ELLE FANNING IS READY TO TAKE THE THRONE: Elle Fanning sat down with ET to discuss her new role as Catherine II, the longest-reigning Empress of Russia, on Hulu‘s The Great. She said: She starts out as this romantic and very optimistic young girl, and basically is slapped in the face with reality and realizes, 'OK, this is not the life that I wanted, so I'm going to make the life that I want.'” She also copped to the fast-and-loose historical interpretation, saying: “Historians probably don't like us very much, the way that we tell it. I did a bit of research, but to be honest, that wasn't where my attention mainly was. I learned that the real Catherine the Great invented the roller coaster and I was like, OK, she's a fun person. Seems like someone I would like to be friends with.”
JENNIFER GARNER REACHES OUT TO HEARBROKEN FAN: Jennifer Garner reached out to a fan who told on social media that she finally got “the courage to tell my husband to leave after years of emotional abuse” but that she never feels like she’ll “find happiness or security.” Garner wrote: “Your heart sounds heavy, I am so sorry. Hopefully you have powerful women in your corner, reminding you of your strength and your worth. Hopefully, you are able to calm your mind and heart with prayer/meditation/exercise/art. Laughter will come and really — it is worth fighting for. Until then, all of my love.” Garner famously split from husband Ben Affleck after 13 years of marriage in 2018.
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND TURNS 104: Olivia de Havilland, rule-breaker and icon of Old Hollywood, turned 104 Wednesday. She is the only surviving star of 1939’s Gone With the Wind, which has been the subject of much debate recently over its depiction of the antebellum South.
KHLOE KARDASHIAN AND TRISTAN BACK TOGETHER?: Sources have told People that Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson are “giving their relationship another try.” The source said, “Tristan is working hard to prove himself and has been a great dad to True.” A second source said that the two “acted like were back together” at her birthday party last month.
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN CLARIFIES CHAIR SITUATION: Christopher Nolan‘s team clarified Anne Hathaway‘s claim in Variety that the director does not allow chairs on set. His rep told IndieWire: “For the record, the only things banned from Christopher Nolan‘s sets are cell phones (not always successfully) and smoking (very successfully). The chairs Anne was referring to are the directors chairs clustered around the video monitor, allocated on the basis of hierarchy not physical need. Chris chooses not to use his but has never banned chairs from the set. Cast and crew can sit wherever and whenever they need and frequently do.”
DINA MANZO’S EX FACES 30 YEARS IN PRISON: Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo‘s ex-husband Thomas Manzo is facing decades behind bars for hiring a hitman to whack her current husband David Cantin, The Blast reports.