Blog

And the peek at the new comedy is “Freaky Friday” on steroids, with four body switches! That’s twice as many as the 2003 original.

Curtis, 66, and Lohan, 38, reprise their mother-daughter roles as Tess and Anna Coleman, who endured a comical body switch in “Freaky Friday” (when Curtis was 44 and Lohan was a 16-year-old superstar).

Now, it’s so much more “Freakier” with kids. Just to make sure you follow:

Lohan’s Anna switches bodies with her daughter Harper (Julia Butters, 15, the actress who broke out in “Once Upon a Time in America”).

Combs’ legal team and prosecutors disputed various aspects of the disgraced rapper’s trial – including jury selection, submitted evidence and the trial’s court timeline – during the Friday conference in front of U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian at Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan.

Combs is charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution following his arrest in September. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The graying music mogul appeared in mostly good spirits throughout the 35-minute conference – grinning and waving to a small group of family and friends seated toward the back of the gallery ‒ although at other times, he could be seen shaking his head and whispering in his attorney’s ear.

Combs was arraigned in court on a new indictment, which added accusations that the hip-hop mogul forced employees to work long hours and threatened to punish those who did not assist in his alleged two-decade sex trafficking scheme.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs expected to appear in court ahead of criminal trial: What to know

His upcoming trial is scheduled to begin May 5. The indictment follows numerous lawsuits and allegations of rape, sexual assault, physical abuse and similar claims over the course of three decades.

Earlier this month, prosecutors submitted a second superseding indictment, updating the amended indictment from January that added three unnamed women who were allegedly victims of his so-called sex trafficking enterprise, which claims Combs subjected employees to forced labor under inhumane circumstances.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of forced labor, assault of an employee as criminal case builds

After the judge dismissed the court, Combs looked back at his family, blew a kiss, put his hands to his chest and smiled before he was escorted out.

Daughter Chance Combs, son Christian “King” Combs and mother Janice Combs, who have been staunch in their support for the hip-hop mogul, were seated in the gallery and pictured arriving at and leaving the Manhattan courtroom. — Patrick Ryan and KiMi Robinson

As court adjourned for the day, Subramanian set the next pretrial conference for April 25. — Patrick Ryan

Mitzi Steiner, an assistant U.S. attorney, said the prosecution would file a letter — for attorneys’ eyes only — that would reveal the names of some of the witnesses and victims who are willing to testify against Combs.

“We want to protect the identities of these witnesses and victims,” Steiner told the judge. Some of them are “incredibly frightened” to have their identities revealed to the defense, she said, but the prosecution would produce a list of their names. The judge and both sides agreed to this. — Patrick Ryan

Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo said the defense recently came in possession of “a great deal of medical records,” some related to prescription medications. The defense team added that they’ll need an expert to “explain what they mean,” although Agnifilo did not detail the nature of the medical records. — Patrick Ryan

Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized on Instagram

Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized after video emerged appearing to show him assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016.

In the matter of the bombshell CNN video released last year that showed Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel, Subramanian left the opposing parties to find middle ground as to whether it can be presented to jurors.

Agnifilo reiterated the claims his team brought forward in a letter to Subramanian filed Thursday. He called the video “deceptive” and “a misleading piece of evidence” as, they claim, it has “been changed.”

Agnifilo claimed that the footage was re-sequenced and sped up, and that it was run through an editing software, according to analysis from an expert who reviewed the video.

Diddy’s lawyers cast doubt on video, as CNN defends integrity of footage showing Diddy assaulting Cassie

Steiner, the assistant U.S. attorney, said the CNN footage is “a key piece of evidence that (the defense is) trying to keep out” of trial.

Subramanian suggested that if the footage was indeed edited that perhaps it can be slowed back down, re-sequenced or otherwise changed back to its original state. If the defense still disagrees with the contents of the video or how it is presented, then Agnifilo can file a motion to have the material dismissed. — Patrick Ryan and KiMi Robinson

Subramanian determined that potential jurors could begin filling out questionnaires on April 28 before jury selection begins on May 5. Both sides aim to review roughly 300 jurors per day until a jury is assembled.

Opening statements are scheduled to begin May 12. Attorneys for both sides agreed with this scheduling decision.  — Patrick Ryan

This second superseding indictment was filed by prosecutors on March 6.

The 15-page document details the charges against the hip-hop mogul and is, for the most part, the same as the one filed on Sept. 12 and made public Sept. 17. The second superseding indictment, an update from the first amended indictment filed in January, showed how the government has continued to build its case against Combs over the past several months, as they are now adding the claim that he’d subjected employees to forced labor under inhumane circumstances. — KiMi Robinson

While interacting with the judge, Combs chose to stand and spoke briefly.

He said he was “fine” and answered that he was pleading “not guilty” to the new indictment, which prosecutors brought forward last week. — Patrick Ryan

When Combs walked into the courtroom Friday afternoon, he waved and blew a kiss to his family in the gallery. Sporting white hair and a matching beard and donning a tan jumpsuit, he had a smile on his face. Reporters in the courtroom could be heard commenting on his appearance, saying, “Oh my god” and “He looks terrible.” — Patrick Ryan

CNN defends video of Diddy assaulting Cassie after rapper’s team claims it was altered 

Earlier this week, lawyers came forward with allegations about a nearly decade-old video showing the music mogul physically assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, which plays a role in his criminal trial. 

Ventura’s Nov. 16, 2023, sex trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit, which the former couple settled for an undisclosed amount a day later, spurred an avalanche of civil lawsuits and allegations against the scandalized music mogul. –KiMi Robinson 

Diddy’s lawyer quits amid federal case 

In a motion filed in New York Federal Court late last month, one of Combs’ lawyers, Anthony Ricco, notified the judge of his intent to withdraw, adding it had followed discussions with Combs’ lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo. 

“Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs,” Ricco wrote. He declined to offer the specific details that led to the decision, citing attorney/client privilege in the filing. – Anna Kaufman 

The dark comedy anthology directed by Mike White follows the plights of the rich and powerful as they navigate perilous psychological and interpersonal relations while vacationing at the prestigious White Lotus resort chain. The current season was filmed in Thailand, while past seasons were set in Hawaii and Italy.

With only a handful of episodes to go, there is plenty of time for drama to unfold. Here’s what to know about catching the rest of “The White Lotus” Season 3.

When do new episodes of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 come out?

Season 3 of “The White Lotus” premiered at 9 p.m. EST/PST on Sunday, Feb. 16. New episodes will air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and stream on Max.

There are so many superhero movies and other flicks where the good guys seem too good at they do, it’s nice to root for a dude who you really wonder if he’s going to make it out of assorted bad situations.

In the grand tradition of John McClane and Indiana Jones, here comes Nathan Caine. Jack Quaid’s underdog protagonist feels no pain in the action comedy “Novocaine,” which marries cartoonish violence and an enjoyably hard-luck main character. Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt also embrace heroic roles – ones that feel familiar to anyone who’s watched “Stranger Things” and the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies – in the Netflix sci-fi adventure “The Electric State,” the latest from “Avengers” directors Joe and Anthony Russo. And Amanda Seyfried takes on an interesting part, as a Philadelphia beat cop, in the Peacock limited series “Long Bright River.”

Now on to the good stuff:

Witness Jack Quaid get shot, stabbed and fried in ‘Novocaine’

If like me you’ve been a longtime fan of the streaming show “The Boys,” you know how likable a guy Jack Quaid is. He’s been in movies, too, but the son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid really makes his mark as a big-screen action hero in his first star vehicle, “Novocaine.” He’s also the best part of the action comedy, which centers on a nerdy, homebody assistant bank manager – who has the interesting condition of not being able to feel pain – going after the robbers who take his crush (Amber Midthunder) hostage.

The Hollywood veteran raised eyebrows in the comment section of a recent E! News reel about the film when she claimed she had been added, then ousted from the cast.

“I LOVED being cast and removed from my role unexpectedly for no reason at all LOVED it,” Stone wrote with clapping emojis in a comment on the video posted Thursday. It is unclear what role she was slated to play, or how it would have slotted into a cast that added big names like Allison Janney and Michele Morrone.

USA TODAY has reached out to Stone’s reps for comment.

The video itself was an exploration of rumors that stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick are not getting along.

He shocked courtroom attendees with a new look at a pretrial conference. Prosecutors announced new claims in their case against Combs and, as he appeared and blew a kiss to his family, courtroom onlookers expressed shook at his new appearance with white hair and a graying beard.

Authorities arrested the embattled hip-hop mogul in September on federal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The hearing in Manhattan federal court allowed Combs’ legal team and prosecutors to dispute various aspects of the rapper’s trial, including jury selection, submitted evidence and the trial’s court timeline.

In a candid post to his Instagram story Thursday, the pop star told followers that he has long struggled with feeling worthy of the accolades he’s collected along the way.

“People told me my whole life, ‘wow Justin u deserve that’ and I personally have always felt unworthy. Like I was a fraud,” wrote Bieber, once a teen sensation and now a certified singer-songwriter.

“When people told me I deserve something, it made me feel sneaky like damn if they only knew my thoughts. How judgemental (sic) I am. How selfish I really am,” he continued. “They wouldn’t be saying this.”

Justin Bieber broke down crying on Instagram. Men should pay attention.

Bieber, who has amassed over 290 million followers on the app, represents the ultimate heartthrob for subsets of younger generations. Breaking the internet before it was easily broken with singles like “One Time” and “One Less Lonely Girl” in the late 2000s, he was catapulted into a singular kind of fame.