The daily gossip: January 10, 2020

Oprah says she didn't tell Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to "break free," Will Smith admits he didn't like one of the Men in Black sequels, and more

Oprah Winfrey.
(Image credit: Ian West - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

1. Oprah says she didn't tell Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to 'break free' from the Royal Family

As the fallout from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to "step back" from the Royal Family continues to spread, there's been a lot of finger-pointing about who, exactly, is responsible for the schism. But there's at least one name you can cross off the list: Oprah Winfrey, who was reported by one publication to have advised the couple to "break free" from the Royal Family. In a statement, Oprah said she had no role in the decision — because come on, not even Oprah can be everywhere and do everything.

E! Online

2. Will Smith admits he didn't like one of the Men in Black sequels

Will Smith has spent more than two decades as one of Hollywood's most bankable stars, but not all of his movies have been winners — and with the new Bad Boys movie on the horizon, even Smith is willing to concede that some of his sequels haven't been up to par. In particular, Smith said he "wasn't happy" with one of his two Men in Black followups (though he didn't clarify which). Don't be too hard on yourself, Will — at least it wasn't Men in Black: International.

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Yahoo Entertainment

3. Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson quits sequel over creative differences with Marvel

Congratulations to Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson, who has just joined Edgar Wright and Patty Jenkins in the club of high-profile directors who have escaped the creative handcuffs imposed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Derrickson departed the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, due to unspecified "creative differences," leaving Marvel hunting for a director who can color within the company's usual lines by the already-announced release date of May 7, 2021. Maybe Martin Scorsese is free?

Variety

4. Beyoncé and Jay-Z sent Reese Witherspoon a whole case of champagne

Pro tip: If you're ever feeling thirsty, hit up Beyoncé and Jay-Z. After a much-publicized moment at the Golden Globes when Reese Witherspoon ran out of water and successfully begged the couple for a glass of their expensive champagne instead, Witherspoon returned home to find an entire case of the champagne courtesy of Bey and Jay. The champagne came with a note that simply read "more water," which is either a pretty good joke or proof that Bey and Jay have literally forgotten the difference.

HuffPost

5. Justin Chambers is exiting Grey's Anatomy

In a massive shakeup for a TV show that's been on so long you might not even realize it's still on, Justin Chambers — a cast member of ABC's Grey's Anatomy since season one — has suddenly quit the show after 15 years. Chambers is not expected to appear on Grey's Anatomy again, though his character's most recent appearance in a November episode saw him temporarily leaving the hospital to take care of his ailing mother. Fortunately, Grey's Anatomy is so wacky that there are roughly one million plausible explanations for his sudden disappearance. (Our vote? Struck by falling meteorite.)

Deadline

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.