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Little Big Town is set to perform at The Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s “An Unforgettable Evening” gala, taking place Monday, April 28, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Comedian, actor and writer Whitney Cummings will host the event. Actress and activist Olivia Munn will receive the Courage Award. Little Big Town, consisting […]
Boosie BadAzz is blaming Atlanta hospitals for some health issues he’s experienced since being involved in a nasty car crash earlier this month. On Wednesday, Boosie hopped on Instagram to explain how he’s been having chest pains since the accident, and blamed Atlanta hospitals for not taking his injuries seriously. “I keep going to the […]
Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs asked a federal judge Thursday (April 17) to exclude the infamous 2016 surveillance video of him assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura from his upcoming sex trafficking trial, arguing it would “unfairly confuse and mislead the jury.”
The headline-grabbing clip, showing Combs striking his then-girlfriend in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, has been “altered, manipulated, sped-up, and edited to be out of sequence,” making it unusable as evidence at his trial next month, his lawyers told the judge.
“The admission of any of these inaccurate, unreliable video files would unfairly confuse and mislead the jury at Mr. Combs’s expense,” the star’s lawyers wrote in the filing. “Their admission would be infinitely more prejudicial than probative.”
In the lead up to the trial, Combs’ lawyers have repeatedly targeted the Cassie tape — likely a core piece of evidence that the government will present to jurors. In one motion, they argued that federal authorities had improperly leaked it to the press to “taint the jury pool.” Last month, they accused CNN of significantly altering the clip and then destroying the original before the network aired it last May.
With Thursday’s filing, Combs’ lawyers finally did what court-watchers were expecting: formally asking the judge to ban the clip from the trial. They cited a report from a forensic video expert that said the clip had been distorted beyond repair, including edits by CNN that Combs’ team says were intentionally made to make the video look worse.
“The manipulation of the videos was specifically designed to inflame the passions of CNN’s viewing audience, and that is what the government is hoping to leverage in this case,” Combs’ attorneys write. “The videos are sped up to make the violence look more violent. The sequence is reordered to leave the viewer with the impression that the woman has been dragged back to a hotel room. And the clips delete footage that provides important context making clear that the events were not as horrific as the government will suggest.”
Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation that aimed to “fulfill his sexual desires.” The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.
A trial is currently set for May 5, though Combs’ lawyers are currently seeking to push the trial back by two months. If convicted on all of the charges, which include sex trafficking and racketeering, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.
The Cassie video, which aired on CNN in May, showed him attacking her at the Intercontinental Hotel in March 2016. The clip drew far more public attention to the accusations against the star — who was then only facing a civil lawsuit — and prompted an apology from Combs shortly after it aired.
“My behavior on that video is inexcusable,” Combs said at the time. “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry.”
Prosecutors and plaintiffs’ attorneys have criticized Combs and his lawyers over their efforts to bar the video from his trial. In one filing, the government said Combs was attacking the clip in an effort to “suppress a damning piece of evidence.” And Douglas Wigdor, Cassie’s attorney, called the star’s arguments “disingenuous” last month: “I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity.”
In 2024, several young pop stars experienced eye-popping career explosions over the course of just a few months — but one of them, Gracie Abrams, thinks that the combined star power of two of her peers allowed her to climb the ranks without as many people realizing.
In her Billboard cover story published Thursday (April 17), the “That’s So True” singer reflected on how she, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan all quickly rose to superstar status in 2024, with Abrams emphasizing how she thinks her own arc has differed from theirs. “When I think about both of their rises, it’s like, boom,” she told staff writer Hannah Dailey.
“I feel like I’ve almost slipped under the radar a little bit [in comparison],” she added.
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As captured in the video interview, Abrams went on to gush about her admiration for both the “Espresso” singer and “Pink Pony Club” artist. “In pop culture, the impact that both Sabrina and Chappell have had on the industry has been so exciting to watch,” she said. “Forget being an artist and somebody that puts music out as well. I think as a young person, there’s something so liberating about both their catalogs of music and the way that they’re choosing to run their businesses.
“It’s so obviously them through and through,” Abrams added. “I find that to be deeply inspiring. I’m a mega fan of both of theirs, and, yeah, just constantly kind of screaming my head off for them.”
Even so, the “Risk” artist’s ascent has been something to behold. Following the release of her Billboard 200 No. 2 sophomore album The Secret of Us in June, Abrams’ fanbase has grown exponentially, and since the fall, she’s gone from playing theater-size venues to booking arenas on her ongoing international run of Secret of Us Tour dates.
As her star has risen, Abrams also told Billboard that another leading lady in pop has helped her stay grounded: Lorde. “She’s like 800 years old inside,” she said of the “Green Light” musician. “Whenever we’re together, I feel my nervous system regulate differently.”
There’s also two other women musicians Abrams has been loving right now: Doechii, whose music she says she’s currently “quite addicted to,” and Lady Gaga. “When I think about songwriter greats, she has been top of mind recently,” Abrams told Billboard of Mother Monster.
See Abrams on the cover of Billboard — plus photos from the shoot — below.
Fat Joe and Starz are teaming up once again for a series about the Bronx rapper’s life. According to Deadline, The Book of Jose will be a rags-to-riches story about Joe’s rise to fame. Born Joseph Antonio Cartagena and of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent, Fat Joe grew up in the rough-and-tumble environment of the […]
Snoop Dogg says he only works with brands and companies that support his community. In an interview with Time published on Wednesday as part of the magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2025, Snoop was asked about how he successfully dabbles in multiple brands. He said he approaches each of his collaborations with a philanthropic […]
From Mariah Carey‘s iconic gold Emancipation of Mimi gown to Destiny’s Child‘s grown and sexy Destiny Fulfilled… and Lovin’ It tour looks, 2005 was stacked with memorable fashion moments across pop culture. As the midpoint of the ’00s decade, 2005 housed the last vestiges of Y2K style before the culture slowly began its transition into more […]
More than three decades after The Bodyguard cemented Whitney Houston as a movie star, a remake is in the works — and Tyra Banks thinks Taylor Swift is the modern-day pop star who can fill the icon’s shoes this time around.
While guest-hosting a recent episode of Today With Jenna & Friends, the supermodel revealed that — as a big fan of the original movie — she’d love to see the Eras Tour headliner take over Houston’s role as famous musician Rachel Marron in the new film. “I’m so beyond excited,” Banks began of the announcement earlier this month that Warner Bros. is developing a revamped Bodyguard. “That movie is everything.”
When co-host Jenna Bush Hager asked her who should star in the flick, Banks replied, “I think Taylor Swift, because business, commerce, art.”
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And? “She would freaking sell like crazy,” the America’s Next Top Model host added.
As for who should step into Kevin Costner’s shoes as the leading lady’s titular protector, Banks thinks a certain British actor could balance out an onscreen duo with the “Fortnight” singer. “Okay, I’m just gonna be real. I’m a Black girl,” she said. “It was Whitney Houston as a Black girl and Kevin Costner as a white man. What if we flipped it, and it was Taylor Swift and Idris Elba?”
Of her idea for the pairing, Banks excitedly added that Swift and the Beast star would be “hot!”
Directed by Mick Jackson and released in 1992, The Bodyguard marked Houston’s first starring role in a film after she’d already scaled to the top of the charts as a pop star. Its corresponding album remains one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time, spending 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawning Houston’s timeless, Billboard Hot 100-topping rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
And though casting details for the upcoming remake remain unknown, Swift — who’s previously acted in films such as The Giver (2014), Cats (2019) and Amsterdam (2022) — does already have a connection to the project. Sam Wrench, who directed her blockbuster Eras Tour concert film, will be helming the new Bodyguard, as reported by Deadline on April 11.
Watch Banks share her thoughts on the upcoming Bodyguard remake above.
This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2005 Week continues here with a conversation with veteran film star Eric Roberts about starring in three of the biggest videos of 2005 — including the clips for two of our editorial staff’s top three songs of the year.
Twenty years ago, Eric Roberts was a three-time Golden Globe-nominated actor who was starring on an ABC sitcom (Less Than Perfect) and frequently linked to his Oscar-winning little sister, fellow film star Julia Roberts. But 2005 marked a turning point in his career, when he starred in a trio of music videos that would introduce the prolific actor to a whole new generation: The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” and Mariah Carey’s two-part “It’s Like That” and “We Belong Together.”
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In all the videos, he portrayed a shady character who stood in the way of the true love stories at the heart of the storylines. For The Killers, he was the handsome, leering stranger who was keeping frontman Brandon Flowers from a burlesque dancer played by actress Izabella Miko. For Carey, he was a controlling record-exec beau (hint, hint) who was keeping Mimi from the impeccable buzzcut of Prison Break star Wentworth Miller.
He made the absolute most of his limited screen time – memorably taunting Flowers during a contentious game of checkers in the Sophie Muller-directed “Mr. Brightside” and wearing abject heartbreak across his face as Carey left him at the altar in the Brett Ratner-helmed “We Belong Together.”
The Killers “Mr. Brightside”
Courtesy Photo
In honor of 2005 Week, Billboard caught up with Roberts (with a cameo from his actress wife Eliza Roberts for some extra context) to chat about starring in the videos for our No. 1 and No. 3 picks for the staff’s 100 Best Songs of 2005 list and what he remembers about that surreal time — and about the new video he just shot with a star artist of today.
Let’s rewind back to 2005 for a minute. What do you remember about being asked to do The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” video?
Eric: Well, I turned it down at first, because I don’t do videos. I didn’t know anything about them, so I just said no — just kind of a knee-jerk response. And then all my kids called me and said, “What are you doing? You can’t do that! It’s The Killers!” So they told me to call them back and to say I’m available. So I did, and [director] Sophie Muller took me.
Smart kids. What do you remember about that set and about filming with the band?
Eric: It was kind of insane. It was kind of nutty and all over the place, and I never really knew what I was doing or what I was playing, and I just let Sophie boss me around.
Was there a script or a storyboard, or was it very much like, you get into this world and on this set and kind of react in real time?
Eric: I don’t remember ever seeing a script or ever seeing a storyboard, so I don’t know.
Eliza: Yes, there was a storyboard, and it was pretty elaborate, because remember: Sophie had to wrangle these dancers and performers, singers and artists, and an actor who’s used to linear material, scripted, and she had a vision in her head. But within that, she allowed a lot of freedom. She had a lot of respect for what was going on. It’s true that there was never really an explanation, because when people talk about the story of a song, it’s very different from talking about the story of a book or a movie.
What do you remember about filming?
Eric: It was a great big, huge set, and it was cool. It was like a bar.
Eliza: Everyone wanted to come with us. It was so funny, because going from clueless to kind of realizing, like, “Oh, this is really something, it’s like a tipping-point thing.” Eric was doing a series with Zachary Levi at the time [the four-season ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect], and when Zach heard they wanted Eric in [The Killers’ video], Zach literally followed us to set just to see. Everybody showed up. And then we realized, “Oh, I guess we’re really lucky to be here.” But there was a vibe, definitely. I mean, Sophie creates a vibe, and what you saw on the screen was even more in in person.
In 2005, you also had a pair of videos with Mariah Carey. The “It’s Like That” video, which was released first, ends with a “To Be Continued” message, leading to “We Belong Together.” Were those filmed at one time?
Eric: Yeah, those were done at the same time.
What do you remember about that set and working with Mariah?
Eric: I remember her being a queen, just an absolute queen. How she looked, how she acted, her humor — she was a cool chick.
Eliza: She had this incredible two-story trailer, and everyone really wanted to be careful. They had parasols and they didn’t want to call her to set until the moment they needed her. And she was nothing like that! She didn’t require it at all. She kept making fun of everybody for that. She’s like, “What are you doing?” And totally accessible. It was just a fun, amazing set. It was kind of like two parts or two episodes of a series, but shot right at the same time.
Eric, you had initially said no to The Killers, and then obviously that was such a huge success. Did that lead to an easy yes when Brett Ratner came calling for the Mariah videos?
Eric: Why I ended up saying yes to everything is because of her [points to Eliza].
So Eliza and the kids basically talked you into all these music videos?
Eric: Yup, and I go, “OK.”
Eliza: First of all, Brett — we love Brett, and he’s a friend. We always say yes to him. He’s brilliant. But it was the same record label [The Killers and Carey’s songs were both released by Island]. So first Eric said, “Do you really want me to do another one of your artists so soon? I think you’re mistaken. You can’t possibly want that.” And I’m like, “Nope, that’s what they want.” And of course we’re not going to let him not do Mariah Carey. Plus he’s always been secretly in love with her a little bit.
Wait, Eric – can you confirm that part of the story?
[Eric shrugs]
Eliza: I’m outing him! I mean, she’s phenomenal. And he was like, “She’s so beautiful. I think I have a little crush on her.” And he doesn’t do many crushes. And then when we hired [Eliza’s son] Keaton’s then-girlfriend, who’s a makeup artist, [to work on the video] Eric’s like, “You don’t have to have Christina keeping an eye on me with Mariah!” [Laughs]
The Killers’ and Mariah’s videos were very different, but can you compare Sophie and Brett’s directorial styles at all?
Eric: They had something in common: Their sets are kind of mad. They’re kind of insane. They’re typically explosive. They’re fun sets to be on.
Eric, you also presented at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, the year “Mr. Brightside” won for best new artist in a video. Do you remember how you were feeling that night?
Eric: Vaguely, yeah. I remember being there. God, that was a generation ago, so it’s a little tough, but I was there. I don’t really remember having a feeling, I just remember being there.
And during your speech, you slipped in a shout-out to your stepson Keaton, who’s a musician…
Eliza: They kind of forgot to give us any copy or anything, because there was a lot of distraction. So that’s when we kind of put together our own and gave a shout-out to Keaton. I got a million texts suddenly from all kinds of people, some of them being like, “Oh, that took such chutzpah! What balls Eric has!” Like, everyone’s here to promote. Let’s not pretend that’s not the case, right? That’s what this is about, right? So might as well promote someone who’s up and coming, and not just people who don’t need promotion. I mean, come on, guys.
I think they struck it from the from the broadcast later… In the live show, it aired, but then in the repeat, they cut it.
You ended up introducing R. Kelly that night, who put on a wild “Trapped in the Closet” performance. Do you remember much about the performance that followed?
Eric: All went over my head.
Did you notice any big changes to your career or to your public image after appearing in these music videos?
Eric: The only really big change was kids knew who I was, and they never knew who I was before. I’d be in movie theaters, and these eight-year-old kids would say, “Hey, it’s you!” And I’d go, “Yeah, it’s me!” And it was shocking. Everywhere I went, little kids were following me. Yeah, it was fun.
I wondered which video you would get recognized for more.
Eric: Long-term, it was The Killers. But in the immediate, it was Mariah.
You know, in Billboard’s staff list of the 100 best songs of 2005, “We Belong Together” is at No. 3 and “Mr. Brightside” is at No. 1. How does it feel to be a big part of these songs that continue to have this legacy 20 years later?
Eric: Lucky, lucky, lucky. Fun to be a part of it.
You worked with The Killers again on the “Miss Atomic Bomb” video in 2012. What was it like reuniting with them?
Eric: What was funny about that was we were not in the same state as each other. When we shot that video, we were in different places. Crazy. [Eliza] arranged it all. In fact, it’s because of my wife that “Miss Atomic Bomb” got made, because it was not supposed to. Everything was against it. It wasn’t going to work. And she said, “I have an idea.” And she made it work.
Eliza: Eric was shooting in Detroit and I get a call from somebody, a producer, and he’s like, “Hey, we’re going to be doing a prequel to ‘Mr. Brightside.’ We want to know if Eric is available.” And I was like, “Of course he’ll do that! When?” And they’re like, “Day after tomorrow.”
Eric: I was like, what?
Eliza: Then he sends me the storyboard – without Eric, it can’t be done, right? What were you gonna do if I said no? Also, [original “Brightside” star] Izabella [Miko] was dancing in it and leaving for Europe the next day, so basically it had to be that day. So I was like, “Yes, he’ll do it. He’s not in town. Let’s figure this out.” And that director was an animator, and he’s amazing. So I asked his production, “I know you’re doing some green-screen work. I’m going to ship some clothes to you. I’m going to find someone to double Eric there.” I literally looked in the Yellow Pages.
Eric: She found a green-screener. Nicest guy in the world.
Eliza: A little guy who had a green screen [in Michigan], and after the film wrapped, Eric went there. He had no idea what he was doing. He put on his own white suit that I shipped there and smoked a cigarette and did his thing. So you see [Eric’s body double] reach for Izabella, and then she takes his hand and they do a little twirl, and they cut to Eric.
I hear that you just filmed a new video with Summer Walker as well, so your music video journey continues. What can you tell us about that one?
Eric: Summer Walker was the coolest. We had a lot of fun together, and it’s going to be a really good video. It’s going to shock you.
What does it take for you to say yes to a video now?
Eric: I just have to like the song and/or like the artist, and I’m in.
Speaking of which, what music are you into right now?
Eric: Well, you know, I’m a little bit biased, but I’m also very honest: Keaton Simons is my favorite singer/songwriter. He’s also my favorite guitar player. And it’s not because he’s him and I’m me. It’s because of his brilliant talent. You should listen to him; it’ll blow your mind. He’s mind-blowing, and I live for him musically. He toured for a year with Eric Clapton and now he’s with Brett Young.
And what’s next for you?
Eric: There’s a great movie out called Hippo, and it’s got three devastating performances in it. One of them is one of my favorite actors, and that’s my wife. It’s a miraculous movie. It’s not a picnic movie, but it is good.
Ariana Grande is shedding light on how her Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead short film came together, with the pop star sharing behind-the-scenes footage on her YouTube channel Thursday (April 17).
Posted about three weeks after the project dropped — alongside the deluxe edition of Grande’s Billboard 200-topping Eternal Sunshine album — the video opens with the “Yes, And?” singer explaining the premise of her sci-fi-tinged visual. “This whole short film concept is basically about how when we’re young, sometimes we want to erase certain things, or rewrite certain things that feel painful in the moment,” she tells the camera, her neck and face made up to look like her skin was crudely stitched back together for one of the film’s Frankenstein-inspired scenes.
“But when we grow older, we would do anything to relive those moments, and we’re so grateful for them and for how they made us who we are and helped us become who we are today,” she continues.
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In the short film, Grande reprises her role as Peaches from the “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” music video, this time several decades older and visiting the Brighter Days clinic to relive her old memories. Donning special makeup to make her look elderly, the Grammy winner watches herself as a child hanging out with her family, performing for thousands of fans, walking through the wreckage of a house she used to share with a romantic partner, and eventually getting abducted by a UFO.
The behind-the-scenes clip also features Grande giving fans a tour of the house set, pointing out her favorite details alongside co-director Christian Breslauer. It also gives fans a look at how they pulled off the UFO stunt, hooking the Wicked star up to special wires that hoist her up into the air.
Elsewhere in the new video, Grande explains the meaning behind a scene in which a crazed doctor — played by her real life father, Ed Butera — brings her back to life by injecting her with musical soundwaves. “My dad played the part of this mad doctor-scientist so beautifully,” she says over footage of the father-daughter pair filming the sequence. “The same thing that has made my life complicated in certain ways is also the same thing that heals me time and time again, and that is music.”
“It’s also been the most beautiful gift of my life and has always been the thing that has helped me heal — along with therapy and learning to take care of myself and boundaries,” she continues. “But time and time again, that’s always been the thing that puts me back together, as well as my family and healing those wounds as well. This is called when you have too many ideas and too many resources, it can go any which way.”
While sitting on the bed in one of the sets with Breslauer, Grande also gushes about how meaningful Eternal Sunshine has been to her. Originally released in March 2024, the project spent two weeks in the Billboard 200 top spot — to which it returned a year later with the deluxe release — and spawned two Billboard Hot 100-topping singles with “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends.”
“I’m so grateful,” she tells the camera. “It’s my favorite album, and you’re my favorite director. These are my favorite videos, so yeah, we’re going to overdo it.”
Watch the behind-the-scenes video above.
