April 21, 2007

Singer Des'ree is mad upon her song being covered by Beyonce Knowles without permission. "Kissing You" which is included in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet" soundtrack is available in Beyonce's re-release "B'Day [Deluxe Edition]" despite the copyright law.

Des'ree who in fact is the co-writer of the song said that a set of terms was given to Beyonce's team. Within the term is the prohibition to re-title the song or film a video for the song. There was a report that Beyonce did attempt to make a deal but was struck by the terms and conditions that she decided to ignore it and published the song under the title "Still in Love (Kissing You)".

Taking foray into voice acting, Anika Noni Rose has given her agreement to fill in the voice of the titular character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated musical "The Princess and the Frog", E! Online has reported.

Set in the legendary birthplace of jazz, New Orleans, the picture will be the first traditionally animated feature film made at Disney since 2004's "Home on the Range." Touted to present an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery, it introduces the newest Disney princess, Maddy, a young African-American girl living amid the charming elegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter.

Nicky Byrne of music group Westlife is the father of twin sons. The singer and wife Georgina Ahern proudly announced the birth of their twins.

The infants, named Rocco and Jay, were born at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin at 9.55 am on Friday April 20th. They weighed in 5 pounds 11 ounces and 4 pounds 8 ounces respectively.

While still in full speed mode to promote 2006's "The Black Parade", My Chemical Romance is coming to a momentary halt for the sake of bassist Mikey Way. The brother of vocalist Gerard Way is still enjoying his honeymoon with newly wedded wife Alicia Simmons.

Posted in the band's official website is: "The band has decided to give he and his wife a much needed break from the road to start a life and have a proper honeymoon and do all of the things a newlywed couple should do". While this decision is made, the band is actually in debt to complete the Black Parade Tour with supporting act Muse. The replacement for Mikey in the tour that runs through May 22 is not yet announced.

Amy Winehouse is engaged to marry her on-off lover Blake Fielder-Civil, it has been reported.

The British singer sparked engagement rumors after she's been spotted wearing a ring on her engagement finger backstage after her Camden Crawl gig at the Dublin Castle pub and wasn't afraid to show it.

What do an actress and chef have in common? As of Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Oliver they do have the same vision. The two are teaming up for a good cause, making a reality TV show in the US which follows them making as much money as possible for charity.

And when it comes to social deed, surely the movie star and celebrity cook have something big to give. Just like its title, "The Big Give," the new reality show will feature 10 people with large sums of cash with which they will compete to find "the most powerful, sensational, emotional and dramatic ways to give to others."

Good news apparently comes in twos for Jennifer Hudson. The Oscar winning actress reportedly is planning to marry this spring, while also is having her debut album to hit the market soon in the near future.

Rumor has it that the singer-actress pledged to marry maintenance engineer James Peyton when she rose to stardom and now the man is taking her up on her promise.

The Girls are all reuniting. The christening of Geri Halliwell's daughter, Bluebell Madonna, will witness their being together again. For the momentous event the so-called Ginger Spice has asked former Spice Girls bandmate Victoria Adams to be godmother to her daughter.

"Victoria was thrilled to be asked to be godmother," The Sun quoted a source as saying. "Although they fell out when Geri walked out on the Spice Girls years ago, they became really close friends again. Geri's relied on her old friend for advice on motherhood and is delighted Victoria is flying over."

Fans can catch Arctic Monkeys, The Twang and trio Biffy Clyro on MTV's Spanking New Music this week. The bands that are similar for their fresh releases will have 7 days to feature their live performance and other exclusive features.

Running from April 20-29, there will be a Gonzo Spanking New Music Special that presents the acts from the bands both on stage and backstage. This footage is mainly taken from MTV2's recent showcase of Biffy Clyro, The Twang, Hadouken! and The Wombats.

Making drastic turn of moving from comedic to serious role, William Fichtner, fresh from figure skating comedy "Blades of Glory", has been reported by Batman-on-Film.com to officially join the cast of "The Dark Knight", Christopher Nolan's sequel to his "Batman Begins."

Accompanied by Michael Stoyanov, William Smiley, and Matthew O'Neil in being the latest addition in the lineup, Fitchner is only said to play a "bank manager" while the other tree are portraying members of The Joker's gang. Fichtner, also a cast member of FOX's hit series "Prison Break", is known to often appear in Jerry Bruckheimer-produced features, having been taking roles in "Armageddon", "Pearl Harbor", and "Black Hawk Down."

He was named the Sexiest Male Musician in the poll by underwear giant Victoria's Secret. And now Justin Timberlake is adding more into his many predicates, which is Celebrity with the Biggest Ego in Hollywood.

The list, compiled by Us Weekly, pokes fun at the singer for his high self-regard, which in all probabilities inspired by his claim "that McDonald's shares climbed 25 percent when he walked into their offices and changed their image."

To anticipate the fans who are expecting the live performance of multi platinum "Loose", Nelly Furtado sets the date of US tour. The itinerary that is dubbed Get Loose will begin its trek on May 30 in Hollywood, FL and end it on June 21 in Oakland, CA.

"For the last eight years I've never really traveled with a full production of lights, visuals and dancers - and this tour I've got all of it," said the 28-year-old singer. "I've spent eight years building my musicality so that now I can rely on that, but then I also have a great backup up there with all the production, which is a treat for me." The talked about backup here are 4 dancers, her 6-piece band and rapper Saukrates who filled the rapping of her mega hit "Promiscuous".

Makes a name for herself in the entertainment industry as an actress, Daryl Hannah makes use her celebrity status for good cause. The actress is teaming up with country singer Willie Nelson to set up The Sustainable Biofuels Alliance, an organization aiming to educate consumers about green energy and the great danger of Global Warming.

The organization, created alongside biodiesel producers Bob and Kelly King, is bringing together activists and scientists to give consumers better guidance on clean fuels. It, moreover, is pushing for September of 2007 to have established norms in place for biodiesel production. It will push checks on the supply chain and accredit firms seen as producing green fuels.

Spawning "Moodring" via Interscope in 2003, Mya switched gears to Motown with "Liberation" in 2007. The album that its release has been obstructed many times will finally be out on June 26.

"Litigations, court, transitioning from label to label, teaching kids and building a studio, that takes a while," Mya said in a statement. "That's why this album is a lot more aggressive, very honest, in your face and cut and dry."

Well, it's definitely more than just good news for the fans of Marvel Comics' superhero out there. "Spider-Man" series director Sam Raimi has confirmed at the Los Angeles press junket on Friday, April 20 that Sony Pictures will continue the mega-hit franchise up to the sixth installment.

The famed filmmaker, however, has been noted to remark that he has not had time to think of any involvement and doesn't want to presume Sony would want him to direct while saying there has to be a good story to tell and that "it'd be very hard to say goodbye to 'Spider Man.'"

Gorillaz is not doing any project this year as confirmed by the creator Damon Albarn. The animated band will lie pretty low this year even after multi platinum "Demon Days" (2005).

The band doesn't exactly come to a halt. They still owe a project to make the score for a movie that is linked to British animator Terry Gilliam. "We're trying to make a film next, starting in September hopefully. It will be a film score. There won't be another pop record," said Albarn on 'behalf' of the band. It has been said that the members will chip in as alternative characters in the movie.

Her beauty has been recognized by people around the world and it, indeed, costs expensive for Revlon to sign her as their new face. Jessica Alba, one of the most beautiful actresses in entertainment industry, was just offered $5 million to be the new face of beauty giant Revlon.

Yes, it looks like the actress has inked the deal as she's been seen doing some photo shoots for her first job, which is starring in a global campaign for Revlon's 3D extreme mascara that will include television, print, in-store and internet placements.

The four girls once again will share the magical pants on the big screen. Yes, Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Alcon, is going to develop a sequel to the 2005 sleeper hit "The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" and has appointed "Something New" helmer Sanaa Hamri to take charge of directing matters for the project.

Still based on the novel series by Ann Brashares, the picture, however, will lay its foundation on the fourth book "Forever in Blue" instead, although bits from the second and third ones will also be used. Being so, the four are likely to be depicted as nineteen-year-old girls who all have already entered college of their choices.

She can never have too much publication. Trust me. Paris Hilton will never have enough of the much publication she has received so far that she again provokes media frenzy with the reports claiming she was spotted kissing pop singer James Blunt.

The socialite and the singer partied together at Los Angeles nightclub Teddy's on Wednesday night April 18th, joined by sister Nicky Hilton and her boyfriend David Katzenberg. Party goers at the club claim that Paris and Blunt "danced and held hands" before starting to make out.

In the event that appreciates the work of songwriters, Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin, Kelly Clarkson and Mary J. Blige came out the big champs. Namely ASCAP Pop Music Awards, the event honors musicians for their songwriting contribution to the music industry.

The event that was held April 19 saluted the joint Austin and Dupri with Songwriter of the Year title, thanks to their winning piece "Don't Forget About Us," "Like You," "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together." Austin personally gained J. Blige-sung "Be Without You" and Chris Brown's hit "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" while Dupri won for Nelly's "Grillz" and Chingy's "Pullin' Me Back".

Aishwarya Rai and fiance Abhishek Bachchan celebrated their wedding Friday April 20th in Mumbai.

The ceremony, a traditional Hindu wedding in which the groom rode a white horse before the pair took their vows around a sacred fire, concluded three days of celebrations at the actors' homes in India's entertainment capital of Mumbai.

Appears to still be high on demand, Brad Pitt has landed deals to reunite with his "Ocean's Thirteen" co-star George Clooney in Working Title Films-produced "Burn After Reading."

A black comedy about the CIA, pic revolves around a CIA agent who loses a disc containing the manuscript he has written about some of his secret missions. Plot details, however, are being kept in secrecy and it is still unclear what role Pitt is set to portray.

Making a return to the big screen after more than a decade, Robert Lieberman has agreed to assume the helming duties for a psychological revenge thriller titled "Tortured (2008/II)" for Twisted Pictures, Variety has revealed.

Written by Marek Posival, the picture concerns an upper-middle-class couple who seizes an opportunity to kidnap a pedophile after the person kidnaps and kills their only child. No word yet on cast lineup, but it is confirmed that Mark Burg and Oren Koules will both finance the film and produce with Carl Mazzocone.

Straying into horror genre, Paramount Vantage is on the track to develop a flick of the kind simply entitled "Ink (2008)", of which rights it has successfully obtained from screenwriter Harris Wilkinson.

Set in the world of tattoo artistry, the story line is currently being kept under wraps yet Vantage head of production and acquisitions Amy Israel has assured that the project will be an "original take on the horror genre (that) is hugely exciting."