Big Loud Records Morgan Wallen continues to dominate the charts, thanks to his new album, Dangerous.
Morgan is spending his second consecutive week at #1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart that encompasses stats from the Billboard 200, Hot 100 and Social 50 charts, the latter of which tracks artists’ social media engagement.
The “Whiskey Glasses” hit maker is now the fifth country artist to spend multiple weeks at #1 on the Artist 100.
Jason Aldean holds the record for most weeks at #1 by a country act with three weeks, while Luke Combs, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett and Kenny Chesney trail behind him, each with two.
Dangerous is also spending its second week at #1 on the Billboard 200 and has logged nine songs on the Hot 100, with current single “7 Summers” and fan-favorite “Wasted on You” both cracking the top 25.
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Before John David Washington, his father, Denzel Washington, rightfully held the title as Hollywood’s leading man.
The former athlete tellsThe Wall Street Journalhe always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his two-time Oscar-winning dad, even if he couldn’t admit it.
“I always wanted to do what he did, always wanted to be an artist,” says John David. “I jumped in and hid in this football persona, this athlete, literally putting on a helmet to hide my face, hide my identity.”
While attending Morehouse College as a football star, Washington suffered a leg injury in 2013, which prevented him from pursing a professional football career. A year later, he auditioned and landed for a role as NFL wide receiver Ricky Jerret on the HBO series, Ballers, which he secretly held back from his father.
“I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it,” John David continues. “I’ll never forget how he expressed how proud he was of me. That was a great moment for me.”
Following 2018’s BlacKkKlansman, John David starred in 2020’s Tenet, which earned over $363 million worldwide, even during the pandemic.
Washington recalls entering a “dramatic” place for his next role in the upcoming film, Malcolm & Marie, alongside Zendaya. Shot under strict COVID-19 safety protocols last June, the film follows Washington and Zendaya as a not-so-perfect couple who return home after a movie premiere. As he eagerly awaits what the critics have to say, the two are left in their house alone, to discuss their relationship.
“I went from the biggest-budget film in my career [Tenet] to the lowest-budget film within a six-month time frame,” he adds. “I was like, ‘this is survival,’ but hey, if this is the last thing I get to do, I truly believe in it.”
David McClisterParker McCollum charmed NBC’s Today show this morning with his breakout hit, “Pretty Heart.”
The country crooner made his national TV debut while performing with his band inside a vacant Texas saloon, his voice simmering on the slow-burner, heartbreak ballad with neon signs glowing in the background.
Released as his debut single, “Pretty Heart” also became Parker’s first #1 hit. It’s featured on his EP, Hollywood Gold, which was for the highest-selling debut country EP last year.
Follow-up single “To Be Loved by You,” co-written by Parker and Rhett Akins, is at country radio now.
Additionally, Parker was recently invited by Dierks Bentley via video call to make his Grand Ole Opry debut. Dierks will be there cheering him on when Parker performs on the Opry on February 6.
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Vanessa Bryant paid tribute to her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna Tuesday on the one-year anniversary of their deaths.
The Lakers legend, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Southern California on January 26, 2020.
Vanessa shared a letter on Instagram that she received from a friend of Gianna’s and reflected on her painful losses. “Today I received this sweet letter from one of Gianna’s best friends, Aubrey,” she wrote. “I love you Aubz (as my Gigi would call you).”
She expressed her gratitude to Aubrey for sharing her memories of Gianna and allowing her to share the note.
“There are times I get into a pit of despair thinking about her and what she could’ve accomplished had she had a couple more years,” Aubrey wrote in the letter. “But recently I have been thinking about the mark she did leave on this earth. Her fights for equality in sports made the world reconsider there opinions, she along with Mr. Bryant, set the wheels in motion.”
Vanessa wrote, “My Gigi is INCREDIBLE and I truly appreciate your thoughtful letter. She loves you so much.”
“I miss my baby girl and Kob-Kob so much, too,” Vanessa continued. “I will never understand why/how this tragedy could’ve happened to such beautiful, kind and amazing human beings. It still doesn’t seem real.”
Vanessa and Kobe, who were married for 19 years, had four children together: Natalia, 18, Bianka, 4, one-year-old Capri and the late Gianna.
Many friends and fans of the late NBA star shared tributes across social media to mark the somber anniversary.
Vanessa requested media and others to not share footage from the crash scene and asked people to “celebrate their lives, not the day they lost them.”
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — While she’s shot a few in the past — and admitted to employing a “bum double” for others — Keira Knightley says she’s done with onscreen nude scenes, particularly if the director is a male.
“I don’t have an absolute ban, but I kind of do with men,” the actress and perfume pitch woman tells the podcastChanel Connects.
During the conversation with filmmaker Lulu Wang and writer Diane Solway, 35-year-old Knightley explains, “It’s partly vanity and also it’s the male gaze. I feel very uncomfortable now trying to portray the male gaze.”
She adds, however, “Saying that, there’s times where I go, ‘Yeah, I completely see where this sex would be really good in this film,’ and you basically just need somebody to look hot.”
The Oscar-nominated performer hasn’t totally shut the door on onscreen nudity, but she does have one caveat. The mom to 5-year-old daughter Edie and 1-year-old Delilah says, “If I was making a story that was about that journey of motherhood and body acceptance, I feel like, I’m sorry, but that would have to be with a female filmmaker.”
Keira says, “I don’t want it to be those horrible sex scenes where you’re all greased up and everybody is grunting. I’m not interested in doing that.”
The Atonement actress says directors who envision her for a role featuring nudity should look elsewhere. “So, therefore, you can use somebody else, because I’m too vain and the body has had two children now, and I’d just rather not stand in front of a group of men naked,” said Knightley.
Big Loud Records Morgan Wallen continues to dominate the charts, thanks to his new album, Dangerous. 
