The daily gossip: Benedict Cumberbatch says 'we need to fix the behavior of men,' Britney Spears apparently shot a movie, and more

1. Benedict Cumberbatch: 'We need to fix the behavior of men'

Are men okay? Sherlock Holmes is taking on the case. Benedict Cumberbatch spoke out against toxic masculinity in an interview with Sky News while discussing his new movie The Power of the Dog, criticizing the "childish, defensive position" of those men quick to say "not all men are bad," telling them, "No, we just have to shut up and listen." The Doctor Strange star observed people are "finally pointing out the inadequacies of the status quo and the patriarchy" and proposed that "we need to fix the behavior of men," which requires lifting "the lid on the engine a little bit" and continuing to have conversations about achieving "equality across the board of every kind." Critics have said The Power of the Dog explores "the stifling nature of toxic masculinity," and when previously asked by The Hollywood Reporter how much she was "thinking about contemporary examples of toxic masculinity" while making the film, director Jane Campion said, "Because of the previous president, I think everybody felt it."

E! Online TMZ

2. Did Britney Spears shoot a movie with the same title as an unrelated The Weeknd project?

Ladies and gentlemen, The Weeknd …'s new show will apparently not involve Britney Spears. The newly-freed Spears on Instagram claimed she "just shot a movie," which she said is called The Idol and is "guaranteed to have hits." Her post came just after HBO gave a green light to a new show from The Weeknd called The Idol. But improbably, these things are apparently completely unrelated, as TMZ reported Spears isn't involved with The Weeknd's HBO project. So what is Spears' version of The Idol? Her team "is unsure as to what movie she's referring," TMZ wrote, while adding "it's always possible she's producing a movie on her own at home." Could we have a late entry into this year's Best Actress Oscar race on our hands courtesy of a Britney Spears home movie? Look out, Kristen Stewart.

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TMZ

3. 'General Hospital' star fired after refusing to get vaccinated

Would you rather have a gig starring on a popular TV show or refuse to take a life-saving vaccine? That was apparently a tough decision for General Hospital star Steve Burton, who confirmed on Instagram he's been fired from the soap opera for not complying with the show's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The actor, who first joined the show in 1991, declared that this is "about personal freedom to me," explaining he unsuccessfully sought exemptions to the vaccine mandate. He also expressed hope he could eventually return "if these mandates are lifted." Burton, by the way, is the second star to leave General Hospital over the vaccine mandate — Ingo Rademacher also departed because of it. Let's hope neither of them ends up in an actual hospital.

Variety The Hollywood Reporter

4. Grammys boss defends nominations for Louis C.K. and Marilyn Manson

The Grammys won't "look back at people's history," hence how Louis C.K. and Marilyn Manson ended up both getting nominations this week. The nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards sparked some backlash after C.K., who has admitted to allegations of sexual misconduct, was nominated for Best Comedy Album, while Manson, who has been accused of sexual abuse by multiple women, was nominated for his work on Kanye West's Donda. But when asked about Manson being nominated, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told The Wrap that the organization "won't restrict the people who can submit their material for consideration," nor will it "look at their criminal record" or "look back at people's history." You know, ancient history like 2017?

The Wrap

5. Jared Leto was fired from a movie theater for selling weed

Yeah, this checks out. On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jared Leto celebrated that his new movie House of Gucci is debuting exclusively in theaters this holiday weekend, which led him to recall a movie theater memory of his own. "I love going to the movies," Leto said. "I actually worked at a movie theater when I was a kid and I got fired for selling weed out the back door." The Suicide Squad star defended his younger self as simply being an "entrepreneur," and DeGeneres was quick to jokingly agree, questioning what's so "wrong with" selling popcorn and weed to moviegoers. "They go well together, some say," Leto concurred. Also while on the show, Leto revealed some of his childhood celebrity crushes: Barbara Eden, Vanna White, and ... Christopher Walken. "That took a turn," DeGeneres quipped.

People Entertainment Weekly