Beyonce is named the most charitable celeb of 2016, plus more news

Beyonce named most charitable celeb of 2016

Between her charity Tidal concert, the $82,000 she raised to assist victims of Flint, Michigan's water crisis and the repeated attention she brought to feminism and the Black Lives Matter movement, Beyonce successfully used her celebrity status to make a difference in the world throughout the year. Now, she's being recognized for her hard work. This week, DoSomething.org named Beyonce the most charitable celeb of 2016, according to Us Weekly. The website's annual Celebs Gone Good list also shouted-out Lin Manuel-Miranda, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga for pressing for social change over the past 12 months.

RELATED: Beyonce's best looks of 2016

Kylie Jenner releases super sexy short film

Forget the stocking stuffers and socks from your grandma. Kylie Jenner gave her fans the gift of skin this year. On Sunday, Dec. 25, she released a super sexy short film by photographer Sasha Samsonova. An alternately wet T-shirt clad and mostly nude Kylie stars in the Cinemax-ready vid, which also features her boyfriend, Tyga, in a shower scene with the 19-year-old reality star. Speaking to W magazine (via Us Weekly), Sasha said the piece was Kylie's "little surprise gift for the world." "It fell into place very, very naturally. It just happened," she recalled. "It's super raw footage. The thing about this video is that there's no postproduction work whatsoever. It's only cut together. It's very raw, and we tried to keep it that way — no skin retouching, nothing."

RELATED: Kylie Jenner's style transformation

Mariah Carey's team threatened with lawsuit

It may be "Mariah's World," but the earth doesn't spin on a Mariah Carey axis for everyone. The New York Post reports a choir called Broadway Inspirational Voices has sent an angry letter to Mariah Carey's management demanding payment for a contract to perform with Mimi after the singer's team backed out of the deal with little to no notice. The group was hired to sing at Mariah's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" run at the Beacon Theater in New York this month. But two days before tech rehearsals were expected to begin, Mariah's management allegedly bailed. "Mariah's management team canceled the contract two days before they were to start tech rehearsals. Many of its members, of course, adjusted their professional and personal schedules to accommodate the set gig. And they also had to clear their schedules for a significant period of time prior to Christmas," a source said. Mariah's show ended up with nine sellout performances.

RELATED: Best celebrity bling of 2016

Is Evan Rachel Wood dating her bandmate?

Two years after she called it quits with Jaime Bell, Evan Rachel Wood has moved on with someone new. That's the latest from DListed, which cites pics of the actress getting cozy with her bandmate, Zach Villa, as evidence their relationship is more than just professional. The duo share music-making duties in their band Rebel and a Basketcase, which DListed reports took its name from "The Breakfast Club." They were spotted smooching after the Critics' Choice Awards and last week, they clutched one another's paws while traveling in Montreal.

George Michael's ex was back in his life before he died: Report

There's no doubt George Michael died too soon but fans can take heart in a new report that suggests the singer was spending more time with someone he loved in his final days. According to the Sun, George and his ex-boyfriend, Kenny Goss, were in close contact in the weeks prior to George's death as Kenny encouraged his friend and onetime romantic partner to get back to making new music. "George and Kenny are back spending time together again and it's an exciting time for those of us who have been so worried over the last few years," an insider said, according to the Daily Mail. "A full-fledged comeback feels much more likely with Kenny back on the scene to keep George happy and balanced." George and Kenny dated for more than a decade before announcing their split in 2011. George was found dead in his home on Dec. 25. He was 53.

Eva Longoria lugs Christmas tree to the beach

Who says a winter wonderland has to be cold? Eva Longoria and her husband, Jose Antonio Baston, spent the holiday in Mexico and couldn't resist bringing a little Christmas cheer to the beach. Literally. "The Christmas tree is on the sand," she declared on Snpachat (via the Daily Mail). "We brought it outside from the house. They thought I was crazy." Dec. 25 marked the couple's first Christmas as husband and wife; they tied the knot in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, in May.

Kate Beckinsale talks co-parenting with her ex, Michael Sheen

In other amicable exes news … Kate Beckinsale recently opened up about her relationship with Michael Sheen, telling ES magazine that she and her ex — and his girlfriend — are all good friends who happily share the responsibility of raising Kate and Michael's 17-year-old daughter, Lily. "It's so normal for us. We split up ages ago. We have been not together far longer than we were ever together," she muses (via JustJared). "But I really love him and like him and we make each other roar with laughter. I really love his girlfriend as well, and we are really lucky that we both get on, and Lily gets on great with her — having as many strong females in your teenage daughter's life as possible is a good thing," says the 43-year-old "Underworld" star. ES also asked Kate about her response to Lily's interest in acting. "I can see why she wants to do it," she said. "I don't love the downside of it for my baby. But it's not like she hasn't seen both of her parents having a real experience of what it's like. She has seen us ecstatic and miserable — she's seen that, squared."

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin reunite for a family trip to Broadway

Say what you will about conscious uncoupling, but it sure seems to work for Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. The former couple, who split in 2014, took their kids, Apple and Moses, plus Gwyneth's mom, Blythe Danner, out for some holiday fun, New York style, over the weekend, enjoying a trip to Broadway for a performance of "Holiday Inn." In pics published by the Daily Mail, the Paltrow-Martin-Danner crew look happy and at ease while making their way out of Studio 54. The outing comes on the heels of rumors Gwyneth could be engaged to her boyfriend, Brad Falchuk.