'Cheeta' writer could be top banana

The Booker Prize, one of Britain's most prestigious literary awards, this year might go to a - chimpanzee. Organizers announced yesterday the long list of 13 Booker contenders, which includes Me Cheeta, the purported memoirs of the chimp who starred in the 1930s Tarzan flicks.

Alas, the book, which was initially published anonymously, was penned by a human, James Lever. Others in the running for the $82,000 prize include A.S. Byatt, J.M. Coetzee, Sarah Hall, Hilary Mantel, Simon Mawer, Sarah Waters, and William Trevor. The winner will be announced Oct. 6.

Breathing soul into clay

No, I'm afraid the latest monumental tribute to Michael Jackson is not made of butter. Nor is it homegrown. (It's in Paris, France.)

French artist Jean-Baptiste Seckler, 33, is honoring the late, great King of Pop, by fashioning a sculpture of him in public in front of Paris' famed Pompidou Center.

Seckler, who was out there yesterday, shaping MJ's nose and lips, said he wanted to do his creationing away from "the silence and the concentration" he would otherwise enjoy in his no doubt very chic garret, because MJ's death "affected everyone, whether you like him or not."

The artist, who began his labors Saturday, is working in clay - we mortals do, after all, have feet of clay.

Red hot dancer in hot spot

Katie Holmes, who delighted audiences with her sexy Judy Garland turn on So You Think You Can Dance, last weekend barely escaped an (almost) burning vehicular inferno on the Australian set of her horror flick, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. A BMW in which she was being filmed began emitting big billows of smoke from under the bonnet, but luckily, it didn't erupt into flames. An anon source tells Britain's Daily Mail that Katie, 30, "was very shaken by the ordeal. She took the rest of the day off."

The problem was caused by the car's apparently faulty battery.

Postliterate era continues

Here's a godsend for illiterate celeb fans: SubMensa author Lauren Conrad, whose claim to fame is looking very thin and very blond on The Hills, is considering offers for a film version of her debut novel, L.A. Candy, which we suspect will become part of the standard high school lit curriculum before long.

The good news: Lauren says she wants to produce the film, not star in it. The bad news? Lauren is following up the roman à clef with a second and a third tome.

Barton back to work

Mischa Barton, who's been getting some work done on her soul, psyche, and emotions under the guidance of psychiatrists, will be out of her little pit stop Friday, in time to film The Beautiful Life, a reality show that will purportedly take a critical look at the beauty industry and the pressures it creates for young women. (It'll probably just end up promoting zillions of beauty products.)

"She's back to business as usual," her rep tells People, while show creator Ashton Kutcher tells Reuters that M.B. "is doing great."

Sci-fi treat at Franklin Institute

Star Trek actor and Rutgers prof Avery Brooks of Deep Space Nine fame and legendary novelist and Temple prof Samuel Delany will chat about issues of race and culture Friday at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Institute. Information: 215-448-1254 or www2.fi.edu.

George, R.I.P

USAToday.com reveals that Grey's Anatomy spent its first week of production for the new season filming a funeral. And since T.R. Knight has left the show, this leads us to conclude that the services are for his George O'Malley. Don't worry - Katherine Heigl (big-mouth) and Ellen Pompeo (sickly cute cutie-pie) are back.From:www.philly.com

"The war is over," Linda Bollea told

After nearly two years of contentious court dates and bitter feuding, Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) and his wife Linda settled their divorce Tuesday morning.

"The war is over," Linda Bollea told The Tampa Tribune after a hearing in downtown Clearwater, Fla. In a sign of peace, she even kissed her ex on the cheek in the courtroom. "I still love him. He's the father of my children," Bollea added.

Hogan, echoing his wife's surprisingly soft sentiment, told the paper, "When you're married to someone for 23 years ... you hope for the best .... We just got torn apart."

In a statement released Tuesday, the wrestler's rep said, "Hulk is looking forward to moving on with his life and is very hopeful that he and Linda can maintain a friendship and work together as parents to their two children."

Bollea filed for divorce from her husband in November of 2007, just three months after the couple's teenage son, Nick, was involved in a car crash that critically injured his best friend.

While terms of the divorce agreement were not made public, a source tells PEOPLE that Bollea now plans to move to Los Angeles, while Hogan will likely move back into the family home in Clearwater.From:www.people.com

James Cameron is hoping fans will be wowed

James Cameron is hoping fans will be wowed by his upcoming 3-D epic Avatar. But don't expect him to reveal any secrets from his $240 million, computer-generated opus.

"You're not going to find 'behind the scenes' extras on the DVD," Cameron says. "I think the movies aren't the big, wonderful mysteries they used to be. I don't want to see some guy in a black leotard and dots showing me how he made himself look like an animal."

ALSO AT COMIC-CON: One final disaster film for Roland Emmerich

He may be Hollywood's most gifted tailor of cinema and technology, but Cameron remains a pretty old-fashioned guy. Until today, the director has kept his film as secret as a birthday gift — one he plans to present with 20 minutes of footage at Comic-Con.

For a filmmaker who hasn't made a commercial feature since 1997's Titanic, Cameron doesn't sound too worried about selling his tale of war between mankind and an indigenous species on the exotic planet Pandora.

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"I think for this type of film, presenting it to a concentrated mass of passionate fans, it's perfect," Cameron says. "I've spent four years of my life on this project. We've got the (goods)."

That is big news for the 7,000 fans who managed a ticket for Thursday's scheduled presentation. Cameron's return has generated the kind of fan reverence normally reserved for George Lucas.

"Iron Man 2 has everyone excited, but there's not a person at Comic-Con who isn't dying to know what James Cameron is bringing," says Blair Butler of the G4 cable network, which caters to gamers and fanboys and plans live coverage of the event.

"He changed film with Terminator and Aliens," she says. "Everyone is wondering if he can do it again."

If he can't, it won't be for lack of trying. Just as he pushed the envelope with his previous hits, Cameron used a new technology for Avatar that allowed him to see computer-generated creatures on his camera while filming live actors.

"It's a different experience for me now," he says. "It was familiar in bursts, like shooting actors. Then we'd shoot for 50 days standing out in a big empty warehouse."

Cameron says that one pressure he doesn't face: having to stay true to the source material.

"We can't screw up a 40-year-old tradition like a comic book," he says. "We created this world from scratch. I've felt like a lawyer preparing for a major case. You spend all this time, rehearsing, rewriting. I'm ready to make my case."From:www.usatoday.com

No. 1 spot from boy wizard Harry Potter

LOS ANGELES — An elite squad of guinea pigs has worked its own brand of magic at the box office, taking the No. 1 spot from boy wizard Harry Potter.

The 3-D animated "G-Force" was the top movie at the box office this weekend, opening with $32.2 million.Last week's No. 1 film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," came in a close second with an estimated $30 million. That's a whopping 61 percent drop from its huge opening last weekend of $79.5 million.The sixth installment in the Harry Potter franchise has now made $222 million total.www.google.com

The Ugly Truth:Judd Apatow movie, Raunch, By Kurt Loder

The Ugly Truth" is an attempted Judd Apatow movie — a raunchy romance — that fails not only to raise the bar, but even to reach it. Apatow, both as a director ("Knocked Up") and as a producer working with directors in his orbit ("Superbad," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") understands the liberating power of boldly scabrous dialogue and boundary-nudging sexual situations, and he embraces them. The makers of "The Ugly Truth" are reticent by comparison, which is the kiss of tedium

The actors are superior to the trite material. Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a Sacramento TV producer who's so hard-up for dates that she has to troll the Internet in search of Mr. Right. (Again: Katherine Heigl.) The happy-talk news show she produces, hosted by a bickering married couple (Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins), is dead last in the ratings. In desperation, management decides to bring in Mike (Gerard Butler), the burly host of a man-centric public-access program called "The Ugly Truth," on which he derides love as a female scam and advises lonely bachelorettes to "get some trashy lingerie — all we care about is looks."

Abby is appalled when Mike is inserted into the mix on her news show. (After his first appearance she runs to her office and cowers in a closet.) Soon this unevolved clod is staging segments with Jell-O-wrestling bikini babes, and he and Abby begin butting heads in earnest. But wait — could these two in fact, somehow, be right for each other? Romantically? To ask is to answer.

Since Heigl's character — a professional woman of some accomplishment — is depicted as basically a love-starved ditz (she does an idiot dance of joy when she finally meets a hot male prospect), it's surprising to learn that the script was written by three women, and that two of them were Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, the ace team behind such far-better films as "The House Bunny" and "Legally Blonde" (the latter also directed, like this one, by Robert Luketic). The movie does have some lively moments (mostly Butler's doing) and some actual laughs. But there are also a number of lines that land with a near-audible thud (as when Abby tells an aggressive colleague that he has "balls the size of a Volkswagen.

What really derails the film, though, is its forced comic situations. For example: Abby climbs a tree to retrieve her runaway cat. Through a neighboring window she spots a hunky guy toweling off after a shower. The branch on which she's standing breaks, leaving her dangling upside down from the tree (and giving us a glimpse of her underwear). When shower guy comes out to help, wearing only his towel ... well, what follows has the form of funny, but the setup is so strained that the humor is hobbled. Even more awkward is an orgasm scene in a restaurant, which demonstrates that the filmmakers have watched "When Harry Met Sally" and had no idea how to improve upon it.

Heigl and Butler have an appealing chemistry in this movie (he's a surprisingly agile comic performer), and the supporting actors — especially Higgins, and Bree Turner as Abby's droll assistant — round out a sharp ensemble that would've done credit to a smart carnal comedy. Despite what the trailer might seem to promise, though, "The Ugly Truth" isn't it.

From:www.mtv.com

International Mozarteum Foundation ,works composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The International Mozarteum Foundation said Thursday it has discovered two more works composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The previously unknown works are piano pieces composed by a young Mozart, the Salzburg-based foundation said in a brief e-mail statement.

The Web site of the organization said its department of research had identified the works, long in the foundation's possession, as Mozart compositions.

Mozart, who was born in Salzburg, lived from 1756 to 1791. He played piano from an early age, began composing music when he was 5, and eventually created more than 600 works, ranging from operas to chamber music, choral pieces and piano concertos.

The foundation declined to provide more details Thursday, saying specifics would be made public during a presentation in Salzburg on Aug. 2.

During the event, Austrian musician Florian Birsak will perform the pieces on an original Mozart piano.

The foundation, established in 1880 and a prime source for Mozart-related matters, seeks to preserve the composer's heritage and find new approaches for analyzing him.

Discoveries such as the one announced Thursday are rare but not unheard of.

In September, Ulrich Leisinger, Mozarteum's head of research, said that a French library had found another previously unknown piece of music handwritten by Mozart.

The work, described as the preliminary draft of a musical composition, was found in Nantes in western France as library staff members were going through its archives. Leisinger says the library contacted his foundation for help authenticating the work.

There have been up to 10 Mozart discoveries of such importance over the past 50 years, Leisinger said at the time.

From:www.google.com

Katherine Jackson has hired an attorney

Jackson family sources tell us there's a bitter dispute over who will call the shots in probating Michael Jackson's will.

Katherine Jackson has hired an attorney -- Londell McMillan -- and we're told it's a done deal that McMillan will challenge the co-executors Michael selected. We're told most of the brothers -- Randy the notable exception -- are angry that McMillan has asserted himself by challenging co-executors John Branca and John McClain, both long time advisors and friends of M.J.

Ultimately, Joe Jackson has asserted his influence over Katherine to hire McMillan for the dirty work. We're told Katherine is really being manipulated and doesn't even have real objections to Branca and McMillan.

Randy is coy on who Joe and McMillan wants as executor instead, but the family is worried Joe and McMillan wants someone who will do anything but look out for the best interests of the estate -- especially since Joe is cut out of the will like a bad cancer.

Frank McCourt: books captivated millions of readers around the world

While his books captivated millions of readers around the world, Frank McCourt, who died Sunday after a recent health battle, spent the earlier part of his life enthralling a smaller but no less impressionable group of people: his students in the New York City public school system, where he taught for 30 years.

It was when the Brooklyn-born, Ireland-raised McCourt reached his 60s that he decided to put memories of his impossibly impoverished childhood in Limerick – and his mother Angela – to paper, and the result was Angela's Ashes, published in 1996 to acclaim and awards, including the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. In 2005, his Teacher Man affectionately chronicled his hurdles and triumphs as a teacher.

Now, his former pupils are returning the favor, remembering McCourt as "a legend in the halls," according to a woman who identifies herself only as Nicole on a New York Times blog dedicated exclusively to remembering the 78-year-old author.

"I still remember the first day of English class, and the only time Mr. McCourt assigned us a book to read for the entire term," recalls another graduate of McCourt's, Agatha Ariola. " 'You will read, Thomas Wolfe's You Can't Go Home Again,' he had said in a melodic accent that I, a sheltered, first-generation Asian-American, found so refreshing from the harsh Queens accent I often heard on the 45-minute subway commute to Stuyvesant HS."

As Ariola further recalls, "Class was 40 minutes of storytelling by this wonderfully gifted and engaging author, and I was encouraged to write from my own voice as a child of immigrant parents. Although my creative writing is now mostly kept in my journals for personal reading, Mr. McCourt left me with the legacy and appreciation of family, and the desire to go out into the world and seek the experiences that create memories."

Public Memorial Planned

In terms of his teaching style, McCourt "laughed and sneered, entertained and enthralled me and 30 other kids, says "Diane," from the class of 1986. "We read You Can't Go Home Again and My Papa's Waltz, wrote children's stories, sang songs and assigned ourselves our own grades (0-100). His writings truly capture the magic of his classroom. He was a good soul and will be missed."

As another legend, veteran New York newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin, put it to the Daily News for its Monday editions: ""He never hurt another human being that I know of. This guy was real from the go. And so he's a real loss to the city because there's nobody with his backbone to replace him."

McCourt's students – and his other fans – will have a chance to pay him tribute at a pubic memorial, being planned for September, says younger brother Malachy McCourt.
From:www.people.com

Paul Abdul going to be back on American Idol

Paul Abdul may have a new manager — but she may find herself without her old job on American Idol.

“Very sadly, it does not appear that she’s going to be back on Idol,” David Sonenberg, Abdul’s manager, told the Los Angeles Times, which also reports that a grassroots campaign took shape this weekend to keep Abdul on the show — along with other judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and recent addition Kara DioGuardi — for its ninth season, auditions for which are underway.

Though Abdul recently said she’d been invited back and FOX said earlier this year that Abdul, 47, was “an integral part of the show,” Sonenberg says there is no contract on the table.

“I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful,” he said of the delay. “I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that they haven’t stepped up and said what they want to do.” – Stephen M. Silverman

From:tvwatch.people.com

Walter Cronkite, America's anchor

I heard this story from a CBS producer who claims to have witnessed it.
Walter and Betsy, his wife of many years, had just taken their seats aboard a commercial airliner. The flight attendant came over and asked Walter what his name was. "Cronkite," he said with that little smile of his that was also meant to convey: "Look, you're going to feel a little silly in a moment when it hits you." "Cronkite," the flight attendant repeated. "Can you spell that for me?" Walter turned to Betsy and grumped: "You're just loving this, aren't you?" (Betsy probably put the flight attendant up to it in the first place!) The fact is that there was a time when nobody in this country didn't know who Walter Cronkite was. He was our national town crier, the 20th century equivalent of the fellow in medieval times who walked the streets and yelled: "Seven o'clock and all's well." Or, who explained what had gone wrong if all wasn't well.

What's more, you had the feeling that absent television or radio, Walter would've been perfectly happy distributing the news door-to-door. Walter Cronkite was the man for whom the term "anchor" was created. Really. It was during the run-up to the political conventions in 1952, and (there's some debate over who gets the credit) someone on the production team decided that there had to be a title to describe the fellow sitting at the desk; pulling it all together, holding it all in place. And isn't that, after all, what Walter did all those years? Pulled it all together . . . held it all in place. Walter Cronkite, America's anchor. From:stories.ballybunioncountryclub.com

Janet Jackson and music producer Jermaine Dupri have reportedly called it quits

After almost seven years of dating, Janet Jackson and music producer Jermaine Dupri have reportedly called it quits, according to Us Weekly.

“His friends are telling people it’s over,” according to an Us Weekly source.

Another source said the split had been looming on the horizon for the couple for some time.

“They have been moving in different directions for a while,” the source said.

Dupri, who was noticeably absent from Michael Jackson’s memorial on July 7, produced several of Jackson’s recent tracks on her last two albums — which could have contributed to the split, according to the mag.

“You shouldn’t mix business with pleasure,” a friend of the former couple told the mag. “Janet felt their lives were too crossed and they should have kept things separate.”

In addition to her break-up, another source said Jackson is still in the midst of mourning for her brother.

“She’s devastated,” another insider said. “She’s busy caring for Michael’s kids. Janet’s the family’s backbone.” Jackson was previously married to Rene Elizondo. They divorced in 2000.

From:www.msnbc.msn.com

one of the stars of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This was one time Tom Felton, one of the stars of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," could have really used a spell of protection.

Chauffeured to a recent appearance at a store opening, the 21-year-old actor found a throng of jubilant admirers waiting for him.

"We felt like the Beatles because there were people cheering," says Felton, who is still sporting his dyed blond locks from his turn as the dastardly Draco Malfoy. "We thought we would put the window down and be like, 'Hi, it's nice to see you.'

"We put the window down, this woman reached right in and grabbed my hair," he says, reenacting his squirming under the fan's grasp. "'Pull the window up, pull the window up!'"

Welcome to life for a student of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the young actors are learning the pressures of a franchise that has earned almost $4.5 billion at the box office worldwide.

But with the sixth installment of the franchise hitting theaters and the last two movies currently being filmed simultaneously, a major crossroads is looming for the franchise's young actors. Will there be enough magic left in their careers after Harry Potter?

"The success that they've had in the eight years would make an entire career for most people, but they've turned into really good actors over the course of the last few years and hopefully that ability will help them transcend these roles," says Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com.

But the movie industry is littered with the wreckage of the careers of former child actors that couldn't make the transition into adult roles. For every Jodie Foster, there are a dozen Lindsay Lohans and Macaulay Culkins.

"They're waiting for you to become the stereotypical child actor and go off the wheels a bit," says "Potter" veteran Rupert Grint, 20. "But I'm not planning on it. We're too busy to go too crazy, anyway, because we're filming most of the year."

The films' young stars also have one major advantage over child actors past: They're working with a cast heavy on award-winning British veterans like Alan Rickman and Dame Maggie Smith. Harry himself, Daniel Radcliffe, said he agreed to take on his gutsy role in "Equus" on castmate Kenneth Branagh's recommendation.From:www.nydailynews.com

Jennifer Aniston was spotted getting cozy with co-star Gerard Butler

Actress Jennifer Aniston was spotted getting cozy with co-star Gerard Butler on the set of their new movie The Bounty.

The former ‘Friends’ star had one arm wrapped tightly around Gerard’s back and a palm pressed flat against his chest - the exact same pose she struck for public cuddles with former hubby Brad Pitt, old flame Vince Vaughn and ex-boyfriend John Mayer.

According to on-set sources, Gerard has been making Jennifer giggle a lot, and put a smile back on her face.

“There’s a definite chemistry between Jennifer and Gerard,” the Mirror quoted the source as saying.

“They seem to be spending a lot of time together, even when they are not working,” the source added. (ANI)

From:blog.taragana.com

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Diane Dimond on Michael Jackson's Drug Use

ET special correspondent Diane Dimond, who has been covering Michael Jackson news since 1993, talks about the accident that she claims led to Michael's drug use.

It was a TV spot that went bad. The King of Pop was filming a Pepsi commercial when, during the sixth take, Michael's hair caught on fire. He was rushed to the hospital with burns to his scalp and face.

"That was a horrific accident, and that is the point at which Michael Jackson was introduced to the world of painkillers," Diane says. "After that, and all the cosmetic surgeries, he became hopelessly addicted."

Diane also addresses reports that the LAPD is treating the Gloved One's death as a homicide. A spokesperson for the police tells the ET newsdesk that it is not true, saying, "This is an ongoing investigation."

Diane says, "The LAPD does not label an investigation as a homicide until after they've completed gathering all of the evidence. My sources tell me law enforcement is looking at the illegal distribution of narcotic drugs and the possibilities of homicide or even suicide."

In his first interview since Michael's death, Tito Jackson says he and his siblings talked about [the possibility of Michael's using drugs] again and again for hours, but they just couldn't get through to him. He adds that they tried many times, but his team of people shut them out.

Diane's reaction to that is: "What I have learned from various sources over the years is this: Michael's addiction was a constant source of concern and conversation among the Jackson family. They truly loved him and worried about him, but Michael felt they were interfering with his life. In his mind, he felt they wanted him back on stage to help them earn money."

There is also a new report that the rented mansion where Michael went into cardiac arrest was outfitted with a sophisticated security camera system, and that there is missing surveillance footage from the day that Michael died.

"What I have learned over the course of my years investigating Michael Jackson is that he had a strong 'dislike' for security cameras inside his homes, and he did not want a video record of what he did behind closed doors. If there were cameras at his Los Angeles home, they were probably at the gates and outside, rather than in the bedrooms," Diane says.

For more on the Michael Jackson investigation, tune in to tonight's ET, and keep checking back here for all the latest updates.From:www.etonline.com

Oscar-winning director Robert Redford married his German partner

BERLIN (Reuters) - Oscar-winning director Robert Redford married his long-term German partner Sibylle Szaggars in the northern port city of Hamburg last weekend, a church spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Redford, 72, and Szaggars, a 51-year-old artist, have been together for more than a decade, according to media reports.

The ceremony, in Szaggars's home town, took place at the five-star Louis C. Jacob Hotel on Saturday afternoon, Renate Massfeller of St. Catherine's Church said. She declined to give any further details.

Hotel officials declined to comment. Newspaper Bild has offered 10,000-euro ($14,000) for the first picture of the wedding and said it would publish it on its front page.

Redford's New York representative could not be reached immediately for comment.

About 30 friends and family members attended the ceremony, according to Hamburger Abendblatt. The newspaper said the bride wore a champagne-colored dress and Redford wore a white suit.

Redford, an actor, director and environmentalist, founded the non-profit arts organization Sundance Institute and launched the Sundance Festival that has become the premiere event for U.S. independent films.

Redford has starred in more than 40 films in a career spanning five decades. He won an Academy Award for best director for the 1980 film "Ordinary People."

From:www.reuters.com

“All three want Janet to read to them at night,” a Jackson family friend says.

While Michael Jackson’s mom, Katherine Jackson continues to fend off Debbie Rowe over the issue of custody for the late King of Pop’s kids, it’s Michael’s sister Janet Jackson who has emerged in the eyes of many as the favored caregiver for the three children. And, sources tell OK!, that appears to be just what Prince, Paris and Blanket want most.“All three want Janet to read to them at night,” a Jackson family friend says. “They just melt into her arms when she walks into the house.”

The feeling is mutual, adds the insider.

“Janet has completely bonded with those children in the last two weeks,” the friend continues. “She has been their rock. It’s clear to everyone that they are looking to her for comfort and guidance.”

Michael’s will names his mother, Katherine as the children’s guardian, but Debbie, the biological mother of the eldest kids, has expressed interest in raising them. All three currently live at Katherine’s Encino, Calif. home.

Janet Sexy Picture

“[They] are doing great. Mom and Janet are taking care of them,” Michael’s brother Jackie tells OK!.

One concern raised is that at 79, caring for three kids might be too much for Katherine, a problem eased by Janet’s presence.

“Janet is not only willing to raise those children, she is also the only relative who knows how to protect them,” the insider tells OK!. “Janet knows the value of a private life and knows how to keep her personal life out of the news. She is determined to do that for Michael’s children. She is saying that he would want no less for them, pointing out how far he went to shelter them.”

For more on Paris, Prince and Blanket’s relationship with Janet and their future, pick up the new issue of OK! — on sale everywhere Thursday!

From:www.okmagazine.com

Talk about performance anxiety "Harry Potter"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Talk about performance anxiety.

If ever there was a film release almost certain to turn a tidy profit, it would be any Harry Potter movie, and Warner Bros. executives can rest assured that Wednesday's debut of the franchise's sixth installment will pile the grosses high through Sunday. But to understand just how fervently studio insiders will be hoping for a muscular box-office bow by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," consider that this time last year Warners launched a little film called "The Dark Knight" to rather good effect.

No pressure there.

"The reviews are great," Warners domestic distribution president Dan Fellman said with a what-me-worry nonchalance. "I think it's the best Harry Potter picture so far. Certainly, as the cast matures, they keep getting better."

"Potter" movies have carried PG or PG-13 ratings, with "Prince" toting the less-restrictive former designation. As the cast and their book-based characters age, Warners hopes to attract new, younger patrons while continuing to draw older fans of the series.

"Half-Blood Prince" is set for 4,275 U.S. and Canadian locations Wednesday and 50 more beginning Friday, and its screen count runs north of 8,000. A consensus estimate for its first five days in domestic release has it pulling in $140 million or more, with about $100 million of that sum likely to be rung up during the Friday-Sunday span.

Previous Potter pics have posted cumulative domestic grosses ranging upward from the $249.5 million fetched by 2004's "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," with 2001 franchise launcher "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" enjoying the series' best domestic take to date: $317.6 million.

'PRINCE' OVER 'PHOENIX'

The most recent release, 2007's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," registered $292 million domestically and another $646.2 million internationally. "Phoenix" fetched $44 million on its first day and $139.7 million during its first five days. There is broad consensus that "Prince" can best those numbers.

It already has surpassed the franchise-best tally of $12 million in midnight box office posted by "Phoenix." By late afternoon Tuesday, exhibition sources made it clear that advance sales of "Prince" tickets for 12:01 a.m. Wednesday performances were outpacing the witching-hour numbers for its immediate predecessor.

In a sign of just how hot tickets sales have been for "Prince," industryites are whispering that the "Potter" pic has an outside shot at besting the record $18 million midnight box office registered by "The Dark Knight" last July 18. All signs are certainly auspicious, with Fandango and MovieTickets reporting that thousands of performances have already sold out.

"I think they're beatable," Fellman said of the "Phoenix" grosses. "Ticket prices have gone up, and the last time we had the first 'Transformers' opening just five days before us."

That picture's sequel, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," enters its fourth frame this weekend. No other film opens wide domestically this session, and the most prominent second-weekend holdover -- Universal's R-rated comedy "Bruno" -- couldn't have a more distinct target audience from that of "Prince."From:www.reuters.com

Michael Jackson's 50-date, concert series at the O2 Arena in London

Monday was supposed to be the triumphant kickoff of Michael Jackson's 50-date This Is It concert series at the O2 Arena in London. Instead, a few hundred fans gathered outside the venue to honor Jackson, who died suddenly on June 25, leaving 750,000 fans with tickets to a comeback that is not to be.

The supporters, some dressed in Jackson drag, lit candles, danced, left flowers, wrote messages and watched classic clips of Jackson performances on a big screen outside the venue, where a makeshift memorial had been set up. Reuters reported that some of the fans, presumably among the nearly three-quarters of a million who purchased tickets to the shows, sat under the screen that read "Michael Jackson 1958-2009," while others led sing-a-longs of his greatest hits.

"This was going to be the best summer of my life," said one fan named Michael. "I was going to go to five shows altogether; it would have been fantastic. I can't believe rather than coming here to see him perform, I'm here to mourn. ... It's devastating, it really is."

Another fan named Will told the news service that he and his friends came to the arena on Monday night "even if there's no gig tonight. We're making our own gig, our own carnival atmosphere; we're making this what it would have been if Michael had been here."

The promoter of the shows, Los Angeles-based AEG Live, has offered fans a full refund for their tickets or the opportunity to hold onto the commemorative ticket. So far, around 40 percent have chosen the latter option, which could help AEG recoup some of the tens of millions it had invested in the sold-out run of shows.

BBC News reported that Jackson supporters from all over the world congregated outside the 23,000-seat arena, some drawn by messages on fan sites and Facebook encouraging them to bring flowers and candles for the vigil. In all, around 600 visited on Monday night, observing a moment of silence around 6:30 local time, the hour when the doors to the venue would have opened.

"We should have been going to the concert, but we're standing here instead," said Jesper Hauton, 31, who had tickets to the shows. "It doesn't make any sense."

Joe Jackson told ABC News earlier this week that he believes his son was not healthy enough to perform 50 concerts, and was pushed to agree to the schedule. AEG Live boss Randy Phillips released a statement countering that it was Michael who asked to up the shows from the original 10 to 50.

For now, no shows have been announced to replace the Jackson run at the O2, but AEG Live boss Randy Phillips has said that the company is in discussions with Jackson's family about possibly mounting a tribute show in late August that could use some of the staging and performers who were to appear in the This Is It shows.

From:www.mtv.com

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.Part humor and part horror with a healthy dose of hormones,

It's been eight years since Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint first hopped on the Hogwarts Express, and the three have done little else since.Now that the ride will soon come to an end, the cast is trying to fathom a life without the Harry Potter films -- an understandable difficulty, considering that they've grown up along with their characters.

The other item showing its age is the storyline of the sixth installment, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Part humor and part horror with a healthy dose of hormones, "Half-Blood Prince" is clearly more attuned for an audience who, like the cast, are no longer in grade school.

"On the one hand, we have all this light romance and snogging, and on the other hand, people are getting killed, and bridges are being blown up," director David Yates said. Heavy stuff, certainly, but it's a challenge on par with the stars' blossoming careers. Hear, see and read how the characters have grown.
One can only imagine that by now, the Potter series feels like home to Daniel Radcliffe, who landed the title role at 11 after playing supporting roles in the BBC's "David Copperfield" and the 2001 film "The Tailor in Panama."Without it to be honest, I don't know what I would've done," said Radcliffe, who turns 20 on July 23. "I had 'Copperfield,' but at that point I wasn't even dreaming about actin being a career then."

Since then, Radcliffe has grown into international stardom, reportedly earning $25 million per Potter film. Indeed, the actor has gotten raves away from the movie theater: In London and on Broadway, Radcliffe took on the role of Alan Strang, the mentally disturbed stable boy in Peter Shaffer's "Equus," which required him to strip naked in the play's final scene.Radcliffe has also taken on roles in "December Boys" and the TV movie "My Boy Jack," and he is eager to keep at it long after the Potter series wraps.

So what about directing, then? Only time will tell, Radcliffe said.

"For now, I want to keep acting," the actor said. "I don't think I know enough about the technical sides yet to even consider directing. It would be something that I'm interested in, but it would be a long, long way off."As for Watson, when she's not occupied with filming, she can be found in the pages of fashion magazines -- including the advertisements.

Having landed covers for both Teen Vogue and the UK version of Elle within the past few months, it's no wonder that the 19-year-old was chosen to be the face of Burberry's autumn line. Going from tween wizard to fashion icon is quite a leap, but it's one that appears to fit Watson well; how many other Hogwarts students can count Karl Lagerfeld among their friends?

Like her co-star Rupert Grint (Ron), Watson didn't have any acting experience when she auditioned for "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" at age 9. She managed to beat out thousands of other girls for the role of Hermione, a part she's said was "life or death" for her.

Now that the series is close to its end, the actress is eager to try new things.

"I would've told myself not to take it so seriously and to try to have as much fun as you can," Watson said she would've advised her younger self.But similar to her Potter character, Hermione, Watson is eager to hit the books after the series concludes. The actress confirmed that she plans to start college in the United States this fall.

For Grint, the future is a bit more unclear.

"I don't know what I'm going to be doing, really," the actor told the Los Angeles Times. "I'm going to miss it, I think, because I've been doing this my whole life."Despite his start as an unknown -- Grint reportedly submitted hip-hop lyrics describing his character to snag the part of Ron Weasley -- he's arguably been the most adventurous of his co-stars, having played opposite Paul Giamatti in the 2002 family comedy "Thunderpants" and starring in 2009's sexually charged thriller "Cherrybomb."

His third film outside the Potter series will be the indie "Wild Target," co-starring another British sensation, Emily Blunt. iReport.com: Share your reviews of the latest "Potter"

Whatever their plans, all three have a few years to go before they hang up their magic wands; the last installment of "Harry Potter" is being filmed in two parts, and the final film won't premiere until 2011.

And, Radcliffe said, they've helped each other cope with fame over the years.

He said that on the red carpet, "[the fans are] cheering for a kind of person they see in newspapers and in interviews and in films, and that's a different person to you. You have to keep that -- that persona -- and the person you actually are as separate as you possibly can, and then you will avoid becoming arrogant."

from:www.cnn.com

Romo/Simpson Split:Jessica and Papa Joe

Romo/Simpson Split: Tony Was Bored With Jessica and Papa Joe? | Suddenly Skinny Stephanie Pratt Steps Out While Lindsay Lohan Lunches on Cigarettes | Heidi Montag to Perform For Donald Trump and His Beauty Queens?

Romo/Simpson Split: Tony Was Bored With Jessica and Papa Joe?

Pop diva Jessica Simpson told Pop Tarts last year that she had the same dreams as "every normal person" to make records, babies and "hopefully get married soon." But it looks like that won't be happening any time soon with her now ex-boyfriend Tony Romo.

Simpson was undoubtedly suffering the 29th birthday blues on Friday having been dumped just the night before by longtime lover Romo, but a source close to Simpson told Tarts that the "sudden" split wasn’t so sudden after all.

It was a long time coming, he hasn't really been into her and the relationship for awhile, but stayed together because he didn't want to look like a jerk for not having a better reason to break it off," said our source. "And she's trying to save face by saying that it's because of their busy schedules."

Another inside source said that Jessica’s manager/father Joe Simpson’s meddling ways most likely took its toll on the relationship, which is the reason why they split the first time fourteen months ago. We’re told Joe promised he’d take a step back when the couple reunited but he was still too involved in his daughter’s private life.

PHOTOS: Click here to see photos of Jessica Simpson.

"At one point Joe was even giving Tony football advice which doesn’t go down well," said an insider. "Tony was a football superstar before he got mixed up in Hollywood, this move will be probably be good at least for his career."

And not to mention the pop princess/country crooner was eager to tie-the-knot again, something Romo apparently wasn’t ready to do.

So while Miss Simpson sought solace and spent the special birthday weekend with her folks, Romo partied like a rockstar at Hollywood hotspot MyHouse on Friday night with a pack of (mostly male) pals. According to an eyewitness, Romo and his entourage drank GreyGoose and took over the dance floor until the club closed and when some hot ladies approached their table Romo certainly didn’t shy away and happily chatted until the early hours.

Reps for Romo and Simpson declined to comment.

Suddenly Skinny Stephanie Pratt Steps Out While Lindsay Lohan Lunches On Cigarettes

Stephanie Pratt recently revealed that the pressure to be a bag of bones in Hollywood had driven her to an eating disorder; however "The Hills" star looked skinnier than ever as she stepped out to the Lia Sophia Jewelry Clambake in Malibu on Saturday afternoon.

And could it be possible that Miss Pratt is two-faced?

While talking to reporters Pratt said that she had "nothing but nice things to say" about "The Hills" alum Lauren Conrad, claiming that the two recently had lunch together and were still good friends. However Pop Tarts spies later overheard Pratt telling friends that LC "was not missed" and the show was "much better without her." Ouch.

Speaking of itty bitty Tinseltowners, Lindsay Lohan also spent a day in the sunshine picking up a truck load of free swag (she even asked the jewelry designers if she could create a signature piece to debut in the next collection). But not surprisingly LiLo skipped out on the delicious lobster lunch, opting for a packet of cigs instead.

Later that afternoon Linds headed down the road to the Pirate’s Booty Beach House and despite being showered with more goodies she acted less-than-impressed with all the attention. The troubled Tinseltowner refused to come out of a private room until all the cameras were put away, and after another half hour had rolled by she made a cameo with a Jack Lalanne Juicer Express pineapple tangerine cocktail in hand (back on the drink!) and took it upon herself to tell everyone to leave because "the party was over."

The weekend before Lohan hit up the Silver Spoon Beach House in Malibu where she pretty much cleaned up the freebies that were supposed to be display-only. Goodness, times must be tough being a lady of leisure -- although we did overhear her going on about how she is focusing purely on her career from here in and made a quick mention of working with Robert De Niro.

Heidi Montag to Perform for Donald Trump and His Beauty Queens?

It looks as though the wannabe pop princess Heidi Montag might very well be performing in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas, co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC. (Yes, the network still might have her back despite the disastrous "I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!")

On Monday morning, proud sis Holly Montag twittered that she was "so excited" that Heidi would be taking the stage at the international pageant, however the tweet was promptly removed.

A rep for Montag did not respond for comment and the spokeswoman for Miss Universe said that they expect to announce their celebrity judges and performers shortly

From:www.foxnews.com

Michael Jackson was preparing for 50 London performances

Michael Jackson was preparing for 50 London performances at the time of his June 25 death. But the star's father Joe Jackson claims that his son would not have been able to complete the lengthy set – and was pushed into the commitment by promoters.

"Michael told me himself [that] he agreed to 10 shows. But they went and added all these other shows," the elder Jackson tells ABC News. "I was worried about his health. No artist can do those many shows back to back like that, and so I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows."

Another Jackson associate, former financial advisor Leonard Rowe (no relation to Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of two of Michael's children) agreed that in spite of recently released video of Jackson's final rehearsal, the 50-year-old King of Pop was sickly and far from top form.

According to Rowe, Jackson "was not ready. He was not fit, [only] if you can call weighing 110, 115 pounds fit."

Producers of the show counter Joe Jackson's claims, saying that Michael himself was responsible for the show's extension. AEG CEO Randy Phillips says he tried to change the singer's mind about the set, but was rebuffed. "He told me to shove off," said Phillips.

Jackson's manager Frank DiLeo says that Jackson was not being pushed in the preparation for London. "He built up his stamina. There would have been no problems, I don't think, with him doing this tour. Nobody was pushing him into it. Nobody was overworking him."
From:www.people.com

The cynical music lover will argue that comparing "American Idol"

The cynical music lover will argue that comparing "American Idol" lineups is like discussing the merits of different bottles of pink zinfandel.

But from a fan's perspective, Season 8 was a really good year for the juggernaut reality television show. The producers got over their addiction to intentionally bad distractions (Sanjaya!) and seemed to be honestly looking for the most talented performers. Both the fifth and third-place finishers - Matt Giraud and Danny Gokey - could have won in a lesser year.

The latest American Idols Live concert reflected the new philosophy, offering a gimmick-free showcase for the ten singers who rolled through the Oracle Arena in Oakland on Saturday night. (And then at HP Pavilion in San Jose on Sunday.)

The not-quite-sold-out crowd seemed more subdued than previous shows, with one 15-minute exception. The audience made it clear that in the Bay Area, second-place finisher Adam Lambert was the majority choice. The androgynous, Bjork-like power singer didn't disappoint, giving the most memorable performance - justifying the crowd's decision to stand for every one of his songs, while sitting through most of Season 8 winner Kris Allen's performance.

Lambert came out dressed like he should have been in a dune buggy chasing Mel Gibson across the Australian Outback, and followed Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" with a medley of David Bowie songs - complete with a fake British accent. But it was still the low-key Allen who flirted with self-parody. As he tinkled the piano to Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," it sounded instead as if he might be trying to cover Dana Carvey's "Choppin' Broccoli." (Look that one up on YouTube, kids.)

Previous Idol traveling shows have tried too hard, relying on awkward group pairings and too-obvious attempts to wedge each singer into their stereotype (the rocker girl, the diva, the piano man ...). For this concert, the performers were simply trotted out from last to first, with each singing between two and five abbreviated covers. The night ended with a group version of "Don't Stop Believing."

Giraud was a standout in the pre-intermission set. The charismatic singer had a populist Rowlf-from-"The Muppet Show" thing going, following a rousing Black Crowes-y version of "Hard to Handle" with "Georgia on my Mind."

"I can't believe I was doing this in a hotel lobby a year and a half ago," Giraud gushed.

With a little luck, he won't be back there a year and a half from now

From:www.sfgate.com

Ryan Seacrest is Fox's 45-Million-Dollar Man:American Idol

Ryan Seacrest is Fox's 45-Million-Dollar Man.

The "American Idol" host has closed a major new three-year deal with CKX, parent of "Idol" producer 19 Entertainment, worth $15 million per year.

Under the pact, which is believed to be the richest ever for a reality host, Seacrest will be exclusive to CKX in broadcast TV primetime to host "Idol" or any CKX-produced show that might succeed it.

The pact, which had been in the works for the past several weeks, more than triples his previous salary of slightly less than $5 million per season.

"Idol" producers 19, FremantleMedia North America and Fox all declined to comment on Seacrest's new deal, as did his attorneys. The pact is expected to be announced Monday.

Seacrest has a separate cable deal with Comcast and is E! Entertainment's lead anchor. He also produces such shows as E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and ABC's upcoming Jamie Oliver reality series.

With Seacrest's renegotiation out of the way, the "Idol" producers will focus on securing the show's judges for next season.

Uber judge Simon Cowell has made statements that he might leave the singing competition when his contract is up at the end of next season. The British media have pegged his salary demands at more than $100 million per year.

The other judges -- Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi -- all have said they hope to close deals to return next season.

While the ratings for the reality juggernaut have slipped in the past couple of years, "Idol" remains the highest-rated series on television by a mile and is a windfall for its producers.

From:www.reuters.com

Inside Rihanna's New Song Album Comeback

If the rumors are true, Princess RiRi's upcoming album is going to belegendary

Unknowsources over at Def Jam.are talking up Rihanna's latest musical venture, remaining pretty hush hush over the specifics but tickling the world's balls with some killer info about the album.Ri's working with a whole gang of collaborators: Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Soulja Boy.Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams, just to name a few!

Major talent, bbs!

The album will reportedly be a complete change in sound for the Princess, with more rock and pop notes than the last album. Ri's apparently been extremely particular about song choice for the album and has been slaving over the lyrics and melodies, those of which sources at Def Jam are saying will "mark the spirits forever."

Intense!

There are also said to be a number of duets on the album, one of which was apparently to be with Chris Brown but was quickly canned after, well.. you know.The album name will be kept under wraps until the "last moment," but Def Jam insiders say the album will highlight a more mature, original Rihanna than we've seen in thepast.

TV drama Parenthood has been delayed by eight weeks

New TV drama Parenthood has been delayed by eight weeks after one of its stars, Maura Tierney, fell ill.The series, based on the 1989 movie, was due to start later this month , but TV bosses have been forced to move the launch to the end of September due to "medical evaluation" Tierney is undergoing.

Tierney is best known for playing Dr Abby Lockhart in hit medical series E.R. for ten years, for which she received an Emmy nomination.

It is the second time Parenthood's filming schedule has been pushed back - in April the pilot was put on hold for two days after NBC's vice president Nora O'Brien died unexpectedly on the set of the show in California.

From:www.cbs47.tv

Theron is recovering at home from an unknown stomach virus

Top Hollywood actress Charlize Theron is recovering at home from an unknown stomach virus following a spell in hospital.

News24 reports her partner, Stuart Townshend, got worried that something was seriously wrong with the Oscar-winning star after she complained of serious stomach pains and took her to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles. Townshend said:

I was scared to death. I had no idea what was happening to her, but this is a woman who never complains, so I knew it had to be serious.

Doctors believed Theron contracted the virus while on a trip overseas. According to online sources, Theron was born in South Africa and began a modelling career at the age of 16. She later moved to the U.S., where she planned to become a dancer. After moving to California, she got into the film industry and rose to prominence in the late 1990s with films like Mighty Joe Young. Theron won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2004 for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster.From:www.digitaljournal.com/

Hollywood actor and director Antonio Banderas independent film-makers

Hollywood actor and director Antonio Banderas said Saturday the financial crisis had dealt a heavy blow to independent film-makers."The crisis has taken us by surprise and it is stabbing us in the back," said the Spaniard, who starred in hit films including Desperado and Evita.

"It is very difficult to get a penny from a bank now, we are in a difficult situation," he added, speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he was presenting the first film he has directed, "El Camino de los Ingleses" ("Summer Rain").

Banderas, 49, who started his career under Spanish director Pedro Almodovar before conquering Hollywood, has returned to his roots by founding a production company in his hometown of Malaga, Spain.

He said he was also working on a film with US director Woody Allen and was involved in efforts to raise funding for a script he had written.

"I wrote a script about the last king of the Arabs in the ninth century", he said, adding the film was a representation of the modern relationship between Arab countries and the rest of the world.

Banderas is also set to return to theatre in the coming months, with a new production of "Zorba the Greek."

"I want to go back to theatre because it is my main source, I'm more a theatre actor than a film actor," he said.

He said in Hollywood "they put a label on you: you are this or that, you are a "Latin Lover", they all have drawers in which they put you."

Banderas received the President's Prize at the film festival, held in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary, for his contribution to cinema.

From:www.google.com

Information About Angelina Jolie

Whenever a child of a Hollywood figure enters the world of entertainment, charges of nepotism and hand-holding always rear their ugly heads. Well, though the definitely beautiful head of Angelina Jolie owes its genes to actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand, the three Golden Globes on her mantle are due to her talent alone. For three years in a row, Angelina took home a Globe. At the 55th Globes it was for her supporting role in George Wallace and at the 56th it was for her starring role in Gia. The year 2000 was her year too. Her third Globe was for her performance in Girl, Interrupted, a role that also landed the actress her first Oscar.

Angelina started studying acting at the famous Lee Strasberg Theater Institute when she was only 11. She moved into the world of professional modelling, acted in music videos, and appeared in five student films directed by her brother, James Haven Voight.

While a part of the Met Theater in Los Angeles, Angelina worked alongside Holly Hunter, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan. Playing a hybrid creature, Jolie landed her commercial picture debut in 1993’s Cyborg II: Glass Shadows. She received some critical attention for her role in Hackers (1993), and also recieved the attention of the film’s star, Jonny Lee Miller. Romance blossomed and the two married in March 1996, only to divorce in February 1999.

Other film credits included Without Evidence, Mojave Moon, Love Is All There Is, her Globe-winning roles in George Wallace and Gia, and 1999’s Pushing Tin, which co-starred John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and fellow Globe winner Cate Blanchett. Also in 1999 she starred opposite Denzel Washington in The Bone Collector and with Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted.

Jolie married Billy Bob Thornton on May 5th, 2000. That same year she starred in Gone in 60 Seconds. In 2001, she worked opposite Antonio Banderas in Original Sin and brought life to a video game character in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

In 2002, Jolie appeared opposite Ed Burns in the critically-slammed Life or Something Like It. She filed for divorce from Thornton on July 18, 2002.

After reprising her action role in 2003’s Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Angelina went on to appear in Beyond Borders.

Angelina was on the screens several times in 2004. She lent her voice to the sexy Lola in Shark Tale, worked with Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and played opposite Colin Farrell in Oliver Stone’s Alexander.

In 2005, Angelina was in the tabloids far more than she was in the theatres. Her Mr. & Mrs. Smith co-star, Brad Pitt was ending his marriage to Jennifer Aniston and Pitt and Jolie denied that they were involved. Paparazzi cameras followed them around the planet. They shot Pitt hanging out with Jolie and her adopted son, Maddox, and they shot the couple going to Ethiopia to pick up her newly-adopted daughter, Zahara. By the end of 2005, Pitt had filed adoption papers to adopt Angelina’s children, while Jolie sought to have their legal names changed to Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Maddox Jolie-Pitt. In January of 2006, Pitt’s publicist announced that Angelina was expecting Brad’s child. They welcomed their daughter, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, on May 27th, 2006.

2006 also saw Angelina work with Matt Damon and Robert De Niro in the De Niro-directed The Good Shepherd. In 2007, she played Mariane Pearl in the true life story of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, A Mighty Heart. She also lent her voice to the computer animated Beowulf.From:www.digitalhit.com

A custody hearing for singer Michael Jackson's children

A custody hearing for singer Michael Jackson's children scheduled for Monday has been pushed back for a second time.

The hearing, which was originally scheduled for July 6, has been rescheduled for July 20 at the request of Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe.

Rowe is the biological mother of two of Jackson's children -- 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., also known as Prince Michael, and 11-year-old Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Jackson's third child, Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson II, was carried by a surrogate mother, whose name has not yet been released.

Katherine Jackson was given temporary guardianship of the children by a judge several days after her son's death.

According to Michael Jackson's will filed in 2002, he wanted his children to be cared for by his mother. If Katherine Jackson, 79, is not living, Jackson said in the will, "I nominate Diana Ross as guardian."

Ross, star of the Motown singing group the Supremes, met Jackson when he was a 9-year-old sensation. The two performed together over the years and Jackson told an interviewer in 1982 he considered Ross to be one of his true personal friends.

Jackson specifically left Rowe out of his will.Rowe reportedly signed away her parental rights to the children after she and Jackson divorced in 1999, but an appeals court re-established her parental status in 2006.Rowe has not publicly indicated whether she will challenge Jackson for custody.From:edition.cnn.com

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Back at the turn of the millennium, they were just a bunch of kids — some with a bit of professional acting experience, most completely raw — that were fortunate and talented enough to be cast in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The film conjured up almost $1 billion at the worldwide box office, and as "Potter" movie after "Potter" movie went into production over the years, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and the rest of the core cast essentially grew up together.

Almost a decade after their first witch-and-wizard adventure, the child actors have morphed into young adults — and the story lines have matured along with them. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (in theaters July 15), the sixth film in the franchise, presents all manner of love triangles, broken hearts and blossoming relationships. The difficult trick for the cast, though, was jumping lips-first into these romantic scenes with co-stars who had become like family.

"The snogging snuff is always a bit challenging, because they've grown up together, so when you get Bonnie [Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley] and Dan having that first snog together, it's a bit like brother and sister," director David Yates told MTV News at the movie's New York premiere on Thursday. "You've got to just encourage them to think about their characters."

"I've known her since she was 9 and I was 11," the 19-year-old Radcliffe said, adding that Wright looked gorgeous making her way down the red carpet. "So, that was kind of weird at first. But we got used to it. We got over it pretty quickly."

Wright herself saw both the good and the ugly in making out with her childhood friend. "It helps, because you've known each other and it's not just a stranger," she said. "But then it's really weird when you're having to look at someone in a different way in a scene when they're that close."

The actors won't escape the task of playing kissy-face on set just yet. The final two films — the two parts of "Deathly Hallows" — will keep the romantic elements front and center.

"I did the kiss with Emma a couple weeks ago, and it was quite strange," said Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley. "I've known Emma since she was 9 years old, and it felt a little bit wrong being that way with her. But it was over quite quickly."

While Watson also called the kiss scene "really awkward," she did compliment her partner. "He's a gentleman, and he was a great kisser," she told us.

For Yates, who's worked on the series for years, watching the actors grow up together has been one of the most captivating aspects of the entire experience. "You're seeing them develop and evolve," the director said. "In their own lives, outside the film set, they're obviously having their own experience of love and love life. I encourage them to bring that into Hogwarts and share it, to help their acting have a basis in reality."From:www.mtv.com

Kate Beckinsale accepted £20,000 libel damages

Kate Beckinsale accepted £20,000 libel damages over a newspaper claim that she was going to miss out on her dream role as "sexy heroine Barbarella".

The 35-year-old Pearl Harbor star wasn't at London's High Court for the settlement of her action against Express Newspapers.

The actress's solicitor, Graham Atkins, said the story in the Daily Express last month was false and had caused considerable embarrassment and harm, and added that Kate was never in discussions about the film role and there was never a possibility she would be part of the project.

It followed that she hadn't been passed over in favour of Hollywood actress Rose McGowan, as the story claimed.

The newspaper's counsel, Ian Helme, offered its sincere apology and said it was happy to pay damages and the star's legal fees.

Mr Atkins said the article alleged that Kate - whose latest film Everybody's Fine is released in November - was facing "heartbreak" over the role.

The article, also published on the newspaper's website, stated that the Barbarella remake was "expected to be a big commercial hit so it will be a real blow to Kate".

Mr Atkins added: "The film industry, particularly at the highest level in Hollywood, values actresses on the basis of them being successful and in-demand - one may say, being 'hot property'.

"This article wrongly gave the impression that the claimant's career is in decline which would undoubtedly have a knock-on effect on those who would be casting film roles, as well as the industry as a whole."

Mr Helme said the newspaper, which acknowledged that the false allegations should never have been published, hoped that the record had been set straight and Kate's reputation restored.

From:www.google.com

Warehouse 13 centers on their paranormal investigations:Joanne Kelly and Eddie McClintock

Though it sounds difficult to obtain information from two Secret Service Agents, the actors who play them are more than happy to divulge bits and pieces about Sy Fy's latest show Warehouse 13. Playing the lead roles, Joannne Kelly and Eddie McClintock recently spoke to The Deadbolt about the small screen mystery they found themselves involved in.

Joanne Kelly portrays agent Myka Bering, someone who lives by the rules, while her partner, McClintock's Peter Lattimer, is someone who lives to break them. Warehouse 13 centers on their paranormal investigations, as well as their amusing banter.

Talking about her character, Kelly pointed out how difficult the job was for Myka. She isn't exactly enthusiastic about being assigned to the government facility, but she tries to make it work.

"I think when anyone is thrust into a situation where they're not given the facts or the whole truth behind it, there is a bit of apprehension or reticence," Joanne Kelly revealed. "But I think that in life when we are given a situation that is strange, and at this point almost inconceivable - I mean, it's pretty wild. It's pretty out there. This is somebody who thinks in black and white and she's proven wrong by the warehouse, by the very existence of it."From:www.buddytv.com