ABC/Randy Holmes(LONDON) — A judge in a London court handed Johnny Depp a legal defeat in his libel case against the U.K. tabloid The Sun.
The suit stemmed from an article that was published April 27, 2018 that branded Depp a “wife beater” during his messy marriage to Aquaman actress Amber Heard — something the actor has repeatedly denied.
In documents available online, Judge Andrew Nicol dismissed Depp’s case, writing, “Although he has proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel, the defendants have shown that what they published in the meaning which I have held the words to bear was substantially true.”
After examining 14 incidents between the former couple brought forth during the trial, the judge concluded, “It has not been necessary to consider the fairness of the article or the defendants’ ‘malice’ because those are immaterial to the statutory defense of truth.”
Throughout the months-long case, both parties had leveled abuse claims against the other. Heard showed bruises purportedly caused by the actor, while Depp insists it was Heard who got physical with him, punching him repeatedly and at one point cutting off the tip of his finger with a thrown vodka bottle.
During the case, Depp’s lawyers called the paper’s description of his client a “reputation-destroying, career-ending allegation.”
Kyle Dubiel/NBC(NEW York) — This weekend’s Saturday Night Live opened with Jim Carrey returning as Joe Biden, who delivered an election-themed version of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, helped out by Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris and Kate McKinnon dusting off her Hillary Clinton impersonation.
Recalling President Donald Trump’s stunning upset victory over Clinton in the 2016 election, Carrey’s Biden attempted to ease Democrats’ fears of a repeat.
“They say I’m eight points ahead. Poll numbers like that can only go wrong once in a blue moon,” he assures, only to look out the window and see a blue moon, which actually appeared on Saturday.
“That’s a little troubling,” he then deadpanned.
Carey is then interrupted by a knock on the door from “someone still a little sore.” That someone turns out to be McKinnon’s Clinton, who warns, “We lost before.”
“I said Raven,” chides Carrey, “Stop being such a drag, we got this one in the bag. This is what every pundit says from shore to shore.”
“Not Michael Moore,” is Clinton’s reply.
Biden’s optimism is tested by an appearance from Fivethirtyeight election guru Nate Silver, played by SNL‘s Mikey Day — referencing Silver’s website that inaccurately predicted a Clinton victory four years ago.
Rudolph’s Harris also returns with a half-hearted pep talk for America, saying, “Our nation will endure. We will fight another day…though it is never a good sign when Walmart stops selling guns.”
Finally, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — played by the show’s Beck Bennett — makes a brief appearance to admit he’s actually pulling for the former vice president.
Saturday’s show was hosted by comedian John Mulaney, with musical guests The Strokes. Dave Chappelle, who hosted SNL‘s post-election show in 2016, was announced as the host of this year’s post-election installment.
Marc Marnie/FilmMagic(LONDON) — Sir Sean Connery, the Academy Award-winning actor famous for playing James Bond, has died. He was 90.
The BBC reported Saturday that Connery died peacefully in his sleep in the Bahamas, having been “unwell for some time,” according to his son, actor Jason Connery.
Jason told the BBC his father “had many of his family who could be in the Bahamas around him” when he passed away overnight.
“We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery,” Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said in a statement on Twitter.
“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘The name’s Bond… James Bond’ — he revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”
Born Thomas Sean Connery in 1930 in Scotland, the eventual big-screen star quit school at an early age and later joined the Royal Navy. After being released from service due to stomach issues, Connery became a weightlifter, according to Biography.com.
He later placed third in the Mr. Universe Competition in the mid-1950s, which kick-started his acting career.
Connery enjoyed a decade of some success, including several TV series roles and the TV movie version of Macbeth, as well as a starring role in the 1959 Disney fantasy adventure Darby O’Gill and the Little People. But Connery’s career-defining break came when he was cast in 1962’s Dr. No as James Bond, becoming the first actor to bring agent 007 to the big screen.
“It was more fun in the earlier ones,” Connery told later told ABC’s Barbara Walters, admitting the Bond films would be his key to success in Hollywood. But Connery also said “the demand was enormous for publicity and exposure.”
From Dr. No, Connery went on to make From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball andYou Only Live Twice before walking away from the franchise. He was replaced by George Lazenby for 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but returned for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. He then left again, and Roger Moore took over the role, though Connery would return as Bond one more time, for 1983’s aptly titled Never Say Never Again.
Outside the Bond franchise, Connery appeared in the critically-acclaimed movies Marnie, The Man Who Would Be King and Robin and Marian, among others. But it was his co-starring role in director Brian De Palma’s 1987 crime drama The Untouchables, opposite Kevin Costner, that earned Connery his first and only Oscar, for Best Supporting Actor.
After The Untouchables, Connery went on to star in the box office hits Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October and First Knight.
Connery’s last film was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003, an experience said to be so unpleasant, it convinced him it was time to retire from the big screen.
In 2008, after much speculation that Connery might reprise his role as Indiana Jones’ father in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, he posted on his website: “If anything could have pulled me out of retirement, it would have been an Indiana Jones film. … But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun.”
Off screen, Connery was knighted in 2000 by Queen Elizabeth II.
“It’s one of the proudest days of my life,” Connery said after receiving the honor, Connery said at the time. “It means a great deal for it to happen in Scotland.”
Connery was married twice in his life, first to actress Diane Cilento from 1962 to 1973, then to Micheline Roquebrune from 1975 until his death. Connery is survived by his son Jason, who was born in 1963.
ABC/Eric Liebowitz(LOS ANGELES) — Get ready to snuggle up on the couch this winter with ABC’s holiday programming.
This year’s lineup includes the fifth anniversary special of The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration on Thanksgiving Day, The Disney Holiday Singalong and CMA Country Christmas on November 30, a new season of The Great Christmas Light Fight premiering on December 9, and a reimagined Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Celebration on December 24.
ABC will also be airing new holiday-themed episodes of General Hospital, The Goldbergs and black-ish.
And if that’s not enough to get you in the spirit, you’ll also be able to catch the animated special Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, the Christmas classic Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, the network broadcast premiere of The Greatest Showman and more.
LARA SOLANKI/NETFLIX (Pictured: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in Never Have I Ever)(LOS ANGELES) — When looking for Halloween inspiration this year, Mindy Kaling looked no further than her own show.
The actress dressed up as Devi Vishwakumar, the lead character in the Netflix teen comedy series she created, Never Have I Ever.
She posted photos of the costume on Instagram, and even enlisted two of her friends to dress up like Devi’s love interests in the show, Ben Gross and Paxton Hall-Yoshida.
“What’s a’poppin?! Do you like my Halloween costume?” Mindy wrote, posting a photo of the real Devi, played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, as a comparison.
Never Have I Ever debuted on Netflix in May and has since been picked up for a second season.
“Mindy needs to be on season 2,” Ramakrishnan told Entertainment Tonightin July. “That’s not negotiable. She needs to be on season 2. That would be awesome to be able to act with her! …[she] could play a family member. She could play somebody in the school. She could do whatever.”
ABC/Randy Holmes(LONDON) — A judge in a London court handed Johnny Depp a legal defeat in his libel case against the U.K. tabloid The Sun. 
