June 13, 2007

After announcing that he won't do any summer gig, LL Cool J decided to do at least one responsibility. The rapper will go on with Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest on July 20.

A representative from LL Cool J has confirmed with Allhiphop.com that he will appear on the show to promote his latest effort "Exit 13". The confirmation was soon followed with other dates during this summer which they said will also go on.

Branching into such an unusual area for her in genre filmmaking, Jennifer Aniston is about to produce a period musical feature for DreamWorks Pictures entitled "Goree Girls" which she is also eyeing as a potential starring vehicle.

Project is based on a true life account of a group of eight women who served jail time in Texas' Goree Prison during the 1940s. The troupe became one of the first all-female country and western acts in the States who successfully made their way to capture the hearts of million people in their musical journey.

On the heels of a report stating that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are planning to adopt an orphan boy from the Czech Republic, comes a new report claiming that the couple is planning to quit Hollywood in order to focus on their children.

Jolie has, in an interview with Parade magazine, hinted plan to quit acting career for a life of traveling, parenthood and normal living. "Brad and I have a lot of kids, and we want to have more. And they demand a lot of time. It takes a lot just to get all of them fed and clothed and out the door to different schools on time", the actress said. "It's fun and we love it. But you can't balance everything. I think both of us only plan to work for a few more years. We'll try to just stop sooner or later, so we can be at home and travel, and just live."

Getting another fact-based material to work on after "World Trade Center", scribe Andrea Berloff is reportedly finalizing negotiations to adapt Warren St. John's New York Times article about the Fugees, a group of soccer-playing refugee kids for Universal Pictures.

Pic is said to focus on the team's coach Luma Mufleh, a Jordan-born woman who successfully led the kids, many extremely poor, to reach success and camaraderie under her tutelage. Rights to the article as well as those to Mufleh's life were secured by Universal last January, just few days after the article was published.

Drawing in a seemingly promising project under its banner, Lionsgate Films has come onboard to distribute comedy flick "Frankenhood", the first film production of Anvil Studios in association with Content Foundry Partners.

Already completed principal photography over the weekend, the movie centers on two morgue workers eager to win a local street-ball tourney. Their chances are zero to none until they enlist a large corpse who has been brought back to life by a surly mad scientist.

The heiress will never stop partying. Despite the fact that she's still serving her jail sentence in a medical unit at the Twin Towers jail in downtown Los Angeles for violating her probation, father Rick Hilton has planned a huge party to celebrate Paris Hilton release from prison.

Talk is heating up that the hotel mogul has asked numbers of Las Vegas clubs to stump up cash, flights and free hotel rooms for the honor of hosting the so-called "get out of jail" bash. "He was originally asking for a $US50,000 ($A59,385.95) cash fee to be paid, as well as accommodations and flights," the New York Post quoted a source as saying.

Being in the top ten finalists of Shortlist Music Prize, Cat Power has stood out among the crowd. The singer - real name Charlyn Marshall - was chosen to be the first woman to win the prestigious award.

Cat beat her seniors like Tom Waits and Regina Spektor for a reason. KT Tunstall who is within the jury panel said, "Cat Power's album quickly got under my skin. She has one of the most beguiling voices around. `The Greatest' is an immediate classic that will never age."

Eva Herzigova is now a mommy. The Czech-born model is the proud mother of a baby boy she delivered in Paris on Friday June 1st.

The newlyborn, named George Marsiaj Herzig, is the first child of Eva and her Italian boyfriend Gregorio Marsiaj. "The whole family are well, Eva is delighted, and they will all be leaving on a holiday together shortly," a spokeswoman from Storm Models confirms.

Elevating the high-profile status of "The Incredible Hulk" a notch higher, Oscar winner William Hurt has given his commitment to join in the cast of the superhero flick, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Already lined up Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, and Tim Roth, the highly-anticipated project finds Bruce Banner/Hulk on the run as he is trying to avoid capture long enough to cure the condition that turns him into a monster. Hurt is said to portray Gen. Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, the man who has dedicated his life to capturing the Hulk and the father of Banner's love interest, Betty Ross, played by Tyler.

With problems regarding her "transition" keep coming in, Kelly Clarkson is again hampered with the situation when her manager Jeff Kwatinetz of The Firm abandons her career. Is it really Clarkson that 'rebellious'?

Speaking in diplomatic manner, a rep from The Firm said, "Kelly Clarkson is an enormously talented artist and we are pleased to have served as her managers in her well-deserved rise to stardom. We have only the best wishes and hopes for her in the future."

The flow of Hollywood names coming for "Baby Mama" still runs smoothly for sure. Following the inclusion of Dax Shepard last month, Greg Kinnear and Maura Tierney have both landed deals to take part in the comedy, set to come out from Universal Pictures' pit.

Toplined by "SNL" veterans Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the flick focuses on a single woman (Fey) whose desire to have a child and keep her career leads her to hire a surrogate (Poehler). Kinnear is billed to portray a proprietor of a local fresh juice shop who becomes close with Fey's character while Tierney will become Fey's confident, conventional sister who supports her choice.

Lindsay Lohan's legal saga goes on and on. It seems the actress-singer will never stop creating media headlines with her antics. While the star is recovering in rehab, she's hit with a lawsuit over a 2005 car crash.

The suit stemmed from an October 4, 2005 car accident during which Lindsay left the Ivy restaurant on Robertson Blvd. in Beverly Hills, driving her jet black Mercedes when suddenly struck a vehicle that was making an illegal U-turn in front of her. Her car then crashed into the parked van owned by Grandeur Incorporated.

What a quick move Martin Campbell is carrying out this time. Just few days after reports of him being in negotiations to direct 20th Century Fox's "Unstoppable", which he finally is set to helm, the New Zealand filmmaker is already plotted to perform the same duty in Paramount Pictures' thriller "36."

A remake of the 2004 French-language feature "36 quai des orfevres", the picture concerns two detectives who try to solve a series of armored car robberies in the hopes of landing a promotion promised to whoever catches the perpetrators. Swiss filmmaker Marc Forster originally was brought in to handle the helming task from script penned by Dean Georgaris.

Prince has let Columbia takes the distribution of his new album "Planet Earth". This deal marks the reunion between the singer and the label since "Musicology" (2004).

"Planet Earth is a fantastic album and promises to be a musical milestone for Prince," Sony Music President Rob Stringer said in a statement. "The Columbia label is thrilled to be working with an iconic artist like Prince in this exciting stage of his amazing career."

50 Cent is moving one step forward in the industry, jumping on the fashion bandwagon. The hip hop star is expanding his G-Unit clothing line, opening an online virtual boutique to sell garments and promote his forthcoming album "Curtis", slated to hit the market September 4th later this year.

The rapper is opening a store in Zwinktopia, a virtual world with 6.5 million users, who create characters which interact with other inhabitants. They, in addition, can also purchase virtual clothes and belongings.

Keyshia Cole makes sure that her music doesn't rub off by releasing sophomore set "Just Like You". The album that will be led with single "Let It Go" featuring Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott will arrive in shelves on September 18.

Guest appearances from R. Kelly, John Legend, Jagged Edge and Travis Barker are expected in this album. The video of "Let It Go" meanwhile, will start filming next week and feature the direction from Benny Boom (50 Cent, Ciara, Nelly).

First it was her younger sister Nicky Hilton and ex-boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos, and on Tuesday June 12th, Paris Hilton got a visit from her beloved parents Ricky Hilton and Kathy Richards. That was their first visit.

Had a 30-minute visit with their daughter, momma Kathy told reporters "It's tough in there. It's cold" but "It's just good to see her." On Paris' latest condition, the lady said her daughter did lose her appetite and find it hard to sleep. "She really hasn't had much sleep," Kathy said, adding that Paris however has finally started to eat, beginning with cereal early that day.

On the brink of success with the release of "Eyes Open" (2006), Scottish act Snow Patrol won't rush the next album this year. Though some songs are ready to be cooked this autumn, the band thinks that they as well as fans deserve a break.

"I've written loads. Nathan (Connolly) has written quite a few songs, Paul (Wilson) has been writing quite a bit as well, so the new album could be done when we finish this tour in September," vocalist Gary Lightbody said. "But I don't think there's any point of doing it this early. I think people by the end of the summer will just about have had enough, and that's fair enough."

Being selective in choosing stints for her acting resume, Rachel Weisz again takes dramatic turn in her next step as the lovely actress has signed on to star in Peter Jackson-directed "The Lovely Bones" which DreamWorks Pictures recently picked up to have it developed at its pit.

Pic is an adaptation of Alice Sebold's 2002 best-selling novel of the same name about a murdered fourteen-year old teen named Susie Salmon who continues to observe her family and friends from a personalized heaven after her death. Weisz reportedly will play the girl's mother, depicted in the book as a woman whose growing family frustrated her youthful dreams.

Her family surely is complete now that she is carrying. Mexican pop star Thalia and hubby Tommy Mottola, the former chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, are expecting their first child together.

The happy couple announced the pregnancy on Thalia.com, saying "Yes, it's confirmed! Thalía is expecting her first baby, who will be born in a few months. Her pregnancy is going well and she is healthy, very happy and full of energy, as usual."

Going for the same step already taken by his fellow actors, Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis, in "Fourth Installment of the Indiana Jones Adventures" and "Live Free or Die Hard" respectively, Samuel L. Jackson is on the move to bring back his "The Long Kiss Goodnight" character Mitch Henessey to the big screen.

The Oscar-nominated actor has openly revealed to MTV that he and director Renny Harlin are working on a sequel to the 1996 action thriller, saying they are currently talking to writers in their effort to develop the project.

Kate Winslet is the new celebrity spokesperson for cosmetics giant Lancome, it has been confirmed. The movie beauty has signed on to be the new face for Lancome's Tresor fragrance.

On her choosing, Lancome's International General Manager, Odile Roujol, said "More than an outstanding actress, Kate Winslet has the amazing ability to be celebrated as both an exceptional and an everyday woman", adding that "A passionate person, who lives and feels life to the fullest, she is sure to act as the epitome of Tresor, our mythical fragrance."

Not withstanding with her feud with music mogul Clive Davis over her upcoming CD, "My December," due to be released by June 26th on RCA Records, and her parting ways with her manager, Kelly Clarkson prefers to talk about the most interesting topic ever, which is love, in an interview with Elle magazine for its July 2007 issue.

Graces the cover of the magazine, in an interview inside, the "American Idol" winner opens up that she's never been in love, claiming "I love my friends and family. But I have never said the words `I love you' to anyone in a romantic relationship. Ever."

Shifting attention to fact-based property, Walden Media is on the track to set up a biographical feature based on the true life account of Frank and Isaac Gildea, the only father-son duo to ever play together on a college basketball team.

The older Gildea gave up his college education in 1981 to support his family, but rejoined his alma mater College of the Redwoods two decades later. At that time, his son had already attended the institution and played for the basketball squad. The man ultimately finished his eligibility, joining the younger Gildea on the team that led the college to win its first conference championship in twenty-seven years.

It's good news to learn that Poppy Montgomery is pregnant with her first child with actor boyfriend Adam Kaufman. The pair, who has been dating for three years, is expecting their first child, due sometimes in December.

"It's so crazy. I'm like: Oh my god! I can't believe it," the Aussie actress said expressing her joy over her carrying a bun in the oven. So when will they tie the knot? On that matter Poppy said she and Adam talk about marriage "sort of peripherally" but that "it's not a huge priority right now."

Canada Post, after put out celebrity stamps of Hollywood actors, is now launching its latest star-studded series, this time featuring Canadian music icons ranging from Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot to Anne Murray.

"We get thousands of suggestions from Canadians every year and recording artists have always been one of the more requested themes. Canadians want to see Canada Post recognize homegrown talent," Canada Post's marketing and public-relations manager, Cindy Daoust, said.

R. Kelly is giving once in a lifetime opportunity to do a duet with him in "I'm a Flirt Remix". Fans who are interested to get their voice featured along with the R&B star may enter the contest in courtesy of Jamglue Inc.

The basic concept of the contest is for you to get familiar with the song by listening it on either R. Kelly's MySpace or official website. Once you get the groove and start to picture how you may chip in the half part of the song, record your voice using Jamglue Recorder. When you're happy with the remix, then you can submit and earn votes from viewers.

Rumors are mounting in Hollywood that Naomi Watts and her actor boyfriend Liev Schreiber have secretly wed. The rumors are in all probabilities inspired by the fact that the actress is pregnant with their first child, while Liev jokingly said while walked the red carpet at the Tony Awards in New York on Sunday June 10th that they had married.

"We are married. You got it first. Break the story!" Liev said in a statement during the award event. Following the secret wedding rumors, a representative for the movie star soon comes to the surface with denial, claiming the couple have not yet tie the knot.