August 31, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for NAACP(LOS ANGELES) — While fans are still reeling from the unexpected death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, the announcement of his death not only mentioned the colon cancer he’d been battling in secret, but a wife they never knew he had. 

People reports that Boseman, who kept his private life to himself, married his longtime girlfriend Taylor Simone Ledward shortly before he passed away Friday at 43 years old. 

The magazine says Ledward is a jazz singer who graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and who was first seen with Boseman back in 2015. They became “red carpet official” last year at the 50th NAACP Image Awards, where she was spotted wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring. 

In accepting the outstanding actor in a motion picture award for his work in Black Panther that evening, Boseman thanked Ledward, saying, “Simone, you’re with me every day. I have to acknowledge you right now. Love you.”

Ledward blew a kiss to him, and mouthed back the words “I love you” to the actor in response.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

August 31, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Freeform/Byron Cohen(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE NATURE, CONTENT) Not even a week ago, Bella Thorne became the first person to make a million dollars on OnlyFans — a subscription service that hosts exclusive bonus material behind a paywall.

Shortly after notching that major financial milestone, Thorne’s subscribers led to her collecting an astounding $2 million on the platform over the weekend.  

Around that time, it was then noted that OnlyFans ushered in some payment caps, such as setting a limit for how much a person can charge fans for exclusive content and how much a subscriber can tip.

Many were led to believe that Thorne’s major payday led to the new restrictions, which embroiled her in a major controversy that accused her of hurting the platform’s other content creators.  Most notably, critics decried the actress’ foray into the website because, unlike most OnlyFans users, she doesn’t need the extra cash.

OnlyFans, which also hosts content that is widely prohibited on other sites, such as nudes, is a popular side hustle for sex workers.

Thorne, 22, took to Twitter on Saturday to not only explain why she joined the site but to also issue a lengthy apology for impacting other people’s incomes.

The Shake It Up actress revealed she joined the site because she “wanted to bring attention to the site” and that, by joining OnlyFans, she could help “normalize the stigmas” surrounding adult content.

“I am a mainstream face and when you have a voice, a platform, you try to use you in helping others and advocate for something bigger than yourself,” She furthered in a followup tweet. “In this process I hurt you and for that I’m truly sorry.”

Thorne then announced she is in talks with OnlyFans “about the new restrictions.”

(NOTE: Linked tweets contain uncensored profanity)

August 31, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

“The New Mutants” – © 2020 Twentieth Century Film Corporation(LOS ANGELES) — The box office enjoyed its first major weekend release since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with theaters opening at limited capacity, 20th Century Fox’s The New Mutants delivered a humble $7 million opening weekend across 2,412 cinemas across the country this weekend.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that roughly 62 percent of theaters have reopened since the pandemic shut the movie industry down five months ago. In addition, much of the South is cleaning up after Hurricane Laura while California is dealing with an unprecedented fire season. Another major release hit theaters this weekend, Tenet, but its opening weekend numbers stateside are currently unknown.

However, the Warner Bros. flick starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson earned an impressive $53 million in the global box office. The anticipated, oft-delayed sci-fi film is one of the first major box office movies to hit theaters since the COVID-19 pandemic brought the industry to its knees. 

In the U.K., director Christopher Nolan’s home country, Tenet earned a tepid $7.1 million. The film has yet to open in some markets, such as Russia and China — which will occur on September 3 and 4, respectively.

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

August 31, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Marvel Studios(LOS ANGELES) — The world continues to mourn the devastating loss of Chadwick Boseman, who died at age 43 after a silent four-year battle with colon cancer.  Hollywood’s greatest extensively honored the Black Panther star over the weekend, however, one of the most profound tributes came from Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther.

Coogler, writing on the official Marvel webpage, penned a long and emotional piece on Sunday honoring Boseman’s memory.

Coogler shared his first thoughts on Boseman and how he brought a special light to the Marvel Cinematic Universe the second he cameoed in Captain America: Civil War, which made it so easy for the director to say “yes” when asked to helm the Black Panther movie.

The first time the two actually met was in early 2016, with Coogler remarking, “I noticed then that Chad was an anomaly. He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time.”

And, like most of Boseman’s costars and coworkers within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Coogler wasn’t privy to the actor’s battle with cancer, which the director understands because “he shielded his collaborators from his suffering.”

“He lived a beautiful life,” he remarked. “I haven’t grieved a loss this acute before.”

“In African cultures we often refer to loved ones that have passed on as ancestors,” concluded Coogler. “It is with a heavy heart and a sense of deep gratitude to have ever been in his presence, that I have to reckon with the fact that Chad is an ancestor now.”

Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

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