The daily gossip: George Takei slams 'cantankerous old man' William Shatner, Helena Bonham Carter defends J.K. Rowling and Johnny Depp, and more

1. George Takei slams 'cantankerous old man' William Shatner

He's boldly going there. In an interview with The Guardian, George Takei slammed former Star Trek co-star William Shatner, whom he has feuded with for years, as a "cantankerous old man." He told the outlet everyone on Star Trek had great camaraderie with the notable exception of Shatner, "who was a prima donna" and who "none of us" got along with. Takei added the Captain Kirk actor was always "self-involved" and "wanted everyone to kowtow to him." In a recent interview, Shatner claimed Star Trek cast members continue complaining about him "for publicity," and he slammed Takei for "blackening my name." But Takei shot back that "I don't need his name to get publicity," promising, "I'm not going to refer to Bill in this interview at all. Although I just did." Oh my!

The Guardian

2. Helena Bonham Carter defends J.K. Rowling and Johnny Depp

She's standing by her man. In an interview with The Times, Helena Bonham Carter said she believes Johnny Depp, her co-star in a number of movies and godfather of her kids, has been "completely vindicated" after his victory in the Amber Heard defamation trial. "I think he's fine now," she claimed. "Totally fine." The Sweeney Todd star suggested Heard, who accused Depp of domestic abuse, jumped on a #MeToo "bandwagon" because "it's the trend and to be the poster girl for it." While she was at it, she defended J.K. Rowling after the backlash to her transphobic tweets. "It's horrendous, a load of bollocks," Bonham Carter said. "I think she has been hounded." She also told the outlet she hates "cancel culture" because "there would be millions of people who if you looked closely enough at their personal life you would disqualify them," but the interview ended before the actress could offer a passionate defense of Lydia Tár.

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The Times The Hollywood Reporter

3. Billie Eilish addresses Jesse Rutherford romance in yearly 'Vanity Fair' interview

Happy Billie Eilish Vanity Fair interview day to all who celebrate! For the sixth consecutive year, Vanity Fair has conducted the same interview with the "Bad Guy" singer, who has been speaking to the outlet annually since she was 15. As usual, one of the questions was "do you have a boyfriend?" — and this year, Eilish confirmed, "Yeah, I do. And it's really cool, and I'm really excited, and I'm really happy about it." Eilish is dating singer Jesse Rutherford, whom she dubbed the "hottest f--king f--ker alive," and she asked for a round of applause because she "pulled his a--," adding, "All me. I did that s--t. I locked that motherf--ker down." The relationship has been controversial among fans given their 11-year age gap, as Rutherford is 31 and she's 20. But speaking more generally, Eilish told fans in the interview, "Trust me. I'm in control. I'm in charge. I know what I'm doing. I'm okay."

Vanity Fair

4. Kim Kardashian 're-evaluating' relationship with Balenciaga after 'disturbing' ad campaign

Kim Kardashian has been keeping up with the Balenciaga controversy, and she's "shaken." The Skims founder, who has served as a Balenciaga ambassador, has finally spoken out about the brand's controversial advertising campaign that featured children alongside teddy bears in bondage gear. "As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images," she tweeted, insisting her earlier silence was because she was investigating "how this could have happened," not "because I haven't been disgusted and outraged." Kardashian faced criticism for not saying she'll immediately cut ties with Balenciaga, instead insisting they "understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again." But she did say she's "re-evaluating my relationship with the brand." Balenciaga has apologized for the ad campaign, saying "we strongly condemn child abuse." When those words actually have to be said in a corporate statement, it's a good sign things are not going well.

CNN Page Six

5. Will Smith understands if you're not 'ready' to watch his 1st post-slap movie

Where there's a Will (Smith interview), there's a question about The Slap. Will Smith has commenced his press tour for Emancipation, his first new movie since he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. Speaking with FOX 5 DC's Kevin McCarthy, he was asked what he'd say to those who aren't "ready" to see the movie so soon after The Slap. "I completely understand that," Smith said. "If someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready." Speaking with Good Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton, Smith acknowledged he's been through a "difficult last few months," but he praised the "spectacular artists" who worked hard on the movie, adding he hopes they aren't "penalized for a few horrific moments of indiscretion on my part." If they are, it would truly be a slap in the face.

FOX 5 Washington DC