OHMYGOSSIP — Dwayne Johnson is “blown away” by the positive reactions to ‘Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle’.
The 45-year-old actor feels “grateful” and overwhelmed by the feedback he has received from fans about his latest project, which sees him portray Doctor Smolder Bravestone in the fantasy action movie, alongside Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black.
The star – who is also known as The Rock, which is a moniker he acquired when he was a professional wrestler – shared a short video on social media to thank his supporters.
He captioned the post: “Grateful and blown away by your reactions after watching #JUMANJI. (sic).”
Dwayne – who has 16-year-old daughter Simone with his former partner Dany Garcia, as well as two-year-old Jasmine with his wife Lauren Hashian, who is pregnant with their second child together – has revealed he wanted the production to be a “fun Christmas movie” that will be a timeless classic for families worldwide, like the 1995 classic starring the late Robin Williams has become.
He continued: “I wanted to make a fun Christmas movie for generations of families to enjoy around the world. (sic).”
The muscular hunk has also dedicated the new release to “all the lovers out there”, and he hopes it will cause a baby boom.
He concluded his post: “I also wanted to make a movie for all the lovers out there.. when the sun goes down, the sexy smoldering eyebrow goes up when you see the movie.
“Yup, 9 months from now they’ll all be delivered… #JumanjiBabies Enjoy the movie! (sic).”
Dwayne continued to thank the audience for rating the film so highly, and he has joked he will allow couples who love make watching the movie to name their children after him.
Speaking in the clip, he said: “The biggest weekend of 2017 is among us, we have Christmas weekend, we have ‘Jumanji’ weekend, Christmas and ‘Jumanji’ all wrapped up in one. I want to say guys thank you so so much for loving ‘Jumanji’. This is our third day out in theatres and already you have made it a must see movie. Thank you so much.
“You have given us an A- cinema score, which is amazing. Our core audience family gave us an A cinema score, incredible across the board. And I am so grateful.
“I wanted to make a movie, a special Christmas movie, a movie for families, a movie for the kids, but also wanted to make a movie for an adult. A little date night movie, in a subtle, sexy movie. You are going to see the sexy smoulder tonight. You know what that means when you see this [smouldering face]. Lot of ‘Jumanji’ babies being made. You can name them Dwayne, you can name them Dwaynetta. Jumanji babies, enjoy the movie – in many ways.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Adam Driver wasn’t shy about stripping off in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’.
The 34-year-old actor – who plays the part of Kylo Ren in the sci-fi series – appears topless in one particular scene, but director Rian Johnson has claimed Adam didn’t need much convincing to remove his shirt because he’s in such good shape.
Asked whether Adam was shy about appearing in the scene, Rian replied: “No, no, he’s good. He’s great. He knew he looked good.”
Adam was already in enviable physical condition because he’d been preparing for the fight scenes in the movie.
And so when he was asked to remove his shirt, he didn’t hesitate, according to the 44-year-old director.
He told PEOPLE: “Adam looks so damn good because he’d been training hardcore for the past six months for those fight scenes. I’m like, ‘Eh. He looks so good. We should put him up there’.”
The claim comes shortly after Rian hit back at criticism of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’.
The filmmaker’s effort has divided opinions among fans, but he recently insisted it’s important to move the franchise “forward”.
Asked on Twitter whether it’s good that the movie is so “polarising”, he wrote on the micro-blogging website: “The goal is never to divide or make people upset, but I do think the conversations that are happening were going to have to happen at some point if sw is going to grow, move forward and stay vital. (sic)”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Zac Efron and Zendaya were “so bruised” after filming ‘The Greatest Showman’.
The 21-year-old actress – who portrays trapeze artist Anna Wheeler – and her 30-year-old co-star – who plays Phillip Carlyle in the production – struggled filming scenes in the circus where they were intended to graciously glide past one another, because they would accidentally “slam” into each other when they were whizzing around the arena, which left them battered and sore.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the movie’s director, Michael Gracey, said: “‘Rewrite the Stars’ was incredibly challenging. You’d have this beautiful shot of Zendaya flying around Zac and Zac’s in the foreground and it’s just perfect. And just as she’s about to sing the line that you need in that moment, the rope twists and her whole body moves and that line you want, she’s facing away from camera. It’s things like that you’re like, ‘Ughhh!’
“And also a lot of the jumping and swinging and the two of them coming together, there are so many takes of that being so awkward and so clunky as they don’t quite swing past each other, they just slam into each other. All of a sudden what’s meant to be balletic and slow and wonderful effortless feel, all of a sudden becomes incredibly brutal and violent as these bodies go slamming into each other. That was a lot of takes and a credit to Zac and Zendaya – they were so bruised.”
However, the pair were adamant they were going to get the perfect shot and would clamber up on the rope to try “again and again and again” until they captured the desired look.
Gracey added: “But they just kept going again and again and again.”
Meanwhile Gracey, who made his directorial debut with the new release, thinks his film has the ability to be turned into a theatre production.
He explained: “When I was pitching the film, the great thing about doing a musical film is you have this amazing piece that could then go straight to Broadway. Instead of CG animals, you could do puppets like ‘War Horse’ or ‘The Lion King’. I think that’s an incredibly appealing idea. It would depend on the success of the film but I do believe it would make an incredible stage production.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Miranda Hart loves the monotony of Christmas.
The 45-year-old comedian is a huge fan of the festive season and admitted she could happily listen to the same Christmas-themed tunes over and over again in the build up to the big day.
She shared: “We hear the same tunes played on a loop on every radio station, supermarket, hotel, shopping centre. Everywhere you go, you are followed by the tinkling of Christmas music … and I blooming love it! It’s become such a beloved, nostalgic soundtrack to this time of year.
“It also means I often go into an inadvertent bop or little jaunty walk to the tunes, without realising it.”
The TV star also revealed she enjoys singing Christmas carols to get her into the spirit of the season.
Miranda admitted that singing the traditional tunes leads her to reminisce about performing “classic old hymns”.
Speaking to the Radio Times, she said: “My love of carols means they deserve a separate mention. A hearty singalong is good for body and soul and it reminds me of the classic old hymns we rarely listen to or sing these days.
“I sometimes ding dong merrily on high or hark the herald angels midsummer for a dose of cheer – maverick! If I had to choose a favourite? ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’. Gorgeous.”
She said, too, that Christmas lights remind her of a “Richard Curtis movie”.
Miranda explained: “Everything looks better in the glow of Christmas lights. The world looks like a Richard Curtis movie and that’s always a good thing.
“I keep most of my lights going throughout January and February. It makes our long winters much more bearable.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Olly Murs has reportedly been flirting up a storm with Amber Davies.
The 21-year-old beauty recently split from her boyfriend Kem Cetinay, just months after the pair found love on reality show ‘Love Island’ and were crowned the season’s champions, and it is believed the 33-year-old singer has reached out to Amber following her break up after a chance meeting at Essex’s hotpot Sheesh.
And it has been reported the moment the pair locked eyes on one another at the restaurant they instantly started private messaging on social media.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “They started sending each other messages on Instagram after they realised they were both at the same restaurant.”
It is believed Olly “knew exactly” who the television star was as he tuned into the ITV2 programme over the summer, which his close friend and former ‘The X Factor’ co-host presented.
The insider added: “Olly knew exactly who Amber was, as he had watched Love Island while the show was on during the summer.”
However, it is believed Amber was taken aback when the ‘Troublemaker’ hitmaker slipped into her direct messages.
The source continued: “While Amber couldn’t believe she was receiving messages from one of the UK’s biggest pop stars, she was wearing a very sexy outfit that evening and Olly certainly took notice.”
Despite splitting up from the hairdresser last month, Amber is distracting herself by exercising to help mend her broken heart.
Speaking previously, she said: “After having a break up I’m going through all the normal things – I get upset, anxious, angry and I get nervous – All the things that any normal girl would go through.
“I thought the best way to get my mind off things and concentrate on myself is to start working out and I couldn’t believe how unfit I was.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Phillip Schofield’s best-ever Christmas gift was a flag pole.
The ‘This morning’ host was “utterly thrilled” with the present from his wife Steph – with whom he has daughters Molly, 24, and 21-year-old Ruby – and it now forms an important part of their annual festive traditions.
He said: “The best gift I’ve ever received was actually a flagpole from Steph. I was utterly thrilled with it. We put a message up for Santa every Christmas. It reads, ‘Santa, please stop here’. Another lovely gift was a toy zoo my dad made me when I was 10. He was brilliant at making things.”
And the 55-year-old presenter always looks forward to opening a gift from his ‘This morning’ co-host Holly Willoughby.
He told HELLO! magazine: “Holly is fantastic at buying presents for other people. One year she bought me an ice-cube maker that made perfectly round ice cubes. It was very smart. She started buying her Christmas presents in April, whereas I usually resort to alcohol for people. One of the best gifts I ever got her was a set of computerised cocktail-making scales.”
But he’s hoping this year he doesn’t have to go out shopping for his friend.
He said: “Giovanni [Pernice] from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ came in to talk to us at ‘This Morning’ the other week with Debbie McGee.
“Holly is a massive ‘Strictly’ fan and I made sure she had a little dance with him.
“She thanked me afterwards and said it was like her Christmas present had come early – so maybe I don’t need to buy her anything else.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Mark-Francis Vandelli thinks Christmas trees are “tacky”.
The ‘Made in Chelsea’ star insists he won’t be having a decorated fir in his home over the festive season because they should only be enjoyed by children.
He said: “I don’t put a Christmas tree up because I find that it is something mostly for children. I think it’s tacky. I put up garlands.”
Mark-Francis has received a number of “terrible” Christmas gifts over the years, but doesn’t hold it against the recipients as he only gets offended if he’s been given a “recycled” present.
He said: “I’ve been given so many terrible gifts but thankfully one doesn’t judge one’s friends by the gifts they give. Recycled gifts are the ones that offend.
“Say if someone accidentally gives you Chanel No. 5 as a gift because someone gave it to them but they don’t want to wear it – that is offensive.”
Mark- who previously took part in ‘The Jump’ – was approached by bosses of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ about taking part in the forthcoming series next year, but he has admitted he’d never agree to it because he doesn’t think the house would be suitable.
Asked if he’d go on ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’, he said: “I would not even open an email that suggested anything like that.
“Even today, my agent sent me an email about ‘Celebrity Big Brother’. Is anyone going to be doing my hair in this house? No? Then no.”
Meanwhile, when he isn’t working, he likes to go shopping for vintage furniture.
Asked what he spends his money on, he said: “Objects and furniture from the 18th century. Mostly French but sometimes Italian.
“I think the environment you surround yourself with is very important, so I try to curate that. And I love watches and jewellery.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Michelle Keegan is “determined” to spend more time with husband Mark Wright in the New Year.
The 30-year-old actress has had a hectic work schedule over the past few months, which has seen her jet to South Africa, Malaysia and Nepal to film ‘Our Girl’, while her 30-year-old spouse has been in America hosting the entertainment channel ‘Extra’, and though it has “not been easy” for the couple to spend time with one another, Michelle intends to change that in 2018.
Speaking to The Sunday Mirror newspaper about the couple and their plans for the future, a source said: “Michelle and Mark have spent most of the year apart and it has not been easy. But they are stronger than ever.
“In 2018, Michelle is determined they don’t spend as much time away from one another.”
Although the pair are across different corners of the globe, they are still very supportive of one another and their careers.
The former ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ star recently gushed: “Done. 8 months away from home, away from loved ones. @michkeegan you amaze me more & more every day.
“I’m so proud of you, words can’t even explain. (sic).”
And Mark has promised when the pair reunite over the festive period it will be the “best Christmas ever”.
He continued: “It’s going to be the best Christmas ever !! I love you so much my little trooper. (sic).”
But despite their busy schedules, Mark and Michelle – who tied the knot in 2015 – speak “20 times a day” and even meet up in secret.
Speaking previously, Mark said: “We speak 20 times a day.
“We see each other more than people know. I’ve flown there. She’s flown here.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Chris Hughes feels under pressure to deliver a memorable Christmas for girlfriend Olivia Attwood.
The duo have endured a turbulent few months since leaving ‘Love Island’ earlier this year, but ahead of their first Christmas together, Chris has admitted to feeling anxious.
Asked whether he feels under pressure to treat his girlfriend to lavish gifts, Chris – who previously bought Olivia a Celine bag – explained: “I went away to America to film with Kem, just after ‘Love Island’, so I popped into Harrods beforehand to give her a nice surprise and make her happy before going.
“I got it delivered for the morning after I left, her first morning without me.
“I know what you mean [over the expensive gift]! Going forward, it was quite a big gift!
“It was just nice though, it’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to treat someone! It’s a nice handbag! She makes good use of it!”
The couple have endured their fair share of ups and downs since they left the ITV dating show, but Chris believes their relationship is now stronger than ever.
Of their Christmas plans, he told OK! Online: “We’re working out where I’m going to be for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and Christmas Eve …
“We’ll be together, we’ll be waking up in the same place, but it’s just working out whether it’s going to be at mine or at hers. It won’t be at our own place, it’ll be at one of our family homes.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ will be a “cinematic event”.
Star Karen Gillan – who plays Nebula in the Marvel ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Avengers’ movies – is excited for fans to see the upcoming film and insists they will be blown away.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “I mean, this is so vague but genuinely this is going to be more than a movie, it’s going to be like a cinematic event. Anyone who is a Marvel fan and knows stuff from 10 years ago will see it become relevant in this. It’s like everything that you’ve known about Marvel is building to this movie.”
Karen also revealed that the atmosphere on set was one of the best she ever experienced.
She told Collider: “I don’t know how chaotic it is. It’s just an extremely long shoot with so many characters. Logistically, it must be a challenge for them to schedule it. I guess that’s where the chaos comes from. But, it’s so much fun. In terms of atmosphere on set, it’s one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Everybody is just having a really good time, at least of what I’ve seen. They’ve set a really nice tone for the environment, so I’m having a good time.”
Meanwhile, Karen co-stars with The Rock in the ‘Jumanji’ reboot and she is a huge fan of his comedic abilities.
She said: “He’s so inspiring. I’ve never met anyone that works harder than him. I mean he is one of the biggest actors in the world while running this empire and he has a family and maintains his body. I’m just like, ‘How do you do that?’ We had a great relationship. We were laughing a lot. I just think he’s one of my favorite comedic actors now, like I love his dry delivery. It’s, like, crazy.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Martine McCutcheon can’t watch herself in ‘Love Actually’.
The hit ensemble movie is a huge favourite over the festive season, and thought it was a “dream come true” for the 41-year-old singer-and-actress to star opposite Hugh Grant in the film, she can’t bring herself to sit through her own scenes.
She said: “It’s a dream come true. I wanted to marry Hugh Grant when he was in ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’!
“I’m fine watching the others, but the minute I’m on screen, I walk out of the room. I can’t bear it.”
But Martine had a great time working with her former castmates on a special reunion for Comic Relief earlier this year.
She said in a recent interview: “Doing the Comic Relief ‘Love Actually’ reunion in March was amazing.
“Richard Curtis (director) threw a Supper Actually at his house for us all. They’re the loveliest team of people.”
Meanwhile, Martine’s co-star in the film, Kris Marshall – who portrayed unlucky-in-love Colin Frissell – previously admitted the cast are all “baffled” the movie was such a huge favourite.
He said: “When I see the cast, we’re always baffled it became such a big thing.
“In America, they watch it in November for Thanksgiving, then it’s on constantly until Christmas.
“It’s great to be part of people’s traditions too.
“I’ve just been out in America filming and got called ‘Colin’ every time I walked into a bar.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ left out its male character because it was “time to make a fresh start”.
Adam Devine, Ben Platt and Skylar Astin have no role in the third movie in the franchise and director Trish Sie believes it was important for the female characters to move on from them.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: “When I came aboard, the version of the script that was in play already had those decisions made. And maybe I could have fought hard to bring them back if I really disagreed with that decision, but I didn’t, because there was some scheduling stuff involved — Ben Platt is busy winning awards on Broadway [for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’] — but I think the main purpose was these girls are moving on with their life. Maybe they’ll get back to these guys at some point. A lot of people don’t end up with their college boyfriend and we wanted it to be about them and their independence and finding their way in the world and moving ahead alone. And it just felt like it was time to make a fresh start.”
And Trish hopes the third film in the series – which stars Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson – will not be its last.
She said: “I mean, of course that’s above my pay grade and I have no idea and am not the one making the decisions but as far as I am concerned, I would see these movies on and on and on until they start sucking. I think whether it’s these women in the next stage of life or it’s a new group of women going through these things, I think there are endless ways to chart the course of the girls’ lives and a woman’s life. There’s so many archetypal scenes in these movies that, to me, if you get the right chemistry — and this cast of course has amazing chemistry and that’s why it works — so if you were to do a reboot you’d have to spend a lot of time making the chemistry right. But assuming you can get that — singing, dancing, laughing, solving problems together, unlikely heroes, band of misfits — that stuff is sort of timeless and wonderful and, as far as I am concerned, I would watch it over and over and over again.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Gogglebox’s Leon Bernicoff has died at the age of 83.
The retired teacher – who starred on the Channel 4 show alongside his wife June – passed away in hospital on Saturday (23.12.17) after a short battle with an illness.
Channel 4 and production company Studio Lambert said in a statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sad news that after a short illness Gogglebox’s Leon Bernicoff passed away in hospital earlier today. Leon and his wife June were the first members of the public to be cast for Gogglebox back in early 2013, and they soon grew to become much-loved voices during the course of the show’s 10 series to date.
“Leon’s unique personality and sharp wit endeared him to fans of the show, as he contributed fully to Gogglebox’s reputation as a programme full of warm humour and unvarnished opinion. To those of us that knew him personally, Leon was a man of unwavering principles who exerted a distinct paternal presence both on and off screen. He will be dearly missed by the entire Gogglebox family; cast and crew.”
Whilst ‘Gogglebox’ creator Tania Alexander wrote on Twitter: “So deeply saddened at the passing of our dear, dear Leon. He was and always will be the grandfather of #gogglebox – an absolute star who always made me laugh with his sharp wit and unshakable opinions. Much love and strength to June.”
Leon’s fellow ‘Gogglebox’ stars have also been paying tribute to the late television star.
Scott and Georgia McCormick wrote: “Omg I’ve just heard!!! poor#leon I’m gutted absolutely gutted. @LeonAndJune sending all our love and strength . So so sorry to hear this . Xxxx (sic)”
Leon is survived by his wife, his two daughters and sons-in-law and his grandchildren.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Lucy Mecklenburgh doesn’t want to host Christmas.
The former ‘The Only Way is Essex’ star doesn’t know where she’s spending the special day this year but she’s adamant she won’t be cooking a lavish lunch for her family because she “can’t face” spending the morning in the kitchen over an oven.
She said: “I have no idea, but it’s always a big family affair. I’ve got a broken family, so I try to fit in seeing my mum and dad. I don’t know if I’ll be hosting.
“I might hold off buying a dining room table because I don’t know if I can face that. I’ve been in the house for over a year! I’ll be in Essex.”
And, although she runs her own fitness business and is always trying to promote a healthy lifestyle, the 26-year-old beauty won’t be restricting herself over Christmas.
She explained: “I always live by a guilt-free Christmas. I still eat well in the week and train, but won’t say no to parties. And then I have two weeks off during
Christmas and New Year and eat what I want.”
Lucy has just come back from Melbourne, Australia, after spending a month out there with her boyfriend Ryan Thomas while he was shooting his cameo in ‘Neighbours’.
And, although the couple have been dating since earlier this year when they met while doing ‘Bear Grylls: Celebrity Island’, it’s not yet known whether they will spend the festive season together as Ryan will probably be with his nine-year-old daughter Scarlett, whom he has with his ex-partner Tina O’Brien.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Charlotte Crosby has rejected Stephen Bear’s attempts at reconciliation.
Stephen, 27, posted an emotional message on Instagram begging Charlotte for another chance but she was not interested.
Explaining the rejection on Instagram, he wrote: “It was a no.”
It came after Stephen admitted he is responsible for the demise of their 11-month relationship and told the ‘Geordie Shore’ star he wanted to marry her.
Stephen wrote: “Dear Charlotte , I really messed up , if I can rewind the clock back maybe I wouldn’t of done the things I did and say. Life’s about making mistakes . I’ve just been really sad recently and I need to get it off my chest . I no being with me isn’t easy and I will probably send you insane in the end and I really do care and still love you . It might be too late but all I can do is try. The New Years coming up and I would love to spend the rest of my life with you.”
And following Charlotte’s rejection, it appears as if there is no hope for the couple as Stephen had warned he would not reach out again.
He said: “I’ve done my best and put it out there . I don’t show my feeling often so it will be a very long time before you see me open up again . I would watsapp you but you’ve changed your number. would be nice to slide in my DM though if you see this xx (sic).”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Candice Brown says she is like a “hippo in a tutu” during ‘Dancing On Ice’ rehearsals.
The ‘Great British Bake Off’ winner has admitted that she is worried about her upcoming appearance on the relaunched show as she believes she is not very elegant or graceful.
Speaking ahead of the show’s launch, she said: “You know how in Disney films when you see a hippo and they put a tutu on, and you’ve got all the swans and they are all graceful, and then the hippo goes ‘boom, boom, boom’.
“When I put the leotard on I was like ‘Oh right, okay, there she is, hippo in a tutu’.
“It’s the elegance and things like that, it’s so different from anything I have ever done, the performance thing, the thinking about face, arms body and then the actual skating part.”
Candice, 33, has been partnered with skater Matt Evers on the show and insisted her fiance Liam Macaulay, 31, isn’t worried about their racy routines.
She said: “(Liam) tells me every day he is proud of me and he’s so supportive. ‘He’s met my partner Matt Evers and he’s great.”
And, Candice admitted that she and Matt have had some embarrassing moments during rehearsals.
She said: ‘We had been warned at the beginning. The pros say, there are lifts where you are lifted up by certain parts of your body. Yesterday I came out of a lift and he didn’t just grab my leg. It really made me laugh. I thought, ‘Get to the end of the routine’. I looked at Matt and said, ‘Did you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, and I’m really sorry’.”

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