MTV News |
- Jennifer Lopez Calls 'American Idol' A 'Natural, Fun Experience'
- 'Breaking Dawn' Star Mackenzie Foy Gets Props From Onscreen Grandmother
- 'American Idol' This Week: Adam Lambert's Audition And More
- Terrence Howard Says He Picked Up Acting Tips From 50 Cent
- Decemberists' <i>King Is Dead</i> And The Rise Of The Ideal Society
- 'Jersey Shore' Heads To Italy For Fourth Season
- Ke$ha Sued By Former Managers
- Oscar Nominee Natalie Portman Praises 'Black Swan' Director
- Nicki Minaj Imagines What Her Babies With Drake Will Be Like
- Drake In Talks To Star With Al Pacino In 'Arbitrage'
- Mark Wahlberg Oscar Snub: Why Was His 'Fighter' Performance Ignored?
- Justin Bieber Congratulates Oscar Nominee Hailee Steinfeld
- Michelle Williams, Trent Reznor, More Celebrate Oscar Nominations
- Jay Sean And Lil Wayne Reunite For 'Hit The Lights'
- 50 Cent Says Fans Can Expect <i>Black Magic</i> 'This Summer'
- Oscar-Nominated 'Fighter' Actors, Producers 'Screaming' Over Nods
- Kristen Stewart's 'Breaking Dawn' Vampire 'Scared' Elizabeth Reaser
- Panic! At The Disco Say <i>Vices & Virtues</i> Is 'All Over The Place'
- Oscar Nominee James Franco Set To Direct 'As I Lay Dying'
| Jennifer Lopez Calls 'American Idol' A 'Natural, Fun Experience' Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST 'We're not just phoning it in,' J.Lo tells MTV News of her and fellow rookie judge Steven Tyler.
It's week two of the "American Idol" season 10, and new judge Jennifer Lopez is feeling good about her decision to join the show. When MTV News caught up with the pop star on the set of her "On the Floor" music video, she said her "Idol" plan is to stay relaxed and be herself.
"I'm so happy that everybody's loving the show," she said. "I feel very grateful about that, but I really just wanted to be myself, and I think Steven [Tyler] the same thing. We sat down there and it wasn't like, 'What are we going to do?' It was like, 'You be you.' I think that's why they chose us." Lopez has some theories about why she and the Aerosmith frontman make good "Idol" judges. "They knew that he was a good person [and] I was a good person. He was an interesting person. I had my things about me that they felt were interesting. They knew what they were doing," she said. "That's why they came to us." So is she having fun? "It's just been a very natural, fun experience for us, and I think that's what's coming across. But we're also very serious about what we're doing, and I think people get that too. Like, we're not just phoning it in. We actually care about this, we care about the process, we care about music, we care about artists, and you're getting all that," she said. "And that's pretty much how we handle it every day. I'm having a good time." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Star Mackenzie Foy Gets Props From Onscreen Grandmother Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST 'This is far too quick!' Elizabeth Reaser says of having a 'granddaughter.'
PARK CITY, Utah — Of the onslaught of new castmembers that have come onboard for the two parts of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," the young actress who everyone seems to be most interested in is newcomer Mackenzie Foy. The 10-year-old actress might not be old enough to truly grasp the OME-level of excitement that playing Renesmee, the onscreen daughter of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, should generate, but she certainly has made quite an impact on her co-stars.
Elizabeth Reaser, who plays matriarch Esme Cullen, was at the Sundance Film Festival when MTV News caught up with her and asked her about working with Foy. Reaser had nothing but wonderful things to say about her newest family member. "She's wonderful, and she lives across the hall from me in Baton Rouge, and she's a wonderful, great actress," Reaser said. "She never complains about anything. She's so professional about everything. She's such a sweetheart." Obviously, Foy was cast not only for her acting ability but also for her resemblance to the movie's stars. "I think it was really well cast between Rob and Kristen. She could be their kid, you know? She looks like that," Reaser said, laughing about the fact that Foy, who is 25 years younger than her, is playing her grandchild. "This is far too quick!" In October, Stewart said she hadn't had a chance to meet Foy yet, though that has obviously changed by now. She said that she didn't know anything about Foy until "Breaking Dawn" director Bill Condon called her up. "[He] was like, 'Wait until you see this kid. If you and Rob had a kid, this would be it,' " she told MTV News. "I was like, 'That's so weird.' She just looks like — she sort of looks like Bella. Which is absolutely right. Although the funny thing is she has green eyes, and we both have to wear brown contacts together." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'American Idol' This Week: Adam Lambert's Audition And More Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST At this time over the past nine seasons, an 'Idol' dad went to Washington and William Hung made his debut.
The second week of "American Idol" is about to kick off, so let's review what we've learned from season 10 so far: Steven Tyler has taught us the value of a sound bite, Jacee Badeaux and Brett Loewenstern taught us not to judge on first impressions alone, and Randy Jackson taught us ... well, let's not get carried away. We haven't learned that much yet.
But at this same time over the past nine seasons of "American Idol," we had already met Adam Lambert and saw one "Idol" alum's dad replace Ted Kennedy in the U.S. Senate. Let's take a look back at This Week in "American Idol" to see what went down during the second week of seasons past: 2010: Mr. Brown Goes to Washington 2009: Adam Lambert Wails His Way Into Our Hearts 2007: "American Idol" and the Sundance Kid 2004: He Bangs, He Bangs Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. |
| Terrence Howard Says He Picked Up Acting Tips From 50 Cent Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST 'I actually learned more from watching him,' the 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' ' actor tells Mixtape Daily.
Celebrity Favorites: Terrence Howard 50 Cent has invaded Hollywood with a string of roles alongside Tinseltown royalty like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro ("Righteous Kill") and leading-man-in-the-making Chace Crawford ("Twelve").
We all know that the G-Unit General can make a hit, but after he and producer Randall Emmett inked a reported $200 million deal to launch Cheetah Films, don't be surprised if the rapper's future lies in making fans sit down to watch him on the big screen instead of hitting the dance floor. He hasn't left New York for the West Coast just yet, but Terrence Howard said 50 is a more than capable actor. The two worked together on Fif's first film, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." And according to the veteran actor ("Hustle & Flow," "Crash," "Ray"), he actually learned more from 50 than the other way around. "One of the things that I learned, the hardest thing to do is be still," Howard explained. "When you don't know what to do, be still. He mastered that. And therefore, when he jumped forward and has something to say, he spoke the truth with it. That's a genius. That's what makes great film work. He was there from the beginning. I actually learned more from watching him, 'cause he taught me to be still." In addition to his film ventures and wrapping his next album, 50 Cent recently joined Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the Sundance Film Festival for the launch of the boxer's Mayweather Productions. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines. Related Artists |
| Decemberists' <i>King Is Dead</i> And The Rise Of The Ideal Society Posted: 26 Jan 2011 03:52 AM PST What the band's #1 Billboard debut means for our Britney-loving nation, in Bigger Than the Sound
By the time you read this, the Decemberists — the Pacific Northwest's leading purveyors of bookish indie and songs with titles like "The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone" — will have the #1 album in the country. I would say this marks perhaps the whitest moment of the SoundScan era, but, then again, Cake had the #1 album on the Billboard chart just last week. So instead, I'll just call it the most hopeful moment. Because, quite frankly, I have been waiting for something like 15 years to live in a society where a group like the Decemberists can top the charts. It's about as close as we'll probably get to Utopia, after all, a beatific, egalitarian existence in which we debate issues, study great tomes, regale our young with folklore, meditate, take constitutionals, wear glasses, learn the bouzouki, engage in spontaneous bouts of song and interpretive dance, publish quarterly collections of short stories and prose, eat stuff made of seitan and tempeh, and celebrate the work of philosopher-kings with names like Colin Meloy and Chris Funk. It would be, in short, about as close as we'll ever come to the Ideal Society. And the Decemberists have brought us to the precipice of it. And sure, you could probably point to any number of reasons why The King Is Dead ended up at #1 — chief among them perhaps that the only other thing released this past week was Kidz Bop 19 — but I prefer to be optimistic. I see it as proof positive of an ongoing, society-wide recalibration, a move toward enlightenment and away from songs titled "Hold It Against Me." It marks a tremendous step for mankind, out of the darkness and into the light, the death of the monster truck rally and the Shake Weight and beechwood-aged beer. From here, truly anything is possible. Imagine, if you will, life re-imagined as a coffeehouse, complete with terrible artwork (from local artisans) hanging on the walls and kind, bandana-wearing baristas behind the counter. A "food not bombs" pamphlet tacked to the wall; Vashti Bunyan playing overhead. There would probably be some vegan Snickerdoodles too. Anyway, this is what our society is like with the Decemberists at #1. It is a place where the discourse is civil and the coffee is fair trade (and ground on premises), where twee, 12-minute folk ballads have replaced the three-minute pop ditty and Laura Veirs is like Britney Spears or something. You might say this sounds awful, intolerable and downright un-American. But you would be wrong. This is the very society our Founding Fathers had in mind when they established this great nation more than 200 years ago (only, you know, without the slavery): a place where hopes and ideas flourish, a place where people read books and abstain from text-messaging. This is the best America, the smartest, the softest, the friendliest. The most ideal. And we have the Decemberists to thank for all of it. And in keeping with that noble spirit, in the weeks ahead, I foresee an end to the blistering rhetoric and bold-face braggadocio that have dogged this society for far too long. The Super Bowl will not only end in a tie, but the Packers and Steelers will embrace at game's end. Barack Obama will dine with the most fervent of Tea Partyers, and both sides will agree that the other has some interesting points. Britney Spears will release a recording of her reading David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest" as her next single, and not only will it go to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it will stay there indefinitely. Welcome to the kinder, gentler America. Welcome to the Decemberists' America. Of course, I may be wrong about all of this. It is entirely possible that The King Is Dead's #1 debut has more to do with a lack of competition and sagging sales numbers than it does with societal shifts. And next week, when the 2011 Grammy Nominees: Various Artists disc tops the chart, all of this will probably be forgotten, and we'll go back to being the same dumb old civilization we've always been. And if that's the case, fine. But the fact remains that, for one week at least, a sorta-country album (featuring Peter Buck and Gillian Welch on a track) from perhaps the most upright band in rock music today sits atop the Billboard albums chart. The meek inherited the earth. We all got a little bit smarter. It's a small victory, but I'll take it. Do you agree with BTTS that a win for the Decemberists is a win for mankind? Tell us in the comments! |
| 'Jersey Shore' Heads To Italy For Fourth Season Posted: 24 Jan 2011 10:22 PM PST MTV announced show will return for fourth season overseas.
They may be comfortably back in their spiritual home of Seaside Heights for the new season, but not for long! The cast of MTV's smash hit "Jersey Shore" are poised to head to the other homeland: Italy.
On Tuesday (January 25), MTV announced that not only had "Shore" been renewed for a fourth season, but that, in the upcoming season, the cast would be taking their show on the road ... all the way to Italy. Production on season four is set to begin in spring 2011, and will premiere "later this year." "While the Stateside 'Jersey Shore' locales have become iconic for our audience, it's really the constantly evolving dynamic amongst the cast that keeps them coming back each season, and Europe is a fresh spin on a show that continues to reach new heights for us," Chris Linn, MTV's executive vice president of programming and head of production, said in a statement. "The cast is headed to the birthplace of the culture they love and live by. We can't wait to see what erupts as a result." It'll probably be like Mount Vesuvius. The current season of "Jersey Shore" — featuring new castmate Deena Cortese, and a whole lot of JWoww-related drama (and Snooki cooling her backside in a mini-fridge) — premiered earlier this month to record-setting ratings and has only continued to raise the bar in recent weeks: Thursday night's episode was MTV's most-watched series telecast ever, with 8.9 million total viewers. Don't miss "Jersey Shore," airing Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. |
| Posted: 25 Jan 2011 02:28 AM PST DAS Communications' lawyer claims producer Dr. Luke convinced her to breach contract.
Ke$ha is being sued by her former managers at DAS Communications for upwards of $14 million, Ken Freundlich, who is representing DAS in the case, confirmed to MTV News. "DAS was Ke$ha's manager since the beginning of 2006, and there was a written agreement, and they worked closely, and sometime in September 2008 [producer] Dr. Luke, for his own personal gain, somehow induced her to breach that contract," Freundlich said. "And she unceremoniously terminated DAS without justification and then ended up with Luke, basically. So we sued Ke$ha for breach of contract and Luke for interference, and that was last year, and the defense's reaction was to try and delay us. They made motions. "The judge denied all their motions, and now we're going forward. We're going to have our day in court," he continued. "And we're going to prove that Dr. Luke induced her to breach the contract. She had no right to do so, and we're gonna get damages from her." Freundlich explained how he and his team came to the $14 million sum, explaining, "We don't know exactly how much, but we assume it's in that range. She's been quite successful. The case is set. It's gonna go on the rest of this year. We're gonna go straight to the trial if we have to." Ke$ha has filed a suit in California against the management team, but Freundlich is confident nothing will come of her claim that they acted as an "illegal talent agent." "That's pending out in California. Even though that case is still pending, I don't think it has any merit," he said. Calls to Ke$ha's legal team and rep were not returned to MTV News by press time. Related Artists |
| Oscar Nominee Natalie Portman Praises 'Black Swan' Director Posted: 25 Jan 2011 02:45 AM PST Best Actress nominee says nod is 'a wonderful culmination of the 10-year journey with Darren [Aronofsky].'
For those who've been following the awards season, it's not too big of a surprise that "Black Swan" earned five Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (Natalie Portman), and Best Director (Darren Aronofsky). Portman had already won significant recognition for her role in the ballet thriller at the Golden Globes, the Independent Spirit Awards and 10 regional critics' awards associations. So while her first Academy Award nomination may not have been unexpected, the actress says she's humbled by the honor.
"I am so honored and grateful to the Academy for this recognition. It is a wonderful culmination of the 10-year journey with Darren to make this film," Portman told MTV News in a statement. "Making 'Black Swan' is already the most meaningful experience of my career, and the passion shown for the film has completed the process of communication between artists and audience. I am so thankful for the support we have received and I share this honor with the entire cast and crew of the film, especially Darren Aronofsky." This is also Aronofsky's first Oscar nomination. (His 2008 film "The Wrestler" earned Mickey Rourke the Best Actor award for his performance.) Aronofsky has always seemed to target a niche audience with films like "Pi," "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fountain," so producer Brian Oliver said he was glad that Aronofsky was getting much-deserved recognition. "I'm really happy for Darren. Darren is a visionary filmmaker and it's finally nice that they recognized him," Oliver told MTV News. "It's also interesting to see how well the movie is being received internationally and in Europe, with the 12 BAFTA nominations and the box-office success, so it's another kudos to Darren, appealing to a wide audience outside a small niche." With all of the recognition "Black Swan" has been receiving, it was a bit surprising that the film's impressive range of supporting actresses — Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey — didn't get any nods. (Kunis was nominated for a Supporting Actress Golden Globe, though she didn't win.) Oliver theorized that the actresses may have been overlooked because their performances didn't get enough early praise. "As we saw the race went on, all of our supporting actresses' names were moving up the list, and maybe the recognition started a little too late for Barbara but she definitely ended up being a contender. She did an amazing job. I think if we had another few weeks before nominations, she would have gotten it and maybe Mila as well," the producer said. "Maybe the argument too is we split votes. I think a lot of people voted for Mila, a lot of people voted for Barbara, which is great, it's another testament to Darren, but it probably split their chances." Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Nicki Minaj Imagines What Her Babies With Drake Will Be Like Posted: 25 Jan 2011 03:33 AM PST 'I think we'll just make a real creative bunch of kids,' she tells BBC Radio's Tim Westwood.
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| Drake In Talks To Star With Al Pacino In 'Arbitrage' Posted: 25 Jan 2011 02:20 AM PST Movie would mark rapper's first starring film role.
Drake has already conquered the charts and the road, but now the former "Degrassi: The Next Generation" star is in talks to headline his first movie. A spokesperson for producer Johnny Lin's Filmula company confirmed Monday that Drake is in negotiations to join the financial thriller "Arbitrage." The Wrap reported that the Young Money rapper is considering joining the cast of the indie film, which will be written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki ("The Outsider"). According to the site, the movie follows the path of a hedge-fund magnate who is in over his head and desperate to complete the sale of his shady trading empire to a major bank before his fraud is revealed. But then an "unexpected, bloody error" forces him to turn to an unlikely source for protection. Susan Sarandon and "Casino Royale" star Eva Green have already signed on to play the wife and art-dealer mistress, respectively. The movie is slated to begin filming in March in New York and will feature a reunion of Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino and Sarandon, who co-starred in HBO's Jack Kevorkian biopic "You Don't Know Jack." Pacino will play the lead role; it was not known at press time what Drake's part would be. It wouldn't be the first time Drake (born Aubrey Graham), 24, has made the jump from TV to films, following up on his small role in 2007's "Charlie Bartlett." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Artists |
| Mark Wahlberg Oscar Snub: Why Was His 'Fighter' Performance Ignored? Posted: 25 Jan 2011 02:11 AM PST We examine some theories about why Wahlberg is being largely overlooked this awards season.
There will be no Oscar for Mark Wahlberg's performance in "The Fighter." Despite the constant reminder in the film's television spots that Mark's character was the one fighting ("Nawt you, nawt you and nawt you!"), the guy playing the role referenced in the film's very title has been largely overlooked this awards season.
A nomination in the Best Actor category at the Golden Globes and inclusion in the movie's numerous ensemble nods notwithstanding, the guy who passionately worked to bring the true story of "Irish" Mickey Ward to the screen as producer and star remains empty-handed for his own performance. "The Fighter" was gritty, visceral, funny, heartbreaking and heartwarming, and a lot of that has to do with Wahlberg's lead role, so what went wrong? Here are a few theories: He's Already Been Rewarded In its analysis, the "Today" show supported this theory, chalking up Wahlberg's absence to "dilution" from the expanded Best Picture category. "Christian Bale got nominated for playing Mark Wahlberg's brother, Amy Adams got nominated for playing his girlfriend, Melissa Leo got nominated for playing his mom, and Wahlberg himself got nominated for... Nothing. As an actor, that is," Joal Ryan wrote, pointing out, "Wahlberg is up for Best Picture for producing." But Movieline's Alonso Duralde cautioned against the notion that the Oscars set out to shortchange any particular person. "If there's anything I've learned in my years of voting with the L.A. Film Critics Association, [it's that] it's all random and chaotic," he told MTV News. "We often attribute things to 'the Academy likes this, or the Academy likes that'— but it's all about individuals. It may just be that there were five performances that people liked better. For all we know, [Wahlberg] came in sixth by two votes." Christian Bale Got the Juicier Role As Mickey's trainer brother, Bale sinks his teeth into crack addiction, familial strife, greed, despair, empathy and even a few prison scenes in "The Fighter." As Bale said so eloquently at the Golden Globes as he accepted the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama prize: "I really gotta give a shout-out to Mark, because he drove this whole movie. And you can only give a loud performance like the one I gave when you have a quiet anchor and a stoic character. I've played that one many times, and it never gets any notice." FilmDrunk editor in chief/ co-founder Vince Mancini agreed with Bale. "Everybody else has a very showy sort of role," Mancini told MTV News. "I just don't think Academy voters necessarily recognize subtlety in acting. Traditionally, they recognize stuff that is big and very obvious. I don't think Wahlberg's [performance] was that." "I have always said that the Academy likes acting that it can quantify," Duralde reasoned. "They like to be able to put it on a scale and say, 'Look at this nose, look at this accent, look at all this weight you lost. You're pretty, but you did this role without makeup.' They can put a finger on that. The subtler stuff doesn't get noticed as much because it's not as showy." How Much Acting Is He Really Doing? "I would say this is closely related to [what Bale said]," Mancini pointed out. "The part that's acting [for Wahlberg] might not be blatantly obvious to people." Duralde likened this theory to some of the talk back in 1997. "You had this great comic performance by Rupert Everett in 'My Best Friend's Wedding,' but I think people were like, 'He's playing a gay guy and he's gay, so how much work could that be?' " he lamented, pointing out that Marsha Mason was nominated for 1979's "Chapter Two" where she played a character based on her own life. And So ... "It has been such an incredible journey with 'The Fighter' and one that I am grateful to share with David O. Russell, Christian, Melissa, Amy, my fellow producers and the Ward and Eklund families, who are the heart and soul of the film," Wahlberg said in a statement after the Oscar nominations were announced. "Thank you to the Academy for this tremendous honor." Check out everything we've got on "The Fighter." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Justin Bieber Congratulates Oscar Nominee Hailee Steinfeld Posted: 25 Jan 2011 01:44 AM PST Teen singer tweets praise for 'True Grit' star 'for being 14 and getting nominated' for Best Supporting Actress.
From adoring fans to industry praise, Justin Bieber knows all too well about the upside of being a breakout teen star. So it was only fitting that the Biebs reached out to congratulate another rising star: "True Grit" actress Hailee Steinfeld. On Tuesday (January 25), the 14-year-old earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in "True Grit," and Bieber posted a congratulatory note on Twitter. "Met at the Globes and she is super talented. CONGRATS to Hailee Steinfeld for being 14 and getting nominated for an OSCAR for TRUE GRIT!" the singer tweeted. Earlier this month at the Golden Globes, Bieber and Steinfeld teamed up to present the award for Best Animated Film at the awards show. Regarding the good news, the teen starlet told the "Today" show she wasn't even awake when the Oscar announcement was made. "I was asleep and I heard my mom and dad screaming in the other room. They came in my room with flowers," she said. "It was very exciting. It's incredible. I'm in shock. The film overall is incredible. To be a part of it all was amazing. I'm so proud of it all." Steinfeld, who made her feature-film debut with "True Grit," will be competing against some film veterans, including Amy Adams ("The Fighter"), Helena Bonham Carter ("The King's Speech"), Melissa Leo ("The Fighter") and Jacki Weaver ("The Animal Kingdom"). As for future roles, when MTV News' Josh Horowitz sat down with the actress, he asked about her possible role in the dystopian young-adult novel-turned-film "The Hunger Games." "That's definitely an honor," Hailee said. "I didn't even realize that people were mentioning my name. And, again, it's every actor's dream to be recognized for something that they love to do, and to get recognized for that is pretty amazing. I thank the people out there who think that. That would definitely be an honor." What do you think of Hailee's Oscar nomination? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "True Grit." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Michelle Williams, Trent Reznor, More Celebrate Oscar Nominations Posted: 25 Jan 2011 12:56 AM PST Javier Bardem, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Annette Bening and more nominees also thank Academy for the recognition.
While the nominees of the 83rd annual Academy Awards won't all get a chance to make an acceptance speech this year, many did get the chance to talk about what their nods mean to them after they were announced Tuesday (January 25).
Michelle Williams, a former Best Supporting Actress nominee for "Brokeback Mountain," earned her first Best Actress nod for her performance in the devastating indie "Blue Valentine." Carrying the only nomination for the film (her onscreen husband Ryan Gosling got no Academy recognition this year), Williams made sure to thank the others involved with the labor-of-love project. "I am honored to receive this nomination. Making 'Blue Valentine' was unlike any experience I've ever had before, or may ever have again. I share this recognition with Ryan [Gosling] and [director] Derek [Cianfrance], who always brought out the best in me. Thank you to the Academy and to The Weinstein Company for their support of this film." Once again, Javier Bardem finds himself vying for Oscar gold, this time in the Best Actor category for his performance in the heavy foreign language film "Biutiful." Regardless of whether he wins, Bardem already made Oscar history by becoming the first Best Actor nominee to appear in an entirely Spanish-language movie. "I am truly honored for this nomination," Bardem said in a statement. "And deeply thankful to the Academy members for their trust and support. Also to all of those who showed their support to my work in "Biutiful" I express my heartfelt gratitude. I am very happy for Alejandro [González-Iñárritu] and everyone who has made possible the special movie we made together. It's really a huge honor to have been nominated in a non-English speaking performance and in the name of all my colleagues in Spain and mine I want to show my gratitude to the Academy for support and a recognition in this nomination for the movie 'Biutiful.' " Bardem and Williams weren't the only ones to pull off something of an upset Tuesday morning, as Jacki Weaver earned the fifth spot in the Best Supporting Actress race. The "Animal Kingdom" actress was doubly excited about her first-ever nomination, as today also marks Australia Day. "I'm elated to the point of euphoria," Weaver said in a statement. "I feel like I'm in a walking dream. I'm so relieved that all those millions of Australians that wanted me to get this nomination aren't disappointed. Happy Australia Day." Jeremy Renner will be heading back to the Oscars for a second year in a row, this time as a Best Supporting Actor nominee for his work in "The Town." Renner released this statement about the honor: "I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude by this recognition by the Academy this morning. I'm smiling from ear to ear knowing that lightning can strike twice and it feels electrifying. I'm thrilled to be amongst these tremendously talented artists. A big congratulations to all the nominees!" Renner, who lost in last year's Best Actor race to Jeff Bridges (who will also return this year as a nominee), checked in on the "Today" show to discuss the recognition for his role as an off-balance bank robber in the Ben Affleck crime drama. "It's pretty fantastic. I'm pretty overwhelmed," Renner said. Best Actress nominee Annette Bening, who recently nabbed the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, kept her reaction short and sweet. "The Kids Are All Right" star, who plays a lesbian wife and mother whose children have found their sperm donor father, simply stated: "4 nominations and 4 kids. I am damn proud!" Mark Ruffalo, who plays the "Kids" sperm donor, talked to Entertainment Weekly about his Best Supporting Actor nomination. "I had no idea they were announcing today. I swear!," Ruffalo confessed to EW. "I was totally taken by surprise. I just dropped the kids off at carpool. I was about five minutes from the school with a carful of kids. With so many kids, I didn't even realize it was today. I'm glad I forgot about it. It's made it all the more — I don't know, just sweet and poignant and unexpected, you know?" In a statement, "Kids" co-producer Celine Rattray noted, "It took 7 years, 13 financiers, and a 23-day shoot to make our film a reality. By recognizing 'Kids,' the Academy has not only honored us but has given hope and inspiration to the independent film community." Fellow "Kids" co-producer Jeffrey Levy-Hinte added: "We're grateful to be acknowledged by the AMPAS voters as being among the year's Best Pictures in what was a strong year for our industry — and are ecstatic that Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, and Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg are all nominated as well." Co-writer Blumberg couldn't contain his joy about the nominations, as he confessed in his statement, "Try as I could to act cool and not care, as soon as I heard our names called, I started crying like a little kid. Pardon the cliché, but this truly is a dream come true. I want to thank the Academy for this most phenomenal honor." On the other ends of the Oscars arena, Sylvain Chomet earned his second career nomination in the Best Animated Film category, this time for "The Illusionist." In a statement, Chomet expressed his gratitude to the Academy and paid homage to Jacques Tati, the famed French actor and director whose long dormant script (penned 54 years ago) is what the film is based on. "The Academy Award nominations this year for the Best Animated Film category are all the more prestigious due to the fact there were only going to be three of them. I am obviously thrilled and proud that 'The Illusionist' is among those nominated and can be considered alongside the best of the big budget studio films. It's a testament to the skill and the dedication devoted to this film by a very talented team of artists. And of course I sincerely hope that Jacques Tati would be proud of what we have achieved with his marvelous story." Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor (along with co-composer Atticus Ross) helped David Fincher tell "The Social Network" story through his hypnotic score, earning him his first-ever Oscar nomination. The rocker said in a statement, "When David approached us to write the score for 'The Social Network' we were intrigued and excited to see what we could bring to the project — but truly couldn't imagine it would lead to an Oscar nomination. We are extremely grateful to the Academy and very proud to have contributed to David's vision." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Jay Sean And Lil Wayne Reunite For 'Hit The Lights' Posted: 25 Jan 2011 01:53 AM PST Sean's second U.S. album, Freeze Time, is due in the spring.
After first hopping on Jay Sean's U.S. debut single, "Down," in '09, it appears Lil Wayne has co-signed Sean's forthcoming second U.S. album, Freeze Time, due in the spring. Wayne is featured on the project's second single, "Hit the Lights," following "2012 (It Ain't the End)" featuring Nicki Minaj, which Sean released last year. The song, which leaked this weekend and will go on sale digitally February 8, is a progressive house banger made for the dance floor that could rival Britney Spears' recent electro-house jam, "Hold It Against Me," in the clubs. "Lights" was produced by the Orange Factory, the outfit who also crafted Sean's last album, including radio hits "Down" and "Do You Remember," featuring Sean Paul and Lil Jon. Now that pop music has gone "club," it appears the Factory have returned to their dance roots with "Lights." Orange Factory producer J Remy co-produced Dynamix's hit "Don't Want Another Man" featuring Tina Ann, which reached #1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Airplay Chart in November 2000. Keeping in line with Jay Sean's "Feel good, life is good" mantra, "Lights" is a party record that begs of the listener to get themselves to a dance floor. Sean sings: "Put your lighters in the air/ Let 'em burn into the night/ And let everybody know/ That you're with it and you're ready to go/ Come out in the dark, and let the DJ lead the way/ 'Cause it's hot in the club now/ So don't let it stop now/ So hit the lights." And if Sean can be seen as inviting the ladies onto the dance floor, then it seems Weezy means to take over for the next phase of the party. Wayne raps: "Hit the lights so you can see/ My drink is strong, my hookah sweet/ Understand the time is now, but time is up, the future's bleak/ This beat is stupid, cupid/ Love me, leave me in the morning/ If you like, your friend can join in." Have you heard "Hit the Lights"? Give us your review in the comments! Related Artists |
| 50 Cent Says Fans Can Expect <i>Black Magic</i> 'This Summer' Posted: 25 Jan 2011 12:26 AM PST Producers Symbolyc One, Boi-1da and Alex Da Kid added to roster.
The bad guy is almost back: 50 Cent said he's completed "80 percent" of his next album, the forthcoming Black Magic, which should arrive later this year.
The G-Unit rapper has continued to make inroads into Hollywood since his last project, 2009's Before I Self-Destruct, but Fif told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival that he'll be focusing on music in the near future. "[Fans] should look forward to the actual album this summer, so I have to release something soon," he said about when to expect the first single. "I'm not sure if I'll make a full mixtape [beforehand]. That's what I was doing when I was making collaborations with new artists: I was working with artists that wouldn't exactly be my equal because they don't have a successful track record. But at some point you have to make the decision to just be an artist and work because you enjoy the music and you think it's a good idea, as opposed to it being someone of your caliber." 50 had already announced Eminem will appear on the album. But the Queens lyricist also said he'll be working with a slew of new collaborators, including Boi-1da, Alex Da Kid and Kanye West's "Power" producer Symbolyc One. Lil Wayne producers The Surf Club — Hit-Boy and Chase N. Cashe — said the Get Rich or Die Tryin' superstar will revisit the aggression of his earlier work on his latest set. "He's taking it back to the old 50," Hit-Boy told us late last year. "And he had some new records that were some different-sounding stuff too. I'm excited to see how people react to it, and hopefully we end up with some stuff on the album. I gave him some stuff he really loved. It's really a blend of the old 50 mixing with the new stuff that he's doing. It's crazy." What do you expect Black Magic to sound like? Tell us in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Oscar-Nominated 'Fighter' Actors, Producers 'Screaming' Over Nods Posted: 24 Jan 2011 10:53 PM PST 'They're just as happy if the other one wins,' producer Ryan Kavanaugh says of Amy Adams' and Melissa Leo's Best Supporting Actress noms.
While the teams behind "The Social Network" and "The King's Speech" are toasting their Oscar noms, another group of folks is also celebrating Tuesday morning's (January 25) Academy Award nominations announcement. The cast and crew of "The Fighter" earned seven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (David O. Russell), Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale), and two Best Supporting Actress nods for Amy Adams and Melissa Leo.
MTV News spoke with "Fighter" producer and Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh (Relativity fully produced and financed the film) just after he heard the big news. "When I got the news, I was on the phone with David O. Russell and [Mark] Wahlberg and myself, kinda watching and I think you could hear screaming through each house," he said of their reactions. "The person I'm most excited for is David O. Russell because he really deserved it, he really delivered this package. He's obviously had his ups and downs in his career, as many people have. He really came through on this movie and it's nice that the Academy noticed that for him." Kavanaugh's fellow producer and the star of the film, Mark Wahlberg, also praised the director and his co-stars in a statement: "It has been such an incredible journey with 'The Fighter' and one that I am grateful to share with David O. Russell, Christian, Melissa, Amy, my fellow producers and the Ward and Eklund families, who are the heart and soul of the film. Thank you to the Academy for this tremendous honor." Regarding Adams' and Leo's dual nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category, the Relativity Media CEO said the actresses won't be thinking about competition at all. "It's funny because I think Amy and Melissa, they're just as happy if the other one wins," he said. "They are competing against each other but at the same time, I think they're both really happy for the other one." Kavanaugh went on to say that although he'd like to go back to bed — Oscar nominations were announced at 5:30 a.m. on the West Coast — he has a long day of work and, later, congratulating to do. "I've got a pretty full day coming up. I'll stop by Mark's house, I'll stop by David's house, give 'em both a big hug," he said. "[I'll] try and stop by Christian's house although he's probably holed up and won't even turn on the TV until 10 a.m." Check out everything we've got on "The Fighter." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Kristen Stewart's 'Breaking Dawn' Vampire 'Scared' Elizabeth Reaser Posted: 24 Jan 2011 11:23 PM PST 'Twilight' co-star tells MTV News, 'I thought, 'This might not end well. She's looking pretty pissed right now.' '
PARK CITY, Utah — Ever since Kristen Stewart spilled the beans at the People's Choice Awards that she had been filming "Breaking Dawn" as a vampire that day, it's all we can think about when we get the chance to talk to one of her "Twilight Saga" co-stars.
Elizabeth Reaser, who plays Esme Cullen in the film franchise, teased at the Sundance Film Festival this week that there have been some crazy vampire scenes on set recently. "There's been some really cool stuff in the Cullen house with Bella," Reaser revealed to MTV News. "There's been some interesting transformations happening." Sounds to us like director Bill Condon has been filming the famous "Breaking Dawn" birthing scene, and that Reaser got a chance to see Bella's transformation into a vampire. Producer Wyck Godfrey already shared that the birthing scene will be shown from Bella's perspective to keep with the film's PG-13 rating, but as Reaser witnessed the whole scene unfold, what was her impression of Stewart's transformation? "She scared me a little bit on Thursday, I'll be honest with you," Reaser said. "Because when vampires are newborns, they're stronger than any other vampires, so for a second there I thought, 'This might not end well. She's looking pretty pissed right now.' It was great." Reaser's praise of Stewart's performance as vampire Bella matches with what co-stars Robert Pattinson and Peter Facinelli had to say about it at the Golden Globes. Pattinson told MTV News it felt like Stewart "wanted to do it the entire time." "It's really funny, it's like a completely different environment on set when she's a vampire and when she's not," he said. "I think she's going to do it really well." In the books, Bella becomes much more confident after transforming into a vampire, so it's fitting that Stewart is coming into her own with the role. Facinelli jokingly credited vampire contact lenses as the real reason Stewart is doing so much better. "She's doing really well. She looks fantastic," Facinelli raved. "For some reason, once they put those contact lenses in, you look very statuesque." Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos |
| Panic! At The Disco Say <i>Vices & Virtues</i> Is 'All Over The Place' Posted: 25 Jan 2011 12:14 AM PST Band just shot video for 'The Ballad of Mona Lisa,' the first single from March album.
The last time MTV News spoke with Panic! At The Disco, Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith had just premiered "New Perspective," a song they'd written for the Megan Fox horror flick "Jennifer's Body." They were fresh off a run of shows opening for Blink-182 and only two months removed from the departure of Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, who were still 10 months away from releasing their first album as the Young Veins. So, yeah, it's been a while. But in recent weeks, Panic! have slowly begun edging their way back into the spotlight. They've announced plans for a new album — Vices & Virtues, due March 29 — and unveiled the first single from that disc, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," which drops February 1. And they've just filmed a video for the song, directed by longtime collaborator Shane C. Drake. MTV News was on location with the band during the shoot, and while we can't reveal any details just yet, we did manage to ask Urie and Smith a bit about the single and the album, both of which, it would seem, are rather intrinsically linked. "Basically, all of the songs, including 'Mona Lisa,' kind of touch on what the album is called ... it's called Vices & Virtues, and in one way or the other, at least one to 10 virtues or vices are represented in every song," Urie said. "[It's] little minor things I didn't know were vices or virtues, until we looked them up. I was like, 'I don't know what altruism means, so I'll look that up.' Things like logic, pride, vanity — it can go either way. So it was kind of interesting to read about that. "And it just made sense, because all the songs [on the album] are so all over the place," he continued. "They don't sound anything like each other, and it's like, 'How does this all tie together?' and then it kind of made sense. It was kind of lucky." And though Vices is a musical grab bag, Panic! couldn't have made the album any other way, and they're pretty sure fans will be happy with the results — especially fans clamoring for a return to their A Fever You Can't Sweat Out heyday. "We've been working on music for about a year and a half, so I think that partly adds to why some of the songs have some varying styles," Smith said. "Part of it was us, at the beginning, trying to figure out what we wanted to do — we had a new opportunity with just the two of us — and as we sort of got a better hold on what that was, just kind of went from there. ... I think there's stuff from the first album that we kind of got away from on the second record that people who were fans of the first one will enjoy." Are you happy to hear that Panic! will hark back to their Fever days? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Oscar Nominee James Franco Set To Direct 'As I Lay Dying' Posted: 24 Jan 2011 11:39 PM PST The '127 Hours' star and Oscar host tells MTV News he'll helm movie based on William Faulkner's novel this summer.
James Franco may very well be Hollywood's ultimate Renaissance man. In addition to his already busy 2011 schedule, which includes attending the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, both as first-time host and Best Actor nominee (for "127 Hours"), the actor/writer/student will also tackle directing duties.
Over the weekend, MTV News managed to catch a minute with Franco at the Sundance Film Festival, where he revealed to us yet another impressive future endeavor. The star spilled, "This summer I'm going to direct a movie based on William Faulkner's novel 'As I Lay Dying.' " Franco, who has in the past done some work behind the camera, explained, "I shoot a test of the whole movie before I make a movie. So we just shot a test." Despite working from a lengthy script (160 pages, to be exact), Franco did an entire pre-shoot with actors in North Carolina on New Year's Day. And in keeping with his already unorthodox methods, the 32-year-old noted that the actors he used for the test filming won't necessarily be the ones he works with on the final product. While Franco says he "might" appear in his adaptation of "As I Lay Dying," he has his sights set on his favorite actor, "Boardwalk Empire" and "Revolutionary Road" star Michael Shannon, whom he has worked with twice before. The cast already includes Paul Dano ("Little Miss Sunshine," "There Will Be Blood") and, if all works out for Franco, Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor," "Six Feet Under") and Joaquin Phoenix will be onboard as well. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
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