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'Avatar,' '2012' among films seeking effects Oscar

2009-12-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the 15 films vying for best visual effects consideration at the Oscars.

Blockbusters such as "Avatar," "2012" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" will compete with smaller films such as "Where the Wild Things Are," "District 9" and "Coraline."

The other semifinalists are: "Disney's A Christmas Carol," "G-Force," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Sherlock Holmes," "Star Trek," "Terminator Salvation" and "Watchmen."

The list was selected by the academy's visual effects branch executive committee, which will narrow the list to seven in January. The committee will eventually pick three films for Oscar nominations.

The awards will be presented March 7

Shocked golf world, sponsors ponder life without Tiger

2009-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

ORLANDO, Florida (AFP) – Tiger Woods faced more fallout from his sex scandal Sunday as stunned rivals said they looked forward to his return after an indefinite break in his golfing career and corporate sponsors pondered their future cooperation with the billionaire athlete.

Woods announced Friday he was taking a hiatus from professional golf and admitted he had cheated on wife Elin after reports that 10 women had claimed to have had sexual relationships with the 14-time major champion.

"It's a shock. It was most definitely a shock to everybody to hear what has been going on," third-ranked US golfer Steve Stricker said. "Hopefully he gets it straight. Staying away is a great thing to get his family life in order."

World number one Woods, who has a son and daughter with Elin, said he wanted to work on being a better husband, father and person.

Australian golf legend Greg Norman said those should be his priorities for now.

"It's not a good position to be in," Norman said. "He has to sort out his private life first and foremost. There's a lot of heartache for him. There may be some fallout. There are individuals who may have to change.

"The important thing is he gets it right and does what he has to do to get himself back out on the golf course. Tiger will come out of this."

A major concern is how a prolonged absence by the game's greatest player will hit the sport. Television viewership was down 50 percent when he was out with a knee injury and a tough economy has already cut into golf sponsorships.

"The game of golf is bigger than anybody," Norman said. "Golf is hurt without him in the field but the game will go on."

Woods sponsor Gillette announced Saturday it would phase him out of advertisements while he takes a break from golf, calling it a supportive move.

"As Tiger takes a break from the public eye, we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs," a Gillette statement said without announcing a timetable for the resumption of use of Woods' image.

Accenture took down an image of Woods on its website and AT&T, which backs the PGA event operated by Woods's foundation, said in a statement, "We are presently evaluating our ongoing relationship with him."

However, Nike, which is Woods' largest corporate partner with a deal estimated at 40 million dollars a year, stood by him. "He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era," Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said.

Women such as a show club hostess, pancake restaurant waitress, porn star and cocktail waitress have alleged affairs with Woods, whose squeaky-clean image was shattered, raising concerns of sponsors pulling away from golf.

"I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness," Woods said.

The Woods scandal also makes fans and sponsors take a second look at all golfers.

"We're still a very morally sound sport," US veteran Jerry Kelly said. "The corporate world, they love Tiger and they love attaching to that superstar athlete, but there's a lot to be gained from the PGA."

Woods became a billionaire mainly through endorsements but his TV allure, as a Superman-like player rarely overtaken when leading late, brought sponsors and huge prize money to the PGA, already hit by cuts due to the struggling economy.Related article: Tiger Woods facts

"We're definitely going to miss him," Stricker said. "We all know what he brings when he comes to an event -- increased awareness and increased crowds."

Stricker pondered the now-shattered notion so many Woods fans had that he was as impressive out of the spotlight as he was when winning golf titles.

"It's unfair how we have built him up over the years," Stricker said. "On the course he's one of a kind. No one really knows what he was like off the course. He's a tough guy to get around. He has his own little group.

"Hopefully he gets his priorities straight and gets back soon. There's no doubt we need him. We need him out here because of sponsorships and just the awareness of our tour in general."

US PGA veteran Brad Faxon agreed that Woods is vital to the PGA's future.

"We're all hoping Tiger comes back and he fixes everything he needs to fix because we need him out here," Faxon said. "He's such a dynamic personality and I know (people) want to have him out on tour as soon as we can get him."

Kate Winslet wins Best European Actress award

2009-12-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

BERLIN (AFP) – British actress Kate Winslet has won the Best European Actress award while "Das Weisse Band" ("The White Ribbon") picked up the prize for best European film at the European Film Academy's annual awards.

"Titanic" star Winslet, 34, won the award late on Saturday for her role as former concentration camp guard Hanna Schmitz in "The Reader", a part for which she also picked up an Oscar in February.

Austrian Michael Haneke also picked up best director and best screenwriter for "Das Weisse Band", an austere black-and-white study of malice in a German village on the eve of World War I which also won the coveted Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes film festival.

Tahar Rahim picked up best actor for his role in "Un Prophete" ("A Prophet") at the European Film Awards, held this year in Bochum, Germany.

"Slumdog Millionaire", which swept the board at this year's Oscars, won the People's Choice Award for Best European Film, while Britain's Ken Loach was honoured with a lifetime achievement award.

'Belle de Jour' writer misses satisfaction of old life

2009-11-27T04:42:00.000-08:00

LONDON (AFP) – A scientist who wrote a racy blog and a best-selling book about being a prostitute has admitted she misses some parts of her old job as a call girl'

Brooke Magnanti, who works for The Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health, revealed herself this month as the person behind the nom de plume "Belle de Jour" -- the title of a famous 1960s French film starring Catherine Deneuve.

Dr. Magnanti said she missed the job satisfaction from prostitution.

"I miss the moment when you walk into a hotel and you instantly click on and recognise where you are going and the feeling of 'I am about to do a job - I'm about to do it well'," Magnanti said in an interview on "The Show Book" broadcast late Thursday on Sky Arts 1 television.

Short of money, she turned to prostitution while completing the thesis for her doctorate. She joined an agency and began having sex for 300 pounds a session.

Magnanti kept a weblog of her antics in 2003-2004, which were turned into a best-selling book, "The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl".

Her memoirs were adapted into a hit 16-episode television series "Secret Diary of a Call Girl", which starred actress Billie Piper and was screened in countries around the world.

She described meeting clients.

"I think it is like very many other jobs, you do turn on an aspect of your personality so it isn't that Belle wasn't me but Belle is the more confident part of me," she said.

She denies being ashamed of her past, but says her experiences in the notorious industry were very lucky.

"It wasn't so much that I was ashamed myself, but I was afraid of other people's reactions. You do really never know, until you go through something like that, how people are going to react to that situation."

"I don't regret it. It sounds a strange thing. Obviously there have been drawbacks."

"My experiences were very lucky. And I managed to get out of it before it became the bulk of my lifestyle."

Swiss: Polanski to be held until at least Monday

2009-11-27T04:40:00.000-08:00

GENEVA – Roman Polanski will remain in a jail outside Zurich for at least three more days until he meets the security conditions of his bail, a Swiss official said Friday.

Polanski wouldn't be placed under house arrest in Switzerland before Monday, because he has yet to fulfill all the requirements to ensure that he stays in his chalet in the Swiss luxury resort of Gstaad, Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli said.

Galli did not elaborate, but the 76-year-old director must post $4.5 million bail, surrender his identity papers and be fitted with a monitoring bracelet.

Polanski cannot leave the house because the ministry is still deciding whether to extradite him to the United States for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl. Authorities in Los Angeles want him sentenced after 31 years as a fugitive.

Doubts over Polanski's whereabouts were answered Friday when the filmmamker's lawyer Lorenz Erni was seen entering and exiting a prison in the city of Winterthur, 26 kilometers (16 miles) northeast of Zurich.

Erni declined to speak to reporters after his 80-minute visit in the prison, where Polanski is being treated as an extradition detainee with more privileges than prisoners who have committed crimes in Switzerland.

A former Winterthur inmate said he was held in a cell next to Polanski, and that the director of such film classics as "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown" and "The Pianist" was given better treatment.

"For example, he could regularly call his wife or his lawyers," Yussi Akram told local Radio Top, adding that Polanski also chatted regularly with prison guards and could press an emergency button when he needed something.

Polanski always asked guards about their origins, and the prison authorities kept the filmmaker away from other inmates, Akram added.

"He sounded very exhausted," Akram said.

Zurich prison authorities and the Winterthur jail declined to comment.

The bail decision Wednesday was a major win for Polanski after a series of legal setbacks following his Sept. 26 arrest on a U.S. warrant as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award at a film festival.

Polanski was accused of raping the girl after plying her with champagne and a Quaalude pill during a modeling shoot in 1977. He was initially indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molesting and sodomy, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

In exchange, the judge agreed to drop the remaining charges and sentence him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. The evaluator released Polanski after 42 days, but the judge said he was going to send him back to serve out the 90 days.

Polanski then fled the U.S. on Feb. 1, 1978, the day he was to be sentenced, and has lived in France since. He claims the U.S. judge and prosecutors acted improperly in his case, and his attorneys will argue before a California appeals court next month that the charges should be dismissed.

Swiss authorities have declined to say how they will transfer Polanski to his Gstaad chalet called "Milky Way," which has a stunning view of the surrounding Alps. The three-story home still appeared deserted Friday.

___

Associated Press writers Eliane Engeler and Alexander G. Higgins in Geneva, Frank Jordans in Gstaad, and AP photographer Michel Euler in Zurich contributed to this report.

Rihanna in combative mood for new album

2009-11-15T06:22:00.000-08:00

PARIS (AFP) – Pop star Rihanna is back, blonde and out to have fun after "getting all my emotions out" on new album R Rated. But her guard is still up if tagged as a victim of domestic violence.

At a press conference to promote the album it was strictly off limits to even mention the controversy dogging her since February, when R&B boyfriend Chris Brown brutally attacked her in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards.

The shocking police photo of the singer's bruised face -- Rihanna is also a model and fashion icon -- was leaked to the press, and earlier this month the star said returning to Brown after he had bitten and scratched her during the attack had been a mistake which arose because she was "so far in love."

Well, she's not in love anymore. R Rated was recorded when she was in a "dark" mood, and did a lot of "venting" in the studio. Some tracks allude to the doomed relationship, especially the single Wait Your Turn.

Rihanna played the pop diva at the Paris get-together on Thursday, breezing in late and refusing point-blank to answer personal questions.

But she was all smiles when it came to talking about fashion, a favourite subject of the Glamour magazine woman of 2009 who has modelled for Gucci and Cover Girl.

Her tip for Parisian ladies this winter is "sexy lingerie", because even when you're all "bundled up you can still be cute when you take it off".

Asked if she thought she scared men away she laughed and suggested, in her rusty, deep voice that maybe "they just don't know how to approach me, so prefer not to".

Rihanna is a breath of fresh air in the size zero fashion world, freely admitting that although her "genetics say I should be low carbs", the junk food is still on the menu. "I'm just not a very disciplined eater".

Her fourth album in four years, which is out on November 23, includes three features: with ex-Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash, the rapper Young Jeezy and will.i.am.

Explaining how the track Photographs came about, she says she heard the tune at will.i.am's studio and even though it was meant for the Black Eyed Peas she said "this song belongs to me!" No surprise she got her way.

Though the 21-year-old has gone blonde, and is into creams and whites at the moment, R Rated is the opposite: angry, heavy, combative.

It is more hard rock than chilled-out melody, and Rihanna's vocals have a strong, metallic quality on most tracks.

The Barbados-born singer says she wanted to bring some of her roots to the music this time, and really worked to "put my little twang to it".

As for the future, it's a tour next spring, and she plans to take up the guitar (once she's mastered the drums), but "my nails are too long" she admits, and "it will have to wait before I'm ready to give these up".

Rihanna is not just talking about manicures.

'Hello, Ohio!' (Psst! Boss, we're in Michigan)

2009-11-15T05:43:00.000-08:00

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Want to get away, Boss?

Bruce Springsteen bellowed "Hello, Ohio!" to his fans at the Auburn Hills Palace. That's in Michigan.

The 60-year-old rock legend referred to the neighboring state several times Friday night until E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt whispered in his ear.

A visibly embarrassed Springsteen grinned and said such a mistake was "every front man's nightmare."

The Detroit Free Press says Springsteen rocked the forgiving audience for nearly three hours with new and old hits, including a complete performance of his album "Born to Run."

___

Information from: Detroit Free Press, http://www.freep.com

Britney Spears returns to bad habits | Celebrity news gossip

2009-11-09T07:14:00.000-08:00

BRITNEY Spears will be reunited with her kids today after they land on a commercial flight from LA.

The boys, Sean Preston, 4, and Jayden, 3, are travelling with their nanny and will meet their mother and grandfather in Melbourne. Spears arrived in Melbourne on Sunday night and has been seen slipping out regularly for smokes.

The smokes, Confidential hears, help ward off former bad habits.

Dad Jamie's chaperone role is said to be key to her sobriety.

Ex-husband Kevin Federline flies to Brisbane next week to be primary caregiver to the boys.

We wonder if the passion in this union can be restoked.

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2009-11-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

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Bipasha Basu out of Raavan... Reveals Why!

2009-10-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Bipasha Basu, who now looks forward to multi-starrer comedy "All The Best", has dismissed rumours that her role in Mani Ratnam's "Raavan" was cancelled because her character posed a threat to the other actresses - Aishwarya Rai and Priyamani. She insists it was an amicable decision between her and the director.

Rumour mills were abuzz that Bipasha's role of Mandodari opposite Abhishek Bachchan in the film was suspended because her part was overpowering as compared to the other female stars.

"They were all rumours and only rumours. I am not a part of 'Raavan'. I was initially a part of 'Raavan' but Mani sir thought he couldn't do justice to my role... as to whatever he had promised me would definitely be in conflict with the actual story of the film once it is shot, " Bipasha told in an interview.

"So he took a call instead of being in an embarrassing position later on. He decided to tell me that and amicably we decided that it should not be done...hopefully we'll work together soon. So now there's going to be no Mandodari in the film, " she added.

The film also stars Nikhil Dwivedi and Tamil actor Vikram.

Bipasha was in the capital to promote her forthcoming release "All The Best - Fun Begins" that is releasing Friday.

Distributed by Yash Raj Films, the laughathon has been directed by Rohit Shetty. Apart from Bipasha, it also stars Fardeen Khan, Mugdha Godse, Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn, who has produced the comedy.

" 'All The Best' is a situational comedy and a total entertainer. It deals with a lot of mistaken identities, people lying and getting into trouble, " Bipasha said.

"My character is called Jahnvi who is married to Ajay in the film. She is a straightforward girl who is trying to run her life and family by looking after a totally rundown gym. She cons people to join the gym by lying because by the looks of it, nobody wants to join it, " she added.

Apparently this is the 30-year-old's sixth movie with Ajay after "Zameen", "Apaharan", "Shikhar" and "Omkara".

"We also did a film together with Sanjay Dutt that was completed 50 percent, "Mr.Fraud" (shelved), " she said
Asked how her co-star was as a producer, she said: "He is a very good producer. He in fact gifted me a Blackberry apart from giving me the money for the film. What's important is that at the end of the day he is a very good friend and a very good co-star.

"I've known Ajay for quite some time now. He is very entertaining and makes you laugh and he's a fabulous actor."

Bipasha says she agreed to do "All The Best" after she realised it had the same essence as "No Entry".

"I have done comedies before like 'No Entry' and 'Phir Hera Pheri'... And I really got the same flavour as 'No Entry' when 'All The Best' was narrated to me.

"I laughed throughout the narration and I thought if a film could entertain me so much on a narrative level, I need to be a part of it because I wanted to see it made, as it's hilarious, " she said.

Apart from "All The Best", Bipasha's future projects include "Lamha", "Pankh" and Priyadarshan's next.

Why Katrina loves Ranbir

2009-10-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

Katrina Kaif’s New York revived the box office. She will be seen in full-fledged roles in two films this year, Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani and De Dana Dan and a special appearance in Blue. The gorgeous actress tells us about her latest film, director Rajkumar Santoshi and working with Ranbir Kapoor who is the next big thing.
“It’s been a great honour to work with Rajji. I have done most of my films with Akshay and Salman. I asked them who is the best director for an actor to work with and both of them answered that it was Rajkumar Santoshi. I had an amazing time working with him. I had a great time shooting the songs in Turkey and am grateful to Ahmed Khan for the fantastic choreography and Pritam for the wonderful music, as always,’ smiled Katrina.

Katrina has usually played the glam doll in most of her films except New York and, in APKGK her character seems to be more than just a pretty face. How does she feel about that? ‘I think I am very privileged that I keep getting fresh new chances with every film to better myself as an actress. In my opinion, Rajji has s reputation of not being just a fantastic director but also a fantastic director for actors and their performances. He has taught me a lot about improvisation. He has given my character and persona a new angle. It’s not anything like you have seen in New York or Singh is Kinng. It’s a completely different interpretation of Jenny, my character. Ranbir and I followed his guidance. We were always on the sets because being around Rajji, because you get to understand how he envisions the scene. Before every shot, he would enact my part and then enact my part. And we both would just stare at him in amazement. Then the two of us would have a competition as to who can copy him best. We just needed to follow his direction,’ she replied.

She and Ranbir are being touted as the best-looking on-screen pair of the year. About working with Ranbir Kapoor, she said, ‘He is a very talented actor and a very sweet guy. He is always lively and he fills the set with energy and enthusiasm. He makes sure everyone is having a good time. He is a positive force to be around. He is fantastic actor and dancer.’

New details in Anna Nicole Smith case scheduled

2009-10-13T04:20:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – Investigators are slated to testify about the more than two years they spent exploring the maze of prescriptions in the drug overdose death of celebrity model Anna Nicole Smith.

A preliminary hearing opens Tuesday focusing on Smith's former lawyer-boyfriend Howard K. Stern and two doctors linked to 44 different prescription drugs she took toward the end of her life.

Stern, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor and Dr. Khristina Eroshevich stand accused of conspiring to illegally provide Smith with controlled substances. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Medical experts and pharmacists also are expected to testify along with the model's friends and associates.

At the end of the two-week hearing, a judge will rule if there is enough evidence to order the three to stand trial.

Heidi Klum announces birth of fourth child

2009-10-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

BERLIN (AFP) – German supermodel Heidi Klum announced on Tuesday the birth of her fourth child, a daughter, the third with British singer husband Seal.

"Lou Sulola was born and from the moment she looked into both of our eyes it was endless love at first sight," US-based Klum, 36, said on her website.

"She is beautiful beyond words and we are happy that she chose us to watch her grow over the coming years."

The couple's other two children are called Henry Guenther Ademola Dashtu and Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo. Klum also has another daughter, Helene "Leni", by disgraced Formula One team boss Flavio Briatore.

The baby was born on Friday.

"New" Michael Jackson single a "mistake"

2009-10-13T04:09:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson didn't do it his way after all.

Hours after the pop singer's first posthumous single "This Is It" was released amid great hype on Monday, it emerged that the tune had been recorded 18 years ago by an obscure Puerto Rican singer.

Moreover the co-author of that tune, "My Way" songwriter Paul Anka, threatened to sue Jackson's estate for proper credit and his share of royalties.

The administrators of the estate quickly acknowledged Anka's claims and granted him 50 percent of the copyright, a potentially massive payday for the 68-year-old Canadian crooner. And an equally massive loss for the estate.

"They realize it's a mistake, they realize it's my song, they realize it's my production of his vocal in my studio and I am getting 50 percent of the whole project, actually, which is fair," Anka said in a video posted on the TMZ gossip Web site.

The song dates back to 1983, when it was known as "I Never Heard" -- a co-write between Jackson and Anka -- and intended for inclusion on an Anka album. But the pair fell out, Jackson took the master tapes and Anka got them back.

The song was eventually released in 1991 after Anka placed it with an unknown Latin singer named Sa-Fire.

Both "I Never Heard" and "This Is It" share the same vocal and piano line, although the latter track boasts new overdubs from Jackson's brothers.

But "This Is It" had been promoted as a new Jackson recording, one of a multitude of unreleased recordings likely to come out in the next few years.

It was released online around the world nearly four months after the singer died in Los Angeles of a prescription drug overdose at the age of 50.

Fans will be able to buy it when a two-disc album hits the shelves in two weeks to coincide with the October 28 worldwide release of the Jackson rehearsal-footage movie "This is It."

LYRICS FIT THE BILL

"The song was picked because the lyrics were appropriate because of the name Michael gave his tour," said a spokesman for Jackson's estate. "We are thrilled to present this song in Michael's voice for the first time, and that Michael's fans have responded in unprecedented numbers. The song was co-written by the legendary Paul Anka."

A spokeswoman for Sony Music declined to comment. One of the estate's two administrators, John McClain, worked with Jackson at the Sony Corp unit. The other executor is music attorney John Branca.

McClain, who is also a co-producer of the "This is It" album, had said in a statement earlier on Monday that the song "only defines, once again, what the world already knows -- that Michael is one of God's greatest gifts."

Some critics begged to differ. Jon Pareles, the chief pop critic of The New York Times, said in a blog it "won't be on anyone's list of best Michael Jackson songs, even if it's a long list" and hoped there was something better in the Michael Jackson vaults of album outtakes.

The "This Is It" movie is based on rehearsal video shot in Los Angeles in the weeks before Jackson's planned 50 comeback concerts in London. It was the subject of a $60 million deal between Jackson's estate and closely held concert promoter AEG Live and Sony's Sony Pictures unit.

Sales of Jackson's records spiked after his death and the release of the movie and album will add to the value of the "Thriller" singer's estate, estimated at around $400 million.

Sony Music said the first disc of the album will feature some of Jackson's greatest hits plus two versions of the "new" single.

The second disc will include unreleased versions of some of the singer's classic tracks and a spoken word poem entitled "Planet Earth" performed by Jackson and never heard before.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant and Dean Goodman; editing by Bill Trott)

Madonna shoes offered to Gypsy charity in Romania

2009-10-13T03:51:00.000-07:00

BUCHAREST, Romania – Madonna is putting her shoes where her mouth is.

The Queen of Pop has offered one of her favorite pairs of Christian Dior shoes to a charity supporting Gypsy child education. Organizers said Tuesday the skyscraper gold heels, which are autographed by Madonna, will be sold at the Ovidiu Rom annual ball later this month.

Madonna drew international attention by saying during an August concert in Bucharest on her "Sticky & Sweet'" tour that widespread discrimination against East Europe's Gypsies, also known as Roma, should end.

Thousands of fans responded by booing her.

"Madonna's very mild comment regarding equality shone a spotlight on a common European attitude toward Gypsies," Leslie Hawke, president of Ovidiu Rom, told The Associated Press. "We're thrilled to have her donation because she is such an icon of innovation and vigor and 'can do' spirit."

Hawke's son, actor Ethan Hawke, will attend the ball and speak to guests.

Guests at the ball will make donations to win raffle tickets for the auction of donated prizes. This year's items also will include a gold chain provided by actress Vanessa Redgrave.

Celine Dion Pregnant With Second Child!!!

2009-09-22T04:27:00.000-07:00

Canadian singer Celine Dion has made no secret of her desire to have another child.
And now she is!
According to a report in Tuesday's Journal de Montréal, the 41-year-old is sperminated.
Celine and her husband, René Angélil, 67, conceived with the help of a team of fertility doctors in New York.
The couple’s first child, René-Charles, was born in January 2001.
Congrats Celine and fam!
[Image via WENN.]

New Twilight: New Moon Pics!

2009-09-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

Get ready for this Twilight fanatics!
The Los Angeles Times' "Hollywood Backlot" was able to visit the set of The Twilight Saga: New Moon and, lucky for us, they snapped some great behind-the-scenes shots.
As usual, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner were looking gorgeous!
As for Kristen Stewart, well, she managed to ruin a few shots.
The photos were taken on set a few minutes outside of Vancouver as the cast and crew shot scenes late at night until 4am at the Capitano Park Forest.
Checkout the rest of the exclusive photos HERE!
[Images via David Strick for L.A. Times.]

Richard Gere Must Be So Jealous!

2009-09-22T04:05:00.000-07:00

Think your pet has a good life? Well, think again!
Brad Pitt has just dumped $82,000 on a custom home for his kids' gerbils.
What!? We understand loving your pet, but this is a little extreme! That's enough to buy a home for an actual person in some places!!!
The lucky gerbils were picked out by Maddox and Pax last month, when their parents took them to a local pet store in France.
An onlooker says "The boys were really keen to get the gerbils and it was Angelina who reached into the cage to pet them before a store worker got them out."
Angie touching a rodent!? Where were the paparazzi on this one?
The swanky gerbil digs will include tunnels, platforms, seesaws and mazes, which will go in the family's mansion in the South of France.
The design was overseen by the kids and Brad. According to a source "Brad pores over architectural journals…he had so much fun putting the run together with his kids…"
Sounds like some good father/kid bonding to us. Who else can say they helped design a gerbil house with their father?
Or better yet, what gerbil can say they live with the Jolie-Pitts!?
[Image via FayesVision/WENN.]

It's On: Angelina jolie vs. Megan!

2009-09-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

We knew something like this would happen sooner or later!
Look-a-like actresses Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox are both vying for the title role in the remake of Barbarella.
HOT!
Apparently Fox's quick rise to stardom is making Ange nervous, not to mention the 11-year age gap between them!
"Ange is really feeling the pressure," says an insider. "Ange knows that to win roles she has to look youthful."
The 1968 film originally starred Jane Fonda as the sci-fi fantasy bombshell.
It's a tough call, ladies. You're both fierce!
Who would U rather see in the role?
[Image via Apega / Adriana M. Barraza / WENN.]

Santa Angelina Keeps It Up

2009-09-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

Santa Angelina is dedicated to her cause!

Jolie, who holds the title of a UN Goodwill Ambassador, traveled to Kenya this weekend to help draw attention to the overcrowding problem in refugee camps.

Camps for refugees of Somalia opened in 1991 - only built to accommodate 90,000 refugees. The camps currently hold 285,000 people, with that number growing every month.

Ange visited the camp in Dadaab on Saturday to speak with the Somalian refugees, hoping to discover a solution to the issue at hand.

So inspiring!

P.S. Eat, bitch!

[Image via AP Images.]

Police arrest suspect in Lohan burglary

2009-09-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – Police arrested a man on Thursday who is suspected of breaking into the homes of Lindsay Lohan and Audrina Patridge.

Officer Rosario Herrera said detectives arrested Nicholas Prugo, 18, on suspicion of felony burglary. Prugo was being held on $20,000 bail.

Herrera said the investigation is ongoing and there were no details about whether any property was recovered. No one else has been arrested, she said.

Jail records did not indicate whether Prugo has an attorney.

Lohan's Hollywood Hills home was broken into last month. Patridge, a star of MTV's show "The Hills," had her home burglarized in February.

Both women turned over surveillance footage of the break-ins. Lohan's footage showed three people, while Patridge's cameras captured a man and a woman.

A publicist for Patridge, 24, declined to comment. Lohan's publicist did not immediately reply to an e-mail sent after hours Thursday.

Lohan, 23, has starred in films such as "Mean Girls" and "Herbie Fully Loaded." She posted a Twitter message after the burglary at her house stating that several items of sentimental value were taken.

Neither actress was home at the time of the burglary.

John Leguizamo, Penelope Cruz win ALMA Awards

2009-09-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – "Nothing Like the Holidays" had a merry time at the ALMA Awards.

The ensemble family drama starring John Leguizamo, Debra Messing and Freddy Rodriguez won three awards at Thursday's ceremony, which recognized achievements by Hispanic artists in film, television and music over the past year. Leguizamo, screenwriter Rick Najera and director Alfredo De Villa were each awarded trophies for their work in the film category.

Penelope Cruz won the film actress award for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" while "Twilight" makeup artist Jeanne Van Phue and hair stylist Mary Ann Valdes picked up awards for their behind-the-scenes work. David Archuleta and Pitbull won prizes in the music category during the ceremony at UCLA's Royce Hall. The show is scheduled to be televised Friday by ABC.

Honorees in the TV category included Benjamin Bratt from A&E's "The Cleaner" as drama actor, Lauren Velez from Showtime's "Dexter" as drama actress, Oscar Nunez from NBC's "The Office" as comedy actor, Selena Gomez from Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" as comedy actress and Latino Public Broadcasting in the documentary category.

Oscar De La Hoya received the Special Achievement in Sports Television award while Salma Hayek was given the Anthony Quinn Award for Industry Excellence. Rita Moreno presented a tribute to the late Ricardo Montalban. ALMA Awards creator Raul Yzaguirre was awarded the first-ever PepsiCo Adelante Award for his lifetime of service to the Latino community.

The ALMA Awards were created in 1995 by the National Council of La Raza, a national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, as part of its effort to promote diverse and fair portrayals of Latinos in the media. ALMA stands for American Latino Media Arts and means "soul" in Spanish. George Lopez and Eva Longoria Parker hosted this year's ceremony.

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On the Net:

http://www.almaawards.com

Lights out for 'Guiding Light' after final show

2009-09-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK – Friday marked the final flicker of CBS' "Guiding Light," as that venerable daytime drama logged its farewell hour after 72 years on the air.

The last episode took an upbeat, life-affirming tone, complete with a scene that gathered many of the characters at a picnic in the park on a beautiful day.

And the closing moments sealed the future of the show's signature on-and-off-again supercouple: Reva (Kim Zimmer, who created the role in 1983) and Josh (Robert Newman, who started on the show in 1981).

They rendezvoused, according to plan, at the local lighthouse and declared their undying love. Then these soul mates climbed into Josh's pickup truck.

"You ready?" asked Josh.

"Always," Reva said.

And they drove away, as the words "The End" flashed on the screen before a final fade-out.

"Guiding Light" began on radio in 1937, then moved to TV in 1952. In recent decades it was set in the midwestern town of Springfield, where it focused on the Spaulding, Lewis and Cooper clans.

Along with veteran cast members, the show also played host to many actors who left to find larger stardom elsewhere. These include Kevin Bacon, JoBeth Williams, James Earl Jones, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Hayden Panettiere and Melina Kanakaredes.

CBS issued word that it would be axed last April, and production of the show, which was taped in Manhattan and in nearby Peapack, N.J., wrapped in August.

"Guiding Light" now becomes the latest victim of the ratings collapse afflicting the entire soap-opera world. With an average 2.1 million viewers, it was the least-watched of all the network soaps, which after today (and some 15,700 past weekdays for "Light") will total only seven.

On Oct. 5, CBS will fill the slot "Guiding Light" is vacating with a new edition of the game show "Let's Make a Deal."

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CBS is a unit of CBS Corp.

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Michael Jackson's glove auctioned in Australia

2009-09-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

MELBOURNE, Australia – A bejeweled white glove Michael Jackson tossed to an Australian fan more than a decade ago sold at auction Sunday for 57,600 Australian dollars ($48,400), almost twice the estimated selling price.

Warwick Stone, a buyer for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, beat out five other bidders for the late King of Pop's glove, said Charlotte Stanes, spokeswoman for the Melbourne auction house Bonhams and Goodman. The estimated selling price before the auction was AU$30,000.

"We are very happy with the result," Stanes said. "It's the first glove we know about in Australia."

Bonhams and Goodman said it was the first auction of a Michael Jackson glove since his death on June 25 this year at age 50.

Jackson visited Australia in 1996 as part of his HIStory world tour. While in Sydney, he attended the Australian premiere for the film "Ghosts," in which he had a starring role. At the end of the screening, he tossed the glove at audience member Bill Hibble, who has since died, said national head of collectables Giles Moon.

Stars, family honor Michael Jackson at funeral

2009-09-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

GLENDALE, California (Reuters) – Michael Jackson was buried on Thursday, more than two months after he died of a drug overdose, marking the last stop for a superstar who spent most of his 50 years in the public gaze.

The singer, whose enormous success with such albums as "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" was overshadowed in later years by his extravagant lifestyle and child molestation allegations, died on June 25 with a mix of prescription medications in his body.

The Los Angeles coroner ruled Jackson's death a homicide. Police are investigating several doctors and have said they will seek criminal charges, but so far none has been filed.

Security was very tight at the private evening funeral at the historic Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California, near Los Angeles.

Fans and reporters were kept away from the 200 guests, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, musician Quincy Jones and Jackson's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley.

The Jackson family entourage was the last to arrive, showing up more than an hour later than scheduled in a convoy of 30 limousines, some members waving to a cheering crowd of more than 400 people.

A few minutes later, a hearse drove through the cemetery accompanied by four police officers on motorcycles.

The outdoor ceremony lasted for about an hour before the pop star was interred in a crypt in the vast mock-Renaissance Grand Mausoleum, a family spokesman said.

The pallbearers were Jackson's five brothers -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy -- who performed similar honors at a public memorial service in July.

ACTORS, LAWYER AT FUNERAL

The ceremony began with Jackson's three children placing a crown on their father's coffin, the spokesman said.

Speakers included Jackson's father Joseph, whom the singer often accused of abusing him as a child, and civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Others guests included actors Corey Feldman, Chris Tucker, Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend Mila Kunis, Thomas Mesereau, the attorney who successfully defended Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial, and Kenny Ortega, the choreographer on Jackson's planned comeback tour.

Officials have said a cocktail of medications, including the powerful anesthetic propofol and sedative lorazepam were the primary causes of Jackson's death.

While several doctors who treated Jackson have been investigated, police have focused on his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at his bedside when he suffered a heart attack in a rented Los Angeles mansion.

Murray was hired by concert promoter AEG Live in the weeks before Jackson's death to watch over him as he rehearsed for a series of comeback concerts in London, scheduled to start in July. Those concerts were to have helped the singer pay off debts and shore up his finances.

Jackson will be in stellar company at Forest Lawn, a stately 290-acre (117-hectare) property that is the final resting place of such Hollywood icons as Walt Disney, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Nat "King" Cole and Jimmy Stewart.

The cemetery will reopen to the public on Friday, with private security for Jackson's crypt, said a spokesman for the Glendale Police Department.

The city went to unusual lengths to make sure the funeral went off without a hitch.

Police helicopters with infrared technology started buzzing the cemetery on Wednesday night to make sure no one slipped in. Police dogs, plainclothes officers and private security guards also patrolled the area.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by John O'Callaghan)