The daily gossip: 'Breaking Bad' star Mark Margolis dies, Zachary Levi clarifies controversial comment about 'dumb' strike rules, and more

1. "Breaking Bad" star Mark Margolis dies at 83

Mark Margolis, the actor who brought Hector Salamanca to life on "Breaking Bad," has died after a short illness, his son told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 83. Margolis is best known for playing Hector, the drug cartel don who memorably rang a bell to communicate, on the AMC drama series, and he earned an Emmy nomination for the performance. He also reprised the role in the prequel show, "Better Call Saul." Outside of the "Breaking Bad" universe, Margolis starred in films like "Scarface" and "Pi." The official "Breaking Bad" Twitter account paid tribute to the actor on Friday, noting that with "his eyes, a bell, and very few words," he turned Hector Salamanca "into one of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television." "Breaking Bad" producer Peter Gould also remembered Margolis as "brilliant," "funny," and a "raconteur with a million stories," while Bryan Cranston honored him as a "really good actor and a lovely human being," adding, "I miss him already."

The Hollywood Reporter

2. Zachary Levi clarifies controversial comment about "dumb" strike rules

Zachary Levi would like to make clear he's no Stephen Amell. The "Shazam!" star has issued a statement after facing backlash for comments he made about the Hollywood actors strike at Comic-Con Manchester. A viral clip showed Levi sounding frustrated as he explained he's "not allowed to talk about any of my previous work" due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, laughing as he mentioned this fact. "This is so dumb," he said. To be fair, though, Levi has previously expressed support for the strike. So in a statement to Deadline, he said this "offhand remark" was "taken out of context," stressing that he "fully" supports his union and thinks the strike is "necessary," although he feels "we should be able to engage" with fans who travel "far distances to talk with us about our work that means so much to them." The good news? Being taken out of context is now a topic Levi can talk about next time instead of his movies.

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Deadline

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda reportedly working on a new Broadway musical

He'll be back — to Broadway, that is. Lin-Manuel Miranda is working on a new stage musical, according to The New York Post. The "Hamilton" writer and star is planning to adapt the Sol Yurick novel "The Warriors," which focuses on New York City gang battles in the 1960s, the report says. The novel was also turned into a movie by Walter Hill in 1979. The news was confirmed by Variety, which said that although "details for the project are still murky," Miranda will be involved. This would be the first new Broadway musical created by Miranda since "Hamilton," though he contributed lyrics to "New York, New York." But he has kept mighty busy since "Hamilton," not only directing the film "Tick, Tick... Boom!" but also writing songs for movies like "Moana," "Encanto," and "The Little Mermaid." The man truly does write like he's running out of time.

The New York Post Variety

4. Taika Waititi reveals wife Rita Ora "proposed to me"

She didn't think twice before getting down on one knee. Taika Waititi and Rita Ora shared new details about their wedding with Vogue, revealing she was the one to pop the question. "She proposed to me, and I said yes instantly," Waititi explained. According to the outlet, which shared exclusive photos from the ceremony, Ora proposed while they were on vacation in Palm Springs last summer, and they got married just weeks later at their Los Angeles home. In fact, they planned the entire wedding in two weeks, and Waititi said there "were about eight people there — just close friends and family, and parents on Zoom." The director and the singer started dating in 2021 after meeting in 2018 at a barbecue. It "was beautiful" keeping the wedding small and only having close friends (including Jemaine Clement), Waititi said, and Ora felt "really peaceful." "It was almost like another day," she added. "We just all dressed up and got married."

Vogue

5. Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Quinn are latest stars rumored for "Fantastic Four"

Is anyone in Hollywood not in the running for Marvel's "Fantastic Four" reboot? Rumors about who will star in the highly anticipated MCU film have been spreading like wildfire in recent months, but the latest comes from Above the Line, which reports that Vanessa Kirby is being eyed for the role of Sue Storm. The part of the Invisible Woman was previously played on screen by Jessica Alba and Kate Mara. Meanwhile, the report said "Stranger Things" star Joseph Quinn is being eyed for Johnny Storm, a.k.a the Human Torch, who was previously played by Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan. Above the Line's Jeff Sneider initially said that Jack Quaid was being considered for that role, but the actor promptly denied that. It's still not clear who will play Reed Richards, though rumored names include Adam Driver and Matt Smith. But Sneider seemed confident the Sue Storm role is going to Kirby — or possibly Hayley Atwell in a Kirby "Mission: Impossible" mask.

Above the Line