Celebrity World Archives

Filmmaker Tyler Perry says he’s retiring the character of Madea, the grandmother he first featured on screen in “I Can Do Bad All By Myself back in 1999,” and has since appeared in 10 installments, along with numerous stage shows and TV appearances. Perry says he also plans to stage a farewell tour in 2019, along with the character’s final film, “Tyler Perry’s a Madea Family Funeral.” Perry said that the film was shot more than two years ago, but Perry wanted to delay the release in light of the two Madea Halloween films he made from 2016 and 2017, respectively. He’s also looking forward to working on different kinds of projects, including Acrimony, out earlier this year, and Nobody’s Fool, due out in November, both of which Perry wrote and produced.

A Wrinkle in Time and 13th director Ava DuVernay is partnering with Netflix for a feature-length documentary on the late musical icon Prince. The documentary will chronicle Prince’s entire life and career. DuVernay tweeted about the project, saying “Prince was a genius, a joy, and a jolt to the senses. He was like no other. He shattered preconceived notions, smashed boundaries, and shared his heart through his music. The only way I know how to make this film is with love and great care. I’m honored to do so and grateful.” DuVernay has been working on the project for several months and she has the full cooperation of Prince’s estate. Prince died on April 21st, 2016, due to an overdose of fentanyl. As of press time, there was no estimated release date for the Prince documentary.

Actress Hilary Duff and boyfriend Matthew Koma shared on Instagram that their new baby girl had officially arrived. Duff shared the baby’s name, posting “Banks Violet Bair, this little bit has fully stolen our hearts! She joined our world at home on Thursday afternoon and is absolute magic” alongside a photo of the couple cradling their new addition. Duff posted several more photos of baby Banks in her Instagram Stories, sharing a snapshot showing Koma had dyed his hair pink in anticipation of the baby’s arrival. Duff is also mama to 6-1/2-year-old son Luca with ex-husband Mike Comrie.  

Fox has announced the lineup for its live musical version of Rent.  Vanessa Hudgens, who starred as Rizzo in Fox’s Grease Live, will play Maureen Johnson, a performance artist protesting a real estate development plan to evict the homeless. Maureen’s girlfriend, Joanne, will be played by Kiersey Clemons. Dancing With the Stars winner Jordan Fisher will appear as aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen while Brennin Hunt and singer Tinashe will play star-crossed lovers Roger Davis and Mimi Marquez, a musician and a dancer respectively who are both HIV positive.  RuPaul’s Drag Race favorite Valentina will take on the role of Angel and Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Judas in last spring’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, will play Tom Collins. Finally Mario rounds out the cast as Benjamin Coffin III. Jonathan Larson’s Tony- and Pulitzer-winning rock musical follows a group of New York City artists dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1989.  Rent will air live Jan. 27, 2019 at 7 p.m. on Fox.

Sony’s Venom just grossed an additional $17.3 million in 65 international markets this past weekend, which now brings the film’s global total to $500 million. Venom follows Eddie Brock as he attempts to revive his journalism career by investigating the Life Foundation only to come into contact with an alien symbiote which grants him powers, transforming him into the anti-hero Venom. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Venom stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate, Ron Cephas Jones, and Woody Harrelson.