For those who didn't know (or forgot), tomorrow is the 1st December and also WORLD AIDS DAY.
It's a day to remember those lost to HIV and AIDS, to show your support for those living with the virus, educate those around you on how to protect themselves and others, and stand up to the prejudice still levelled toward people living with HIV.
I have done some outreach for two charities - the East London Out Projectand The National AIDS Trust- both do fantastic work in supporting local communities and promote greater awareness of many issues that affect individuals who are discrimnated against because of their HIV status and/or sexuality.
Why do I help these wonderful charities?
Without donations from the public, charities such as these would not be able to carry on the with the wonderful work they have done so far. Over the past few weeks I have gone into bars in Soho, trying to collect donations for ELOP as part of World Aids Day, and last Saturday I braved a few hours of the bitter cold to stand with a collection bucket on the streets of the West End for The National Aids Trust.
I discovered that most who did donate were people who lived through the 80s, and they understood that the mission to overcome AIDS is still an on-going project. So the money to help sufferers all over the world is still needed, and my advice is this..
If you see a vendor / charity collector selling red ribbons, then please donate. In the U.K. the suggested donation is £1, but whatever you can give will be greatly appreciated.
I personally am not a HIV / AIDS patient, but on the 1st December 2010 I will be thinking about those who have lost loved ones, and those who are currently living with these conditions.
Although I'm neither a star nor an A-lister, I will also not be using any social networking sites for the whole of tomorrow.
Former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland is reportedly in trouble with U.S. tax officials after allegedly failing to hand over more than $98,000 (£65,300). Wow...how can someone "fail" to do that?
The Bills, Bills, Bills star was hit with a tax lien by bosses at America's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on 8 November 2010.
The papers, filed with the New York City Register and obtained by The Detroit News, suggest Rowland owes payments totalling $98,634 (£65,756).
Nicole Kidman gave up the glamorous luxuries of Hollywood to star in low-budget drama 'Rabbit Hole' - saying she slept on a blow-up bed in a house where the movie was shot.
The 'Moulin Rouge!' star scaled back her indulgent lifestyle so movie bosses could create the emotional flick on a $10 million (£6.6 million) budget.
Kidman, who also served as a producer on the drama, reveals:
"We lived in the house the movie was shot in, shared the bathroom and had blow-up beds to sleep on. When filming on location in a school, I got changed behind a curtain in the headmistress' office."
The movie, which sees Kidman play a bereaved mother, is set for release next month! And there's already talk that she may have bagged yet another Oscar nomination.
R&B singer Montell Jordan is reportedly turning his back on his music career to become a pastor and dedicate his life to God.
The star scored big chart success with his 1995 hit This Is How We Do It, but he's now hanging up the microphone to concentrate on his commitments to his church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Breaking the news to fans via his Twitter.com blog, he writes:
"I often have spoken of my Christian belief and faith throughout my R&B career, yet this is my official retirement letter."
But Jordan, who released his last album in 2008, is giving devotees one final chance to see him on stage as an R&B star - he will perform This Is How We Do It for the last time on New Year's Eve!
Troubled Broadway musical SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off The Dark failed to win over theatre critics following its first preview performance yesterday (Sunday 28th November 2010), after the production suffered a series of technical glitches.
The show, directed by Julie Taymor and featuring music by U2's Bono and The Edge, has finally crawled to the stage for preview performances after suffering numerous setbacks as producers scrambled to solve a series of technical and safety issues.
The musical, which has cost more than $65 million (£43.3 million) to stage, was performed for the first time at the Foxwoods Theatre on Sunday, in front of reporters and 1,800 paying audience members. And critics are already issuing harsh reviews ahead of the musical's official opening date next January, with one writer at the New York Post calling the production an "epic flop".
The reviewer wrote:
"Not even Spider-Man could avert this disaster. Last night's opening preview of Broadway's most expensive production ever, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was an epic flop as the $65 million show's high-tech gadgetry went completely awry amid a dull score and baffling script."
A New York Times critic detailed the night's technical glitches, adding:
"The show stopped five times, mostly to fix technical problems, and Act I ended prematurely, with Spider-Man stuck dangling 10 feet above audience members."
To add insult to injury, a critic from the New York Daily News also claimed:
"A fifth stop an hour into Act II caused some theatergoers to walk out."
However, this criitc seemed hesitant to write off the musical entirely, adding the audience "called it a surefire smash hit despite some kinks".
Could this prove to be a success in London, if it ever reaches our shores?
** UPDATE** : AMPAS confirm Franco and Hathaway as the new hosts! Official press release here. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has apparently asked James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host the Academy Awards ceremony, and it "looks like" both young stars have accepted the offer - Deadline reports.
Sources suggest the host announcement could be made as soon as this week! Both are starring in Fox movies out in cinemas - with Franco in Fox Searchlight's '127 Hours', and Hathaway in 20th Century Fox's 'Love And Other Drugs'.
Hathaway wowed audiences at the Oscars two years ago, after she took part in a major dance and musical number with then host Hugh Jackman.
As for Franco, he's is also a multitalented actor who is equally adept at comedy and drama, as is Hathaway.
If this report is confirmed by the Academy, will Tom Sherak (Academy's prexy) manage to improve viewer ratings?
Actress Winona Ryder was shocked by the outcry over a 'gay' joke in new film 'The Dilemma', insisting she would not "be part" of a movie she thought was "offensive".
Officials at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) organisation demanded the axing of a scene from the upcoming movie after a preview clip showed Vince Vaughn's character tell a room of people, "Ladies and gentlemen, electric cars... are gay."
Helmer Ron Howard opted to keep the scene in the final cut of the film, and Ryder is glad the director refused to bow to the group's pressure as she can't understand the fuss surrounding the line.
Speaking to Total Film magazine, she says:
"It's just crazy because I'm very sensitive to that issue and if I thought something was offensive I wouldn't want to be part of it.
"Plus all my gay friends use that word all the time so (protesters will) have to go and give them a hard time too."
The line has, however, been pulled from the movie's trailer following complaints.
GLAAD shouted about another offensive phrase they weren't comfortable with, and it does beg the question whether this is political correctness gone mad, or do they have a very valid point?
A record label set up by Amy Winehouse has proved to be a success, with singer's musical side project making a profit in its first year of business!
The Back To Black chart-topper set up Lioness Records last year, and used the Island imprint to launch the singing career of her goddaughter, 14-year-old Dionne Bromfield.
The youngster released her debut album, Introducing Dionne Bromfield, in 2009 and the move appears to have paid off for Winehouse - her company made an impressive first year profit of £44,000, according to The Sun newspaper.
Singer Peter Andre was rushed to hospital in the early hours of this morning (26th November 2010) in excruciating pain. He is being monitored closely and being kept in for extensive tests and scans.
The Mysterious Girl hitmaker was due to play at Plymouth Pavilions tonight for the first night of his Arena Tour, however this has been postponed due to his current condition and will be re-scheduled for Tuesday 21st December 2010.
In a statement on Andre’s website, his manager Claire Powell says:
“We are very worried about Peter and at present we do not know what is causing him to be in so much pain. Peter is terribly disappointed that he is unable to perform at tonight’s sold out opening night. At this time we have no more information though we are hoping Peter will be able to perform at Minehead tomorrow as planned. We will keep his fans informed via his website http://www.peterandre.com/ for further information on the situation.”
Here's some info if you already have tickets for his Plymouth gig:
Concert promoters ask that ticket holders retain their tickets which will remain valid for the rescheduled date. Those unable to attend the show on the 21st December should apply to their original point of purchase for a refund within the next 14 days.
I have been rather shamefully bad in keeping up with these blogroll posts, but a lot has been going on behind the scenes here (all good things) and I haven't really had the chance to praise other fantastic entertainment news scoopers out there. But all this will change, as I will aim to post future blogroll posts on Fridays from now on.
I'm a day early this week, and here are the cream of the crop..
Actor Jeremy Renner recently revealed to MTV that he is being groomed to take over the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise from Tom Cruise, confirming many rumours.
Renner, who will star opposite Tom Cruise in next year’s 'Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol', says:
“It’s a franchise to potentially take over…I can’t predict the future and what they want, but that’s certainly the idea.”
However Cruise will still feature predominantly in the movie, as the 'Hurt Locker' star adds: “I can’t really go into the details of the script, because that’s still evolving.
“It’s Tom [Cruise's] baby. He’s the engine behind the thing. What happens after that, we’ll see.”
And both will have a big task on their hands, says Renner.
“Tom has been doing loads. He’s crazy, that guy. It’s unbelievable. He’s fearless. He’s great to watch. He inspires me to want to be better. I’m training in the gym and working out and fighting and doing everything I can to try and keep up. I’m doing hand-to-hand combat, Muay Thai and kung fu and learning how to take someone out quickly. I need to look like I know what I’m doing!”
The movie, produced by J.J Abrams and directed by Brad Bird, also stars Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Josh Holloway, Vladimir Mashkov and Michael Nyqvist.
Melanie Brown's representative has dismissed rumours the star is romantically involved with actor Tamer Hassan after they were spotted together in London, insisting they are just "friends".
The former Spice Girl, who is married to Stephen Belafonte, was photographed sitting on 'The Business' star's lap at the May Fair hotel on Tuesday night (23rd November 2010), while her husband was looking after their three children in Los Angeles.
The married actor and Brown were reportedly "being very intimate" throughout the evening, according to newspaper The Sun.
A source tells the tabloid rag:
"Mel's behaviour was not what you'd expect from a married woman. Tamer was lapping it up and who can blame him?"
But the singer's spokesperson has brushed off the speculation with a statement reading:
"She was having a business meeting at the hotel. Tamer was also staying there and came over to say hello.
"They have been friends for 15 years and chatted. It's nothing more than that."
MONTY PYTHON star Michael Palin is keen to reprise his acting career - but only "if the right thing comes along".
The actor last appeared on the big screen in 1997's critically-panned 'Fierce Creatures', the sequel to 'A Fish Called Wanda', and he has since gone on to present a number of travel documentaries.
But Palin is now hoping to land another film role, although he's adamant he wouldn't be able to dedicate too much time to a movie project because of his adventure series. A contradiction?
Speaking to The Daily Express, he says:
"I want to act again. But not in a big movie. It would have to be a small one because my travel documentaries are quite intense and take up time.
"But I do love acting still so if the right thing comes along I would do it."
So I'm guessing he's not really THAT desperate to get back into acting then?
Singer Billy Joel is recuperating "extremely well" after undergoing hip surgery in New York over the weekend
The Piano Man has been hobbling around with a cane due to a congenital hip ailment in recent weeks and he checked himself into a hospital in Long Island on Saturday (20th November 2010) to have the problem fixed.
Joel is now spending the Thanksgiving holiday (today) recovering from the operation.
His spokesperson, Claire Mercuri, tells People.com:
"Billy Joel is doing extremely well following bilateral hip replacement."
It is not known how long it will be until Joel is well enough to take to the stage again, but no doubt his fans wish him a speedy recovery!
Former model Lisa Snowden has been diagnosed with viral meningitis after she was hospitalised with flu-like symptoms.
The TV and radio presenter started to feel ill as she hosted a Christmas lights switch-on ceremony in London last week (18th November 2010), and she checked into hospital with major aches and pains and a migraine last Friday (19th November 2010).
She was diagnosed with meningitis and immediately cancelled her breakfast radio show appearances on London station Capital.
A representative for the beauty says:
"She is now on the mend, but is unlikely to be returning to the breakfast show next week."
Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton is set to return to directing after confessing lead roles are drying up for him.
The actor admits his movie star days might be behind him after struggling to find meaty roles following a two-year hiatus from Hollywood - and so he's stepping back behind a camera for the first time in almost a decade.
"My old writing partner Tom Epperson and I just wrote another script, we haven't written together in years, 15 maybe. And we're hoping to get that made in the spring, that's what we're working on right now."
Thornton is also hoping to reprise his 'Bad Santa' role for a sequel!
He adds:
"Bad Santa's become like a classic Christmas movie. People watch It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th St and Bad Santa.
"There's been talk of making a sequel to it, which I actually would like to do. I've never done a sequel to one of my movies, but that one makes sense to me to do it."
I LOVED 'Bad Santa' and a sequel would be great if they could make it even better than the first one!
Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay has slammed Sex Pistols rocker John Lydon, accusing him of becoming a "nuisance" during a long-haul flight to Australia.
The Space Cowboy singer was sitting next to Lydon (also known as Johnny Rotten) when he was flying Down Under - and he was infuriated when the controversial star repeatedly passed gas throughout the entire journey. Eeewwww!
Speaking to tabloid rag The Sun, he says:
"He is a f**king nuisance. I was seated next to him on a flight and the whole trip he just kept farting. It was totally foul. He kept saying, 'Oh, that wasn't me' or 'The meal smells a bit off, don't you think?' He drove me insane."
The experience was so bad Jay Kay insists he'd prefer to move to economy class rather than be seated next to Lydon again, adding:
"At least I'd be able to breathe a bit. They banned smoking in the air and they should ban farting."
Flashdance The Musical has announced it will close on 15 January 2011, just three months after opening at the Shaftesbury theatre. The production had been booking to the end of February - the Official London Theatre Guide reports.
This new stage production, starring Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and Matt Willis, is an adaptation of the 1983 iconic film and only opened on 14 October 2010. The producers of Flashdance confirmed the early closure of the show in a statement, which says:
“The West End production of Flashdance at the Shaftesbury theatre will close on 15 January 2011. The producers would like to thank all those involved for their phenomenal hard work on the show.”
If you have purchased tickets for performances from 15 January 2011 onwards, then you're advised to contact the box office or ticketing agent for a full refund.
No productions have been announced as yet to follow Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury theatre.
Christian Bale has revealed his upcoming stint as Batman will be his last - E! Online reports.
The actor has played the coveted role of the mysterious superhero and his alter ego Bruce Wayne in the first two movies in the franchise 'Batman Begins' in 2005 and the 2008 sequel 'The Dark Knight'. He's set to star in the up-coming third movie of the series 'The Dark Knight Rises', which has been pencilled fora 2012 release.
Along with Bale, this will be Christopher Nolan's last directorial project in the franchise - of which he has helped to make a huge success. Despite this being his last movie, 36-year-old Christian he is looking forward to being involved in the best Batman production yet.
He says:
"The thing is that this will be, I believe, unless Chris says different, this will be the last time I'm playing Batman.
"[I’m] very excited, because if Chris maintains, this will be the last one.
"We've got to up it."
This makes perfect sense! I doubt that anyone will be able to give Batman the edge that the two Chris' gave. Well...Guillermo del Toro is another helmer with the creative eye to take Batman to the next level - IF Warner Bros. were looking for another director after Nolan.
It would seem that Warner Bros. Pictures and Atlas Entertainment have rubbed Joss Whedon up the wrong way, after they announced plans to reboot the popular franchise, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.
Warner Bros. Pictures acquired the rights from creators Fran and Kaz Kuzui, and from Sandollar Productions (Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton), for Atlas and Vertigo Entertainment to produce. After the 1992 critically-panned 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', the butt-kicking beauty soon became a cult hit on TV with Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.
However this remake idea has gone down like a lead balloon with TV series creator Joss Whedon, and has taken the opportunity to air his thoughts on the matter.
He says:
"This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths—just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.
"Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, "Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER." Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, "I'll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!" Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?
"I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death. But, you know, AFTER. I don't love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I'm also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can't wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I'm making a Batman movie. Because there's a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.
"Leave me to my pain! Sincerely, Joss Whedon."
You may not be surprised to learn that this hasn't phased Warner Bros. in anyway whatsoever, and they will be proceeding with full steam ahead to bring Buffy back to the fans.
Whether the same fanbase will remain faithful is another matter.
Leonardo DiCaprio will star in and produce the movie 'Legacy of Secrecy', based on the book about the John F. Kennedy assassination by Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann - Variety reports!
DiCaprio is eyeing a possible 2013 release of the movie coinciding with the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, and he's expected to play FBI informant Jack Van Laningham.
The book (full title being Legacy of Secrecy: The Long Shadow of the JFK Assassination) suggests that Mafia godfather Carlos Marcello confessed to Van Laningham to having ordered JFK's assassination. As part of a dangerous and long-secret undercover operation, the FBI positioned Van Laningham to become confidant to Marcello, who ruled organised crime in Louisiana and most of Texas for decades.
This intriguing story features information from declassified FBI files from the National Archives which details the FBI's clandestine operation with Van Laningham and Marcello's JFK confession. Added to the mix are FBI and Secret Service files showing that more than a dozen of Marcello's associates and family members were questioned or arrested by authorities in assocation with the JFK assassination.
Marcello, who died in 1993, has not yet been the subject of a feature film and his name did not appear in the 1964 Warren Report, but the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations said mobster Santo Trafficante and Marcello"had the motive, means, and opportunity to assassinate President Kennedy."
As part of Warner Bros.' deal for 'Legacy of Secrecy', Waldron is retaining documentary film and TV rights to the book, which also says the Mafia played a role in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and in the Watergate scandal.
'True Blood'hunk Ryan Kwanten wasn't fazed when his younger brother 'came out' as gay - insisting his sibling was a "changed man for the better" when he accepted his sexuality.
The Aussie actor was speaking to gay magazine The Advocate when he revealed his own brother is homosexual. And Kwanten is adamant his brother's secret was keeping his real personality hidden - because his "sheer beauty" appeared when he was true to himself.
He tells the magazine:
"My youngest brother, Lloyd, is gay. He's a doctor, so he got every ounce of intelligence in the family.
"He was probably about 18 when he came out, and I can wholeheartedly tell you that from the day that he did, he was a changed man for the better. The sheer beauty of who he is really came through."
And the actor insists he'd have no problem with pretending to enjoy same-sex liasons if TV bosses took his character Jason down that route.
He adds:
"Well, there are more seasons to come, so there's still many an opportunity. I'm sure (True Blood creator) Alan Ball's concocting some road to take Jason down that he's never been down before."
Roger Daltrey is the latest performer to take aim at Simon Cowell over his talent show The X Factor - branding the hit show a "slump" the music industry must recover from.
The Who frontman rant follows Sir Elton John's recent outburst, in which he branded the talent show "a**e-paralysingly brain crippling". Madness star Suggs, Suede's Brett Anderson and New Order rocker Bernard Sumner have also recently lined up to blast Cowell.
Daltrey claims Cowell has "belittled" music by manufacturing pop stars on his series - and he's convinced rock icons The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and his own band would never have passed the audition stage of the contest.
Speaking to daily rag The Sun, he says:
"We really need to break away from The X Factor and American Idol - that Simon Cowell thing. I really think the music industry will beat this slump and come back stronger.
"Groups like The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles wouldn't have made it past the audition stage, let alone be shown on TV. That's the joke of it.
"The music they make on the shows is absolute tripe. He's made a good industry out of it, but it's belittled the power of music. He wouldn't know what the 'X Factor' was if it bit him on the b**locks."
From a viewer's perspective I can see the draw of the X Factor, and I belie people do want to see an everyday person break into an industry that initially appeared to be only for an elite bunch.
Singers and stars can slate it til the cows come home, but for something that pulls in millions of viewers every week, something must be right with it.
Eva Longria Parker's estranged husband Tony Parker has spoken out for the first time since news of their shock split hit headlines on Tuesday (16th November 2010) - insisting he was aware the actress had planned to file divorce papers.
The showbiz world was stunned following reports the basketball hunk had filed for divorce at a Texas court on Tuesday. A rep for the 'Desperate Housewives'star insisted the rumours were "100 per cent false", leaving fans puzzled as to the state of their relationship.
However, after Longoria Parker gave her lawyers the go ahead to file papers the following day, she announced that the pair had decided to go its separate ways.
And her husband, who is facing claims of alleged infidelity, has broken his silence - releasing a statement to set the record straight.
He says:
"Eva and I have been discussing our situation privately. I was aware that she would be filing for divorce in Los Angeles.
"I did not file for divorce in Texas and did not hire divorce attorneys in either Texas or California. We plan to continue to keep our discussions of this matter private."
Barbra Streisand still feels great pressure when she performs live for fans - because she's terrified of disappointing her audience.
The 'Yentl' star has battled stage fright throughout her career and admits she hates having to live up to demanding expectations.
The Woman in Love singer tells Oprah Winfrey:
"I love singing when it's me and the music alone... I love singing with an orchestra and there's nobody judging it... When you come out and perform in front of people, it's pressure... I don't want to disappoint anybody.
"That's why I can't sing in people's living rooms... I don't know what to do. Where do I look? If I even see people in the front row of a concert hall and someone's not paying rapt attention... They don't applaud. It's like if they pay bigger money 'cos they're in the front seat, somehow that entitles them not to applaud. What is that about?"
Rosie O'Donnell has received the all clear after undergoing biopsies to determine whether two lumps in her breasts were cancerous.
The 'Sleepless In Seattle' actress, 48, feared she was facing a battle with the killer disease after doctors found worrying shadows during a routine MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.
She underwent biopsies on both breasts earlier this month and was thrilled when she received a text message giving her the all-clear.
On a blog update entitled Cancer Free, the star writes:
"A two word text/and everything changes/thank you/amen."
O'Donnell's own mother died of breast cancer aged just 39.
Singer Toni Braxton has opened up about her secret struggle with lupus, revealing the health battle during a speech at a benefit lunch to raise awareness of the illness.
The Unbreak my Heart hitmaker stunned guests at the 8th Annual Lupus Bag Ladies Luncheon in Los Angeles on yesterday by admitting she too had to deal with the autoimmune disease on a daily basis.
She told the audience:
"Take a look, this is what lupus looks like."
Braxton later expressed her relief about finally going public with her illness in a post on her Twitter page, writing:
"Had a great time... A big moment for me. It was a tough decision to come out about it. But it was such a relief!"
The disease, which causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells and tissue, has hit the headlines over the last year - with Lady Gaga revealing she tested "borderline positive" for lupus, while Simon Cowell's ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour recently told how she had battled the illness since her teens.
Beyoncé'sfiery new TV advert for her perfume Heat is apparently too hot for British viewers to handle, and the commercial has been banned from the small screen in the daytime.
The raunchy new promo shows the Crazy in Love chart-topper lying seductively on a bed, before going on to stroke her thighs while wearing a sexy red dress. As she walks away from the camera, her footprints melt and she says, "Catch the fever".
However, officials at the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority have banished the footage from TV schedules until after 7.30pm following complaints from viewers.
To join in the mass media hysteria, I'm also reporting that British royal Prince William has confirmed he is to wed his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton next year (11).
The 28-year-old prince proposed to the brunette beauty last month during a holiday in Kenya, and the happy news was announced by royal officials this morning!
A statement from Clarence House reveals the wedding will take place in London in either spring or summer 2011. The couple will live in north Wales.
Coalition Prime Minister David Cameron says he is "delighted" by the news.
Deadline.comreports that Carey Mulligan has been confirmed for the female lead in the upcoming 'The Great Gatsby'.
Mulligan, long rumoured to be in the running, will take on the role of Daisy Buchanan, the female protagonist with whom Gatsby falls in love and begins an affair.
Mulligan will join Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of Gatsby with reports heavily pointing towards Tobey Maguire stepping in as Nick Carraway, the novel's narrator and best friend to Gatbsy.
What a fantastic piece of casting, and proof that Britain still continues to churn out fantastic talent!
Comic David Walliams is reportedly in talks to take over one of the judging spots on hit U.K. TV show BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT in a £500,000 deal!
Both Simon Cowell (who created the show) and Piers Morgan are quitting their jobs as panellists to boost their careers in the U.S. Cowell is launching the U.S. version of his hit The X Factor, while Morgan is taking over Larry King's spot on CNN.
And TV bosses are desperate for 'Little Britain' funnyman Walliams to take over one of the empty seats - and have offered him a huge pay packet.
A source tells daily rag The Sun:
"David is a huge fan of the show. It's a big offer, but he's holding out for more (money). He won't commit until he knows exactly who else is on board."
The cast of the latest Harry Potter flick will be heading back to the studio despite filming ending on the wizard series over the summer - because a pivotal scene needs to be re-shot.
'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part 1' hits screens this Friday and the franchise will come to an end next July (11) when the second part is released.
Daniel Radcliffe recently revealed that when the cameras were finally turned off earlier this year the cast and crew wept - but some of the stars will be heading back to the set once more.
Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are needed to re-shoot a scene set at London's King's Cross train station over the festive period (December 2010).
Watson tells The Radio Times:
"We stopped trains at King's Cross when they said we could do the scene. I mean we are Harry Potter!
"We only had two days to shoot it and we needed so much more time than that. We have re-shoots at Christmas."
Fans needn't climb over each other to get to the busy London station, as the new shoot will take place at the main Potter set at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire!
Cher allegedly had to turn down the chance to reteam with 'Silkwood' co-star Meryl Streep on the big screen - stating she was too busy to sign on for ABBA movie musical 'MAMMA MIA!'.
The pop superstar has revealed she was invited to play one of Streep's best pals in the film, before Julie Walters and Christine Baranski landed the roles - and she had to say no.
Robert Redford totally shocked his old pal Barbra Streisand during a recent recording of The Oprah Winfrey Show, when he made an appearance for their first ever joint TV interview!
Streisand thought she was on the show to chat about her life with Winfrey and was left speechless when Redford walked out to rapturous applause.
The pair then sat to chat about memories from cult 1973 romance 'The Way We Were'. How sweet! :)
The interview will air on today's (16th November 2010) Oprah show in America.
Christian Bale is not proud of himself for making it in the movies - dismissing acting as a "sissy job".
The 'Batman' star is bemused by the way he is treated as a VIP despite his comfortable working life.
He tells Esquire magazine:
"I have a very sissy job, where I go to work and get my hair done, and people do my makeup, and I go and say lines and people spoil me rotten. And everyone has that kind of curiosity of how far can you go, how far can you take it. I think it's always good testing yourself."
However, Bale reveals that by "embarrassing himself" through acting he has developed a tough skin.
He adds:
"Well, it's embarrassing to be a star. Most people look at you like, 'That's not a f**king job, is it?' And then on top of that, you learn very quickly that you're just a tool - other people are manipulating everything you do, you're at the mercy of editors, and there's nothing you can do. But I learned that there's a certain character that can be built from embarrassing yourself endlessly. If you can sit happy with embarrassment, there's not much else that can really get to ya."
