December 13, 2007

It's now turn for young names to get presented with prestigious honor. Organizers of the Santa Barbara Film Festival have announced that they will bestow Virtuosos Award to the likes of James McAvoy, Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, and Amy Ryan.

The prize was established this year to recognize performances of a select group of young actors. The pack reportedly will receive the trophy during a tribute ceremony held on January 30, 2008 at Santa Barbara's Lobero Theater.

Celine Dion who re-recorded 'A World to Believe In', her second single lifted from 'Taking Chances', with J-pop singer Yuna Ito, released a music video to it on December 6.

The video was shot in Las Vegas back in October 2007, showing Dion and Ito recording the duet in the studio. Ito reportedly will support Dion when she visits Japan in March 2008 for the promotion of the CD.

Just yesterday she sparked heavy media speculation on a possible facelift, and now Madonna is reported to have been given an okay by the Malawian government to adopt son David Banda.

The pop goddess and husband Guy Ritchie's adoption of two-years-old David has finally been approved by the Malawian government, more than a year after the couple took David to Britain.

Taking her time to turn up at the Los Angeles premiere of her latest producing work "The Great Debaters", Oprah Winfrey has informed USA TODAY that she is now gearing up for a biopic about the life of celebrated singer Lena Horne with Alicia Keys to topline.

"We're going to start filming next year," she revealed. "And we've got Alicia."

Cat Power and Sonic Youth are assisting the soundtracks to comedy slash drama 'Juno' that stars Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman among others.

Cat is giving her cover of John Phillip Baptiste's 'Sea of Love' while Sonic hands over their fixation The Carpenters' 'Superstar' that appeared in their 1994 tribute album 'If I Were a Carpenter'.

A bunch of lauded names in Hollywood film industry illuminated Hollywood's Arclight Cinerama Dome as they all gathered up on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 for the premiere of "The Great Debaters", a production of The Weinstein Company set for theatrical release on Christmas Day this year.

Leading star and director Denzel Washington cheerfully showed up alongside beloved wife Pauletta Washington before taking his time to pose together with producer Oprah Winfrey, who sported a beaded Oscar de la Renta gown that night.

Jackson Five's reunion comes earlier than expected as Jermaine Dupri revealed that the group of siblings will perform at a New Year's party hosted by him.

The celebration will take place at the producer's Atlanta club, Studio 72. "It's the Jackson 5 Party," Dupri said during his radio show V-103. "I swear to you, it's going to be the biggest party this town has ever seen. At midnight I'm gonna empty the whole club and put everyone in the parking lot and I'm going to light the lot up with a fireworks show."

Paris Hilton is giving back. The hotel heiress, who's no strange to publication, has reportedly decided to donate some of the profits from the sales of Rich Pressco champagne to charity.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton reported that the socialite will give 20 per cent of the sales of Rich Pressco champagne she's endorsed to charity.

Christmas has not yet come, but Mariah Carey already scored herself a quite big job that is hosting the New Year's Eve celebration at TAO in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the event reportedly cost $200 each. Visit taolasvegas.com for further info on the celebration plus how to book a table.

Good news for Miley Cyrus fans who were stumbled in her concert tickets scandal and those who didn't get the chance to watch her at all. The teen performer is extending her double duty tour, 'Best of Both Worlds', to 2008, adding 14 more dates across U.S.

The 15-year-old who stars as Hannah Montana on Disney Channel, will tap fellow teen stars Aly & AJ in several dates of the new leg starting from January 24, replacing current openers, Jonas Brothers who will wrap their job on January 9. One more supporting act that will fill in the next schedule until its finale will be announced soon.

Finally a directing name has positively boarded "The A-Team", 20th Century Fox's big screen version of NBC's popular series in the '80s of the same name.

Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Singleton has confirmed to USA TODAY that he is indeed set to direct the project, which creator of the original series Stephen J. Cannell is producing. Statement was made during his attendance at the premiere of Denzel Washington-directed "The Great Debaters" in Hollywood on Tuesday, December 11.

Has previously vowed to quit the show business in five years, Pamela Anderson still, in the meantime, scores another job. She and husband Rick Solomon, who've both starred in separate sex tapes, will headline a reality show on E!

Pammy and Solomon are developing an as-yet-untitled series to debut in the spring of 2008 on the celeb-drenched cable channel which will follow them around Vegas as they balance their non-stop party life, while showing their family life with their children from their previous marriages.

Led Zeppelin, one of the most talked about reunions this year is creating frenzy among their fans after delivering a praised set on December 10 at London's O2. The band is now rumored to play a further three nights gig at New York's Madison Square Garden to satisfy their Stateside fans.

This rumor was prompted after several insiders leaked the information to the media that the members of the band discussed the possibility of playing in the States in the backstage. A source told The Sun, "One of the guys (in the band) started talking about their three concerts at the Garden. There was a consensus of, 'Why not?'."

Channeling her diverse inner creativity beside that of singing, Kate Nash has revealed that she is currently writing a series of short stories and plans to release a book in the future.

The British songbird told NME.com she is working on a story for children based on a seven-foot transvestite named Roy, and that author Roald Dahl is an influence on the work.

After tossing Ne-Yo off his tour bus, R. Kelly is in possible threat to stop his 'Double Up' tour permanently. Not because Ne-Yo is making a retaliation but since activists are gathering a plan to boycott the tour by rallying outside his upcoming concert in Los Angeles.

The African-American campaigners are unhappy that the R'n'B singer is earning money while his child pornography trial is still unsettled. They will voice their protests outside L.A.'s Forum on Friday, December 14.

The official first trailer of Adam Sandler's "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" has been released by Sony Pictures. In the beginning of the trailer, it can be seen that Adam Sandler's character is described as a great Mossad agent stating, "His training is lethal. His skills are legendary."

As what can be seen in the trailer, the comedy movie resolves around Sandler's character. He is an Israel Intelligence Agent who is forced to fake his death and move to New York City. In the city that never sleeps, he then changes his identity by becoming a hairstylist. The movie trailer suggested that in the beginning, nobody believes his new identity but he proves them wrong.

Eva Longoria and husband Tony Parker are facing early test in their five-months-old marriage with a French model comes out with a claim that she's the basketball player's other woman.

Alexandra Paressant, a top model who briefly dated Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho, told X17online in an exclusive interview by the phone that she hooked up with the San Antonio Spurs star in Paris this past September, and then again in Texas in October.

The noise level at a Black Eyed Peas concert was too high that police officers were forced to cut it short. The law enforcer received complaints from local residents in San Diego, California when the R'n'B group performed outdoor on Monday night, December 10.

The residents whose range reach as far as two miles away, sent the police down to the venue when the 11.15 P.M. curfew was ignored. Upon receiving the news, singer Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie calmly told the crowd that they would have to end the show earlier than scheduled.

First six photos from "Mamma Mia!" have been released. The images that featured Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Dominic Cooper, and Amanda Seyfried are given exclusively to Cinematical.

Two of the pictures posted in the site's gallery depicted Seyfried's character, Sophie, dressed in her wedding dress, while three other photos pictured Streep jumping on a bed, standing against white wall and talking to Brosnan. On another image, Brosnan and Firth can be seen standing on a dock carrying their luggage.

Misdemeanor trespassing charge against actor Shia LaBeouf was dropped Wednesday morning, December 12.

The 21-years-old actor appeared in a Windy City courtroom at 9 A.M. Wednesday to answer the criminal charge when Walgreens Co. and a security company announced via a letter they will not continue a case involving criminal charge against the actor for refusing to leave one of the chain's stores in early November.

New releases this week are still unable to kick Josh Groban's 'Noel' down from his comfortable position at #1 on Billboard Hot 200 chart. The album moved 581,000 copies, an 8 per cent increase from last week, making it the longest Christmas record to stay in the position. Only Elvis Presley ever did this with his season album in 1957.

Coming in at #2 on the chart is Alicia Keys' 'As I Am' that climbs one place after moving 234,000 copies. Eagles' 'Long Road Out of Eden' replaces her album's position at #3 by shifting 204,000 copies, followed by Now 26 compilation (158,000) that remains tight in its fourth position.

Britney Spears is at it again. The troubled pop star skipped a scheduled deposition Wednesday morning, December 12 in her ongoing child custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline due to a "mysterious illness."

Britney was expected to submit to questioning at the LA offices of K-Fed's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan, giving her long-delayed deposition in their ongoing custody battle. She, however, didn't show up at the court-ordered hearing after having some sort of medical condition or illness which at the end of the day claimed as "anxiety."

"Los Abrazos Rotos", translated as 'Broken Hugs', has found its helmer as Pedro Almodovar announced that he has decided to do the project. On Tuesday, December 11, at the launch of EMI's new CD compilation of 29 songs used in his movies, 'B.S.O. Almodovar', the 2003 Academy Award winning director gave out the confirmation.

On the occasion, the Spanish Director described the movie as a crazy love story saying that it is a "four-way tale of amour fou, shot in the style of '50s American film noir at its most hard-boiled." He also noted down that though there will be humor in the picture, "Abrazos" won't fall into the category of comedy. Apart from that, the helmer of "Volver" hinted that it is set in the 90's and current day and will be characterized with "fate, the mystery of creation, guilt, unscrupulous power, the eternal search of fathers for sons, and sons for fathers" as quoted by Daily Variety.

Has been in a longterm relationship with her baby's daddy Gavin Henson doesn't mean that Charlotte Church is planning to rush down the aisle. The Welsh singer, on the other hand, has revealed she will not marry Henson for at least 10 more years.

Church has revealed her ideal age for getting hitched is 32 and is eager to have three more children in addition to her newborn daughter Ruby Megan Henson. She, furthermore, also wants to see Gavin gives up his rugby career and be "a bit more sensible".

Jamaican rapper Sean Kingston never hinted that he would shoot many music videos at relatively the same time, but he does premiere another one from his debut album, 'Sean Kingston'.

Just one month after dropping video for his third single 'Take You There' and few days after releasing a clip for his off-album single 'Gotta Move Faster', the rapper gives the latest, 'Kingston'. The clips suggests that it was directed by D. Sikorski.

The very pregnant Christina Aguilera has an odd craving. The expectant singer has a craving for her own nude pictures.

Aguilera, who proudly showed off her pregnant stomach in a series of naked shots for Marie Claire Magazine's January 2008 issue, was reportedly so impressed with the photographs and has asked the magazine to produce a set of enlarged versions for her to be displayed in her house.

While it was announced by Universal Japan that Janet Jackson's brand new single will be out this Saturday, December 15, the on-line media and the airwaves manage to get it days before.

'Feedback', an up-tempo piece which is produced by Rodney Jerkins has hit the net for what appears to be the first single from the R'n'B diva's 2008 album. The song has been posted on her MySpace page.

Jessica Alba is pregnant.

The movie beauty is pregnant with boyfriend Cash Warren's child, her representative has confirmed, telling People "I can confirm that Jessica and Cash are expecting a baby in late spring, early summer."