Helen Hunt will always be my 1990s sitcom queen. I adored Mad About You, Jamie and Paul Buchman, and that too-perfect NYC apartment. Helen won the leading actress Oscar for 1997?s As Good As It Gets, and she attempted to build upon the big win after her show wrapped. Helen kept working steadily, but she never landed another huge role. She tells HuffPo that part of the problem was waiting out Mad‘s last few years before trying to ride the Oscar. She also has a slightly different take on aging in Hollywood. Helen believes the real problem is that well-written roles for women are scarce, so it’s not just an age thing.

Helen took matters into her own hands after her Oscar. She’s currently promoting her new film, Ride, which she wrote, directed, and in which she stars. Her character is a mother learning to surf in order to rebuild a bond with a teenage son. The journo tries to steer the conversation into aging, probably because Helen is 52. Helen simply says that surfing keeps her feeling young. She’s surfed for 10 years and started after age 40! Some excerpts:

Hollywood downswings aren’t about age: “What are the great movies for younger women where they’re the protagonist [being] made now? You know what I mean? The whole thing — there’s no equal rights amendment. We’re f***ed. So starting with that premise, we push the giant rock up the hill. That’s my theory.”

The constant objectification of women: “I certainly drive around and I’m tired of the billboard where she’s barely in her underwear and they’re selling, you know, a watch or something. I’m over it, to be honest.”

Learning to surf after age 40: “I always wanted to. You live in L.A., drive by the beach, and say ‘I want to do that!’ And I thought ‘Well, it’s getting late — I better do it.’”

The career impact of an Oscar: “It changes the offers you get for like three months. So you’d better be on it, which I wasn’t. In the long run, it’s the work you make now that matters.

[From HuffPo]

Helen also talks about her recent role as a sexual surrogate in The Sessions. I remember watching the internet have a field day with Helen’s nudity in the film, which she says looked at sexuality “honestly and without a lot of winks and jokes and creepiness.”

I think Helen makes an interesting point. Actresses tend to lament their career downslides after age 40, but they don’t usually speak up until they are personally affected. The real problem is that most roles for women are superficially written, and looking at the bigger picture may help Hollywood solve the problem.

Photos courtesy of WENN

Here are some photos of Jennifer Lopez going solo at the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards last night. Her white lace bodysuit/catsuit/jumpsuit was Zuhair Murad, one of her favorite go-to designers. I think Murad makes a lot of showgirl-looking clothes, but that kind of suits J.Lo’s vibe too. And let’s face it, even in a weight negligee-looking thing, she’s still beautiful.

Jennifer came out to the music awards to pay tribute to Selena Quintanilla, the Latin music star gunned down by a friend/con artist in 1995. So, this was the 20th anniversary of Selena’s murder and the Billboard Latin Music Awards wanted to pay tribute, and they got J.Lo, who famously played Selena in the bio-pic. That was J.Lo’s big star turn and she got a lot of notice for that film. Last night, she performed a medley of Selena’s hits along with Los Dinos, Selena’s former band.

After the music awards, J.Lo went out to dinner… with her on-again boyfriend Casper Smart. I say “on-again” like they ever really broke up. They did not. They just pretended to break up and kept seeing each other on the downlow, because Jennifer is an idiot when it comes to men. How big of an idiot? Well, Life & Style reports this week that J.Lo and Casper are probably engaged and planning a lavish wedding. Of course.

Wedding bells are ringing for Jennifer Lopez! The singer, 45, is planning to marry her 28-year-old boyfriend Casper Smart in an extravagant $3 million destination wedding this December, ‘Life & Style Weekly’ exclusively reports.

“She’s positive Casper is the one,” a source close to the couple told the magazine. “And she’s willing to pay a fortune to make her wedding day perfect. Jen is a romantic and believes this is what her life has been building up to,” the insider continued.

Though the couple have faced relationship troubles in the past — they broke up last June after dating for nearly three years — Casper’s loving relationship with Jennifer’s twins, Max and Emme, 7, has reportedly helped her see a future with the dancer.

“Casper reads them bedtime stories and he’s up at 6:00 a.m. making pancakes,” the source said. As for the twins’ role in their upcoming lavish nuptials? “It will be family-oriented with Emme as flower girl and Max as ring bearer,” the insider added.

[From Closer Weekly]

Of course, a “source close to Lopez” told Gossip Cop that this story is “entirely false”. Except that J.Lo has a history of lying about her relationship with Casper, because she knows we think she’s an idiot when it comes to men and at least she feels some sense of shame. So is she planning to marry Casper? I wouldn’t be surprised. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Casper was the one holding up the wedding plans.

Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News and WENN.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards happened last night. And everyone’s talking about Jennifer Lopez’s amazing tribute to Selena. It was JLO y Los Dinos. It was a medley. And it was spectacular.

I’ve mentioned several times how much I loved that movie. How many times I’ve seen it. How my friend …      

As mentioned yesterday, I attended a lecture on Wednesday night by an inspirational, highly decorated former Navy SEAL and transgender activist named Kristin Beck. (You can watch her documentary, Lady Valor, on Netflix. Please do not buy her book, Warrior Princess, as she is currently suing the publisher to collect royalties owed to her.) Kristin said so many quotable things that it was hard to do justice to her talk. She did say that she’s not doing this for fame or money, that she’s fighting for equality and is trying to “save some kids.” When asked what she would say about Bruce Jenner that she didn’t say in an appearance on CNN discussing his 20/20 special, she said that she wished he would “stop recording… come out and be a hero.” Kristin said that it seemed like Bruce is parceling out his transition for money, essentially, instead of coming out all at once. (Before people criticize her for saying this, she thought she was speaking to a room, not the press, but did agree to make these comments public when I asked.)

So it’s not surprising to me to hear that Bruce is going to return to motivational speaking now that he’s announced that he’s transgender. He’s not going to be doing it for free, either.

Bruce Jenner is taking his story on the road. After coming out as transgender in a much-lauded interview with Diane Sawyer on April 24, the former Olympian is now preparing for an E! series documenting his transition and, as a source revealed in the May 4 issue of Us Weekly, a revival of his motivational speaking career.

“It was very lucrative for him in the past,” an insider told Us of Jenner, 65, who earned around $5,000 per event in the late 1970s, “and now he has a whole new audience.”

Indeed, life coach Seth Rainess suggested to Us that “Bruce will be in greater demand than anybody. He could make tens of thousands per engagement.”

The money isn’t the main draw, though. As Jenner said during his interview with Sawyer, “What I’m doing is going to do some good. And we’re going to change the world. I really firmly believe that. We’re going to make a difference in the world with what we’re doing.”

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, doesn’t disagree. “All of us who have struggled with coming out know what a monumental thing it is to have Bruce Jenner come out as trans,” Keisling told Us Weekly. “He has been trying to outrun this for around 60 years — that’s a lot of outrunning, even for a decathlon champ. It takes a lot of courage.”

That courage could give others courage, too. “This year, trans people have been traumatized by a spike in murders and suicides,” Keisling said. “And when a celebrity family like Bruce’s is supportive, that can really help all trans people. It can have a huge impact.”

With that comes huge responsibility, of course — but Jenner, dad to 10 kids and stepkids, is more than up to the challenge. “He is going to be a role model for the transgender community,” the source told Us of the Keeping Up With the Kardashians patriarch. “He knows he has an important job to do.”

[From US Magazine]

Let me make this clear – I don’t think by any stretch that Bruce came out for monetary reasons. This is who he is, and it takes so much courage to make this announcement as a public figure. However, Kristin’s criticism rings true. Bruce is doing a reality show, he’s timing his transition, he’s holding back information and is lining up a career for himself. This makes sense, and is very similar to how he parlayed his athletic triumph into multiple brand endorsements at a time when that was rare. People wouldn’t expect him to travel around and make speeches for free. He’s a planner and will hustle for cash, just like his ex wife, Kris. I do think he will save lives and I believe this is a positive thing overall.

While I haven’t been able to confirm this with her, Kristin Beck’s speaking fee is listed on Speakerpedia as $0. (She may receive a fee however, which would only be fair.) People like Jane Fonda earn around 6 figures a speech so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that Jenner will command similar fees.

Whistle while you work.

Grey’s Anatomy alum Katherine Heigl posted a cute new clip of daughter Naleigh, 6, cleaning up in the kitchen.

“My six year old finally being old enough to help with the dishes…best day of my life! Whistling while she works…priceless!,” the proud mama, 36, captioned the Instagram video.

Last month, the State of Affairs star shared a funny clip with both daughters – including 3-year-old Adalaide – learning how to do a spit ball.

What a fun family!

My six year old finally being old enough to help with the dishes…best day of my life! Whistling while she works…priceless!

A video posted by Katherine Heigl (@katherineheigl) on Apr 30, 2015 at 6:15pm PDT

The big question when it comes to Avengers: Age of Ultron is whether or not it’s “better” than The Avengers. Short answer—yes. Long answer—also yes. The Avengers is super fun and the end, especially, is a complete thrill. But three years removed from it, let’s all be honest—no one watches the fir…      

Road trip!

Grammy Award-winning singer Kelly Clarkson shared a sweet new snapshot of daughter River Rose, 10 months, via Instagram Thursday. “Where we goin’ next guys?? #IGotThis,” the American Idol alum, 33, captioned the image.

In the adorable pic, the beautiful baby girl is seen smiling while at the wheel.

Last month, the Since U Been Gone hitmaker posted a photo of River with her half-brother Seth, 8.

The singer recently opened up about her happy marriage with talent manager Brandon Blackstock.

“I always swore ours would not be a relationship where we have to schedule sex,” she shared. “That is never going to happen. We put each other first. I call it the oxygen-mask mentality—take care of yourself first.”

Where we goin’ next guys?? #IGotThis

A photo posted by Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) on Apr 30, 2015 at 5:06pm PDT

Here are some new photos of Jonah Hill and Miles Teller on the Burbank set of Arms and the Dude, their film based on the true story of two kids in Miami who gamed the Department of Defense and became two of the biggest arms dealers in the world. Go here to see the Rolling Stone story, complete with photos of the two real guys, Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz. Jonah is playing Efraim, who in real life was kind of gangly, attractive, somewhat buff guy. My point? Jonah didn’t “need” to gain weight for this role. But OMG.

I have no interest in making “fat jokes” about Jonah, mostly because I feel bad for him. But if you really need that, Page Six labeled these photos “The Whale of Wall Street.” Cheap shot. I imagine other blogs and media outlets have been doing punny, offensive headlines too. It’s a careful line between concern-trolling him and body-shaming him, but I tend to think it’s worth pointing out that this seems to be the heaviest he’s ever been. When a celebrity woman gains a few pounds, everyone points it out too, you know?

Several years ago, Jonah really made an effort to slim down – that was back in 2011-ish. He stuck with it for a while – I think he was doing a variation of Atkins, because he did say that he had been eating a lot of meat on his diet. Which just goes to show you that a lot of the fad diets only work for a short time and as soon as you go off the diet, you gain all the weight back (and then some, in Jonah’s case).

You know what’s interesting though? Jonah is still an in-demand actor and a powerhouse producer. He and Channing Tatum are confirmed for 23 Jump Street (a franchise which Jonah produces) and this film, Arms and the Dudes, sounds really good and interesting. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jonah ended up getting his THIRD Oscar nomination in the next few years too.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Teri! Happy Birthday with love from Megan! By request – Taylor Kitsch, Sam Heughan, Matt Bomer, and Johnny Depp (when he didn’t suck) are attached.

Help is now just starting to arrive in Nepal. The work will take a long, long time. And there are some victims in remote areas who desperately ne…      

How I Met Your Mother star Alyson Hannigan was all smiles with daughter Keeva, nearly 3, in Brentwood, Calif. on Thursday (April 30).

The mother-daughter duo made a quick stop at the Brentwood Country Mart on the sunny afternoon.

Last month, we spotted the Buffy alum, 41, with her 6-year-old daughter Satyana in Beverly Hills.

The actress – who is married to fellow actor Alexis Denisof – is enjoying some time off with her family-of-four since HIMYM ended last year.

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