Samuel L. Jackson is getting quick on the draw when it comes to defending his Django Unchained director Quentin Tarantino against detractors.
The star is speaking out about the auteur's controversial new slavery-themed spaghetti Western, which has come under fire for putting a humorous, cheeky spin on a sensitive subject matter.
"Quentin has an affinity for writing horrible things and then making you laugh," he tells the Los Angeles Times. "He's making entertainment. Hopefully, it makes you go ask questions and you Google it. If you want to learn something from a movie, go watch a documentary."
The film has been criticized by high-profile opponents like Spike Lee, who vowed to boycott it and recently tweeted: "American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them."
The controversy doesn't seem to have hurt the film's box-office prospects: It roped in a hefty $15 million on Christmas Day, making it the third-biggest Yuletide debut ever.
Here's what else went down:
Cleavage Alert: Jessica Simpson let one of her girls hang out while vacationing in Hawaii.
No Naked Ring Finger Here: Soon-to-be divorced Jason Hoppy is still sporting his wedding band despite announcing he and Bethenny Frankel were calling it quits.
Closing Early: Katie Holmes' Broadway play is getting cut short.
Wolf Pack Problems: Twilight's Bronson Pelletier got charged with public intoxication.
Not So Fast: Kate Bosworth calls her beau "hubby" just because. They're not married...yet.