October 6, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — “From one genie family to another,” Robin Williams’ kids honored Will Smith and his family as recipients of the Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award.

On Monday, Will shared a YouTube video of the family — which includes Will, his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, and their children Trey, Jaden, and Willow — accepting the award which is given to individuals in the entertainment realm who embody the “best sparks” of the late actor.

In the 11-minute video, the Smith family reflected on the generational impact that William’s had on each of them as they named some of their favorite movies by the comedian, including Flubber, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and Mork & Mindy.

Will also shared snippets to Instagram with the caption, “From one genie fam to another, thank you… Robin’s love lives on thru our laughter and memories.”

The award was given to the family by Willam’s children, Zachary, Cody, and Zelda, in partnership with the nonprofit organization Bring Change To Mind, which focuses on mental health. 

The Smith family are the fourth to receive the esteemed award, but the first family to do so. Billy Crystal was handed the award first in 2017, followed by Whoopi Goldberg, and then Ben Stiller.

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 6, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Nicole Kidman is opening up about her past relationship with Tom Cruise.

Speaking to the New York Times recently, the 53-year-old actress detailed her past experience shooting a movie with her then-husband.

The two starred in 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut, but it was how they spent their time between shooting is what Kidman remembers most fondly.

“We were happily married through that,” explained the Undoing star. “We would go go-kart racing after [intense] scenes. We’d rent out a place and go racing at three in the morning.”

Kidman noted that filming a psychological drama can be emotionally taxing and fully credited director Stanley Kubrick for going above and beyond to ensure she and Cruise were comfortable and happy.

“We had two kids and were living in a trailer on the lot primarily, making spaghetti because Stanley liked to eat with us sometimes,” Kidman smiled. “We were working with the greatest filmmaker and learning about our lives and enjoying our lives on set. We would say, ‘When is it going to end?'”

That’s why when their three month contract “turned into a year, a year and a half,” Kidman says that she and Cruise surrendered to having “an incredible time” and “loved” working with Kubrick.

Kidman also praised the director for opening her up to the idea of doing nude scenes, explaining that she dreaded the idea because she agonized over the possibility of “me standing there nude and everyone laughing at me.”

To help the Australian actress overcome her anxiety, Kubrick amended her contract so that he “would show me the scenes with the nudity before they made it into the film. Then I could feel completely safe.”

Kidman and Cruise divorced in 2001.  They share two children together: Connor, 25, and Bella, 27.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 6, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Djeneba Aduayom(LOS ANGELES) — Gabrielle Union may have just ended a lengthy battle over the alleged racist treatment she received while working as a judge on America’s Got Talent, but that doesn’t mean she’s done talking about it. 

In a new interview with Marie Claire, the longtime actress dished the details about the various incidents which prompted her to file a formal complaint.

Union, 47, explained to the magazine that she was subject to a series of “microaggressions” with a lot of them having to do with her appearance. She claimed the show’s producers gave her “excessive notes” and called her hairstyles “too wild,” which she interpreted as code for “too Black.” 

“That is the beauty of being a Black woman,” she proclaimed. “I should be able to exist however the [expletive] I want to exist, because if you’re hiring Gabrielle Union for my talent, then my talent is going to come out of my body in every way, shape, and incarnation that I can imagine. You’re getting more bang for your buck the more you allow me to exist as I see fit.”

The Bring It On alum also had to endure a toxic work environment which included incidents like Simon Cowell’s blatant disregard for her allergy to cigarette smoke and insensitive jokes targeting Asians made by guest judge Jay Leno.

Union added that “racist institutions and systems” are largely what keeps many from speaking out on these issues — out of fear of being blackballed. But with age, she shared that she feels “liberated.”

“They want you to feel like ‘It’s not me, it’s you, you’re crazy, you’re doing something that’s causing this, you are complicit,'” she said. “You are not going to gaslight me into minimizing my trauma, which is exactly what allows this to continue on for the next person.”

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.