MTV News |
- 'Smurfs' Cast Imagines Navigating NYC -- In Miniature
- 'Cowboys & Aliens': Everything You Need To Know!
- '120 Minutes' Returns Saturday With Matt Pinfield
- TeenNick's ' '90s Are All That' Frenzy Is 'Crazy,' Kenan Thompson Says
- 'Breaking Dawn' Sex Scene Was 'Kind Of Fun' For Bill Condon
- Amy Winehouse Honored By <i>Vibe,</i> Janelle Monae
- Adele, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne To Perform At VMAs
- Drew Barrymore Directs Best Coast's New Supervideo: Watch A Sneak Peek Now!
- Was Amy Winehouse Crushed By Sudden Fame?
- 'Cowboys & Aliens' Star Olivia Wilde Happy To Revive Westerns
- 'Attack The Block' Aliens 'Unlike Anything You've Seen'
- Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga Support Berry Family After Tragic Accident
- Nervo, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Talk Tomorrowland Anthem
- 'Breaking Dawn' Star 'Like A Zombie' On Last Day Of Shooting
- Disturbed Announce 'Indefinite Hiatus'
- Young Jeezy Says <i>TM 103</i> Release Is 'Locked'
- Wiz Khalifa Shows Chevy Woods 'A Different Way'
- 50 Cent, Kanye West Collaboration Delayed By <i>Watch The Throne</i>
- Demi Lovato's 'Skyscraper' Will 'Wow' Do Something Awards
| 'Smurfs' Cast Imagines Navigating NYC -- In Miniature Posted: 29 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT 'I've always been fascinated by what really goes on in the subways,' Neil Patrick Harris tells MTV News of what he'd do first.
"The Smurfs" are three apples high, as the legend goes, and in this week's big-screen adaptation of the beloved children's cartoon, Hollywood takes a stab at re-telling the tale for a new generation of kids.
The 3-D tale (with some CGI) is voiced by an A-list cast, including VMA-nominated Katy Perry, George Lopez and Alan Cumming, to name a few. In the movie, the Smurfs land in the Big Apple, where they end up staying with expecting newlyweds played by Neil Patrick Harris and "Glee" star Jayma Mays. Of course, they're also trying to stay as far as possible from their nemesis, Gargamel, played by Hank Azaria. The little creatures find themselves in some silly situations as they try to navigate the big city. When MTV News caught up with Harris, Mays and Azaria in New York, we asked what they would do if they suddenly found themselves having to survive the city in Smurf-sized bodies.' "I've always been fascinated by what really goes on in the subways," Harris said. His onscreen lady love, Mays, agreed, "That's a good one," before warning him, "but then the rats would be bigger than you. So that'd be a little scary." "Maybe I'd sneak into really fun buildings," Mays added. "I would get into clubs that won't let me in now." Harris later quipped of a popular Broadway show, "You could sneak into the 'Book of Mormon.' That's a hard ticket to get right now." The actor who plays the movie's bumbling bad guy had a less glitzy answer. "If I were three apples high and I lived in New York, I would sneak into the Mets game. That's what I'd do," Azaria said. "And I'm blue, so they'd probably just mistake me for some kind of mascot. I'd wear orange to go with it. You see Gutsy's beard there? It's orange; that's Mets colors right there. I'm sure Gutsy is a Mets fan." Are you going to check out "The Smurfs" this weekend? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "The Smurfs." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| 'Cowboys & Aliens': Everything You Need To Know! Posted: 29 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT As Jon Favreau's flick hits theaters, we lasso up all the details about the much-anticipated flick.
"Cowboys & Aliens" may be lassoing its way into theaters on Friday (July 29), but the movie's journey to the big screen began a long time ago in a galaxy ... well, not so far away. The current incarnation of Jon Favreau's adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's 2006 graphic novel is a far cry from what the director had originally envisioned. When we first heard about the project back in '08, it seemed to be shaping up to be "Iron Man 2.0," with Favreau directing, "Iron Man" screenwriters penning the script and Robert Downey Jr. pegged as the flick's leading man. "Cowboys & Aliens" was initially set to begin filming in 2009, but with Downey Jr. unsure about committing to the role and Favreau still not officially onboard, things were still up in the air. Also by then, the "Cowboys & Aliens" script was in the capable hands of "Star Trek" writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who admitted that they had veered from the source material. In January 2010, Downey Jr. parted ways with "Cowboys & Aliens." Fortunately, things started looking up only two days later, when it was announced that Daniel Craig was in talks to replace the "Iron Man" star as protagonist Zeke Johnson. In addition, the movie was set to start filming in July, potentially in 3-D. The casting announcements continued flowing in, including Olivia Wilde who came onboard as the movie's leading lady. With the majority of the major players set to go, "Cowboys & Aliens" was given a July 2011 release date. In April 2010, rumors began to swirl that Harrison Ford would join "Cowboys & Aliens". Favreau confirmed on Twitter that Han Solo himself would star opposite Craig and Wilde, making this one of the coolest casts around. The casting news just kept coming, with Noah Ringer, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown and Walton Goggins added as well. The buzz for the flick continued to grow right through to its 2010 Comic-Con presentation, where fanboys salivated at the news that Wilde had filmed a nude scene just days before the event. But it wasn't until November that the rest of the world got a taste of what was in store. The first trailer arrived on November 17, and Favreau stopped by MTV's offices to offer his own commentary on it. Then in February, another exciting new trailer aired during the Super Bowl. MTV News was lucky enough to get Favreau back for more trailer dissection. Plenty more "Cowboys" trailers followed, as well as clips. In mid-July, MTV News headed to Montana, where we chatted with the cast, including Craig and Wilde. Not long after that trip, Favreau stopped by our San Diego headquarters to talk about the movie's big Comic-Con world premiere. It was the nerd event of the convention. Check out everything we've got on "Cowboys & Aliens." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| '120 Minutes' Returns Saturday With Matt Pinfield Posted: 29 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT 'Who says hell doesn't freeze over?' iconic MTV host says of the show's much-anticipated return.
Between 1986 and 2003, alternative music had a permanent home on MTV in the form of "120 Minutes," the late, great Sunday night program that played host to everyone from the Butthole Surfers to XTC, and gave American audiences their first taste of (then) up-and-coming acts like Radiohead, Blur and the Smashing Pumpkins, to name just a few. When "120" disappeared into the TV hinterland in early '03, it left a gaping hole in the hearts of music fans everywhere, one "Subterranean" just couldn't fill, no matter how hard it tried. And for eight years, we waited for its return, longing for our fix of the latest and greatest in alt (indie? buzz?) hoping against hope that someday, the show would come back to us.
Now, the wait is over. On Saturday, July 30, "120 Minutes" returns with iconic host (and downright obsessive music fan) Matt Pinfield once again serving as master of ceremonies. And if you think you're excited by the news, well, you can't imagine how Pinfield's feeling right about now. "I couldn't be happier. I mean, I love the show and, over the years, I've heard from everyone from Jack White to the Black Keys, tons of musicians, music fans, people that run some of the biggest websites for music in the country, have all come up to me in the past and said, 'You know, "120 Minutes" and you talking about music is why I wanted to get into the music business.' And there's no bigger compliment than that," Pinfield told MTV News. "So it's exciting and it's great to do it again. And who would've thought? I stopped hosting the show in 1999 ... so that's 11 years since I hosted, 16 years since I started hosting regularly. So it's amazing to see things come full circle. Who says hell doesn't freeze over?" And if you're worried that the new "120" may not be the show it once was, Pinfield promises that he's determined to keep things the way they were. So, yes, there will still be plenty of videos. And yes, there will be off-kilter interviews with plenty of indie acts, both established and new (the first episode features the likes of PJ Harvey, Dave Grohl, Cults and Das Racist, among others). In fact, about the only difference will be the set. "There will be differences: I am no longer sitting on those road cases, because my legs are too short and I can't touch the ground," Pinfield laughed. "I think that the way that people digest music and information now has changed quite a bit ... so the difference will be, we will still and I'm very proud to show full videos -- at least 12 a show -- but there will be a lot more guests and a lot more action and a lot more things will be happening a lot faster." And even if times have changed, Pinfield said the mission of "120" remains the same: to shine a spotlight on bands that deserve it, and to turn folks on to new sounds from around the globe. "I love Joy Formidable, Sleigh Bells, Black Angels, Das Racist, there's so many cool things, and that's, for me, the exciting part of it," he said. "I love the fact that we're going to show a few of the old classic clips and bring some of the history, but always, the most exciting for me is playing new music for people and being able to turn them on to new things that I'm excited about." MTV2's "120 Minutes" with Matt Pinfield premieres Saturday, July 30, on MTV2 at 1 a.m. ET/10 p.m. PT. |
| TeenNick's ' '90s Are All That' Frenzy Is 'Crazy,' Kenan Thompson Says Posted: 29 Jul 2011 03:53 AM PDT Former 'All That' and 'Kenan & Kel' star talks about block, also featuring 'Clarissa Explains It All' and 'Doug.'
The world was feeling nostalgic this week when a block of '90s Nickelodeon series debuted on TeenNick. "All That," "Clarissa Explains It All," "Kenan & Kel" and "Doug" hit the airwaves Monday night at midnight, and for two hours, everyone was transported back to a wackier time in TV history during the aptly titled "The '90s Are All That."
Former "All That" and "Kenan & Kel" star Kenan Thompson told MTV News the incredible public response is "very exciting." Of his initial reaction to the news that his old shows would find a new home on the air, he said, "I thought it was crazy. It was very complimentary and felt really nice of them to do that, and it's all fan requested and then that made it even better." The shows are getting the late-night treatment, and Thompson said it's the perfect time for 20-something's to feel nostalgic. "We're all at that age now where we're night owls; everybody's up anyway," he said. "It's a good idea for a spot. It's crazy that it's working because it's like 10-year-old material that's holding up against these shows." The shows might be a fun trip back in time for adults now, but the "Saturday Night Live" actor said that back then, the content was all about "kids rule." "That's always made kids feel good watching it," he said. "We were doing relatable material, and it wasn't so forced. We just happened to be kids doing stuff." The airing of the four shows, which all pre-date social networking, became such an overnight sensation that it caused an uproar on Twitter with various memes related to the shows (such as character names) all becoming Twitter trends. The ratings have also held their own against staple late-night talk shows. The idea is a hit, and Thompson is grateful for all the love. It's a feeling he also had back in the day when he was busy working on both "All That" and "Kenan & Kel." "Me, personally, I was just happy to be there. I wanted to be an actor from a very young age, and it was just an awesome time," he explained. "It was my first TV gig. It was like a very, very cherished moment in life. "I have tons [of memories]. It's funny to see everyone all grown up now," he added. "It's crazy. It's funny to watch life progress and then to be thrown back into the mid-'90s, it's cool." Which is your favorite '90s Nick series? Tell us in the comments below! |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Sex Scene Was 'Kind Of Fun' For Bill Condon Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:14 AM PDT 'They are so comfortable with each other,' director says of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
"Twilight" fans gearing up for the franchise's last two films already have the cast and crew's word that the much-discussed wedding and birth scenes will be everything they've imagined since reading Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn." But what about porting the book's passionate sex scene from page to screen? When MTV News caught up with director Bill Condon at Comic-Con, he was happy to report that shooting in Brazil was a breeze. "It was kind of fun!" he told us. Apparently Stewart and Pattinson's electric onscreen chemistry was enough to diffuse any and all off-screen awkwardness among cast and crew. "They are so comfortable with each other," Condon said. "They made the whole thing ... it was kind of fun. Those things are always a little strange. They get to be weirdly technical at certain points." Stewart and Pattinson's realistic closeness comes as no surprise, given that rumors about their real-life relationship have been circulating since the initial "Twilight" film hit theaters in 2008. "They managed to put all that aside and turn it into something. That's a very real moment," he noted. For his part, Pattinson told fans at Comic-Con that there were some not-so-romantic moments during the shoot in Brazil. "Brazil was amazing," Pattinson said. "It was really amazing the day we got there, and really beautiful and warm and everything you'd expect. Then it suddenly, for the remainder of the shoot, was not only raining but like hurricane storms. ... It was kind of like having a honeymoon in England. We were playing board games instead of, like, making love on the beach." 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 |
| Amy Winehouse Honored By <i>Vibe,</i> Janelle Monae Posted: 28 Jul 2011 05:16 AM PDT MTV News obtains exclusive excerpt from magazine's August/September 'Juice' issue.
Amy Winehouse's death stunned her family and friends, fans and musical comrades. While her loved ones stopped to mourn her passing, Vibe magazine stopped the presses. With an already-scheduled Kelly Rowland cover on its way to the printer, editor in chief Jermaine Hall paid homage to Winehouse with a second cover for the mag's annual August/September "Juice" issue.
Hall said he wanted to capture Winehouse's beauty on the cover, and he and his team considered 40 different photos before finally deciding on a classic black-and-white portrait shot by Mischa Richter in 2008. "We had literally 36 hours to pull it off. It was a stop-the-presses situation, obviously," Hall said. "It was a hustle, but I thought it was necessary." As part of the magazine's editorial direction, Vibe reached out to Winehouse's producer and friend Salaam Remi and singer Janelle Monáe, who toured with Winehouse earlier this year. "Salaam was still out there because they were supposed to go to a wedding together that weekend," Hall explained. "He was with her for those last six days, so he was able to give us just incredible perspective on where she was, what kind of space she was in before everything went down." In his interview, Remi speaks about his plans to celebrate Winehouse's September 14 birthday with rapper Nas. "For the last couple of weeks, we were video-chatting regularly," he said. "I was just talking to Nas. Both her and Nas were born on September 14, so we were going to Barbados with all of them for her birthday. She really doesn't look forward to her birthday." For Vibe, the decision to cover Winehouse was an easy one. "When Amy hit with that second album, there was no denying that she was a Vibe artist," Hall said. "Her sound was like a mix of R&B, soul, there's some jazz in there. The way she was delivering the material, her tales of struggle, it was so clear, and it kinda felt like we were back in the '60s: the Motown era." In an exclusive excerpt given to MTV News, Monae talks to the magazine about the first time she met Winehouse: "I was honored then, and I am now, that I had the opportunity to share the same tour and stage with Amy this year in Brazil. Each night she came out onstage, she performed effortlessly. "At our first meeting, she was very shy, a sweet girl. Her first words to me were, 'It's so nice to meet you finally. I'm shy; you're a shy girl like me, huh?' She was so giving: She even bought me a swimming suit that she thought I'd like." The rest of Monae's Vibe Q&A can be accessed by scanning the code on the front cover of the Amy Winehouse edition of the magazine, hitting newsstands nationwide August 16. What do you think Amy Winehouse's musical legacy will be? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Adele, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne To Perform At VMAs Posted: 28 Jul 2011 07:24 AM PDT Moonman nominees will take the stage on August 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Three big artists are ready to get the party started at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Adele, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown have all been announced as performers at the show, airing live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles next month.
This will mark the first time that Adele has graced the VMAs stage. The British chanteuse is up for seven nods for her emotional "Rolling in the Deep" video, including Best Female Artist, Best Pop Video, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Direction, Best Editing and the night's big prize, Video of the Year. Brown will return to the stage, after making his unforgettable VMA debut back in 2007. His eye-popping video for "Look at Me Now," which features Wayne and Busta Rhymes, is up for multiple Moonmen at the big show, including Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Collaboration. "I am excited about my nominations and to be back on the VMA stage," Brown said in a statement. "I have a special performance planned for my wonderful fans." Wayne himself is also slated to take the stage. He's got some big nominations up for grabs at the show including best Hip-Hop Video for his "6 Foot, 7 Foot" clip. "Being a nominee and performer on the VMAs once again is an honor because everyone doesn't get that opportunity," Wayne said in a statement. The event coincides with the August 29 release of his upcoming album. "Looking forward to performing on the show, and having Tha Carter IV drop the same week!" The night is shaping up to be quite the gathering, with stars like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West and Pitbull up for Moonmen at the show. Perry leads the pack with an unprecedented four videos earning a total of nine nominations, including Video of the Year, Best Female Video and Best Pop Video. You can vote for general VMA categories, including Best New Artist, by visiting VMA.MTV.com or m.mtv.com on your mobile phone. In addition, you can get in on Best New Artist text voting by texting BNA to 66333 on your wireless phone. (Verizon subscribers can vote on all categories via SMS by texting VMA to 66333; standard message rates apply.) Voting for Best New Artist continues through the show. The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for your favorites in the general categories by visiting VMA.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drew Barrymore Directs Best Coast's New Supervideo: Watch A Sneak Peek Now! Posted: 28 Jul 2011 09:21 AM PDT Barrymore jumps behind the camera for Best Coast's new 'Our Deal' clip.
Ever since they released their debut disc, Crazy for You, last summer, Cali fuzz-poppers Best Coast have become your favorite "cool" celebrity's favorite "cool" band, championed by celebs from Miranda Cosgrove to Jimmy Fallon (and just about everyone in between).
So, it should come as no surprise that the Coast's new supervideo for Crazy for You track "Our Deal" is quite the celebrified thing, featuring cameos from the likes of Donald Glover, Alia Shawkat, Chloë Moretz and Tyler Posey ... and as an added bonus, it's directed by the long-reigning Queen of Hollywood Cool: Drew Barrymore. And while the full "Our Deal" video won't premiere until Tuesday, we're proud to present you with a 30-second sneak peek of the clip right now. And judging from what we've seen so far, much like Best Coast's music, the vid pulls heavily from '50s-style teen dramas — everything from "Rebel Without a Cause" to "Grease" — with Moretz (the breakout star of "Kick-Ass") and Posey (he's the dude from MTV's "Teen Wolf") portraying starstruck lovers who just happen to be members of rival gangs, the "Day Trotters" and the "Night Creepers." Will Moretz and Posey's love prove stronger than their colors? How many switchblade fights will we see? And how awesome will the inevitable "drag race through the L.A. riverbed" scene be? You'll just have to wait and see, when Best Coast's "Our Deal" video premieres in full Tuesday on MTV. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Was Amy Winehouse Crushed By Sudden Fame? Posted: 27 Jul 2011 10:07 PM PDT The kind of sudden popularity Winehouse achieved can be disorienting and paralyzing, experts say.
Some stars seem born to be in the spotlight, thriving in the attention and adulation of their adoring fans and finding a way to navigate the downsides of intense public scrutiny with seeming ease. Others, such as troubled singer Amy Winehouse, appear to have difficulty handling the harsh spotlight and retreat into a destructive cycle of substance abuse and self-harm from which they never return.
Winehouse died at age 27 on Saturday. And though her cause of death has not been determined, it would seem with her sadly short career, which saw her rocket from obscurity in 2006 to tragic demise just five years later, she is the latest example of an artist for whom fame was to be too much, too soon. "Anyone who is thrust into that kind of celebrity with that kind of attention needs a solid, well-built foundation and support system that they can wrap around them like a blanket," said Dr. Charles Sophy, a psychiatrist who has appeared on VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" and "The Housewives of Beverly Hills" and is the author of a new book on conflict-free communication for mothers and daughters, called "Side by Side." "If you don't have those key elements, you're more likely to implode and hit a wall," Sophy said. Read what Winehouse producer Salaam Remi had to say about working with the singer. Winehouse, a child of divorce, appeared drawn to destructive personal relationships — including a tumultuous marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil that resulted in a number of public spats and arrests. To the public at least, it seemed she lacked some of the foundation Sophy says is necessary. And though it's impossible for outside observers to know for sure, Sophy speculated that genetics may have also played a part in Winehouse's difficulty in dealing with fame, especially if there is a history of addiction or mental health issues in her family. "If those things are not dealt with, then they are huge issues too," he said. "And if all that hits at once, you need coping skills and if those aren't there ..." Though her legend was based almost entirely on a single album, 2006's Back to Black, which spawned just two singles that charted in the U.S. — "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good" — Winehouse was among the few young women in recent pop history to have attained worldwide critical and commercial success only to either spin out or retreat in the face of the rigors of fame. Some, such as former Fugees star Lauryn Hill, continue to perform sporadically, but have been unable (or unwilling) to release a proper follow-up. Others, like Alanis Morissette, survive their moment and go on to solid careers that never quite reach the same zenith. And some live somewhere in between, such as Courtney Love, who cracked up for years before getting clean and continuing her career at a lower orbit, or Fiona Apple, who seemed uninterested in playing the fame game and retreated into privacy, releasing just three albums over a 15-year career. None of those examples really fit the Winehouse mold, though, according to Jenny Eliscu, a Sirius satellite radio host and Rolling Stone contributing editor who profiled Winehouse for the magazine in 2007, as the singer's star was about to go supernova. "It would be easy and understandable to think that this is a phenomenon that afflicts female artists, but the parallel that makes the most sense for me is Kurt Cobain," she said of the troubled Nirvana singer, who committed suicide at age 27, after years of battling with drugs and struggling to deal with the limelight. "He had a band to say, 'What the f---?' But when you're solo, it's entirely your own operation with no one there to keep you in check," Eliscu said. "You can languish in your problems. ... It's easy to get in your own cave." Even if you're not abusing drugs or alcohol, getting it together to make a follow-up to a huge album is hard. But Eliscu said that if you compound that with the loneliness of being a solo artist, particularly one who probably never expected her authentically pained music to reach such a wide audience, you have a recipe for major trouble. For every Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan who spin out after achieving early celebrity, there are Justin Timberlakes and Taylor Swifts, who appear able to handle the pressure. Sophy said that could be because they have that support system in place early on to help them deal with the pressure. "Someone who is 27 is not necessarily 27 years old emotionally," said Sophy. "A 27-year-old can often act like an 18-year-old, because oftentimes addicts stop growing emotionally at the age they started using." Even if, as father Mitch Winehouse said in a statement released after Amy's funeral, his daughter had been drug-free for three years, Sophy said it can take a long time for the brain's chemistry to return to normal long after a patient leaves rehab. Sophy said that any artist who puts themselves in the spotlight is taking a huge risk, regardless of their sobriety. As they look for affirmation that they're talented enough, once success begins coming in a rush, it can make them doubt their skills more than ever. "When they hit it and it becomes a big thing, then there's more pressure on them and their self-esteem, which might have been an issue to begin with and that's a bigger mountain to climb," Sophy explained. It's hard for even the most self-assured person to say, "I'm really good at this," and so, Sophy said, when that doubt creeps in while the world is watching, it sometimes makes it difficult to stay on the straight and narrow without self-medicating or finding some other way to cope with the pressure. "Instant fame is like a drug," he said. "It starts out slowly and then you can get a big rush from a big blowup and that little high you got from your first big interview or show is like a drug and you get addicted to the rush and adrenaline. Then you have that big [magazine] feature, and that really sends you over the top. And how do you beat that attention? You have to get another one." Find out what music experts think will be Amy's musical legacy, beyond "Rehab." While Winehouse often seemed unaffected by the attention, if not downright uninterested in it, her music came from what seemed like a genuine wellspring of pain and emotion. Because of that, Eliscu said it's not surprising that someone in that state of turmoil might retreat into a kind of cocoon of safety and escape the public world they've been thrust into. "When you get to the level of someone like the Jonas Brothers, you have so many people protecting you that you can almost be sheltered from expectations of what people want," she said. "But [Winehouse] never had that level of structure in place around her. Even after the success of the first album in the U.K., she could never have known how well [Back to Black] would have done." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Cowboys & Aliens' Star Olivia Wilde Happy To Revive Westerns Posted: 28 Jul 2011 01:49 AM PDT 'I think we're bringing the Western to a younger audience in a major way,' star says.
Olivia Wilde is no stranger to big-budget productions — she did, after all, star in last year's "Tron: Legacy." But the actress is adamant about the fact that her latest blockbuster, this Friday's much-anticipated "Cowboys & Aliens," is not like any other that has come before this summer.
"We are not a sequel, and we are not a superhero movie," Wilde explained to MTV News, undoubtedly referring to the string of well-known franchise movies that have come our way thus far this summer, from sequels to "Harry Potter" and "Transformers" to comic book fare like "Thor" and "Captain America." "So we're an original piece of material and that's really rare this summer." OK, it's no superhero movie, but "Cowboys" is based on a comic book. Still, Wilde emphasized that the plot isn't exactly derivative. "Even though our title is based on a comic book, we're not actually a comic book movie. The story is completely original," Wilde noted. "Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who wrote 'Star Trek,' wrote this story from scratch, just using the idea of the 'Cowboys & Aliens' comic book as inspiration." Another way that "Cowboys & Aliens" stands out from the pack is the way it pays homage to a classic genre. "I think we're bringing the Western to a younger audience in a major way, which I think is really exciting, because I love Westerns, and I'm happy to introduce this genre to a bunch of people," Wilde said. Of course, no good Western is complete without its rugged leading men. "We have Daniel Craig, who I think embodied Steve McQueen in this role," the actress gushed. "He's so badass it's unbelievable, and I think he's really, really smart and interesting in this role, and I think Harrison Ford pulls out his best performance in years. He's incredibly moving, and also very funny." Check out everything we've got on "Cowboys & Aliens." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Attack The Block' Aliens 'Unlike Anything You've Seen' Posted: 28 Jul 2011 02:59 AM PDT Director Joe Cornish tells MTV News that 'Starship Troopers' and 'Gremlins' provided unlikely inspiration for alien-invasion flick.
Although there are some big Hollywood names among this weekend's new releases "Cowboys & Aliens" and "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," there is an equally intriguing, if slightly lesser-known film hitting select theaters called "Attack the Block." What sets "Block" apart from all of the others is that it was shot on a small budget and features a cast of mostly unknown actors. MTV News recently caught up with first-time feature director Joe Cornish to find out how he accomplished so much with so little, and why he thinks his alien-invasion action movie is the best of the summer.
"You're right to observe that this movie cost probably the amount that one of Bruce Willis' shoes cost," Cornish joked when asked about the challenges of working on a limited film budget. "Like I say, that was something that excited me; I wanted to do ambitious stuff in an inventive way." Cornish explained that he and his crew took a unique approach to their aliens, drawing inspiration from a couple of unexpected cult favorites like "Starship Troopers" and "Gremlins." "We have an alien design we're proud of. It's unusual. It's very different. It's unlike anything you've seen before," he promised. "I like when movies withhold the monster, but I also like — 'Starship Troopers' is one of my favorite films, and there comes a point in that movie or in 'Gremlins,' where they just show the monster and it becomes about quantity," he said. "We designed our monster in such a way that we could do that. So we don't hide it for the whole movie, we expose it and you see them in numbers and in force." Newcomer actor John Boyega said the film is a thrill ride full of unexpected surprises ... and warm hugs? "We were put at ease by [co-star] Nick Frost's constant hugs and his words of advice and Joe Cornish's enthusiasm on set," Boyega said. "It was great to work on that project, it was a great experience," he added. "It just felt like a fun ride." Check out everything we've got on "Attack the Block." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga Support Berry Family After Tragic Accident Posted: 27 Jul 2011 10:38 PM PDT Uncle of orphaned, injured Texas children calls outreach 'amazing.'
On July 3, the Berry family suffered an incredible tragedy. Parents Joshua and Robin Berry were killed in a car crash, while brothers Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, were paralyzed, possibly for life, and remain hospitalized. Their younger sister, Willa, 6, was also injured, but suffered only broken bones. In the weeks since the crash in Texas, celebrities have been doing their part to help raise money for the care of the three young children. Using the power of social media, everyone from Justin Bieber and Britney Spears to Lady Gaga and Usher have asked their fans to "Show Your Hearts" with donations at showyourhearts.org and via text message (texting BERRY to 85944 donates $10). Their call to arms has meant the world to Matt Berry, the kids' uncle. "My wife had this family member in the Justin Bieber camp, and when the accident happened ... they reached out to us and asked how they could help," he told MTV News on Thursday. "So, it's been pretty much organic from their reaching out. Right after the accident, he was asking for their names and praying with his mom for the kids. It's not something we expected would happen, obviously. "So, my understanding is that he wanted to do something to help, and the best way they could help was to create awareness," he continued. "They have a lot of friends and contacts. And then, of course, once their campaigns started going, it looked like a lot of people joined it because I think everyone had some sort of feeling of empathy." The family is still mending: Peter and Aaron's "lifelong conditions" have been amplified by the loss of their parents; meanwhile Willa is still trying to come to terms with the incident. Matt Berry said of all the public support they've received has "definitely helped." "Anything that goes to help the kids in their predicament [helps]. I don't know how long it will continue. I'm not someone who likes to be in the public eye, so it's a little bit awkward, but it's amazing. "It's a little bit overwhelming," he added, but he said that right now, the family is taking it "day by day" as they deal with the aftermath of such a tremendously tragic turn of events. "If it was up to us, we'd pray that they were able to stand up in a couple of weeks and walk out of the hospital, but the likelihood of that happening is low," he said, adding that the boys are readying for rehab to try to heal in any small way. "There's been a lot of people supporting us, and that's huge. The ultimate dream is if in their lifetime, there's enough momentum to figure something out and fix spinal-cord injuries. We've got two of them that need something special." Show your support at showyourhearts.org and the Berry Children's Trust Facebook page. Related Artists |
| Nervo, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Talk Tomorrowland Anthem Posted: 28 Jul 2011 04:34 AM PDT Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike's festival anthem with Afrojack and Nervo charts on Beatport.
BOOM, Belgium — While the sun may have set on the 7th annual Tomorrowland Festival, it appears the three-day Belgian dance music event's anthem will keep on keeping on. MTV News was on hand to observe that many of the 469 DJs that performed across TL's 14 stages had their favorite "go to" tracks, and clearly, "The Way We See the World" was one of them.
For producer brothers Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, sharing headlining duties with Swedish House Mafia, Tiësto, David Guetta and 2manydj's was particularly gratifying: They got to play for their countrymen and a few special folks in the audience Saturday night. "Tomorrowland is for us the most important festival in the world," Dimitri professed to MTV News before their set. "This area, where the festival is, is a place where we actually played as children." Like Mike explained: "We grew up here. My mother was born in this town. We used to play here as little kids, so it's a trip to DJ here." Dimitri added, "Our friends are here, and our parents, our parents-in-law, and, of course, our girlfriends and our grandparents, who are actually 76, and the oldest people at this festival." For the second year in a row, TL's promoters, ID&T, kept it local, leaning on the Belgian producing/touring pair for the fest's anthem. The duo, in turn, enlisted powerhouse collaborators to cook up a follow-up to "Tomorrow (Give into the Night)," their 2010 TL anthem with Dada Life featuring vocals by Tara McDonald. "This year, we did it with Afrojack and the Nervo twins," Dimitri said. "We met Afrojack in Miami, so we started talking, and we thought he was the right guy, and he was really down to do it too. We did a really good demo, and Nervo made an amazing vocal to it." "We did send them a vocal," said Liv Nervo, who with twin sister Mim, is currently opening for Britney Spears on her Femme Fatale Tour. "And in the end, the track ended up morphing into something completely different. It was a great experience. Oh, they are so amazing." Having Afrojack — Guetta's hit-making protégé and producer of Pitbull's extremely popular "Give Me Everything" — and the twin scribes behind Guetta and Kelly Rowland's "When Love Takes Over" proved to be a perfect combination. "The Way We See the World," which features the demo vocals by Liv and Mim Nervo, was made available for purchase just before TL opened its doors. And now, almost a week after the festival, the song maintains a healthy high perch on the Beatport.com charts at #12. While fans can often catch Afrojack and Nervo on tour in the U.S., fans of Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike (who currently have songs in the hands of will.i.am and Pitbull for vocals), will be tickled to hear they too will head west soon. "Around Halloween, we are gonna have a three-week tour," Dimitri said. "Halloween weekend, we are gonna be in Miami at Mansion, we are doing a really big Insomniac festival in Los Angeles, we are gonna be in New York, so it's gonna be a three-week intensive tour." Related Artists |
| 'Breaking Dawn' Star 'Like A Zombie' On Last Day Of Shooting Posted: 27 Jul 2011 11:28 PM PDT 'She's gone; you're not putting these clothes back on,' Julia Jones recalls to MTV News of saying goodbye to her character, Leah.
After filming "Eclipse" and the two-part "Breaking Dawn," Julia Jones can call herself a "Twilight Saga" veteran. But that doesn't mean she found going to Comic-Con for the first time any less intimidating.
MTV News caught up with Jones in San Diego after the "Breaking Dawn" cast's packed Hall H panel. Unfortunately, her castmates hadn't given her much of a heads-up about the insanity of Comic-Con. "We've been in front of a lot of people before but this is a new experience for me, Comic-Con," Jones said. While her fellow castmembers had helped her prepare for the experience of doing fan events for "Eclipse," Jones said this time they figured she would get the hang of things. "Now I think they just don't pay attention: 'She's been here long enough, she'll figure it out.' " In "Breaking Dawn - Part 1," Jones and the rest of the wolf pack are featured much more than they have been in previous installments, which gave the actress some room to expand on her character, Leah Clearwater. While Leah is characterized by her anger at Bella (Kristen Stewart) and the Cullens in "Eclipse," in "Breaking Dawn," fans will see that her rage has been tempered because a good portion of the story is told from werewolf Jacob Black's (Taylor Lautner) perspective. "I was thrilled when I read [the script] because she really has the opportunity to kind of grow and she's not so angry anymore," Jones explained. "I felt relieved for her when I read that, oh, my gosh, she can actually express these things she hasn't expressed and go somewhere with it." As for the last day of shooting the "Twilight" series, Jones admitted that she may have shed a few tears in her trailer when director Bill Condon shouted "Cut!" for the last time. The long shoot made it seem as if filming would never end, she explained, and that made saying goodbye that much harder. "For me, personally, the last day, right when we wrapped, I didn't believe it. I hadn't even thought that that was possible. I just stood there like a zombie. People started hugging, like, 'You're wrapped, you're wrapped!' Like, 'Go, what are you doing? We need to move on,' " Jones said with a laugh. "I actually went back to my trailer and I was fine, I was a little in a daze. And I realized as I was taking my costume off that this is it. She's gone; you're not putting these clothes back on. And that was kind of a big thing for me." 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 |
| Disturbed Announce 'Indefinite Hiatus' Posted: 28 Jul 2011 01:57 AM PDT 'I don't have a clear answer,' guitarist Dan Donegan says about the band's future.
After more than a decade together and some 13 million albums sold, Chicago heavy hitters Disturbed are preparing for an "indefinite hiatus," according to frontman David Draiman. Draiman announced the news on his Twitter account, in response to a fan's question about rumors that the band was breaking up. And while he admitted that he has no idea what Disturbed's long-term plans are, their immediate future is pretty clear: "We haven't said that were breaking up. We simply do not know yet," Draiman wrote. "All I can say is we are going on an indefinite hiatus." He added that he "can't really get into the reasons" why Disturbed were planning on taking a break, and wrote, simply, "Let's just say it's time." Draiman was equally mysterious about his future plans, writing that even if he wasn't singing with the band, he would "always be involved in music on some level." Disturbed are currently touring North America with Godsmack and Megadeth on the 2011 Mayhem Festival, which wraps August 14 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. They have a handful of South American dates scheduled for the end of the month, and then, as Draiman put it, the band is "done." A spokesperson for the band could not be reached for comment by press time. In an interview with Dallas radio station KEGL on Wednesday, Disturbed guitarist Dan Donegan clarified Draiman's remarks, saying, "Ever since the start of this band, we've always had a game plan of what comes next after each thing. So it's always been 'write, record, tour, let's go home for a month, let's start writing again, do the same thing all over again.' ... This time around, we just haven't really gotten to those discussions yet. We know that we're coming to the end of this touring cycle and we just haven't planned on what we wanna do next." And, much like his frontman, Donegan didn't seem to have an idea about just when (or if) Disturbed would ever play together again, but added that the focus right now is to end things on a high note. "I don't have a clear answer [about the band's future], because I'm not sure where everybody's head's at at the moment other than we're having a great time out on tour, we're going out big, we're carrying big production, we wanna end this on a big note," he said. "I think we're not ready to sit down and have the discussions of when we wanna get back together or if we're gonna. So we're kind of winging it." Disturbed formed in Chicago in the late 1990s and broke through to the mainstream with bludgeoning hits like "Stupify" and "Down With the Sickness." They have released five studio albums, the last four of which — 2002's Believe, '05's Ten Thousand Fists, '08's Indestructible and last year's Asylum — each debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. Sound off about Disturbed's "indefinite hiatus" in the comments below. Related Artists |
| Young Jeezy Says <i>TM 103</i> Release Is 'Locked' Posted: 28 Jul 2011 01:07 AM PDT 'It's time to go!' the Snowman tells MTV News of long-awaited album's September 20 drop date.
Young Jeezy is ready to go. After numerous delays and setbacks, the Snowman tells MTV News that the release date for his next solo album, TM 103, is set in stone. "It's locked, it's dead-locked. It's time to go! September 20, how y'all want it," he said.
The album — Jeezy's fourth and the third in his Thug Motivation series — first started creating a buzz in 2009, when it was expected to be given a 2010 release. Singles like "Lose My Mind," "All White Everything," "Jizzle" and the Lil Wayne-assisted "Ballin' " came and went, while the album remained in limbo. But on Monday night at his New York City concert celebrating the six-year anniversary of his debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, Jeezy announced the rock-solid September 20 date. Backstage at a second TM 101 show in Atlanta on Tuesday, Jeezy explained that he wasn't about to tarnish his reputation as an artist just to make that 2010 release date. "One thing you gotta know about Young is I'm three for three," he said, speaking of the quality of his previous albums. "I'm on my own time. I'm the boss — I'm not rushing myself for nothing. "At the end of the day, I'm not about to give nobody no music to make a deadline, I'm gonna give them something to live and die by. If it ain't classic, it ain't monumental, I don't want to be a part of it. I make hits, man. I make classics. I can't just give somebody something just 'cause it's time. It's better late than never baby, trust." Jeezy is particularly excited about his new single "Shake Life." The track, which was produced by Lil Lody, samples from Toto's 1978 song "Georgy Porgy" and on it, Jeezy raps about how he was counted out of the game, the war in Iraq and the ills of his former Atlanta neighborhood. "I just put out 'Shake Life,' it's crazy. It's a special record to me," he said. "It's just one of those records to uplift. But if you're worried about club bangers, I got an album full of those sh--s, too easy." Are you looking forward to Jeezy's TM 103? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Wiz Khalifa Shows Chevy Woods 'A Different Way' Posted: 28 Jul 2011 12:15 AM PDT Formerly known as Kev tha Hustla, Taylor Gang MC tells Mixtape Daily about being on the Rolling Papers Tour.
Fire Starter: Chevy Woods Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang is no one-man army: Meet Pittsburgh spitter Chevy Woods. About eight years ago, back when he went by the name Kev tha Hustla, the MC who hails from the Hazelwood section of the 'Burgh met Wiz at ID Labs studio. Immediately, the two collaborated and hit it off, forming a brotherly bond and a new crew called the Taylor Gang.
Woods developed a passion for rap while he attended Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania, but the street's allure was strong. It wasn't until 2009 when Wiz, who was seeing his star rise, convinced his bud to leave the block alone and focus on music. "He was like, 'Come on, man. I'm gonna show you a different way. Let's make some money, real money. Leave that sh-- alone,' " Chevy told Mixtape Daily of his decision to switch hustles. "I just cut the street sh-- out." As Kev tha Hustla, Chevy was buzzing and had already released tapes like The Corner's Correspondent and Animal, but after a name change, Woods scored a breakout tape earlier this year when he dropped Red Cup Music. "I think I found myself when I put that tape out. I really found a style for myself. Some laid-back, cool music. Drink a little bit, smoke a little bit," he said. Now, CW is on the Rolling Papers Tour, where he opens for Big Sean and Khalifa. The crowd has been receptive to his set as he performs songs like the party-starting "Jimmy Fallon" and smoothed-out "Campaign" from Red Cup. "It be nights where I be with my palms sweating before I go on, and then after I get off I be like, 'Man, I'm ready to shed a tear,' because this sh-- is crazy to me," he said about the love he's gotten on the road. "It's new, it's fresh, and I'm just trying to take it all in." Next up for Chevy is his The Cookout mixtape, set to drop in August. On it, Woods promises a soundtrack for those summertime barbeques. And while the tape will be billed as a solo affair, he confirms that his buddy Wiz will appear on about half of the tracks. "That's where I'm trying to take you: to my backyard with my mom on the grill and my homeys around," he explained. "I just want them to hear where I come from." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out . Related Artists |
| 50 Cent, Kanye West Collaboration Delayed By <i>Watch The Throne</i> Posted: 27 Jul 2011 11:37 PM PDT 'I don't know if it will actually happen during this period,' 50 says of plans to work with Kanye.
Will he or won't he? After taking to Twitter to say he will not release another album, 50 Cent has many wondering about the fate of his upcoming, untitled fifth LP. One thing is for sure, if 50's album is ever released, Kanye West probably won't be a part of it.
"Yeah we talked about it, both of us; and Kanye went on the radio and talked about us collaborating soon," 50 told MTV News on Tuesday while on the set of Hot Rod's "Hot Girl" video. "I don't know if it will actually happen during this period, because of how much they got going on with Watch the Throne, with him and Jay doing that. I don't know." In 2007, 'Ye and the G-Unit boss squared off in a famous sales battle between West's Graduation and 50's Curtis (if you don't recall, Kanye won). While the competition was hyped up at the time, it doesn't seem to be an issue anymore, and 50 is still open to the idea of working with the rapper/producer. But even without that collaboration, 50 said he has amassed quite a few songs already. "I have a lot of good ideas for it, and I just put 'em on the side and said, 'We'll see what happens,' and I kept doing other things," he said. "I have too many records right now. I recorded to the point that I have 40 songs for a CD that will have 13, maybe 14 cuts." That is if the CD ever sees the light of day. On Wednesday morning, 50 tweeted: "Man I'm not releasing a album. I can't believe Interscope is this f---ed up right now. I apologize to my fans." Shortly after, Fif also threatened to leak Dr. Dre's new single "Psycho" in retaliation for the foul treatment he felt he has received from the label. He later recanted. "I wouldn't leak dre's record he has done nothing but help me in my career," 50 tweeted. "Jimmy [Iovine] has always been supportive of me." Are you excited about the potential of a 50 Cent and Kanye West track? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists |
| Demi Lovato's 'Skyscraper' Will 'Wow' Do Something Awards Posted: 27 Jul 2011 10:01 PM PDT Nominee will perform hit for first time on VH1 show, also featuring Foster the People and OneRepublic with B.o.B.
Demi Lovato will make her return to the stage at the Do Something Awards, which will air Thursday, August 18, on VH1. It will mark the first time Lovato has publicly performed her hit single "Skyscraper." The singer is up for two awards: Do Something Charity Song and Do Something TV Star.
In addition to Lovato, VMA-nominated indie rock outfit Foster the People will also hit the stage at the show, hosted by "Glee" star Jane Lynch. OneRepublic will also perform with B.o.B. "If you are expecting anything less than 'wow,' you've got the wrong awards show," Nancy Lublin, CEO and Chief Old Person of DoSomething.org, said in a statement. "We are so psyched to have Demi's first public performance, a hot breakout band like Foster the People, and expect OneRepublic with B.o.B to be very loud!" The big nominees include Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Prince William and Duchess Catherine, David Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, Russell Brand and Will Ferrell. Celebrities are nominated in a number of categories from Do Something Movie Star to Do Something Couple for helping to inspire young people in the world of philanthropy. The show sets out to honor the "nation's best young world-changers who represent the pivotal 'do-ers' in their field, cause or issue." One lucky "do-er" will have the chance to win $100,000 for their cause. The five nominees this year are Taryn Guerrero Davis for the American Widow Project, David Schwartz for the Real Food Challenge, Sarah Cronk for the Sparkle Effect, Mark Kabban for YALLA (Youth And Leaders Living Actively) and Adam Lowy for Move for Hunger. "This year's show will feature some of the hottest musicians performing the summer's biggest hits in celebration of these amazing young people's accomplishments," VH1 President, Tom Calderone, added. Related Artists |
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