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THE showbiz world was stunned at this year’s Oscars after Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock in the face live on air.
But four months later it seems doors that were closed on Hollywood actor Will are again opening up.
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Insiders say Netflix, which halted talks over a Will biopic, are looking at reopening the negotiations.
A source said: “Will was left out in the cold by Netflix and Apple+ in the wake of the slap.
"He has since apologised and stepped out of the spotlight for a lengthy period. With this in mind it is broadly agreed enough time has passed to let the dust settle.
"It has been made clear discussions can be started again about a biopic which Netflix were interested in.
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“Arguably, the slap, and the fallout, are pivotal moments in Will’s life and will become part of the storyline of his life.
"Netflix wants to be part of those conversations and Will’s team have no doubt Apple will follow suit.”
Grovelling apology
Will was earlier this month seen in public for the first time since the incident, stepping out with actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
He struck US comic Chris while taking to the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Actor, for his role in King Richard — which is about tennis champs Serena and Venus Williams' dad Richard.
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Will had flipped after Chris joked about Jada’s hair, which was shaved due to hair-loss condition alopecia.
Will then lay low for a month before he was said to have flown to India for a “spiritual retreat”.
He issued a grovelling apology last month and said he was “deeply remorseful”.
Will added: “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out.
“So I will say to you, Chris, ‘I apologise to you’. My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you are ready to talk.”
It is high time that conversation happened.
Will has apologised and taken a battering for something that was wrong.
But if we were all hung out to dry for ever for our mistakes, we’d be in the dark twiddling our thumbs.
It's Barlow zero
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GARY Barlow is preparing to go on tour with Take That in 2024 – and is already making sure he’s going to be in mint condition for his stage comeback.
The Everything Changes singer has revealed he is working out five times a week to get back to the top of his game.
Gary, who last toured with Take That bandmates Howard Donald and Mark Owen in 2019, said: “Training for a tour, I’ll do four to five sessions a week.
“It’s mostly cardio-based, simply because you’re singing while you’re moving around, so you need good cardio.
“I think as I get older I need to train more.”
Gary also said he has become an advocate of cold water therapy after getting hooked on the practice when he injured his back.
He said it helps to keep his body in check and added: “I’ve done it for quite a few years. Years ago I pulled my back.
“I did the Ibuprofen, the pain relief, the stretching, the yoga.
“And I just bumped into a friend of mine who was with this doctor of alternative medicine.
“I was telling him about it and he goes, ‘That’s just a muscular thing that you can solve with cold water.’
“I did it for two days and I haven’t had an Ibuprofen since.
“He was explaining to me that basically you shock your system, all the blood goes to your core and then it flushes and the inflammation is what most of us are carrying and it just flushes it through.
“You can try the bath. You just fill your bath up with cold water and get a tray of ice and stick it in, leave it for ten minutes.”
I prefer mine hot, Gary.
But if it’s as good as you say, I’ll give it a go.
Sky full of phones
I HAVE the privilege of watching some of the greatest musicians in concert every year.
While I know I am spoiled, a pet hate of mine is seeing other people in the crowd watching the gig through their phone.
I’m not alone, as Chris Martin proved at Coldplay’s Wembley show on Thursday.
While singing A Sky Full Of Stars, he stopped and told the crowd: “Hold on, one second. I think we can make this better.
"I’ll speed through this because we want to get all the songs in before they shut the thing down.
“So, let’s try that again but please, if we could just have one song with no cell phones, no cameras, no devices, nothing, just the power of people.”
Jade's got knit sorted
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JADE Thirwall can’t work out if she is hot or cold.
The Little Mix beauty shows off her toned tum in a knitted blue crop-top and trousers combo.
Jade is enjoying some downtime while plotting her solo career.
I told earlier this month that early 2023 has been pencilled in for a launch by label bosses after she landed a deal with RCA Records.
She’s also been in and out of the studio with artists including chart-topping DJ Jax Jones.
He said: “When she’s ready, she’s going to unleash.”
I’m sure the music will be worth the wait.
Remi: I want to play Amy
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REMI Wolf made her debut at the All Points East Festival yesterday but she’s already got big plans.
The US singer would love to play the late Amy Winehouse in a biopic after growing up with her hits and having her own sound compared to that of the British star.
Remi is now working with Amy’s live band on her upcoming album.
Backstage at the East London festival, Remi said of the prospect of playing Amy: “I love her. I grew up on her stuff. Every single song that she has out is incredible.
“I have actually worked with the guys who used to play with her in her live band.
“I’ve worked with them and we have written together. It’s fun. It’s been incredibly exciting.”
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Of her plans for the next 12 months, Remi added: “I want to finish up an album, for sure.
“I want to take some time off as well, which is hard for me as I’m so used to working all the time.
“ I’d like to live a bit of a normal life in one space for a bit.
“Maybe get a hobby.”
MJ's grand plans
MICHAEL Jackson's former choreographer Travis Payne has confirmed that the King of Pop was lining up a series of big-name appearances at his ill-fated This Is It concerts before his death in 2009.
Fellow music icon Britney Spears was at the top of the singer’s list.
Chatting to fans online, Travis replied “100 per cent” when asked about whispers the Bad singer had wanted to get Britney on stage with him at the O2 Arena.
While the meeting of minds never came to fruition, Britney is just days away from releasing a dance hit with Sir Elton John.
As I told earlier this month, Hold Me Closer will follow in the footsteps of Elton’s mega-hit Cold Heart.
The track is a mash-up of his 1971 song Tiny Dancer and 1992 album track The One.
R reveals date with Lance
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THEY were among the biggest acts of the Nineties and Noughties.
But while their paths did not cross professionally, Steps and *NYSNC were rather close personally.
Steps’ Ian 'H' Watkins tells Fearne Cotton's Radio 2 show Sounds Of The 90s tomorrow night about a night out with *NYSNC’s Lance Bass and Steps’ Faye Tozer.
H said: “I went on a little bit of a date with Lance from *NYSNC. Faye came along with me as my wingman.
"And then when we were out, Lance invited David Hasselhoff out, and his children.
"David let his children sleep on the nightclub benches while we all partied.”
Faye told Fearne that Steps had many a party in LA.
She said: “We went into a bar and Gwen Stefani was there and then we met Engelbert Humperdinck's son. And then we went back to his house.”
Maluma gets hot under the covers
LATIN superstar Maluma has released a deluxe edition of his hit album The Love & Sex Tape.
The singer, who has previously collaborated with Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, added three tracks to the record.
Maluma has also dropped a steamy video with Brazilian beauty Anitta.
They can be seen rolling around on a bed as if filming a movie.
After seeing his sold-out show at the O2 Arena in March, it’s easy to see why his career is going from strength to strength.
Spider-man goes surfing
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FANS were quick to spot newly single Andrew Garfield had snuck off to Bali this week.
But rather than enjoying a spot of downtime, I can reveal that the Spider-Man actor is learning to surf like an expert for a mystery new film role.
A source said: “Andrew is determined not to rely on a stunt man or body double for the project so he has taken it upon himself to learn how to surf properly.
He’s surfed before but needs to improve before shooting starts.”
In April Andrew said he wanted a short break from acting to try to live a normal life and “be a bit ordinary”.
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He said: “I need to recalibrate . . . and just be a bit of a person for a while.”
If it comes with a trip to Bali I’ll happily try surfing too.
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