ICYMI: Celeb news for August 2017

Courtroom winner

The victory was, well, swift! A Denver jury ruled in favor of Taylor Swift in her groping case against a DJ. The jury deliberated for four hours before handing down the decision on Aug. 14. The singer had accused former DJ David Mueller, whom she sued for a symbolic $1, of groping her at a meet-and-greet event in June 2013. In a statement, Taylor thanked the judge and her legal team for "fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault." "I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this," she said. "My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves." The former radio host — he was fired after Taylor's then-private accusations — still maintains he didn't grope her. Just a few weeks after her courtroom win, Taylor released, "Look What You Made Me Do," the first single from her upcoming sixth album "Reputation," which hits stores on Nov. 10.

RELATED: What's it's like to date and break up with Taylor Swift

Chris Pratt Anna Faris split!

As far as shocking splits go, this was a doozy. On Aug. 6, Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced that they had split up after eight years of marriage. Chris wrote on Facebook, "Anna and I are sad to announce we are legally separating. We tried hard for a long time, and we're really disappointed. Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward. We still have love for each other, will always cherish our time together and continue to have the deepest respect for one another." Anna released a similar statement on Instagram. Chris and Anna share son Jack, 5. There were reports that indicated that faith or lifestyle was to blame (she supposedly wanted to stay in Los Angeles, whereas he liked that his work took him all over the world for weeks or months at a time). However, on Aug. 24, Life & Style offered a glimmer of hope when it reported that Chris and Anna are in counseling together and are trying to save the marriage, though the stars have yet to confirm this.

RELATED: Celeb splits of 2017

Sexuality reveal

Aaron Carter came out as bisexual on Aug. 5, and the next day it was reported that he and his girlfriend had split. His sexuality, he explained, was something that has weighed on him for more than half his life. "This doesn't bring me shame, just a weight and burden I have held onto for a long time that I would like lifted off me," he wrote on social media. "I grew up in this entertainment industry at a very young age and when I was around 13-years-old I started to find boys and girls attractive. There were years that went by that I thought about, but it wasn't until I was 17-years-old, after a few relationships with girls, I had an experience with a male that I had an attraction to who I also worked with and grew up with." He later tweeted that he was "so overwhelmed by your love and support." After revealing his sexuality, his first live show was at a gay bar in Florida.

RELATED: Celebs who have been parent-shamed on social media

Broken ankle

Production on the latest "Mission Impossible" film was halted for several months after Tom Cruise broke his ankle while filming a stunt in London. On Aug. 13, Tom was filming a scene in which he was supposed to jump onto the roof of a building. Video showed him running and leaping from rigging but falling short and hitting the side of a building hard before pulling himself up and limping away. While members of the crew looked on, Tom could be seen trying to essentially walk it off before collapsing to his knees. The Sun reported that he had two broken bones in his ankle. A source said, "The injury is worse than was at first feared. Tom did serious damage and will need months to recover. He is the film's biggest star and everything revolves around him. The movie's bosses had no choice other than to postpone the filming." On Aug. 16, Paramount confirmed that Tom had, indeed, broken his ankle, but it's not expected to affect the movie's July 2018 release date.

Herpes accusations

It's been a bad, bad month for Usher. Back in July, it was revealed that he paid a woman $1.1 million to settle a lawsuit in which she claimed she contracted a sexually transmitted disease from him. Then it was reported that another woman, Jane Doe, was suing him for $20 million, claiming she tested positive for herpes simplex 2 and alleging that she got it from him. However, on Aug. 24, Usher fired back and said the woman can't prove she got an STD from him. In early August, the case took another bizarre twist when attorney Lisa Bloom announced two new women and a man would be filing a lawsuit claiming Usher exposed them to the STD as well. It's believed he's not looking to settle with any of his accusers. One of the women suing Usher is Quantasia Sharpton, who claims she had sex with him in 2014 in a New Jersey hotel. He has adamantly denied that he hooked up with her to his friends, saying she's not his type.

Surprising split

After 16 years together, Helen Hunt and her writer-producer boyfriend, Matthew Carnahan, have split. In Touch was first to report the breakup, but other publications quickly confirmed the news too. The split, it seems, was less than amicable. "The breakup was very messy," a source told In Touch, adding that Helen "was convinced Matthew had strayed. She had been suspicious for a long time that something was wrong. But he insisted he didn't betray her." They share a 13-year-old daughter. A source later told E! News that they've had a rocky relationship for a while. "She has been split up with Matthew for several months. They had a rocky relationship and many offs and ons over the years. They stayed together as long as they did because of their daughter," a source told E! News. "They've split up before, but this time seems to be different."

Sued

Kim Kardashian West's company, Kimisaprincess Inc., was sued for $100 million for patent infringement over LuMee, the light-up phone case that perfects selfies. A man named Hooshmand Harooni said LuMee stole his Snaplight concept. In the lawsuit, he claims, "it has been extremely difficult for Snaplight to compete in the selfie case market" because of Kim's promotion and social media reach. In addition to money, he also wants Kim to stop promoting the product. On Aug. 1, LuMee responded, "The lawsuit has no merit and Kim has done nothing wrong. LuMee is an innovator of illuminated cell phone cases and was the first to market. Between its patents, copyrights and trademarks, LuMee has developed substantial intellectual property rights surrounding its product line."

Splitsville

It's curtains for Amber Heard and billionaire Elon Musk. On Aug. 5, the Mail on Sunday reported that the couple of a year had broken up. A source said, "It's all over between Amber and Elon and she's devastated. It was his decision. He ended it a week ago. He'd heard certain things about her behavior that didn't sit well with him." They both would soon confirm the split. She took to Instagram to write, "Being in the public eye means having to explain yourself to so many people, so much of the time. In this case, I'd like to remain more quiet. Although we have broken up, Elon and I care deeply for one another and remain close. Thank you for the continued support, respect, and privacy during these difficult, very human times." He later wrote, "Although Amber and I did break up, we are still friends, remain close and love one another. Long distance relationships, when both partners have intense work obligations are always difficult, but who knows what the future holds."

Rhinestone goodbye

The "Rhinestone Cowboy" rode off into the sunset on Aug. 8: Glen Campbell passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Glen Travis Campbell, at the age of 81," his Twitter feed announced. He was surrounded by family and friends when he died. Upon hearing the news, some of the biggest names in entertainment took to social media to pay their respects. Brad Paisley thanked him for the "artistry, grace & class you brought to country music." Dolly Parton said he was "one of the greatest voices of all time." Sheryl Crow called it a "huge loss in the world of music." RIP, Glen.

Teen mom

On Aug. 7, Mama June Shannon's 17-year-old daughter, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon, announced that she is expecting. The soon-to-be teen mom announced on WeTV's website, "Hey guys, guess what? I'm pregnant! I don't know what I'm having yet, but if I had to bet because of all the girls in our family, I'm probably having a girl." During her vulgarity-laced announcement, Pumpkin lamented why she hates being pregnant, but said she is excited about being a mother. "I'm really excited to be a new mom, but there is some challenges that I'm going to have to face," she added, explaining that she's nervous about the actual birth because, "My baby daddy's head is, like, the size of a freakin' watermelon."

Pray for Houston

Hurricane Harvey and the devastating flooding that came in its wake hit a little too close to home for a lot of celebrities, such as Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, Hilary Duff and Travis Scott, all of whom were born and raised in Houston. Many of the Houston-born celebs took to social media to show their support. "Texas you are in my prayers," Beyonce said, later pledging to donate to relief efforts. Hilary Duff, another native, posted an image of the horrific flooding. "This is beyond devastating 💔truly heartbroken for my home town. #staystrong #deepintheheart 🙏," she wrote. Many non-Houstonians showed the support with their wallets. Kevin Hart donated $50,000 and issued the Kevin Hart Challenge, where he called out other celebs to donate. It worked, too, The Rock and DJ Khaled donated $25,000 to relief efforts. while Chris Brown donated $100,000. Country star Chris Young donated $100,000, too. The Kardashians donated $500,000 as well. NFL star JJ Watt is raising money via crowdfunding — after just two days, he'd raised over $1.5 million and has a new goal of hitting $2 million. He also donated $100,000 of his own money.

Mental illness hospitalization

Sinéad O'Connor was hospitalized after posting a lengthy video in which she said she was depressed, suicidal and living at a Travelodge motel in New Jersey on Aug. 3. In her weepy 12-minute video, Sinéad said, "I'm all by myself. And there's absolutely nobody in my life except my doctor, my psychiatrist, the sweetest man on earth, who says I'm his hero, and that's about the only… thing keeping me alive at the moment, the fact that I'm his bloody hero, and that's kind of pathetic." The troubled singer added that she is fighting to stay alive because "I love the people that are doing this to me. I'm not staying alive for me. If it was for me, I'd be gone." On Aug. 9, a South Hackensack Police Department spokesman said the singer had been hospitalized. A few days later, she said she was out of the hospital and feeling great. A few hours after that, she returned to the hospital.

Daddy news

Robin Thicke, 40, and April Love Geary, 22, are expecting a child next year, she announced on her Instagram page on Aug. 17. The model shared an image of a sonogram, writing, "Robin and I are very excited to share with you all that we're having a baby!" She revealed that her due date is March 1, which would have been the late Alan Thicke's 70th birthday. Media reports indicate it's a girl. It will be Robin's second child, as he shares 7-year-old son Julian with ex Paula Patton. A day after the baby announcement, news broke revealing Robin had settled his long and vitriolic custody battle with Paula over their son.

Bye-bye, another "The Bachelor" romance

It's fair to say we all saw this coming… Five months after they got engaged on national TV, Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi ended their romance, they announced on Aug. 25. "It's with a great amount of heartbreak for the both us as we have decided to end our engagement," the couple told E! in a statement. "We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for. We will continue to be there for each other no matter what. This hasn't been an easy decision, however, as we part ways, we do so with lots of love and admiration for each other." Finding love is not Nick's forte — he's appeared on two seasons of "The Bachelorette" as well "Bachelor in Paradise" too.

Hacked!

Another hack wreaked havoc in Hollywood. In late August, a website published nude photos of several celebrities, including Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus, Tiger Woods and his ex-girlfriend Lindsay Vonn. The Tiger and Lindsay images were reportedly hacked from her phone. The site also published revealing images of Kristen and her girlfriend Stella Maxwell. Kristen threatened legal action, saying the images are a violation of copyright laws since neither of the celebs gave their permission to share. It's not known how the celeb site got the images of K-Stew or Stella (who, incidentally, dated fellow victim Miley, as well). On Aug. 28, Selena Gomez was hacked, too, but in a different capacity. Hackers briefly took over the pop star's Instagram account and posted several nude images of her ex, Justin Bieber. She quickly took control of her account and deleted the post.

Wedding news

Russell Brand is once again a husband. The comedian, who divorced Katy Perry in 2012, married girlfriend Laura Gallacher in England on Aug. 27, Britain's The Sun reported. The couple welcomed a daughter, Mabel, last November. "They wanted a very small, personal affair with their daughter Mabel, family and close friends rather than a circus," a source told The Sun. "It was a lovely occasion. Mabel was guest of honor." As a special wedding day treat, Russell dropped about $3,000 to rent a New Orleans-style steamer boat to take the wedding party to an Indian-themed reception where the staff wore saris.

Kidnapping claim

"NCIS: New Orleans" star Zoe McLellan was accused by her ex-husband of kidnapping her own child (they share custody). TMZ reported on Aug. 5 that the actress gave her ex, actor J.P. Gillain, advance notice of only two days that she was traveling to Canada with 4-year-old Sebastian to shoot a role on "Designated Survivor." She claims that she, too, was given little notice. In court documents, she said she can provide a better lifestyle for their son in Canada, so he should stay with her while she shoots there for the next year. J.P. demanded that Sebastian be brought back immediately. Zoe has been trying to change their custody agreement for quite some time.

Divorce

"The Real Housewives of New York City" star Luann De Lesseps filed to divorce Tom D'Agostino on Aug. 3 after just eight months of marriage. "It's with great sadness that Tom & I agreed to divorce. We care for each other very much, hope you respect our privacy during this sad time!" she wrote on Twitter. The divorce came just weeks after reports indicated the two had hit a rough patch, with one report claiming the two had a physical confrontation during a dinner in New York City.

Controversial comments

Open mouth, insert foot? "Counting On" star Derick Dillard felt the wrath of fans, a television network and a teen reality TV star on Aug. 2 after he made controversial comments directed at Jazz Jennings, the 16-year-old transgender activist who's starring on a new show on TLC. Jill Duggar Dillard's husband attacked Jazz's series on Twitter, writing, "What an oxymoron… a 'reality' show which follows a non-reality. 'Transgender' is a myth. Gender is not fluid; it's ordained by God." Many of his followers bashed him for targeting a teen. Derick tried defending himself but, in doing so, called Jazz "him," further angering many. TLC, the network which carries "Counting On" and "I Am Jazz," said in a statement, "Derick Dillard's personal statement does not represent the views of TLC." Jazz, too, responded. "Every day I experience cyber-bullying, but I keep sharing my story," she tweeted. "Today was no different."

RIP

Legendary entertainer and comedian Jerry Lewis died on Aug. 20 in his home in Las Vegas. The official cause of death was end-stage cardiac disease and peripheral vascular disease — in other words, his heart gave out. He was 91. Hollywood was quick to react. "That fool was no dummy. Jerry Lewis was an undeniable genius an unfathomable blessing, comedy's absolute! I am because he was!," Jim Carrey said. Ellen DeGeneres wrote, "Jerry Lewis was a comic and philanthropic icon. I send love to his family today." And Samuel L. Jackson wrote, "It was incredible knowing & laughing with the Amazing Jerry Lewis! He'll keep'em laffin in the ever after!"