The daily gossip: John Boyega names the worst 'Star Wars' film he was in, Ariana Grande is reportedly dating her 'Wicked' co-star, and more

1. John Boyega names the worst "Star Wars" film he was in

Somehow, "The Last Jedi" discourse returned. On "Truth or Dab: Rapid Fire," John Boyega was asked to rank the three "Star Wars" films he appeared in from best to worst, and it didn't seem too difficult for him. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is "most definitely the best," he argued, and Boyega ranked "The Rise of Skywalker" in second place. "Then the worst, in the most respectful sense, is ['The Last Jedi']," he said. But "they're all lovely," Boyega added before giving a glance that seemed to imply he doesn't fully mean that. This answer took some fans by surprise, given "The Rise of Skywalker" is considered easily the weakest sequel trilogy film, and critics generally like "The Last Jedi" the best. But Boyega has previously indicated he wasn't thrilled with it, telling Hypebeast in 2019 that he "didn't necessarily agree with a lot of the choices" in the film. Not even on this sacred Barbenheimer day are we spared from "Star Wars" hot takes.

First We Feast

2. Ariana Grande reportedly dating "Wicked" co-star Ethan Slater

Are you ready, kids, for the news that Ariana Grande is dating SpongeBob SquarePants? Days after it was revealed that the singer and her husband, Dalton Gomez, are getting divorced, TMZ reports that Grande is now dating Ethan Slater, her co-star in the "Wicked" movie. He plays Boq in the movie and is also known for his lead role in the "SpongeBob SquarePants" Broadway musical. The two started dating several months ago during production of "Wicked," which is now on hold due to the actors strike, TMZ said. Grande and her husband have reportedly been separated since January. Slater has been married to Lilly Jay since 2018, and they welcomed a child together last year, so this is also the first we're hearing that they're not together anymore. But Grande and Slater didn't start dating "until after he separated from Lilly," TMZ assures us. He may have taken her song "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored" a bit too literally.

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TMZ People

3. Shakira is facing another tax fraud investigation

Shakira's tax fraud headache just went from bad to worse. The "Hips Don't Lie" singer is facing a second tax fraud investigation in Spain, according to The Associated Press. She's already set to face trial on tax fraud charges after prosecutors alleged she failed to pay about $14 million in taxes from 2012 through 2014 while claiming the Bahamas as her primary residence. On top of that, an investigating magistrate has now "opened an investigation drawing on a complaint filed by prosecutors" against Shakira "for two alleged counts" of tax fraud in 2018, the Higher Court of Justice of Catalonia said, per CNN. Shakira's PR team denied the claims, saying she "defends having always acted in compliance with the law and under the guidance of the best tax experts" and is "focused on her artistic life in Miami and is calm and confident in a favorable resolution to her tax affairs."

The Associated Press CNN

4. Danny Elfman reportedly settled a sexual harassment allegation

Composer Danny Elfman settled with a woman who accused him of sexual harassment in 2018, and she is now suing him for allegedly not fully paying, Rolling Stone reports. According to a 2017 police report obtained by the outlet, fellow composer Nomi Abadi accused Elfman of exposing himself and masturbating in front of her without consent multiple times, and her lawsuit claims he agreed to pay $830,000 in a settlement but failed to pay $85,000. Elfman told Rolling Stone he has done "nothing indecent or wrong" and that the allegations are "simply not true." Further, he claimed Abadi's "intention was to break up my marriage and replace my wife," and when he made it clear he "wanted distance from her, she made it clear that I would pay for having rejected her." It's "excruciating to consider that a 50-year career may be destroyed in one news cycle as a result of vicious and wholly false allegations about sexual misconduct," Elfman also said.

Rolling Stone

5. Wild "Saw X" plot synopsis reveals how Jigsaw is returning

We're not playing games with you: Jigsaw is back once again. Lionsgate has dropped a first look at Tobin Bell as John Kramer, a.k.a. the Jigsaw Killer, in "Saw X," which has changed its release date from Oct. 27 to Sept. 29. The studio also released the plot synopsis, revealing how the heck Jigsaw is back despite dying seven entire sequels ago. It turns out, "Saw X" takes place between the events of "Saw" and "Saw II," even though Bell is clearly much older in the image. But in this "untold chapter of Jigsaw's most personal game," a "sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer — only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable," the synopsis says. So Jigsaw then turns "the tables on the con artists" using his infamous torture traps. It's not quite "Saw" in space, but give them time.

Lionsgate