Category: Entertainment

Viola Davis is giving back. The Oscar, Emmy and Tony winner who currently stars in the final season of How to Get Away With Murder has teamed up with brothers Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott for Celebrity IOU airing Monday, April 27 on HGTV and E! News has your exclusive sneak peek.

In the Celebrity IOU, Viola wants to give back to a life-long friend, Michelle, and transform her Minneapolis home. Michelle and Viola were roommates during their years at The Juilliard School. Now, Michelle is a mom and cancer survivor and Viola teams with the Property Brothers stars to give her pal a new modern kitchen, an open floor plan and a room she can relax and rejuvenate in.

“I understand the givers in the world—I really do,” the How to Get Away With Murder star said in a statement. “Every once in a while, I think the giver can get exhausted and drained and depleted and needs to be reminded that they’re a gift to people too. So, this renovation of Michelle’s home is my gift to her.”

The Scott brothers previously teamed up with Brad Pitt and Melissa McCarthy for episodes of Celebrity IOU. Additional content from the show can be found on HGTV’s digital platforms.

“The reason I want to do this for Michelle is because I love her, and it’s my way of showing my love for her,” Viola said in a statement. “And, also because she deserves something just for her.”

The exclusive promo above features Viola Davis getting down and dirty in the renovation. “I wanted to do something big,” she says. See the emotional reveal in the video above.

Celebrity IOU airs Mondays, 9 p.m. on HGTV.

Happy birthday, Kate Hudson!

The actress turned 41 years old on Sunday. The How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days star celebrated the big day with her nearest and dearest. For instance, her children—Ryder Robinson (16), Bingham Bellamy (8) and Rani Hudson-Fujikawa (1)—kicked off the festivities by serving Hudson breakfast in bed, which she described as he “favorite birthday present.” She also received “the most fun” birthday cake in which her loved ones, including boyfriend Danny Fujikawa, were depicted by Barbie dolls.

While Hudson couldn’t have all of her nearest and dearest there due to social distancing, her inner circle still made her feel special by having a “six-foot surprise parade party.” In an Instagram Stories post, Hudson claimed it made her “heart burst” and caused her to cry a few happy tears.

Hudson also received some sweet wishes from her famous friends and relatives on social media.

“Happy birthday to my only daughter @katehudson!!!” Goldie Hawn wrote on Instagram. “I love you deeply and can’t imagine my life without you. You entered this world wide-eyed and ready to roll. And look at you now! I’m so proud!”

Of course, many of her fans sent celebratory messages, too.

“I felt so much love today, and I just want you guys all to know that all of your birthday wishes were seen and felt and it made my day. So, thank you,” Hudson said via Instagram.

Meghan Markle was briefly back on our TV screens. 

Just over a month since the Suits alum and Prince Harry‘s final royal engagement as senior working members of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex is back in the spotlight for a very special project. Last month, it was announced the former actress had narrated Disneynature’s documentary, Elephant, which began streaming on Disney+ on April 3. 

“In recognition of Elephant, Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund are supporting Elephants Without Borders, an organization working in Botswana to ensure people and elephants thrive,” Disney said in a statement. “Elephants Without Borders is working on strategies to protect Botswana’s elephant haven, helping to reduce human-wildlife conflict through education, economic development, and solutions that either redirect elephant migration away from people, or provide communities with tools that help to protect themselves and their properties when elephants are nearby.” 

Fans may recall Botswana is a special place in Markle and Prince Harry‘s life together as he considers it a second home and the couple previously vacationed there before getting engaged. Over the years, they have been vocal about their shared passion for elephant conservation. She discussed the animals once again in a newly aired featurette for the film, which was shot last summer and aired on Good Morning America on Monday morning. 

“I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of bringing the story of elephants to life,” she said. “I’ve been very lucky to be able to have hands-on experience with elephants in their natural habitat,” Markle noted, referencing her work with her famous husband and Elephants Without Borders in 2017. “When you spend time connecting with them and the other wildlife, you really understand we have a role to play in their preservation and their safety.”

“These creatures are so majestic and, at the same time, they are so sensitive and so connected,” Markle described in the featurette. “We see in this film just how remarkable they are—their memories are amazing, the close connection of the heard, their protectiveness of their young. I think they’re a lot more like us than they are different.”

As she further expressed, “I hope that when people see this film, they realize how connected we all are and if we had more of an awareness about the obstacles they’re facing, I think we’d take care of each other, this planet and animals in a very different way.”

At the start of this year, the couple was spotted in resurfaced footage pitching Markle for voiceover work to Jon Favreau and Disney CEO Bob Iger at the July 2019 premiere of The Lion King. Around the time of the resurfaced footage, it was reported that the duchess had signed on to a project with Disney in exchange for a donation to an elephant charity. 

Katherine Schwarzenegger took to Instagram this weekend to share a video of herself whipping up some strawberry shortcake. However, her baking tutorial was interrupted by Chris Pratt, who was practicing his golf swing in the kitchen.

“While I do this video, I’ll preface this by saying that my husband will be playing golf in the background,” the 30-year-old author informed her followers. 

As Schwarzenegger demonstrated each step of the recipe, Pratt could be heard virtually playing the sport. 

“This is my PGA moment,” the 40-year-old actor said at one point.

He seemed pretty excited about his performance, too.

“Oh, it looks good. Oh, it looks really good,” the Guardians of the Galaxy star said.

Schwarzenegger couldn’t help but laugh throughout the whole experience and showed her hubby some support.

“Good job, honey,” she said.

At one point, Pratt crashed the tutorial to review the banana bread Schwarzenegger had baked the day before.

“I’m here to attest that Katherine’s banana bread—truly remarkable. I love it,” he said. “I got a little giddy inside when she said both of those loaves are for us. They’ll be gone in less than a day. Good job, babe.”

Schwarzenegger and Pratt tied the knot in June 2019. The big day took place about six months after the couple announced their engagement.

“She has changed my life for the better in so many ways,” the Jurassic World celeb told Jason Kennedy during an episode of E!’s In the Room. “My heart and my soul [and] my son I feel are all so safe with her, you know?”

Pratt said Schwarzenegger is a “great stepmom” to his son Jack, whom he shares with his ex Anna Faris.

“She’s, God-willing, gonna be a great mom one day,” he also told Kennedy about Schwarzenegger. “She’s got great parents, great siblings. She fills in all my many deficits.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Marklewill no longer “engage” with four major UK tabloids including the Mail, the Sun, the Express and the Mirror. 

On Sunday night, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent a letter to the editors of these four publications expressing that they are setting “a new media relations policy” and will no longer “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion.” 

In the letter, per the Guardian, the couple and their representatives write that stop responding to inquiries from journalists employed by those four outlets and that there will be a policy of “zero engagement” and “no corroboration,” except when necessary through their lawyers. 

“It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say print—even when they know it will be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason,” the letter reads. “When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.”

The couple tell the editors that they believe free press is a cornerstone to any democracy that can “shine line on dark place, telling stories that would otherwise, standing up for what’s right, challenging power, and holding those who abuse the system to account.” 

Further, the letter reads, “There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know—as well as complete strangers—have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”

Harry and Meghan also wanted to make it clear that this new policy is “not about avoiding criticism” or “about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting.” But rather, “Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie.”

Despite shutting out UK tabloids, the couple expressed that they are still looking forward to working with up-and-coming journalists and grassroots media organizations to “spotlight issues and causes that so desperately need acknowledging.” 

News of Meghan and Harry shutting out communication with the Mail, the Sun, the Express and the Mirror comes months after their split from the British royal family and their recent move from Canada to the United States.