Entertainment Express: VMAs, Robert Downey Jr, Cory Monteith, 12 Years a Slave, San Diego Comic Con

* Justin Timberlake and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis lead the pack of this year’s MTV Video Music Award nominees. The ceremony will take place next month at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn – complete with newly-designed Moonmen statues.

* He’s one of the most popular actors around, and now Robert Downey Jr is also Hollywood’s highest paid actor, according to Forbes. Earning an estimated $75 million during the time of June 2012 up until June 2013, he takes over the spot from Tom Cruise, who earned the same amount last year. Good on RDJ, who was once considered “box office poison.”

* Initial autopsy results into the death of Glee star Cory Monteith show he died of a “mixed drug toxicity of heroin and alcohol.”

* Chiwetel Ejiofor is fast becoming associated with pre-pre-awards season Oscar buzz for his role in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film is due out towards the end of the year.

* San Diego Comic Con is almost all a-go. I won’t be there myself this year, but I’ll be keeping an eye on those – cos-dressed or not – who will be going, to see what comes of the rumoured appearances by Metallica and the X-Men cast.