The daily gossip: Dwayne Johnson takes presidential run 'off the table,' Vanessa Hudgens heads to Salem for a 'journey into the supernatural realm,' and more

1. Dwayne Johnson takes presidential run 'off the table'

The Rock says ... actually, I'm good. Speaking with CBS Sunday Morning, Dwayne Johnson ruled out the possibility of running for president, despite repeatedly teasing a White House bid in the past. "It's off the table," he stated. As recently as last year, Johnson specifically didn't rule out a run for president, telling Vanity Fair he's done a "small amount of research and analysis" and found that "indicators are all very positive — in, for example, 2024, and in, for example, 2028." He even starred in a show, Young Rock, in which he runs for president in 2032, though he admitted to Vanity Fair, "I don't know the first thing about politics." But that's apparently not why he's ruled it out, as he told CBS he loves "being a daddy, and that's the most important thing to me," adding that he doesn't want to miss "this critical time" in his daughter's life. Maybe the hierarchy of power in Washington isn't about to change after all.

CBS News

2. Vanessa Hudgens heads to Salem for a 'journey into the supernatural realm'

This could be the start of something spooky. High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens is producing and starring in a new unscripted film called Dead Hot: Season of the Witch, in which she and her friend GG Magree will go on an "intimate journey into the supernatural realm" in Salem, Massachusetts, according to Variety. There, they'll explore "witchcraft, ghost hunting and connecting with the spirit world," the report says. In April, Hudgens casually announced on The Kelly Clarkson Show she has the ability to talk to ghosts and has "accepted the fact that I see things and I hear things," calling this a "gift" that she plans to utilize. Julie Pizzi, president of the production company behind this film, told Variety that Hudgens and Magree have been "doing little spells since they were kids," so they decided to take a pilgrimage to Salem due to their interest in "paranormal and supernatural" exploration. Yeah, we've seen enough found footage movies to know where this is going.

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Variety

3. Beyoncé denies not having permission to sample 'I'm Too Sexy' on 'Renaissance'

What Right Said Fred said isn't right, according to Beyoncé. In an interview with The Sun this week, the duo claimed Beyoncé didn't have permission to sample their song "I'm Too Sexy" on her album Renaissance and didn't bother asking for it because she's "such an arrogant person." Well, a representative for the "Break My Soul" singer has now issued a statement that these comments are "erroneous and incredibly disparaging," maintaining, "Permission was not only granted for its use, but they publicly spoke of their gratitude for being on the album." Despite Fred and Richard Fairbrass claiming to The Sun they didn't know about the sample until "after the fact when you did," the Right Said Fred Twitter account posted that it's "nice to get a writing credit" on the album a week before it was released. File this one under "you come at the queen, you best not miss."

Entertainment Weekly

4. 'Community' creator unsure if it's 'legal' for Chevy Chase to return

Six seasons and a resurrection? Not so fast. Speaking at New York Comic Con, Dan Harmon addressed whether Chevy Chase could return for the Community movie, with the sitcom's creator telling fans, "I don't even know if it's legal for him to come back." Chase was famously said to be difficult to work with on the show and feuded with Harmon. Plus, Chase allegedly used the N-word on set and told Donald Glover "people think you're funnier because you're Black," blurring the line between the character and the actor. The Community movie was recently announced with neither Glover nor Chase confirmed among the cast. It wouldn't be hard to explain Chase's absence given his character, Pierce, was killed off, though fans theorized he might have faked his death. But Harmon says whether Chase is allowed to come back "may be out of my hands," so don't hold your breath for the movie to pull a The Rise of Skywalker to reveal that "somehow, Pierce returned."

IndieWire

5. Chris Pratt's Mario voice is basically just his normal voice

Mamma mia. Nintendo has dropped the first trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, revealing Chris Pratt's voice as Mario — and, well, it's basically just his regular voice. Mario only speaks a few lines in the teaser, but Pratt clearly isn't doing the classic Mario voice, though we get a small hint of a very slight accent near the end of the footage. Still, it was bizarrely anticlimactic after months of speculation about what Pratt would sound like as Mario, only for it to be revealed he sounds … like he always does. That also makes it a little bizarre that Pratt had teased he's "really proud" of the voice, calling it "unlike anything you've heard in the Mario world before." Well, hey, he's not wrong. Pratt is also voicing Garfield in an upcoming movie, so the only explanation is he's saving the thick Italian accent for that movie. Get ready to hear him bust out, "I-a-hate Mondays … oh yeah, lasagna time!"

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