Jeff Bridges Recalls Cancer, COVID Battles and ‘Surrendering to the Idea that I Might Die’

Ahead of the July 4 weekend, Los Angeles County today reported 6,529 daily Covid infections, which is very nearly the highest total the county has seen since early February. Only the 7,209 recorded on May 31 is higher.

Nash Bridges, ER and Ray Donovan actor Mary Mara’s cause of death has been determined. Mara, who was found dead Sunday in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, NY, died of asphyxiation due to drowning, according to the Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office autopsy report. Her death was ruled accidental and an investigation is continuing, New York State police said.

Character actor Mary Mara, known for her work on ER, Law & Order: SVU, and Nip/Tuck, and dozens of other TV shows and films, drowned Sunday in the St. Lawrence River in Cape Vincent, NY, according to New York State Police. She was 61.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterA bonfire of vanities is blazing around the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, as the mid-year mark approaches and discussions intensify over the fate of the 2023 Golden Globe Awards. Will the first big stop of awards season make a triumphant return in January? Or will NBC refuse to air the show, and ice out millions of viewers looking to see tipsy celebrities accept their prizes?When the Globes were boycotted last year after a Los Angeles Times expose revealed that the HFPA — the group of international journalists who vote for the winners — didn’t have a single Black member, it was framed as a one-time punishment.

Elvis Presley, starring rising star Austin Butler, was released. The new film focuses on The King's relationship with his controversial manager Colonel Tom Parker, who some fans believe made him the music icon he was, while others believe he held back the singer leading to his untimely demise. When cast in the role, Tom Hanks ended up having dinner with Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley who asserted that the Colonel wasn't the villain some make him out to be.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorDiego Boneta was 15 years old when he was close to starring in “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.” “They did the audition in Mexico City,” the “Father of the Bride” actor tells me on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “They flew me to L.A.

A loving tribute. Jennifer Lopez shared a special video celebrating Ben Affleck on Father’s Day, two months after announcing their engagement.

Despite continued skepticism from parents and some scientific advisers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday recommended Covid-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months.

Bradley Cooper is looking back at his past struggles with mental health and addiction, and reflecting on how he managed to change his life around.The  star joined Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes for an episode of their podcast, , released on Monday, and opened up about the events early in his career when he realized just how «lost» he truly felt.Cooper recalled a time when he was 29, and Arnett — who has been a friend to Cooper for years — had a difficult conversation with him about his behavior and his acerbic sense of humor, which Cooper didn't realize he'd started taking too far.The actor explained that, at the time he had «zero self-esteem,» and that he felt his mean jokes and biting sarcasm were innocuous, explaining, «I didn't think I was hurting anybody, because how could I if I was worthless?»«I was so lost... and I was addicted to cocaine, you know, that was the other thing,» Cooper explained, adding that he'd also «severed my Achilles tendon» right after he left in 2003 — which added to his emotional turmoil.For Cooper, moving to Los Angeles to shoot felt like he «was back in high school.»«I could not get into any clubs, no girls wanted to look at me.

His candid experience. While reflecting on his past struggles with addiction, Bradley Cooper opened up about how it affected his career and why he decided to get sober.

As we’ve been reporting, soap opera star Jack Wagner’s son Harrison passed away last week. He was found dead in a parking lot in Los Angeles.

Jeff Bridges stands tall above his two canine co-stars, Freya and Cain, at the premiere of their new FX on Hulu series, The Old Man, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wednesday night (June 8) in Los Angeles.

Brad Pitt wants his day in court!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeLocal cable news upstart Spectrum News 1 has taken the crown for the first time ever in Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards nominations. The outlet, which just launched in 2018, pulled 23 nominations this year, up from 19 last year. That puts it head of public broadcaster KCET, which was in second with 15 nominations (down from 23 last year).The Television Academy announced this year’s L.A.

Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are spending the day at the beach!

Under current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, 13 of California’s 58 counties moved today into “high” levels of Covid and are supposed to require masks in indoor public spaces. They include some of the state’s most populous counties, like Santa Clara and Sacramento as well as some of its smallest, like Del Norte and San Benito.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said today that at the current pace of increases in local Covid-related hospitalizations, the county will move into the federal government’s “high” virus activity category within a few weeks, possibly by the end of June. Ferrer has frequently said — and repeated today — that that would trigger a return of mandatory indoor mask wearing in the county.