The daily gossip: June 11, 2020

1. Celebrities embarrass themselves with #ITakeResponsibility video

Celebrities have done it again! Having learned nothing from the ridicule they received for singing John Lennon's "Imagine" together from their mansions during the height of the coronavirus outbreak, A-listers banded together again on Thursday to … cure racism? As part of a new campaign called #ITakeResponsibility, made in partnership with the NAACP, a bunch of white celebrities offered a collective "my bad" for not being more actively anti-racist. The cringe-worthy and unhelpful video — which features Kristen Bell, Aaron Paul, and Debra Messing, among others — earned "widespread mockery online," The Daily Beast reports, with some people asking why "white celebrities are talking instead of simply donating some of their millions to the cause."

The Daily Beast Vulture

2. Lady Antebellum drops the 'antebellum' over its association with the slavery-era South

The Grammy Award-winning country music group Lady Antebellum will henceforth be known just as Lady A, after the band interrogated the nostalgia for the pre-Civil War era, "which includes slavery," implied by their former name. The band explained they'd called themselves "Lady Antebellum" when they formed in 2006 in reference to the "southern 'antebellum' style home where we took our first photos" — a.k.a. a former slave plantation — but are now "regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word … we are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused." Lady A acknowledged that they have "no excuse for our lateness to this realization" and that they aim to "grow into better humans" going forward.

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3. The 94-year-old Queen now videochats, apparently

The Queen has entered the chat. For the first time ever, the U.K.'s 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth II participated in a public video call with a group of caregivers who discussed the challenges they're facing during the coronavirus pandemic. "It hit me that I was sitting in my bedroom talking to the Queen," said Alexandra Atkins, 24, who was one of four participants on the call. Atkins added: "While you could tell she had never done that kind of call for work before, she really took it in her stride." The Queen was joined by her daughter, Princess Anne, and the group observed traditional royal protocol that dictated Elizabeth be the last to join the call and the first to leave.

The Associated Press BBC

4. Beyoncé is reportedly close to inking a 3-film deal with Disney

Rumor has it that Beyoncé is getting close to reaching a $100-million, three-film deal with Disney. The 38-year-old singer, whose most recent work with the studio involved voicing Nala in The Lion King remake, is a "major player for Disney and is the perfect fit for their brand," an insider told The Sun. If Beyoncé inks the deal, it would reportedly include working on the soundtrack for Black Panther 2, which is scheduled for 2022, as well as potentially voicing documentaries for Disney+. "After the success of having Meghan Markle voicing the film Elephant on the platform, they have projects coming up which align perfectly with Beyoncé’s brand," the source said.

The Sun iHeartRadio

5. Russell Crowe shares a tear-jerker about his mother's cat

Russell Crowe is a big ol' softie! In a series of tweets that "goes better with tea," the actor recalled how his mother started "agitating for a cat" back in early 2003, while he was putting in grueling hours with boxing trainers to prep for Cinderella Man. "My mom kept asking for a cat," Crowe wrote. "In front of all the boxers. I kept saying no." While mountain biking in the bush one day, he stumbled upon a tiny kitten "mewing and meowing," which he took as a sign from the universe to "respect my mother and give her what she wanted." The cat, named Cinders after his movie, died this week, "but she loved my mum, and my mum loved her," Crowe wrote.

Twitter Just Jared