Hollywood is serving up big swings, bombshell confessions, and some serious plot twists.
This week, Serena Williams’ former body double trades the movie set for the U.S. Open, John Schneider reveals the wild lie that helped launch his Dukes of Hazzard career, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill prepare for a family wedding. Plus, Clayton Echard gets courtroom vindication, Brandi Glanville makes a shocking LeAnn Rimes confession, and Alanis Morissette launches a legal war against her former tour manager.
This is HOLLYWOOD 411 by KEEPING TABS – let’s get into it.
SERENA'S DOUBLE SCORES A SHOT!
THEA FRODIN, who served as tennis legend SERENA WILLIAMS’ body double in the hit biopic King Richard, scored a spot as a competitor at this year’s prestigious U.S. Open Championships in New York. “I’ve only dreamed of moments like this,” the 17-year-old from California said of the opportunity. “The fact that I’m here right now and able to experience it in real life is still a little bit shocking to me.”
The 2021 film told the real-life story of Serena and sister VENUS WILLIAMS’ rise to the top of the tennis world with their dynamic dad, played by WILL SMITH, who won a Best Actor Oscar for the role. Unfortunately, Thea lost in her U.S. Open debut, falling in straight sets to No. 2 ELENA RYBAKINA. Even though Thea acted as Serena’s double onscreen, she has never met her. “But hopefully I can get the chance soon, to get the opportunity to meet her,” she says.
WELCOME BACK, SCHNEIDER?
The Dukes of Hazzard hunk JOHN SCHNEIDER was nearly steered in a totally different TV direction - replacing JOHN TRAVOLTA on Welcome Back, Kotter! The former good ol’ boy says the same week he auditioned to be a Duke, he also tried to grab Travolta’s soon-to-be-empty classroom seat, along with a part in The Great Santini. But Schneider was only 18, not the 24- to 30-year-old rural Georgia racer that producers wanted. So he cooked up a whopper: claiming he had won at the Georgia School of High Performance Driving - a place that didn’t even exist!
“Some people would call that lying,” he confessed. True, but actors call it acting. Kotter never came calling, but he raised hell in Hazzard County - and Schneider roared into the history book as a TV icon in his own right.
McGRAW DAUGHTER PLANS LIFETIME DUET
Nashville will be hosting its own royal wedding after TIM McGRAW and FAITH HILL’s middle daughter, MAGGIE McGRAW, announced her engagement to boyfriend JAMES RUBIN at a flower-filled family gathering that led big sis GRACIE McGRAW to squeal the news on Instagram. Gracie posted a photo carousel showing Maggie flashing her dazzling ring, sipping a cocktail and kissing her new fiancé after saying yes.
James popped the question in “the greatest most Maggie way possible,” Gracie gushed, thanking their sister AUDREY and pals for helping pull off the romantic setup. The engagement joy came days after Tim took a tumble onstage in Cincinnati while singing I Like It, I Love It - then joked he simply found “a hole there.”
BACHELOR BEATS PATERNITY RAP
CLAYTON ECHARD is finally tasting courtroom vindication after a humiliating paternity scandal that dragged on for three years! Arizona resident LAURA OWENS, who claimed in 2023 that Clayton fathered her unborn twins after a one-night stand, pleaded guilty to four felony charges, including fraudulent schemes and artifices, taking another’s identity and perjury. Clayton had fiercely denied the claims, saying they “never had sexual intercourse,” and a judge later ruled Laura “knowingly presented a false claim” without authentic medical proof.
In an Instagram video, the former Bachelor called the plea “a major moment” but said his healing wasn’t tied to Laura’s punishment. He plans to seek tougher sanctions when she is sentenced Sept. 30, ending one of Bachelor Nation’s ugliest courtroom bombshells.
CONFESSIONS, LAWSUITS… AND MORE!
Controversial Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum BRANDI GLANVILLE offered a startling comment about her connections to ex-husband EDDIE CIBRIAN and the woman he left her for - LEANN RIMES. “I like LeAnn more than I like Eddie,” she confessed. The admission is surprising after years of ill feelings between them, but Brandi now says Eddie “just annoys the f**k out of me.”
ALANIS MORISSETTE has accused her former tour manager KEREN URINOV of a “blackmail campaign” to nab a high-paying gig, and alleges Urinov threatened to tell police she was trafficking drugs, according to court documents. The Ironic rocker is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages of over $75,000. Urinov, through an attorney, vehemently denied the allegations and vowed to clear her name.
SEAN ONO LENNON has a new release - the former Beatle JOHN LENNON’s first grandchild! The inspiration for John’s song Beautiful Boy and his partner, CHARLOTTE KEMP MUHL, announced the birth of the baby boy on Sept. 1. “We have indeed created a Human Bean!” the musician son of YOKO ONO wrote on Instagram. “His name is Aurelius!”