The daily gossip: Spider-Man producer tried to stop Tom Holland and Zendaya from dating, Larry David really hates Christmas, and more

1. 'Spider-Man' producer warned Tom Holland and Zendaya against dating

There's nothing like young, forbidden Spider-Man love. Spider-Man: No Way Home producer Amy Pascal has revealed she tried — and failed — to stop Tom Holland and Zendaya from dating in real life after they were cast as on-screen love interests Peter Parker and MJ. Funnily enough, they're actually the third consecutive set of Spider-Man actors to date off screen, as Andrew Garfield dated his Spider-Man love interest Emma Stone and Tobey Maguire dated the original MJ, Kirsten Dunst. "I took Tom and Zendaya aside, separately, when we first cast them and gave them a lecture," Pascal told The New York Times. "Don't go there — just don't. Try not to. I gave the same advice to Andrew and Emma. It can just complicate things, you know? And they all ignored me." Either that, or Pascal has wanted to pair them all up and is just the master of reverse psychology.

E! Online The New York Times

2. Larry David writes about how much he hates Christmas

Larry David has shared his thoughts on Christmas, and as you'd imagine, he feels pretty, pretty, pretty not good about it. The Seinfeld co-creator penned an entire, hilarious essay for Air Mail about how much he hates nearly every aspect of Christmas, from "the loathsome music" to the "movies with their ridiculous, treacly sentiments" to the "faux bonhomie and nonsensical holiday spirit." In what sounds a lot like a Curb Your Enthusiasm plot description, he also describes being delighted when people finally stopped inviting him to Christmas parties and he could spend the holiday alone for the first time. "I was to be alone on Christmas Day," David writes. He declares his first Christmas by himself "could not have gone better," and it included getting food from a Chinese restaurant along with "every Jew in the neighborhood," and he even watched A Christmas Carol, but switched it off "right before Scrooge transitions." To be clear, though, David notes it's not just Christmas, as he detests "all holidays." You're a mean one, Mr. David!

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3. Jennifer Lopez denies being mad at Ben Affleck over his Jennifer Garner comments

Please don't put in the newspaper that I got mad, Jennifer Lopez says. Lopez has shot down reports she's upset with Ben Affleck over his recent comments about his ex-wife Jennifer Garner. For those just joining us in this debacle, Affleck recently told Howard Stern that "part of why I started drinking" was because he felt "trapped" in his marriage to Garner, and he suggested he would still be drinking if they were married today. Soon after, Page Six claimed Lopez was "pissed," with a source saying, "She is getting pulled into this because she is dating him. She doesn't want to be dragged into this." But Lopez is now denying this, telling People, "This story is simply not true. It is not how I feel." She added, "I couldn't have more respect for Ben as a father, a co-parent, and a person." Affleck has since said his original comments about Garner were taken out of context, slamming "clickbait" headlines about them.

People

4. 'X-Men' director Bryan Singer faces new abuse allegations from former assistant

Bryan Singer, director of films like X-Men and Bohemian Rhapsody, is facing even more allegations of abuse. This time, Singer's former assistant Blake Stuerman came forward in a piece published Monday by Variety, alleging he was a victim of "mental and emotional abuse" by the filmmaker. They reportedly began a sexual relationship when Stuerman was 18 and Singer was 43, and Stuerman says that during their first sexual encounter, he was drunk and "didn't know I was allowed to say no." He accuses Singer of emotional abuse that "would frequently trigger panic attacks" and also alleges he once witnessed Singer "violently" attack a guest at his house. Singer has previously faced allegations of sexually abusing underage boys, and he hasn't released a movie since he was replaced as director of Bohemian Rhapsody. He denied the allegations through his lawyer, claiming Stuerman "simply has an axe to grind."

Variety

5. HBO Max drops emotional trailer for the 'Harry Potter' reunion special

HBO Max is about to make us all cry over a cast reunion for the second time in a year. After debuting the Friends reunion special in May, the streamer on Monday dropped the first trailer for the Harry Potter 20th anniversary special, Return to Hogwarts. The special will see original Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint reunite, and the teaser footage gets a bit emotional. "It feels like no time has passed, and loads of time has passed," Watson says. Watson is also seen wiping away tears while chatting with Grint, who says "we'll always be part of each other's lives." For obvious reasons, author J.K. Rowling isn't included on the guest list for the special, and the trailer makes no mention of her. There's even more good news for fans, though: as far as we know, unlike the Friends reunion, James Corden will have no involvement. It's a Christmas miracle!

The Week Variety