The daily gossip: Will Smith recalls thinking he could get away with murdering his father, Joe Exotic reveals cancer diagnosis, and more

Today's top entertainment and celebrity news

Will Smith.
(Image credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

1. Will Smith recalls thinking he could kill his father and get away with it

Will Smith is opening up about his relationship with his late father, revealing he once thought about killing him to "avenge my mother." In his upcoming book Will, the actor writes that his father, who died in 2016, was an alcoholic who violently abused his mother. Smith recalls thinking, while his father was suffering from cancer, that he could "shove him down" the stairs and "easily get away with it," writing, "I'm Will Smith. No one would ever believe I killed my father on purpose. I'm one of the best actors in the world. My 911 call would be Academy Award level." But Smith adds that "as the decades of pain, anger, and resentment coursed then receded, I shook my head and proceeded to wheel Daddio to the bathroom." Smith previously spoke with GQ about his decision to discuss his father's abuse in his book, noting he and his mother never previously talked about it. "It was really cathartic in a way," he said, but "it was a brutal couple of weeks, man. It was brutal."

2. Joe Exotic announces he has aggressive prostate cancer: 'Carole will have a party over this'

Tiger King's Joe Exotic shared on Instagram on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. "It is with a sad face that I have to tell you the doctors called me in today to break the news that my prostate biopsy came back with an aggressive cancer," wrote Exotic, who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for hiring hitmen to kill his big cat sanctuary rival, Carole Baskin. He added that "right now I don't want anyone's pity and I'm sure Carole will have her party over this!" and that he is pushing for his release "so I can go home and get treatment on my own or enjoy what life I have left with my loved ones!" Exotic asked his fans to "be my voice." In July, a federal appeals court ruled that Exotic's sentence should be shortened from between around 22 to 27 years in prison to between 17.5 years and just under 22 years in prison.

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3. You can stay in a replica of Carrie Bradshaw's 'Sex and the City' apartment for just $23

One of the enduring mysteries of Sex and the City is how exactly Carrie Bradshaw managed to pay only $700 a month for her roomy one-bedroom apartment in New York City. The real answer: It was only a TV show and her apartment was a studio set. But if you still can't help but wonder what it would be like to live like Carrie in Manhattan, HBO has recreated her Sex and the City apartment ahead of the December premiere of the reboot, And Just Like That… The best part? It's available to rent on Airbnb for a price even a romance columnist could afford: $23 a night. "Upon entry, [Carrie Bradshaw actress Sarah Jessica] Parker herself will virtually welcome guests in the style of her episode-opening monologues," Airbnb writes. "Guests can sip on Cosmopolitans while they raid Carrie's closet and prepare for a 'styling session and photoshoot where guests can channel their inner fashionistas.'" Booking begins Nov. 8 at 12 p.m. ET; view the listing here.

The Wrap Airbnb

4. Dwayne Johnson announces his productions will only use rubber guns after 'Rust' shooting

The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Alec Baldwin's movie Rust has sparked growing calls to ban real guns from movie sets — and The Rock is on board. At the premiere of his new film Red Notice, Dwayne Johnson said movies and TV shows made by his production company, Seven Bucks Productions, will no longer use real guns on set. "We're going to switch over to rubber guns, and we're going to take care of it in post," Johnson told Variety. "We're not going to worry about the dollars; we won't worry about what it costs." Real guns with blanks are often used on film sets in order to make scenes look more realistic. In the case of the Rust shooting, officials say Hutchins was apparently struck by a lead projectile, though they're still trying to determine how live rounds ended up on set.

Variety The Week

5. Anxiety from working on 'Schitt's Creek' put Dan Levy in a neck brace

Dan Levy poured his heart and soul — and neck — into working on Schitt's Creek. Speaking with British GQ this week, he revealed he "didn't have a social life" for the six years they were filming the show due to serving as the lead actor, writer, and showrunner, including starting his days at 5 a.m. and sometimes working until 2 a.m. "I didn't sleep more than eight hours" some weeks, he admitted. That took a toll: by season six he had to wear a neck brace "because the anxiety in my neck was so bad I couldn't move it. At one point there was an acupuncturist and a chiropractor coming to set every day at lunch to work on my neck so that I could actually perform and not, you know, look like I needed a neck brace." But the experience hasn't sworn the 38-year-old actor off writing and directing in the future: "I've always wanted to make (a rom-com)," he said. "I've always wanted to be in one."

GQ

Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.