The daily gossip: Cher says Tom Cruise was 'one of the greatest lovers ever,' and more
5 top pieces of celebrity gossip — from the dawn of the Henry Cavill-Kaley Cuoco romance to the reason we don't have Bridesmaids 2
1. Cher calls Tom Cruise "one of the greatest lovers ever"
Today in things you can't unlearn: Cher and Tom Cruise had a brief love affair, which the singer/actress described as "hot and heavy for a little minute." "I've just had the greatest lovers ever!" continued Cher in an interview on Watch What Happens Live. "He was in the top five." Though Cher didn't elaborate on why her relationship with Cruise ended, we can assume it's because she believes in life after love. [The Huffington Post]
2. Henry Cavill and Kaley Cuoco are reportedly dating
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Sorry, Lois Lane: According to Us Weekly, Henry Cavill (better known as Superman) and Kaley Cuoco (better known as "that woman from The Big Bang Theory") have started dating. "They are totally hot for each other," says a source, confirming that people who are famous for being attractive can, indeed, find each other attractive. Though the story has not yet been confirmed by either party, Big Bang Theory fans can pass the time by imagining what Sheldon would say if he knew Penny was dating the Man of Steel. (You'll have to insert your own obnoxiously grating laugh track.) [Us Weekly]
3. Kristen Wiig says turning down Bridesmaids 2 "wasn't a hard decision"
If you've been hoping for a sequel to 2011's Bridesmaids, you have something in common with Universal Studios, which grossed nearly $300 million on the $32.5 million film. But early plans for a Bridesmaids 2 were derailed by star Kristen Wiig, who turned down a chance to reprise her role from the hit comedy. "It wasn't a hard decision," said Wiig in an interview at Harper's, adding that while the sequel would undoubtedly have made a lot of money, that's "not [her] goal in [her] creative life" — because sometimes, having tens of millions of dollars really is enough. [The Hollywood Reporter]
4. Sir Ian McKellan is officially done playing Gandalf
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He may have come back from the dead once, but don't expect to see Sir Ian McKellan reprising the role of the wizard Gandalf (Grey, White, or otherwise) in any future Lord of the Rings movies. According to Showbiz Spy, the actor officially filmed his last scenes in the third and final Hobbit film last week, marking the end of his time in the role — until, perhaps, Peter Jackson finds some other part of Tolkien's oeuvre that he can stretch over way too many movies. [Showbiz Spy]
5. As it turns out, moviegoers only wanted one "terrorists take over the White House" movie in 2013
Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx vs. terrorists in the White House? Who wouldn't want to see that? As it turns out, most of us: Despite a $150 million budget, the action blockbuster White House Down grossed a dismal $24.8 million at the domestic box office this weekend. Anyone looking for a reason why audiences skipped such a can't-miss proposition should look no further than March, when Olympus Has Fallen — better known as that other movie about terrorists taking over the White House — had a far more successful run. Learn your lesson well, Hollywood: If you want to sell audiences a thinly veiled repackaging of a movie they've already seen, wait at least a year and call it a "reboot." [Box Office Mojo]
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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