after falling from a third-floor balcony of a hotel in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires.

Dr Roberto Victor Cohen confirmed his medical cause of death was “polytrauma” — a term used to describe a person’s body and internal organs having sustained multiple injuries.

Senior Coroner Crispin Butler told the hearing, held on December 17, it would take “some time” to formally confirm what led to the 31-year-old’s death.

“Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death … it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,” the BBC quoted him as saying.

The UK inquest has been adjourned until a pre-inquest review on November 6.

Drugs found in system

In November, the prosecutors office in Argentina said toxicology tests found traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in Payne’s body.

A document released by the public prosecutors claimed Payne was so drunk and drug-affected in the hours before his death that he was unable to walk, leading three people to drag him to his room.

Medical reports also suggested the singer may have fallen into semi or total unconsciousness.

The prosecutor’s office argued this evidenced Payne’s fall was not a voluntary act.

In the published update, Judge Laura Bruniard described Payne as “a picture of addiction”, who had demanded cocaine and alcohol from hotel staff.

“On October 16, moments before 5pm, Payne could not care for himself,” she said.

A post-mortem examination found he suffered “multiple trauma” as a result of his fall from the balcony.

Charges laid against hotel staff, friend

A Casa Sur Hotel manager, a receptionist, and Payne’s friend Roger Nores have each been charged with manslaughter over the singer’s death.

The judge was quoted as saying Mr Nores, “is held criminally responsible for the death”, because he “abandoned” the singer, “having full knowledge of the state of intoxication, vulnerability and helplessness in which he found himself”.

A hotel employee and a waiter have also been charged with drug offences, accused of selling Payne cocaine in the days preceding his death.

A private funeral service was held for Payne in Buckinghamshire, England in November, attended by his family, friends and former band mates.

Paris Hilton ‘heartbroken’ after watching Malibu home burn ‘to the ground on live TV’

In an emotional post on X Wednesday, the media mogul shared she was “heartbroken beyond words” over the loss of her home. “Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,” Hilton wrote.

Hilton is married to entrepreneur Carter Reum, and the couple shares two children: son Phoenix, 1, and daughter London, 1.

“This home was where we built so many precious memories,” Hilton continued. “It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London.”

Powerful Santa Ana winds have whipped up several wildfires across LA County since Tuesday, killing at least five people and setting homes ablaze. Winds were expected to ease overnight Wednesday, but forecasters warned conditions will remain critical through at least Thursday.

The Eaton Fire, which ignited 30 miles inland in Altadena near Pasadena, quickly grew to more than 16 square miles, or 10,600 acres. The Pacific Palisades Fire, which pulverized buildings, was burning at 15,832 acres between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu. A third blaze, the Hurst Fire, ignited in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley northwest of downtown Los Angeles and burned at least 500 acres, prompting evacuations of some nearby residents.

As a result, more than 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate.

“While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family is safe,” Hilton wrote. “My heart and prayers are going out to every family affected by these fires. To all the people who have lost their homes, their memories, and their beloved pets.

“My heart aches for those still in harm’s way or mourning greater losses. The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking.💔”

Hilton isn’t the only star who’s been displaced by the raging wildfires. Actors James Woods and Cameron Mathison, reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, and songwriter Diane Warren similarly lost their homes in the blaze.

The fiery conditions have also brought several disruptions to Hollywood, including the postponement of Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards and the cancellation of movie premieres.

Hilton concluded her post with a heartfelt thank-you to “the brave firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect us,” writing, “I am so grateful for your courage, dedication, and the incredible sacrifices you’re making to save lives and fight this unimaginable battle.”

“Let’s protect one another and hold onto hope that these fires will soon be contained.🙏,” Hilton wrote. “We’re in this together, LA.✨Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight. You never know when everything could change. 🥺”

Jessica Alba Reportedly Getting Divorced After 17 Years Of Marriage

After 17 years of marriage, 43-year-old Jessica Alba is getting divorced from her husband Cash Warren, 45, according to reports published on Wednesday. The couple reportedly separated sometime over the past few weeks and had not been seen together recently.

Jessica Alba, one of the famous “Jessicas” of the 2000s, along with Jessica Biel and Jessica Simpson (and to a lesser extent 90210 star Jessica Lowndes), first gained fame for her role as Max Guevara / X5-452 on the television show Dark Angel. She has since gone on to act in numerous other movies and shows, in addition to founding The Honest Company, which has at various points been valued at over $1 billion.

TMZ reports that both Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have been seen recently in public without their wedding rings. Most recently, Alba was seen not wearing it at W Magazine’s annual pre-Golden Globes party at Chateau Marmont.

Last month, Alba also was spotted out in Rome having dinner with film producer Andrea Iervolino, again without her wedding ring. She and Iervolino were in Italy working on the film Maserati: The Brothers.

The last time the couple were photographed together in public was on November 10 sitting courtside together at a Lakers game. It was just five days ago, however, that Jessica Alba shared a photo to her Instagram account of the entire family together, including Cash Warren, during a trip to Universal Studios.

“The best day at #UniversalStudios celebrating our 7 year old, Hayes!” she wrote in the photo’s caption. “Thank you for having us, @unistudios.”

Alba and Warren, the son of actor Michael Warren, met while filming the Fantastic Four movie in 2004. Warren worked as a director’s assistant, while Alba played Sue Storm, AKA The Invisible Woman. They couple were later married in May 2008 and have three children together, two daughters and a son.

Winter Trade Buzz: Could Elias Pettersson Be the Game-Changer the Rangers or Sabres Need?

As trade speculation swirls around the NHL, Elias Pettersson remains a hot topic of conversation, with various teams eyeing the Vancouver Canucks’ star center. The landscape of potential deals is evolving, and the stakes are sky-high. The trade market has a way of moving quickly—like a puck sliding across the ice—so let’s break down the possibilities on where Pettersson might be landing if a move is in the works.

One fascinating scenario involves the New York Rangers. Imagine this: a trade package that includes defenseman Braden Schneider. Such a move might just keep the Canucks on ice—pun intended—preventing them from entertaining other offers while the details are meticulously sorted out. Schneider, with his blend of grit and skill, could be the kind of asset Vancouver might need, especially if they’re looking to reshape their defensive lineup.

Then there are the Buffalo Sabres, where general manager Kevyn Adams has all the young players, picks, and prospects to orchestrate a blockbuster deal—talk about a treasure trove! Friedman’s 32 Thoughts podcast has thrown some intriguing names into the mix, notably Dylan Cozens and Bo Byram. Cozens—a fiery competitor who has had his struggles this year—boasts a noteworthy 31 goals from two seasons ago. Though he’s only 23, that competitive spirit and scoring touch would be invaluable to any team looking to bolster their ranks.

Let’s not overlook Bo Byram, who has been nothing short of impressive in his pairings with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. However, the Sabres already face salary cap intricacies with Dahlin and Power locked into long-term deals. Byram—to become a restricted free agent this summer—could potentially add another layer of complexity to the negotiations. Swapping Pettersson for Cozens would signal a seismic shift for both rosters, especially considering that Pettersson would find a familiar face in Dahlin—his good friend—if the trade materializes.

But losing Byram could strike a painful chord for the Sabres, especially after they traded Colorado’s Casey Mittelstadt to acquire him just a year ago. Despite the depth Buffalo boasts on the blue line, other defensemen have yet to earn the same level of confidence from coach Lindy Ruff, which could make losing a talent like Byram a gamble they may not want to take.

While the possibilities on paper seem enticing, it’s vital to remember that trades of this magnitude come with grave risks. If either team misses the mark, the consequences could linger for years, casting a long shadow over the franchise. The delicate balancing act of negotiating a trade involving figureheads like Pettersson and Cozens—each with their own narrative of potential and promise—adds a layer of intrigue and uncertainty.

Should the Sabres decide to part ways with one—or both—of these young talents, the ripple effects could be felt throughout the league. Names like Jack Quinn, Jiri Kulich, and Zach Benson also come to mind, young, skilled players who could be part of a compelling package for the Canucks.

In this high-stakes game of NHL chess, every move counts, and the future of franchise players hangs in the balance. With winter approaching and the trade deadline looming, teams will need to act decisively—because in the world of professional hockey, opportunity waits for no one. Remember, what’s easy on paper may become a whirlwind of challenges come game time; that’s just how the league operates.

Paris Hilton saw her ‘home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV’

Paris Hilton says she watched her waterfront Malibu home burn to the ground on live television in an emotional social media post Wednesday.

‘Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience,’ the socialite, 43, said on X/Twitter, accompanied by a clip from KABC depicting the damage.

Hilton was among the celebrities who have lost their homes amid a series of deadly wind-fueled wildfires scorching select areas of Southern California.

The hotel heiress posted to the site a lengthy message after insiders told TMZ the house was ‘burned to a crisp’ and ‘reduced to a pile of burning rubble’ amid the fiery outbreak which has been concentrated in the Los Angeles communities of Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

This Is Paris star – who shares two one-year-old children with husband Carter Reum, 43, son Phoenix Barron and daughter London Marilyn – said she was ‘heartbroken beyond words’ amid the damaging wildfires.

‘This home was where we built so many precious memories,’ Hilton said. ‘It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London.’

Paris Hilton, 43, says she watched her waterfront Malibu home burn to the ground on live television amid a series of wildfires scorching select areas of Southern California. Pictured in NYC in October

Hilton was among the celebrities who have lost their homes; the property was pictured in January of 2024

She continued, ‘While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family is safe. My heart and prayers are going out to every family affected by these fires.

‘To all the people who have lost their homes, their memories, and their beloved pets. My heartaches for those still in harm’s way or mourning greater losses.’

Read More All the celeb restaurants destroyed in the LA fires

Hilton – who recently made headlines for her political efforts – said that ‘the devastation is unimaginable’ and ‘to know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking.’

Hilton said members of her 11:11 Media Impact Team were ‘reaching out to nonprofit organizations today to figure out how we can best support the communities impacted by these fires’ and remain ‘committed to offering help as soon as possible and making a meaningful difference for those who need it most.’

She added, ‘To the brave firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect us – you are true heroes.

‘I am so grateful for your courage, dedication, and the incredible sacrifices you’re making to save lives and fight this unimaginable battle. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’

Hilton encouraged her followers to ‘stay safe and follow evacuation orders’ amid the trying time, as ‘you never know when everything could change.

‘Let’s protect one another and hold onto hope that these fires will soon be contained. Sending so much love and strength to all of you. We’re in this together, LA. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.’

Hilton shared with her followers a television report she recorded documenting the damage to her oceanfront Malibu home

The socialite posted to X/ Twitter a clip from KABC depicting the damage

Sources told TMZ that the home burned in the blaze was not the ‘main residence’ the hotel heiress lives in, as she owns ‘multiple properties,’ including a mansion in Beverly Hills.

Hilton took to Instagram with a series of posts documenting the tough times, writing that she was ‘praying for LA/California’ atop an images of fires spreading throughout the area scorching homes and businesses.

The reality star offered options on how to help to more than 26 million followers, listing organizations including the American Red Cross, LA Food Bank and LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund among the options

California firefighters on Wednesday remained battling wind-whipped fires tearing across the area, destroying homes, clogging roadways as tens of thousands fled and straining resources as the fires burned uncontained.

Officials said the death toll was at five people as of Wednesday afternoon.

Hilton was one in a number of Hollywood stars impacted by the blaze, as celebrities who lost their homes included Anna Faris; Adam Brody and Leighton Meester; Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag; James Woods; Eugene Levy; Miles and Keleigh Teller; John Goodman; and others.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Mark Hamill and Mandy Moore were among the celebrities who said they had to evacuate their homes.

Curtis said Wednesday on Instagram that her family is safe, but suggested her neighborhood and possibly her home is on fire. She said many of her friends lost their homes.

Hilton posted an emotional statement to social media on Wednesday amid the fires

The reality star offered options on how to help, listing organizations including the American Red Cross, LA Food Bank and LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund among the options

Moore said her family evacuated too and has since tried to shield her kids from the ‘immense sadness and worry’ that she currently feels.

‘So gutted for the destruction and loss,’ she posted in her Instagram story. ‘Don’t know if our place made it.

‘It’s a terrifying situation and I’m grateful to the firefighters and all of the good Samaritans who are helping people get out of the way of the blaze.’

Other stars who have homes in the area include Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg; many are awaiting word on whether their homes survived the flames.

Woods posted footage Tuesday of flames burning through bushes and past palm trees on a hill near his home. The towering orange flames billowed among the landscaped yards between the homes.

‘Standing in my driveway, getting ready to evacuate,’ Woods said in the short video on X. Later, he confirmed he had evacuated and added: ‘It tests your soul, losing everything at once, I must say.’

Officials didn´t give an estimate of structures damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, but they said at least 70,000 residents were under evacuation orders and nearly 30,000 structures were under threat.

Paris took to Instagram with a series of posts documenting the tough times

Hilton included a clip depicting a deer running through the fire-ravaged region

The Pacific Palisades neighborhood is a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity residences and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit Surfin´ USA.

In the frantic haste to get to safety, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot, some toting suitcases.

‘Evacuated Malibu so last minute,’ wrote Hamill in an Instagram post Tuesday night. ‘Small fires on both sides of the road as we approached (the Pacific Coast Highway).’

Less than 72 hours before, Hollywood´s highest-wattage stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes’ red carpet, the first major event of the exuberant and, for many, triumphant awards season.

The revelry of awards season had quickly been snuffed out, too: Premieres of contenders like Better Man and The Last Showgirl were canceled, the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced via press release instead of at a live event and weekend events like the AFI Awards were preemptively scrubbed.