Pickler had been a fan favorite, and her dancing skills markedly improved throughout 10 weeks of competition.

“Oh my God! This is amazing! Oh my God!” a surprised-looking Pickler said after hugging her pro partner, Derek Hough.

Zendaya took second place.

“I’m very proud. I’m very happy and I get to leave here with an amazing experience, so I’m very happy,” she said.

Jones reacted with his usual  humor.

“Out of all my trainings that I’ve had, I’ve never had a woman pushed me like she did,” he said jokingly of his pro partner Karina Smirnoff, who was standing next to him.

RELATED: Who Did Louis Van Amstel Pick to Win the Mirror Ball Trophy?

The season premiered on March 19 with 12 celebrity contestants vying for the mirror ball trophy.

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman was eliminated in the first hour of the results show, ending the competition in fourth place.

“This has been the best experience of my life. Thank you, ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ It’s been so amazing,” she said.

The remaining three finalists had to perform a final element of competition. They were given an instant dance, and were scored by judges. Those scores rounded out the judges’ scores for both nights.

The Instant Dance Routines

The judges’ scores from tonight were added to the judges’ scores from Monday’s performances. That total accounts for half of each star’s overall total. The other half came from viewers’ votes.

Jacoby Jones: The Baltimore Ravens wide receiver salsa’s brought uniform praise from judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.  Goodman told Jones that he had a “naturalness” about his dance, and was full of fun and vitality. Tonioli said Jones had charisma and showmanship, adding, “I could watch you anytime.” Inaba said that while Jones may have had a rough start in the finals, the important thing was how he finished. “You are a champion. That was the dance of a champion,” she said. Jones earned a perfect score of 30 points, giving him a two-night judges’ total of 86 out of 100 points.

Kellie Pickler: Tonioli told the country star that her jive had accuracy, precision and technique, and compared her to Julianne Hough, a former “Dancing” pro who is now a recording artist and actress. Inaba told Pickler that she and her partner, Derek Hough (Julianne Hough’s brother), were “like a bright ray of sunshine.” Goodman offered one of his trademark quips:  ”You’re always clean, you’re precise, you’re sharp, your dancing is always polished. I’m telling you, Kellie, you’re the bee’s knees, my mama’s pajamas, my uncle’s carbuncles. You’re awesome!” Pickler earned 30 points, giving her a two-night judges’ total of 94 points.

Zendaya:  The Disney star’s jive won customary rave reviews from the judges.  Inaba told her that she made every dance special, and Goodman added that, for a 16-year-old, she danced with precision and maturity and always turned in a performance, rather than just a routine. Added Tonioli: “For somebody so young you have pitch-perfect performer instinct.”  Zendaya earned 30 points, for a two-night judges’ total of 95 points.

When all the points were tabulated, Pickler was the star with the highest combined tally of judges’ scores and viewers’ votes.

The Final Four

Of the four finalists, Zendaya was considered the most technically accomplished, and was the early standout. She was the youngest competitor in the show’s history, and her performances consistently put her at or near the top of the leaderboard. She earned the first perfect score of the season.

MORE: Can’t get enough Dancing with the Stars? Check out the show’s official Slacker Radio station!

Pickler was perhaps the most surprising contestant of the pack. She seemed to get better week after week, and she, too, was consistently at or near the top of the leaderboard during the competition. Her moving contemporary freestyle routine Monday night brought Inaba to tears and earned her a rare standing ovation from Goodman. Judges requested that routine as tonight’s encore performance.

Jones’ flair and showmanship lent him staying power even when his routines were less than perfect, but he improved during the course of the season, making up for technical flaws with energetic, crowd-pleasing performances.

Raisman turned in physically demanding routines that capitalized on her gymnastic skills, but judges also said she’d shown remarkable development of her dance abilities.

Tonight’s show include live performances from Miami rapper Pitbull, Korean rapper PSY and Wynonna Judd, who was eliminated from the show early on in this season.

There were also dance performances from the rest of the season 16 cast.

“General Hospital” star Ingo Rademacher was voted off the show last week. He was preceded by “The Bachelor” star Sean Lowe, comedian Andy Dick, boxing champion Victor Ortiz, comedian D.L. Hughley, Judd and reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump.

Because of an injury, figure skating legend Dorothy Hamill withdrew from the competition in the second week.

• What’s a Manhattan mom supposed to do with her 7-year-old on a rainy day? If you’re Katie Holmes, the answer is simple: arts and crafts. On Sunday afternoon, Holmes, who is currently filming “Mania Days”, and Suri trekked uptown to Make Meaning on the Upper East Side. The two spent the afternoon on the store’s second floor, painting Hello Kitty ceramics and discussing when the first grader could come back with her friends.
• Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum have been living in London while he films “Jupiter Ascending,” but they still make time for each other. On Monday, the “Magic Mike” star, clad in a T-shirt, sweater and porkpie hat, and his very pregnant wife stepped out to see the movie “Mud.” “Loved every second,” the “Witches of East End” actress tweeted. “Go see it! What incredible acting by the two young actors and McConaughey.”
• Meanwhile, in New York City for upfronts, Sarah Michelle Gellar took a break from promoting her new CBS show to have a late dinner with a group of friends on Monday night at Arlington Club steakhouse.
• On Friday, Joe Jonas took advantage of the warm weather and headed to the newly-opened Tequila Park at the Hudson Hotel in Manhattan for tacos with a group of friends. “It was a mixed crew of guys and girls,” an onlooker tells ABC News. “They were laughing and drinking margaritas!” Jonas certainly seemed to enjoy himself, tweeting: “Great time last night at the new outdoor spot #tequilapark @hudsonnyc“
• It was a family weekend for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, who attended the graduation of the New England Patriot quarterback’s sister from Boston University over the weekend. The couple sat with Brady’s family, including several of his nieces, and Bündchen was seen cuddling with their baby, Vivian. Earlier in the day, however, she posted a photo that seems to be of their son, Benjamin, playing with Brady’s son from his relationship with Bridget Moynihan: “A beautiful day with my loves,” she wrote.

(Photo credit: John Lamparski/WireImage/Getty Images)

Last winter, reality show veteran Melissa Rycroft and her partner, Tony Dovolani, won “Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars,” and she’s got some advice for tonight’s finalists: Invest in comfortable footwear.

“My feet are still rebelling about high heels,” she told ABC News with a laugh. “I was wearing, like, five-inchers and I’m working my way up. I had a herniated disk in my neck this time. At the ripe old age of 30 my body was falling apart. I’m so not jealous [of the competitors tonight]. I don’t want to be back out there.”

In spite of her (literally) scarring experience on “Dancing with the Stars,” Rycroft, who also was on “The Bachelor,” has been watching this season. As far as she’s concerned, there’s no clear winner, at this point.

“I said from day one it’s Kellie [Pickler]‘s trophy, and I still think it’s Kellie’s trophy, but I would love to see, like, Aly [Raisman] come in there and sneak it,” she said, adding that she’s “a huge Jacoby [Jones] fan.”

“They’re all phenomenal,” she said. “I’m glad I didn’t have to go up against any of them.”

Now a spokeswoman for Banana Boat’s Unconditional Fun Sweepstakes, Rycroft has begun to think about her own summer plans, which include spend time at her parents’ beach house and going to Europe with her husband, Tye Strickland, and their 2-year-old, Ava.

One thing not on the agenda just yet? Baby No. 2.

“We’ve always talked that we want a big family, but I look at Ava and go, ‘I’m not ready to share her yet,’” Rycroft said. “It’ll happen eventually.”

(Photo credit: Esquire)

Brad Pitt is engaged to one of the world’s most beautiful women, actress Angelina Jolie – and since they met in 2004, he’s tried to avoid doing “sexy scenes” with anyone else, says his friend, Frank Pollaro.

“He’s crazy about her and she’s the same way about him,” Pollaro, Pitt’s furniture business partner, told Esquire for its June issue. “Once I walked in and Angie was standing there and Zahara walked up and said, ‘Daddy, you’re not going to start making out with Mommy again, are you?’ And it’s like that.”

But recently, the couple has had to withstand a lot. Jolie, 37, revealed last week that she had a preventative double mastectomy after learning that she was genetically predisposed to breast cancer, and her doctor added that Pitt, with whom Jolie is raising six children, was by her side for every procedure.

For Pitt, that decision was obvious. In Esquire, which hits newsstands May 31, the “World War Z” star, 49, said that his family is his priority.

“I always thought that if I wanted to do a family, I wanted to do it big. I wanted there to be chaos in the house,” he said. “There’s constant chatter in our house, whether it’s giggling or screaming or crying or banging. I love it. I love it. I love it.”

“I hate when they’re gone,” he added. “I hate it. Maybe it’s nice to be in a hotel room for a day - ‘Oh, nice, I can finally read a paper.’  But then, by the next day, I miss that cacophony, all that life.”

That life was a long time coming. Pitt admitted in the magazine that in the years prior to meeting Jolie, he was a “drifter” who “did too much …  drug damage.”

“But then I got burnt out and felt that I was wasting my opportunity.  It was a conscious change,” he said. “This was about a decade ago.  It was an epiphany – a decision not to squander my opportunities.  It was a feeling of get up.  Because otherwise, what’s the point?”

Toby Keith/Carrie Underwood (Image credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic|Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

Like everyone, celebrities have been glued to their TVs for updates about the storms that have wreaked havoc in the Midwest, especially  the tornado that leveled Moore, Okla.,  Monday and killed 24 people.

But for those with personal ties to the Sooner State, the storm has had an even more profound effect. Below are a few of their sentiments:

“This storm has devastated the community that I grew up in. I rode my bike through those neighborhoods. I have family and friends in Moore. My heart and prayers go to those that have lost so much. But Moore is strong and we will persevere. God be with you all.” — Toby Keith, in a statement

“Growing up in tornado alley, you always know what could happen. … It doesn’t change how devastating it is when something does happen. I’m thinking about and praying for my beautiful home state and the people in it tonight.” — Carrie Underwood, via Twitter

“All my prayers go out to the folks in Oklahoma dealing with these tornadoes. Stay safe everyone!!!!” – Reba McEntire, via Twitter

“Praying for my fellow Oklahomans! Please everyone, pray for Oklahoma!” – Kristin Chenoweth, via Twitter

“#PrayForOklahoma. Pray for everyone devastated by these storms, but especially for those families in Moore, Okla.,  right now. … God, wrap your arms around this community.” –Trisha Yearwood, via Facebook

“Awoke this morning with a broken heart for my home state of Oklahoma. Praying for the families affected by this devastating storm. Praying for search and rescue teams as they continue to pull people from the rubble. May the numbers get smaller and smaller today. May more and more lost loved ones be found. There’s no greater place on earth and no greater people. Okies always rise up, press on and persevere, no matter what. May hope arise in the Heartland today. … God bless Oklahoma. … Please donate to The American Red Cross today ” –  country singer Bryan White, via Facebook 

(Photo credit: Beyonce)

There have been reports that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are expecting another child–and another that says they’re not–but one thing is clear: they’re absolutely smitten with their 16-month-0ld daughter Blue Ivy.

Case in point: Beyoncé, who has not responded to the pregnancy rumors, took a break from her Mrs. Carter world tour to post this adorable photo of Blue, sitting in a monogrammed director’s chair.

“I just want to make sure that she can have a healthy, safe, normal life. In the back of my mind, she’s my priority,” the 31-year-old superstar told ABC News earlier this month. “I feel really, really just lucky that I can still do what I love, and now have a way bigger meaning. And that’s to be her mother.”

Still, the “Countdown” singer, who canceled a show in Belgium last week because of dehydration and exhaustion, has made it clear that she and Jay-Z hope to expand their brood.

“I think my daughter needs some company,” she said. “I definitely love being a big sister!”

(Photo credit: BryanSinger/Twitter)

Attention, comic book fans: “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is already in production and now, director Bryan Singer is giving a sneak peek of what Jennifer Lawrence will look like in the 2014 blockbuster.

Reprising her “X-Men: First Class” role, the Oscar-winner will star as Mystique–and from the looks of it, she’ll be fairly unrecognizable. (Lawrence, 24, has said that it took makeup artists about six hours to complete her look for the first film.)

Singer is clearly excited about the flick, and has been Tweeting up a storm from the Montreal set. Many of the stars from the 2011 “X-Men” film will also return, including Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Ellen Page, and Lawrence’s ex Nicholas Hoult, with whom she was recently spotted having dinner.

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” is scheduled to be released on July 18, 2014. The studio is Marvell Entertainment, which is owned by The Walt Disney Co., which also owns ABC News.

ABC News’ Thea Trachtenberg reports:

Matt Damon takes on a risky, risqué role in “Behind the Candelabra,” in a side of the Oscar winner we haven’t seen before, adorned with feathered hair and wide lapels.

“To me this is the dream job,” Damon told ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas in Cannes, France. “It was a chance to be in the front row while Michael [Douglas] turned in this amazing performance.”

Douglas plays the flamboyant Liberace, and Damon, the man best known as super-spy Jason Bourne, is taking on a very different mission as his young lover.

ALSO READ: Michael Douglas on Kissing Matt Damon

“It was a very deep love affair,” Damon says of Liberace’s relationship with his character, Scott Thorson. “You know, it was a marriage in a lot of ways for these guys.”

And although Douglas may get the splashier wardrobe equipped with capes and furs, Damon still gets some rhinestones of his own wearing a jeweled mankini.

“Yeah, I have never had this much fun,” said Damon. “It has jewels encrusted all over it … A jewel encrusted mankini.”

When asked what it was like to shoot the love scenes with Douglas, Damon replied, “The more challenging stuff was really selling the intimacy of a relationship that’s kind of a deep love affair. That stuff is actually, to me, way more intimate than ‘All right, I’m going to straddle you right now and plant one on you for exactly seven seconds. You ready? Here is comes.’”

ALSO WATCH: Matt Damon, Michael Douglas Take on Film Deemed ‘Too Gay’

Damon’s off-screen romantic life is much less salacious, being married to Luciana Barrosso for seven years now. Just last month the couple had a private celebration on the island of St. Lucia in front of family and special friends to renew their wedding vows, and Jimmy Kimmel officiated the ceremony.

“We were looking for the perfect blend of depth and humor and humanity and he was the right guy for the job,” Damon explained.

Damon has one of the longer-lasting relationships in Hollywood, and jokes it’s probably because he and his wife live in Manhattan, not Hollywood.

ALSO READ: Matt Damon and Wife Luciana to Renew Their Vows

“We get left alone by the paparazzi and that stuff, so the celebrity thing doesn’t really weigh on us,” Damon said.

Close friends of his, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, aren’t so lucky however.

“Yeah, Ben and Jen, they don’t do anything to court it, other than their job, which is the same as me,” Damon explained. “It just happens for some people that way and I’m lucky that it’s not that way for me.”

By Louis Van Amstel

This week I’m doing it a little different from other weeks and seasons. I actually watched the show before I started writing my blog and want to rank each round how I see it. Let’s get started.

Click HERE for a full recap of Week 10 on ‘Dancing With the Stars.’

Round 1:  Zendaya and Val won by a small margin. Her samba was great, energetic and rhythmical.  Kellie and Derek were second. Their quickstep was very good, but her hold was sometimes a questionable classic Ballroom hold. Aly and Mark were third. To beat Kellie or Zendaya, Aly just needed to execute her movement with more finesse and spark. Jacoby, unfortunately, was clearly fourth. I don’t think he had his best night in the finals.

Round 2:  Again, I think Zendaya won. It looked so rehearsed, crisp, yet easy, while Kellie looked a bit pensive during her cha-cha. I had Aly third, but knocking on Kellie’s door for second place. Jacoby was far behind the rest Monday night. He was a bit off. Having said all of this, all couples had three dances, plus the pressure of the freestyle.

Let’s talk FREESTYLE. Many times couples won their season by winning the freestyle, even though the rest of season wasn’t as great. This season, I think it’s going to be so close between two, maybe three couples. Unfortunately, Jacoby is out for the Mirror Ball trophy by just not having the edge in any of his dances Monday night, including his freestyle.

I think for second and third place, it’s a tossup between the freestyles of Zendaya and Aly. For concept, risk level and creativity, I’d give second place to Aly and Mark. But for expression and execution, I’d give second place in the freestyle round to Zendaya.

Absolute miles above the rest, and winning the freestyle round, was Kellie and Derek’s contemporary freestyle. Everything about it was immaculate. It was raw, real, beautifully executed, so musical and internally felt.

The Scores (First dance, second dance, freestyle dance, grand total)

Zendaya and Val Chmerkovskiy: 30, 5, 30. Total: 65

Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough: 30, 4, 30. Total: 64

Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas: 28, 3, 30. Total: 61

Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff: 27, 2, 27. Total: 56

So, if you judge it on freestyle alone, Kellie will take away the Mirror Ball trophy.  Looking back at her season, she has been nothing but consistent. Sometimes she was too much in her head, but always physically giving it her all.

If you look at showing personality, performance level and always giving well-rounded show stoppers, Zendaya could definitely win. She sometimes had issues finishing off her movement, but she also had very consistent weeks.

Even though Aly got a late start, by being in the middle of the pack until well into the competition, with her fan base, she might still be able to overtake Kellie and Zendaya. Like I said last week with Ingo, the same goes for Jacoby this week. The only way for him to win is if his fan base will stay up all night to vote.  Otherwise, it couldn’t happen.

After all is said and done, I don’t want to just be diplomatic and not pick a winner, because that would be kind of lame, so … drumroll. Taking the entire season into account, looking at dance technique, performance, overall personality, and who I think touched us watching this season, I’d give the Mirror Ball trophy of Season 16 to Kellie Pickler!

The four remaining  contestants on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” pulled out all the stops tonight in their final bid to win the mirror ball trophy, performing three routines, including the all-important freestyle.

At the end of the night, Zendaya was in the lead and Jacoby Jones was in last place.

The fourth-place couple will be eliminated within the first hour of the results show Tuesday, and in a final element of the competition, the three remaining couples will perform a new routine in an instant dance. The routine will be scored out of 30 and will round out the judges’ scores for both nights.

The star with the highest combined tally of judges’ scores and viewers’ votes will be the winner.

At the end of tonight’s show, co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke announced that there was some trouble with voting on ABC.com. They encouraged people to call in their votes, adding that fans could also vote on Facebook until Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.

RELATED: ‘Dancing With the Stars’: Jacoby Jones, Aly Raisman Tie for Lead in Week 9 Semifinals

The Routines

For the first routine, judges picked a style of dance each star had previously performed, asking them to re-do it and improve upon it. The second routine was a cha-cha relay — in which all the stars danced, earning between 2 and 5 extra points depending on their ranking from judges. The third dance was the freestyle.

Jacoby Jones: For his first dance, the jive, the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver had some special advice during rehearsals from head judge Len Goodman, who advised him to make his kicks sharp and crisp. Judges saw improvement in Jones’ kicks during the performance tonight, but they said the routine had a few flaws. “The footwork was a bit better … you got excited on occasion and you lost it but overall I’ve got to say, I saw that slightly crisper footwork,” Goodman said. Bruno Tonioli told Jones he always brought a “limitless supply of energy and power” but said he missed the beat “quite a few times” and also went flat-footed. Carrie Ann Inaba told Jones he “always brought the swagger” and was always exciting to watch. Judges awarded Jones 27 out of a possible 30 points.

In the cha-cha relay, judges ranked Jones in fourth place. He earned two points.

Jones’ tap dance-inspired supersized freestyle came with help from several other dancers on the ballroom floor, and while judges commended the upbeat, celebratory air, they also found flaws. While Tonioli said the routine was “like watching a Mardi Gras parade down Bourbon Street,” he noted that Jones lost timing a few times, and Inaba thought the production was good but she felt that it overshadowed Jones. “That’s the sad part. I wanted you to be the star,” she said. Goodman thought the routine had great energy. Jones earned 27 points.

Aly Raisman: The Olympic gymnast had special coaching advice from Tonioli, who walked her through performing the samba roll, a difficult move, for her first dance.  Her samba wowed the judges. Tonioli said she did everything he asked for and that she was “prettier than ever, and cleaner and slicker than ever.” Inaba told her she had the musicality and sensuality, swagger and beautiful lines of her fellow finalists, while Goodman commended her improvement on basic steps as well as her sexy moves. While he said the routine was “a little bit heavy in the legs on occasion,” he said the performance was terrific. Raisman earned 28 points.

In the cha-cha relay, Raisman was ranked in third place, picking up three points.

Her supersize freestyle was a futuristic performance that unfolded with Raisman — and partner Mark Ballas — dancing on poles to showcase her gymnastic ability. Judges were impressed.  Inaba said it was “one of the most amazing routines” she’d seen in a finale freestyle, and Goodman said he loved the concept, adding that it had “great imagination.” Tonioli told Raisman that she took “an incredible risk.” The risk paid off. Raisman earned a perfect score, 30 points.

MORE: Can’t get enough Dancing with the Stars? Check out the show’s official Slacker Radio station!

Kellie Pickler: The country music star performed the quickstep for her first dance, with guidance from Goodman in practice. Pickler had danced the quickstep before and Inaba said she didn’t see enough body contact. The ballroom audience loved Pickler’s routine tonight, standing and giving her prolonged applause. Inaba also approved, saying the performance had the body contact she wanted to see. Tonioli told Pickler the routine was, technically, “a tour de force. You could not have put in more content if you tried … it really is fantastic.”  Pickler earned 30 points, a perfect score.

In the cha-cha relay, Pickler was ranked in second place, earning four points.

Pickler’s stunning contemporary freestyle routine brought her another enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience and a hug from a teary-eyed Inaba.  ”Kellie, you just bared your soul on the dance floor and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Thank you,” Inaba said. Goodman also stood to applaud for Pickler, telling her the routine drew everyone in. Tonioli called the routine “a dance of spellbinding beauty.” Pickler earned another perfect score.

Zendaya: The season’s youngest competitor had a visit from Inaba during rehearsals for her first dance, the samba, and she got some pointers from the judge. Inaba called the 16-year-old Disney star’s performance tonight “magical,” while Goodman said: “That was eye-popping, show-stopping, jaw-dropping — that’s a samba!”  Added Tonioli: “You’re just incredibly fierce, child … you have a natural flamboyance that’s so easy. It comes out without effort.” Zendaya earned 30 points.

Zendaya won the cha-cha relay, earning 5 points.

Zendaya’s freestyle, with elements of contemporary, cha-cha and hip hop, ended with several young dancers joining her and partner Val Chmerkovskiy on the ballroom floor. Goodman liked the variety of styles in the performance. “There were so many parts to that number but it all came together and created a fabulous routine,” he said. Tonioli said what he loved about Zendaya was that she brought a “unique luminosity” to everything she performed.  Inaba added: “Way to take us home! I mean, this is a fantastic night of incredible dancing and you brought it home. You sealed the deal.” Zendaya earned another perfect score of 30 points.

The Scores (First dance, second dance, freestyle dance, grand total)

Zendaya and Val Chmerkovskiy: 30,  5, 30. Total: 65

Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough: 30,  4, 30. Total: 64

Aly Raisman and Mark Ballas:  28, 3, 30. Total: 61

Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff:  27,  2, 27. Total: 56