News

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter was and still is a big name in the music business. Today, we can see the Empire State of Mind rapper basking in the solace of success along with his wife Beyoncé, who also boasts multiple accolades for her work in the music industry just like him.

But there was a time when Jay-Z struggled to get signed by record labels and things weren’t looking too great for his aspirations as a rapper. This was one of the reasons that led to the creation of Roc-a-Fella Records. Carter, along with record executives Dame Dash and Kareem Burke started the label under which he released his debut album Reasonable Doubt.

Jay-Z | Credits: Mikamote, licensed under Cc By Sa 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

While the company functioned for nearly two decades before going defunct, there was a disagreement between Carter and Dash that would’ve ended things much earlier.

Over the course of a screen acting career that stretched across fifty years, Charles Cyphers racked up 100 credits, but he’s best known for his collaborations with John Carpenter, having appeared in the director’s Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, Someone’s Watching Me!, Elvis, The Fog, and Escape from New York. His most popular character was Sheriff Leigh Brackett from the 1978 Halloween, a role he reprised in 1981’s Halloween II and, after a forty year absence from the Halloween franchise, 2021’s Halloween Kills. Sadly, we’ve lost this great character actor, as Variety reports that Cyphers has passed away “from a brief illness” at the age of 85.

Cyphers’ manager Chris Roe confirmed his passing to Variety and provided the following statement: “Charles was a lovable and sensitive man. He always had the best stories, and you got a full performance while he told you. He was a close friend and...

Elvis has a lot of buzz this awards season, but Baz Luhrmann didn’t get the story right. The real Elvis Presley traded places with an impersonator in order to live a simple life as an impersonator himself before retiring to Mud Creek, Texas alongside John F. Kennedy, who was patched up and dyed Black after the assassination attempt.

Those are the facts according to Bubba Ho-Tep, at least.

The 2002 horror-comedy is based on the short story of the same name by Joe R. Lansdale (whose work would go on to be adapted into Cold in July and Hap and Leonard), first published in the 1994 anthology The King Is Dead: Tales of Elvis Post-Mortem. When cult filmmaker Don Coscarelli approached Lansdale about optioning the story for a film, the author tried to talk him out of it, as he believed it couldn’t be made.

Lansdale passed on writing the screenplay for the same reason,...

Denise Dowse, the busy character actress who portrayed Vice Principal Yvonne Teasley on Beverly Hills, 90210, Judge Rebecca Damsen on The Guardian and therapist Rhonda Pine on Insecure, has died. She was 64.

Dowse’s passing was announced Saturday on her Instagram account by older sister Tracey Dowse, who praised her sibling as “the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor and director. She was my very best friend and final family member.”

On Aug. 7, Tracey wrote on Instagram that her younger sister was hospitalized and in a coma brought on by a “virulent form of meningitis.”

On the big screen, Denise Dowse stood out as Ray Charles’ manager Marlene André in Ray (2004), starring Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, and she played another principal, this one based on a real-life educator at Richmond (California) High School, in Coach Carter (2005), starring Samuel L. Jackson.

She...

Exclusive: Richard Roundtree (Family Reunion) and Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show) have been tapped for recurring roles opposite Henry Simmons and Joy Bryant in season 2 of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s and Ava DuVernay’s anthology drama series Cherish the Day. Additionally, Angel Kristi Williams (Really Love), Sheldon Candis (Baltimore Boys) and Merawi Gerima (Residue) will direct episodes this season.

Cherish the Day, from DuVernay, Array Filmworks and Warner Bros. Television, is an anthology series that chronicles the relationship of one couple, with each episode spanning a single day. In season two, the rekindling of a romance is told — the love story of Ellis Moran (Simmons) and Sunday St. James (Bryant), who fell in love in high school but find themselves reunited in beautiful New Orleans. Ellis is a former basketball player who is now a single father of two, and Sunday is a vegetarian celebrity chef on the cusp of fame.

Famed casting directors Robi Reed and Tara Rubin will be honored along with The Actors Fund at the Casting Society of America’s 36th annual Artios Awards, which will be held virtually on April 15, 2021. Reed and Rubin will receive the Hoyt Bowers Award, given for excellence in casting and honoring their body of work and outstanding contributions to the casting profession. The Actors Fund will receive the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award – named after the famed casting director and philanthropist.

“At the age of 15,” Reed said, “what I knew is that I wanted to be a casting director, and receiving the Hoyt Bowers Award is not only an honor, it is a testament to what can happen when you believe in yourself and find your purpose.”

Reed, whose career has spanned over 30 years and more than 70 films, has long been Hollywood’s leading casting director for Black-themed projects. Her first studio...

Netflix has ordered a comedy series starring Jamie Foxx titled “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me,” Variety has learned.

The multi-camera series is inspired by Foxx’s relationship with his daughter, Corinne Foxx. The series will also star David Alan Grier, Kyla-Drew, Porscha Coleman, and Jonathan Kite. Heather Hemmens and Valente Rodriguez will appear in recurring roles.

Bentley Kyle Evans serves as showrunner and executive producer. Foxx will executive produce in addition to starring, with Corinne and Alex Avant producing. Ken Whittingham will direct all episodes.

This is not the first time Foxx and his daughter have collaborated on a TV project. She currently appears with her father on the Fox competition series “Beat Shazam,” which Foxx hosts and on which Corinne serves as DJ.

The show marks a return of sorts for Foxx, who got his start in television on multi-cam comedies like “Roc” and “In Living Color.” He also previously...

The rage currently aimed at police violence and systemic racism is centuries in the making. And in order to understand and meaningfully contribute to the movement, non-Black audiences have become increasingly interested in educating themselves on the racist and socioeconomic inequities that nurture the environment that allows these injustices to thrive. Black content creators, however, place more value in humanizing Black people over providing an education to those seeking one, as if to say that despite differences in skin color “we’re not all that different from each other.”

That is not to say that the below series don’t tackle the subject of race and identity; some do directly. There are real-life differences of habit and racial perspective. But most of them operate inside the conversation that emphasizes the universality of Black stories — humor, love, family, conflict, and every other kind of experience.

From Bernie Mac’s “The Bernie Mac Show,...

The rage currently aimed at police violence and systemic racism is centuries in the making. And in order to understand and meaningfully contribute to the movement, non-Black audiences have become increasingly interested in educating themselves on the racist and socioeconomic inequities that nurture the environment that allows these injustices to thrive. Black content creators, however, place more value in humanizing Black people over providing an education to those seeking one, as if to say that despite differences in skin color “we’re not all that different from each other.”

That is not to say that the below series don’t tackle the subject of race and identity; some do directly. There are real-life differences of habit and racial perspective. But most of them operate inside the conversation that emphasizes the universality of Black stories — humor, love, family, conflict, and every other kind of experience.

From Bernie Mac’s “The Bernie Mac Show,...

Writer-producer Eunetta Boone, creator of the Upn comedy “One on One” and showrunner of Disney Channel’s “Raven’s Home,” died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 63.

Boone was found dead at her home of an apparent heart attack. Boone had most recently worked as showrunner on the third season of the Disney Channel series starring Raven-Symone.

“Eunetta was a pioneer and an inspiration to everyone she met,” Raven-Symone said. “She was a masterful storyteller, an empathetic leader and a beacon of light to so many. I’m sending love and my deepest sympathies to Eunetta’s family and friends and all who knew and loved her.”

Boone was a vivacious personality who had a throaty laugh that filled a room and a rapid-fire wit. She was known as a mentor to many writers, particularly aspiring African-American scribes.

Boone got her start as a sports reporter for the Baltimore Sun,...

Hugh Dane, a veteran character actor who recurred as Hank the security guard on NBC’s The Office among dozens of film and TV credits has died. He was 75. Series star Rainn Wilson confirmed the news on social media, but no details were available.

Rip Hugh Dane, aka Hank the security guard. He was one of the greats. So kind, funny, talented. We will all miss him. Donations can be made in his name to: https://t.co/z1SAqamWMM pic.twitter.com/ysevEZKOjy

— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) June 4, 2018

Hank was the head of security at the Scranton, Pa, branch of paper-supply company Dunder Mifflin — and the clip above proves what Wilson’s Dwight Schrute thought of him. He appeared in 22 episodes of the Emmy-winning U.S. version of the series, spanning its entire nine-season run from 2005-13.

Dane got a late start in show business, launching his career with a two-part...

Hugh Dane, who played no-nonsense security guard Hank on “The Office,” has died. He was 75.

The actor portrayed characters in memorable films and series such as “The Office,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and “Bridesmaids,” for nearly 30 years. The Inner City Cultural Center posted a notice of his death on Facebook.

Dane originally broke into acting in the late 1980s with a role in the video game “It Came From the Desert,” but his first television part as the Father in “Hunter” followed soon after, setting into motion a career’s worth of TV acting. While Dunder Mifflin’s Hank was Dane’s most longstanding role, he also played two characters in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and recurred as Fred in the Emmy-nominated ’90s series “Roc.”

In the film realm, Dane lent his talents to comedies like “Little Fockers” and “Bridesmaids.” Some of his other acting credits include stints on “Friends,...

For most, Halloween is more of a state of mind than a holiday, but for those too shy to celebrate, a fun way to feel the thrill of Oct. 31 might be through TV’s favorite characters. What is Halloween without Ted Mosby’s Slutty Pumpkin or trick-or-treating with the Belchers?

Whether it’s seeking some pop culture costume inspiration or seeing your faves partake in particularly spooky behavior, here are the must-watch Halloween episodes available for streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.

“30 Rock”

“Stone Mountain,” Season 4 Episode 3

What it’s about: Liz and Jack go to Stone Mountain, Georgia, to search for new talent in “middle America.” Meanwhile, Jenna is trying to suck up to the writers so they take care of her when the new cast member comes, and the writers are focused on throwing their annual Halloween party.

Why it’s the best: Even with all of that going on,...

A Mixed Bag In A Big Box

By Darren Allison

‘I was there; I was in that picture, fighting the Cyclops on the beach, running from the dragon! I was enthralled. It's one of my strongest childhood memories.’ It’s very hard to argue with director John Landis’s vivid account of his earliest memories and the fantasy films of Ray Harryhausen and producer Charles H. Schneer. They seemed to touch us all in an indelible manner and took us into a fantasy realm far beyond our imagination. Indicator has (for the first time in the UK) combined the three Sinbad adventures in one very handsomely produced package. It’s a magical box that has very little trouble in sending us on a journey, and back to a place called innocence…

The Seventh voyage of Sinbad (1958) was something of a revelation back in its day. Ray Harryhausen’s pioneering stop-motion...

Mack Wilds, also known as Tristan Wilds, joins an elite group (including Drake) that has successfully made the television to music crossover.

As a testament to his many talents, the 27-year-old artist released his latest album, After Hours, this month while on the heels of starring in two new shows — but it was his music that (literally) kept him up at night.

“When I was working on both television shows, the only time I had to myself was at night,” he tells People of how he created the album. “From that, I started to gather inspiration from the nighttime and...

Longmire is an absolute anomaly in the world of television, which could have something to do with the fact that it was pulled from A&E, despite consistently high ratings for the network. It’s also the reason that it was something of a no-brainer that it would be picked up by someone else, and season four will air on Netflix later in the year.

Where the first two seasons pulled us slowly into the depths of Sheriff Walt Longmire’s life on the sprawling plains of Wyoming, the third season is like the hammer blow that follows the slow, methodical wind-up.

The second season ended by bringing a lot of forces to the fore in a move of plot construction that brilliantly weaves angles and conspiracies into a show that actually makes it difficult to look away. The third season spins this all together, but uses a mode of...

The wonderfully underrated Longmire completed its third season last year and was then canceled by A&E for reasons beyond understanding. After some protracted negotiations amidst a fury of wronged fans taking to social media to save the series, Netflix announced they have picked up the series for a fourth season to air later this year.

Burbank, CA (February 23, 2015) – The stunning skies of Wyoming, and the mysteries beneath them, have never been more enthralling than in the unfolding episodes of Longmire, the popular A&E-turned-Netflix television series. Those cinematic visuals and intense situations have also never looked better than in the full 1080p HD presentation of Warner Archive Collection’s Blu-ray™ release of Longmire, Season 3, available now via your favorite online retailers.

Warner Archive Collection’s release of Longmire, Season 3 on Blu-ray™ includes all 10 episodes in a three-disc set, as well a documentary entitled “The Ghost in the Storm,” which...

With both an Oscar and a Grammy on his mantle, Jamie Foxx is a one-man entertainment empire.

Foxx began his career as a stand-up comedian before landing his own sitcom just a few years later -- and then he awed the world. His portrayal of Ray Charles in "Ray" (2004) earned Foxx one accolade after another and even relaunched his music career. Fresh off his Oscar win, the multi-hyphenate teamed with Kanye West and took home a Grammy for the Ray Charles-inspired "Gold Digger." This fall, he's back on the big screen as Dean "Mf" Jones in the star-studded comedy "Horrible Bosses 2" (you can also catch him in "Annie" December 19).

From his real name to the dare that launched his career, here are 33 things you probably don't know about Jamie Foxx.

1. Jamie Foxx was born December 13, 1967 in Terrell, Texas to Louise Annette Talley and Darrell Bishop.

2. He was adopted...

London Lgbt+ Community Pride's annual Pride Festival kicked off on Sunday (June 22) and runs through til June 29.

To mark the festival and today's Pride in London Parade - travelling from Baker Street to Whitehall, between 1pm and 4pm - Digital Spy presents 13 landmark Lgbt moments in UK and Us television.

1. February 1971 - Us sitcom All in the Family breaks new ground, featuring Us television's first ever openly homosexual character in ex-pro football player Steve (Philip Carey).

2. January 1989 - BBC One's EastEnders becomes the first UK soap to screen a kiss between two gay men - middle-class yuppie Colin Russell (Michael Cashman) and Guido Smith (Nicholas Donovan).

3. February 1991 - A little over two years later, NBC becomes the first Us network to air a lesbian kiss in primetime on its Emmy-winning legal drama L.A. Law - Abby Perkins (Michele Greene) and Cj Lamb (Amanda Donohoe) shared an intimate moment in season...

Honoring the best in social media, the 2014 Shorty Awards nominees were announced on Monday (February 24).

On April 7th, winners will be celebrated at the New York Times Center in a live-streamed ceremony at ShortyAwards.com.

Among the nominees are Lena Dunham, Jimmy Fallon, Chloe Moretz, One Direction, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato.

Honored for their web-based projects were Amy Poehler's "Smart Girls at the Party" Tumblr and Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" web series. Check out the nominees below.

#Actor

Aaron Paul, @aaronpaul_8

Joshua Malina, @JoshMalina

Orlando Jones, @TheOrlandoJones

Arthur Aguiar, @Aguiarthur

Shahrukh Khan, @iamsrk

Misha Collins, @mishacollins

Dylan O'Brien, @dylanobrien

#Actress

Felicia Day, @feliciaday

Lena Dunham, @lenadunham

Retta, @unfoRETTAble

Lua Blanco, @Lua_Blanco

Sophia Abrahão, @sophiaabrahao

Chloë Grace Moretz, @ChloeGMoretz

Miranda Cosgrove, @MirandaCosgrove

#Band

Fifth Harmony, @FifthHarmony

One Direction, @onedirection

Big Time Rush, @bigtimerush

The Script, @thescript

Tokio Hotel, @tokiohotel

5 Seconds of Summer, @5Sos

EMBLEM3, @EmblemThree

#Celebrity

Aaron Paul,...

Filmmaker Stacey Muhammad has announced that award-winning actor and director Charles S. Dutton (Rudy, Alien 3, Roc) has joined the second season cast of her series For Colored Boys. Actor Adesola Osakalumi (Broadway's Fela!) will join the cast for season two as well.  Inspired by Ntozake Shange's famed 1975 choreopoem For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, For Colored Boys is "a collection of stories that follow the lives of African American men from various walks of life as they seek to overcome challenges, face their fears, find their truth, find love, mend broken relationships, and build families." We've...

Sdcc's Day 2 horror panels kick off at 10am and end after 8pm. From TV we have "The Walking Dead," "The Following," "Orphan Black," and "Sleepy Hollow"; from the big screen come Riddick and RoboCop.

Early birds get a special look at The World's End; artist Gris Grimly and others discuss the latest trends in Ya graphic novels; Syfy brings "Defiance" and "Helix"; and along with the aforementioned RoboCop, Sony's showing off The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Special screenings are taking place for "The Paranormal and Extraterrestrial Squad," "The 100," and "Almost Human"; Warner Archive and Scream Factory will be talking up their awesome B-movie releases and incredible Blu-ray/DVD collector's editions, respectively; TV Guide holds its popular "Fan Favorites" panel, and one nice surprise on the schedule is a sneak peek of a film we've been talking about for a while now - David Hayter's Wolves.

Listed below...

It's "Zero Hour" for Anthony Edwards, somewhat literally.

The former "ER" star consciously stepped away from television after finishing his tenure as Dr. Mark Greene on that long-running drama, but he's ready to get back in the game. He does that Thursday, Feb. 14, with the premiere of his new ABC suspense drama about a paranormally inclined publisher desperate to find his kidnapped wife (Jacinda Barrett, "Poseidon"), whose interest in old timepieces leads to her disappearance.

The vanishing is tied to a mystery sparked by the Nazis' reign in Germany -- as detailed in the debut episode's prologue -- and also to an antique clock with surprising contents. The husband's resulting globe-spanning search links him to the mercenary abductor (Michael Nyqvist, of the original movies inspired by the "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" literary trilogy) and an unrelenting FBI agent (Carmen Ejogo, "Alex Cross"). Addison Timlin and Scott Michael Foster play the Edwards character's magazine colleagues,...

On TV this Sunday: The Olympics torch gets snuffed, Longmire and The Glades gun for their season finales, Hell on Wheels gets rolling again, comics do to Roseanne what she once did to the national anthem and NBC monkeys around with a new comedy. As but a supplement to TVLine’s original features (all linked within) here are 11 programs to keep on your radar tonight.

8 pm 2012 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony (NBC) | And just like that, the flag is passed to Rio de Janeiro. After the London games come to a close, stick around for a sneak preview of Animal Practice,...

We’ve been waiting and waiting for FX to speak up about Powers, the pilot based on the Brian Michael Bendis comic about police detectives whose beat is superpower-related crime. We had heard that FX was going to make substantial revisions to the pilot which starred Jason Patric and Lucy Punch, but it’s been ages.

Happily, during FX‘s day at the TCA Press Tour over the weekend, FX president John Lansgraf confirmed that, although substantial reshoots would be required, the network has given writer Charles Eglee the directive to not only make rewrites to the pilot script but to pen three additional scripts as well.

He told IGN earlier in the week:

(W)hat we ended up doing is hiring Chic Eglee, who had done the work on the pilot we shot. Not only to rewrite the pilot that we had shot, but to do three more episodes...

Sheriff Walt Longmire will get a blast from the past when three-time Emmy winner Charles S. Dutton appears in the A&E drama’s first-season finale.

TVLine has learned exclusively that Dutton will guest-star as a detective from Colorado who comes to Wyoming’s Absoroka County to follow up on a mysterious case from Walt’s past. The freshman series’ finale is set to air Aug. 5.

In addition to his run as the titular Roc on Fox’s early-1990s comedy, Dutton’s myriad TV credits include The L Word, Threshold, House and, most recently, a turn on American Horror Story.

I'm not mad at Lena Dunham, creator of the new HBO show Girls. She wanted to write about her life -- which is filled with white folks -- and people gave her some money to do it. Her voice is a new voice for television. Despite the misogynist rants of Three and a Half Men co-creator Lee Arohnson about television reaching the point of "labia saturation," women have hardly been at the center of television or film production.

I think the backlash against the show -- largely by feminists of color -- is as much about the kind of praise it received as it is about the show itself. When countless reviews gush about her representing this generation, of course it is going to irritate all the people who are invisible on the show and to the critics. Duhnam didn't help herself with the claim that the white casting was an "accident,...

New York -- In a move to inject new life into its kookiness, "30 Rock" is going live this week.

It will be the second such outing for the NBC comedy, which is normally a polished, single-camera filmed affair. It went live for a night in October 2010 with an episode performed during the show's normal time slot, then re-staged for West Coast viewers.

The same plan will be followed this Thursday: Originating from NBC's Studio 8H (fabled home of "Saturday Night Live"), "30 Rock" will air live for viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones at 8:30 p.m. Edt, then be reprised at 8:30 Pdt for the rest of the country.

The theme of the episode plays into the idea of Live vs. Filmed. The Kabletown corporate bosses announce they will no longer pay for live production of "Tgs" (the fictitious show-within-a-show produced by Liz Lemon, played by "30 Rock" star Tina Fey). After first resisting,...

New York -- In a move to inject new life into its kookiness, "30 Rock" is going live this week.

It will be the second such outing for the NBC comedy, which is normally a polished, single-camera filmed affair. It went live for a night in October 2010 with an episode performed during the show's normal time slot, then re-staged for West Coast viewers.

The same plan will be followed this Thursday: Originating from NBC's Studio 8H (fabled home of "Saturday Night Live"), "30 Rock" will air live for viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones at 8:30 p.m. Edt, then be reprised at 8:30 Pdt for the rest of the country.

The theme of the episode plays into the idea of Live vs. Filmed. The Kabletown corporate bosses announce they will no longer pay for live production of "Tgs" (the fictitious show-within-a-show produced by Liz Lemon, played by "30 Rock" star Tina Fey). After first resisting,...

CBS’ The Good Wife is getting a visit from a Friends star, and we’ve got a sneak peek at Matthew Perry as Alicia’s new adversary. Plus, Kalinda’s about to get a pretty little blast from the past.

Scoop: Matthew Perry Returning to NBC as Star of Comedy Pilot Go On

Perry makes his debut on March 25, playing a lawyer heading up a blue ribbon panel — which also features guest stars Charles S. Dutton (Roc) and Kurt Fuller (Psych, Supernatural) — charged with investigating a suspicious police shooting. Alicia, though, suspects Perry’s panel chairman may have less than honorable motivations.

Not all of the news coming out of the Television Critics Association‘s Winter Press Tour is good news. FX president and Gm John Landgraf gave reporters an update about the status of the pilot of Powers, the TV version of the graphic novel of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

THR reports Landgraf as stating:

We didn’t pick the pilot of Powers up; we went back and Chick Eglee, who had written it, did a fairly substantial rewrite that would require pretty extensive reshoots of the pilot. Right now we’re in the process of deciding whether to pull the trigger on the reshoot.

And just as a reminder of what we may have to miss, here’s an excerpt from FX‘s press release about the pilot, back in June:

Powers is a high concept crime procedural where the detectives police the...

It's been an incredible year in the world of showbiz, with the usual headline-grabbing antics, scandal, sleaze, celebrity births, star weddings, and bitter break-ups. Here, WENN takes a look back at the first six months of 2011...

January

The new year began with wedding bells for many couples including singer Shania Twain, who married her fiance Frederic Thiebaud in Puerto Rico on New Year's Day, while country star Kellie Pickler and actress Valerie Bertinelli also walked down the aisle on 1 January.

The new year brought baby news for a number of celebrity couples - Orlando Bloom and his wife Miranda Kerr became first-time parents with the birth of their son Flynn. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem also welcomed a son, and Owen Wilson became a father just days after he announced his girlfriend's pregnancy. Nicole Kidman also hit headlines when she and her husband Keith Urban revealed they welcomed a daughter called Faith via a surrogate mother over the holidays.

There was also pregnancy news for actress Kate Hudson, who announced she was expecting a baby with Muse rocker Matt Bellamy, as well as Marion Cotillard, Jewel, Selma Blair and Victoria Beckham, who confirmed she was pregnant with her fourth child.

However, the first few weeks of 2011 also brought a slew of celebrity splits - Keira Knightley ended her longtime romance with actor Rupert Friend, Shakira parted ways with Antonio de la Rua, her boyfriend of more than 10 years, and Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin separated after eight years together.

Many stars saw in the new year by addressing their personal problems, and a number of famous faces went in and out of rehab in the first few weeks of 2011. Lindsay Lohan and Demi Lovato both ended long treatment stints in January, while David Arquette, Backstreet Boys star A.J. McLean and his bandmate Nick Carter's younger brother Aaron all enrolled in programs. Troubled actor Charlie Sheen also admitted himself to a clinic just weeks after he was hospitalised to treat a hernia, and he later admitted he turned to booze to blot out the pain of the medical condition. Sheen’s rehab stint forced TV bosses to shut down production on his show Two and a Half Men.

Another colourful character to hit the headlines in January was British funnyman Ricky Gervais, who managed to cause controversy during his stint as Golden Globes host. The comedian was condemned by organisers for poking fun at celebrity guests including Robert Downey, Jr., Johnny Depp and Tom Hanks during the glitzy prizegiving.

The month held good news for veteran actor Michael Douglas as he was given the all-clear after a gruelling battle with throat cancer. His wife Catherine Zeta-Jones subsequently admitted she cried tears of joy when doctors told the couple the actor had beaten the disease. Poison rocker Bret Michaels also overcame a health crisis after undergoing successful surgery to close a hole in his heart.

January also saw the loss of a number of great stars including Oscar-winning James Bond theme composer John Barry, and Scottish musician Gerry Rafferty, who passed away after suffering liver failure. The world of Hollywood was again plunged into mourning following the death of British actor Pete Postlethwaite, who died at the age of 64.

February

As awards season got into full swing, The King's Speech was the toast of Hollywood after scooping four Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for the movie's star, Colin Firth, and Best Director for Tom Hooper, while Natalie Portman fought back tears as she walked away with the Best Actress honour for her role as a tormented ballet dancer in Black Swan. It was a different story at the Independent Spirit Awards, where Black Swan trounced its rivals, picking up four honours including Best Director for Darren Aronofsky.

In the world of music, Lady Gaga's incredible rise continued as she picked up three Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, but her achievements were overshadowed by country trio Lady Antebellum, who scored five accolades, and the shock win for Canadian rockers Arcade Fire in the prestigious Album of the Year category for their disc The Suburbs. Across the pond at the Brit Awards in London, Arcade Fire were again bathed in glory when they were handed the International Group and International Album honours, while newcomer Tinie Tempah crowned a triumphant 12 months by taking home the British Breakthrough Act and British Single titles. Rihanna was named Best International Female solo star, and Justin Bieber was named the International Breakthrough Act of the year.

Away from the red carpet, it was a bleak month for My Name Is Earl actress Jaime Pressly, who was charged with driving under the influence after failing a field sobriety test, Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey, who was underwent an operation to remove a growth from her foot, Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who was hospitalised with a flesh-eating bug, and Dame Judi Dench, who broke two of her toes on the set of her new movie J. Edgar.

There were also woes for Rihanna, whose raunchy promo film for single S&M provoked outrage around the world and was banned in 11 countries, actress Eliza Dushku, who broke a finger on holiday, and fashion king John Galliano, who was suspended and later sacked by Christian Dior after he was filmed launching an anti-Semitic rant at stunned drinkers in a bar in Paris, France.

Rock duo the White Stripes stunned the music world when they announced they were splitting up after 14 years, and Lady Gaga's much-hyped new single Born This Way was unveiled to a barrage of accusations she had ripped off Madonna's classic Express Yourself. But there was good news for older music fans, as '60s icons The Monkees announced they were reuniting for a U.K. tour.

Loved up celebrity couples Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, and Anna Friel and Rhys Ifans, both confirmed their engagements, and there were wedding bells for Kelsey Grammer - who married for the fourth time - and Mark Ronson and Katherine Jenkins, who both announced their respective engagements.

Among the stars hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet this month were Christina Applegate, who gave birth to a daughter, magician David Blaine, who became a first-time father to a baby girl, reggae star Zac Marley, rocker Rod Stewart, Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon, and No Doubt star Tom Dumont.

Jude Law continued his unlucky-in-love streak when he split - yet again - from Sienna Miller, Iron Man star Terrence Howard was hit with divorce papers, Olivia Wilde split from her husband after eight years, and celebrity couple Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz announced their marriage was over.

The world of showbiz bid farewell to guitar legend Gary Moore, who died aged 58, blues legend Eddie Kirkland died in a car crash at the age of 88, Seinfeld star Len Lesser succumbed to pneumonia aged 88, and The Dukes of Hazzard actress Peggy Rea, who passed away at the age of 89.

March

Tinseltown lost one of its brightest lights in March after movie icon Dame Elizabeth Taylor died of congestive heart failure at the age of 79. Tributes from the world of showbiz poured in for the Cleopatra legend, with Sir Elton John, Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli leading the heartfelt remembrances. The acting great was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, where her dear friend Michael Jackson was also laid to rest in 2009.

March was also marked by controversy as a host of famous faces found themselves in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Pop star Christina Aguilera was arrested for drunkenness in West Hollywood, while Boardwalk Empire beauty Pas de la Huerta was also apprehended after a bar fight in New York City. Jackass daredevil Steve-o was taken into custody in Canada on an outstanding warrant, and rapper Rick Ross got caught smoking marijuana in a Louisiana hotel room.

But it was Charlie Sheen who really gave fans something to talk about after he was fired from Two and a Half Men following months of public feuding with writer/creator Chuck Lorre. Days later, cops raided Sheen's Los Angeles home to investigate a tip that the troubled star was in violation of a court order by keeping a gun in the house.

March also brought one of the year's most devastating tragedies as Japan was hit by a massive earthquake, which then created an enormous tidal wave. More than 15,000 people perished in the disaster and Slash, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and the Foo Fighters were among the big-name acts who staged gigs to raise money for victims, while actresses Sandra Bullock and Demi Lovato also donated $1 million (£625,000) each to boost relief efforts.

Back in Hollywood, there was plenty of heartache as Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel ended their romance, Renee Zellweger called it quits with Bradley Cooper and Twilight beauty Ashley Greene split from Joe Jonas.

But love was most definitely in the air for Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, who married showbiz agent Jim Toth in a romantic ceremony at her California home. Canadian crooner Michael Buble also wed stunning supermodel Luisana Lopilato in a civil ceremony in her native Argentina.

Celebrations were in order for former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who announced she and husband Stephen Belafonte were expecting their first child together. Actors Robert De Niro and Mel Gibson became proud grandfathers in March, while Elizabeth Banks also became a first-time mother to a baby boy, born via surrogate.

Emily Deschanel confirmed she was expecting her first child with actor husband David Hornsby, while Cruel Intentions star Ryan Phillippe also had baby news after the tabloids reported that his ex-girlfriend, actress Alexis Knapp, was pregnant.

There was a health scare on the cards for tennis ace Serena Williams after she was hospitalised with a blood clot in her lungs, while fears for Zsa Zsa Gabor's wellbeing mounted when she began coughing up blood and suffered circulation problems in her left leg.

There was a close call for actor David Arquette after he was in a head-on car crash in Los Angeles, and Glee star Lea Michele was also involved in a smash when her car was struck by a drunk driver.

Hip-hop star Wyclef Jean had a lucky escape after he was shot in the hand during a visit to his native Haiti, while James Taylor suffered a broken leg in a skiing accident in Utah.

Courtroom battles loomed for Britney Spears, who was hit with a $10 million (£6.25 million) lawsuit over a perfume deal, and Jay-z was accused of trademark infringement over the logo for Roc Nation.

Even clean-cut teen pop sensation Justin Bieber found himself named in court papers after a songwriting duo sued over claims they hadn't received royalties for his hit song One Less Lonely Girl.

April

There were births, marriages and bust-ups galore as Spring sprung in April, but only one subject was on everyone's lips - the royal wedding. Celebs and commoners alike got carried away in the buzz of the big day on 29 April, when brunette beauty Kate Middleton walked down the aisle with her very own Prince Charming, William. Who would design the dress? Who would be invited? Would best man Harry fall for bridesmaid Pippa? But all questions fell by the wayside on the morning of the magical day, as Britain and two billion viewers across the world came to a standstill to watch the future Queen of England step out of her Rolls-Royce wearing a stunning Alexander McQueen lace gown to huge cheers from the crowd. The pair wed in front of 1,900 quests, including Queen Elizabeth II, the entire royal family, and even showbiz royalty Victoria and David Beckham, and left London's Westminster Abbey to great fanfare as the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But Kate didn't hog all the limelight - who can forget the backing support of her sister Pippa, hailed Her Royal Hotness thanks to that figure-hugging dress and her much-discussed derriere?

The wedding was of fairytale proportions, one even our favourite celebs couldn't compete with - but that didn’t stop them from trying! Canadian crooner Michael Buble was one of the biggest stars to walk down the aisle in April - his second set of nuptials to stunning fiancee Luisana Lopilato following their original wedding day in March. Controversial couple LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian also wed in a private ceremony in Malibu, which was a surprise for guests - they thought they were there for the pair's engagement party! Funnyman Rob Schneider also joined the marriage club, exchanging vows with fiancee Patricia Azarcoya Arce over the Easter Weekend. The marriage mood of the month gave many stars ideas; the likes of Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy, and Tom Fletcher and his longtime girlfriend became engaged.

Despite love being in the air, some unions were destined to end - Elizabeth Hurley started divorce proceedings against her millionaire husband Arun Nayar, while Christina Aguilera's five-year marriage to Jordan Bratman was declared officially over. After marriage must come babies, and April was awash with stars welcoming newborns. Superstar Mariah Carey welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe, and in true diva style, gave birth to them on her fourth wedding anniversary to Nick Cannon. The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers and Black Eyed Peas rapper Taboo both welcomed their third sons, while Jane Krakowski, Kevin James, Toni Collette and Drea De Matteo all also became parents to baby boys. Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal was an exception to the rule - he became the proud father of a baby girl.

But with ups, there must be downs - and nobody does scandal like the stars. Teen sensation Demi Lovato stunned her legions of loyal fans by opening up about the emotional issues which landed her in rehab earlier in the year, revealing she was battling an eating disorder and cut herself at her lowest moments. Charlie Sheen continued his madcap ways by embarking on a comedy tour following his sacking from Two and a Half Men - only to get booed offstage on his first night, with critics calling his stand-up debut an "epic failure". Bond fans mourned April as the month Sir Sean Connery announced he was retiring from public appearances after he failed to show up to a charity event in New York. Lindsay Lohan was back in trouble - and in court - when a judge decided she'd had enough of the actress' antics and sentenced her to 120 days behind bars for violating her probation. Nicolas Cage hit the headlines when he was arrested on domestic violence charges following a street bust-up with his wife in New Orleans, and Vince Neil was also in hot water for domestic violence - his ex-girlfriend accused him of jabbing a finger at her during an argument. However, the biggest shock came when Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones checked into a mental health facility to overcome her bipolar disorder. The stint in the clinic came after a tough year for the Oscar-winner following husband Michael Douglas' cancer battle.

April was a sad month for actor Tim Robbins, who tragically lost his father, Gil, and his mother, Mary, within days of each other. The punk world was left in mourning when X-Ray Spex legend Poly Styrene lost her battle with cancer at the age of 53, while British actress Elisabeth Sladen, Dr Who's longest running sidekick, also passed away after a fight with the disease.

May

May was a shocking month as Hollywood tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger split from his wife of 25 years Maria Shriver, only to reveal later on in the month he had fathered a lovechild with their housekeeper 13 years earlier. Although the scandal rocked Hollywood, he wasn't the only one heading for splitsville - Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller became officially divorced, as did actress Neve Campbell and James Bond star George Lazenby. Lady Gaga also split from boyfriend Luc Carl, while Hayden Panettiere ended her romance with her boxer boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko. Girls Aloud beauty Nadine Coyle also became single after calling off her engagement to American footballer Jason Bell.

But it wasn't all doom and gloom - Beatles legend Sir Paul Mccartney announced he was engaged to marry for the third time, to American Nancy Shevell, while director Sophia Coppolla and reality star Kim Kardashian also announced plans to walk down the aisle.

As for marriages, Marie Osmond remarried her first husband Stephen Craig, 29 years after they first exchanged vows and in the same wedding dress. Wedding bells also rang for Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followill and Victoria's Secret supermodel Lily Aldridge, while country king and queen Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert also became man and wife in Texas.

New romances between Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge, as well as Nick Jonas and Australian pop star Delta Goodrem also came to light.

It was a baby boom month, with many stars becoming parents for the first time. Rockers Bryan Adams and Matthew Followill, actors David Schwimmer and Mike Myers, and actresses Alicia Silverstone, Marion Cotillard and Lost's Evangeline Lilly all became first-time parents. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton welcomed her second son. French first lady Carla Bruni and actress Bryce Dallas Howard were also celebrating pregnancies. But it was a sad month for British actress Kelly Brook, who suffered a miscarriage.

Other sad news in May came when Grease actor Jeff Conaway passed away at the age of 60, sending Hollywood into mourning. Boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper died two days before his 77th birthday and Superman star Jackie Cooper also died, aged 88. The month started with the shock news that al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden had been shot dead in Pakistan. Other stars facing struggles included Sean Kingston, who was involved in a horrific jet-ski crash, while veteran actress Zsa Zsa Gabor was also hospitalised with pneumonia-type symptoms and fell into a coma.

It was also a controversial month for Lindsay Lohan, who started a 120-day jail term in the comfort of her own home for parole violation. British rocker Pete Doherty was also jailed for six months for cocaine possession. Other stars facing woes included Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Friends star Matthew Perry and boxer/singer Oscar De La Hoya, who were all submitted in to rehab programs. It was an embarrassing month for British singer Cheryl Cole, who was hired, then fired to sit on the judging panel of America's The X Factor. In music news for the month, Silverchair announced they were to split, Rod Stewart announced a Las Vegas residency, while it was a big movie month as the Cannes Film Festival in France also kicked off. While Brad Pitt was hailed at the glitzy event, with his film Tree Of Life winning the coveted Palme d'Or prize for Best Film, it was a bad experience for director Lars Von Trier, who was banned from the festival for controversial statements he made about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler during the festivities.

June

As summer blossomed, June marked a baby boom in Hollywood. Pop star Pink became a first-time mum at the beginning of the month when she welcomed little Willow, while drummer Adrian Young added to the No Doubt family with daughter Magnolia. Natalie Portman became a yummy mummy to son Aleph, actress Tia Mowry also welcomed a little boy, and model/actress Devon Aoki was another addition to the first-time mum club with the arrival of Hunter. Denise Richards made headlines when she announced she'd adopted a baby, Eloise, into her brood, while Meat Loaf became a grandfather when his daughter Pearl Aday gave birth to a baby boy. Lindsay Price and Nia Long also announced their pregnancies in June, as did Lily Allen - whose baby news went public on the same day she married partner Sam Cooper.

Lily's wedding wasn't the only one at the start of summer - Rachel Weisz married actor Daniel Craig following a whirlwind romance and Noel Gallagher put his wild ways behind him after exchanging vows with longterm partner Sara MacDonald.

However, the month was marred by a string of high-profile splits - David Duchovny and Tea Leoni separated just two years after reconciling following the actor's sex addiction admission, Jack White parted ways with model/singer wife Karen Elson after six years of marriage, and Hugh Hefner was dumped by fiancee Crystal Harris - just days before their planned wedding. Elizabeth Hurley's divorce from Arun Nayar was granted, and George Clooney split from Elisabetta Canalis.

There were health dramas aplenty - pop princesses Selena Gomez and Jennifer Hudson were hospitalised within days of each other. Both stars were forced to pull performances, and getwellselena even became a top trending topic on Twitter.com as fans rallied to support the Disney idol. Gomez later revealed she was malnourished and feeling exhausted, while Hudson was diagnosed with a severe bout of food poisoning.

The music world was left reeling when legendary saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who had worked with Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga, died from complications stemming from a major stroke. The rocker led the tributes to his pal, declaring, "His loss is immeasurable and we are honoured and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years." TV fans were also left in mourning following the passing of Columbo star Peter Falk at the age of 83, while legendary TV cowboy James Arness also died.

In other June news, the vampires from Twilight overpowered the magical Harry Potter kids at the MTV Movie Awards, taking home five golden popcorn prizes to their film franchise rival cast's one. The Cmt Awards took place in Nashville, Tennessee just days later and newlyweds Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert dominated the ceremony - picking up three of the nine top honours between them. But it was a bad month for their country music rival Trace Adkins when his Tennessee home was destroyed by fire.

The month was special for U2 when they headlined Britain's iconic Glastonbury festival after a year-long wait - they were forced to pull out of the event in 2010 after frontman Bono underwent surgery on his back. In a spooky echo of U2's concert drama, pop star Jessie J was forced to axe several summer shows after undergoing emergency surgery on her broken foot – but still fulfilled her duties at Glastonbury, performing while perched on a red and gold throne.

The Hollywood Interview is sad to report the untimely death of rapper/actor Heavy D at age 44. I interviewed Heavy D for Venice Magazine, back in June of 2005, as he was making his theatrical debut in Hollywood, in the play "Medal of Honor Rag." He was a soft-spoken, thoughtful man whose imposing physical presence couldn't hide what seemed like an inherently gentle nature. Of the hundreds of hours of interviews I've logged over the years, ours was one of the most memorable. He will be missed. Rest in peace.

Heavy D Changes His Tune In

Medal Of Honor Rag

By

Alex Simon

It’s fair to say that Heavy D was one of the first rap/hip-hop artists whose work crossed over into the “mainstream,” earning him points with urban fans as well as those in the suburbs. While many people were left with a bad taste from what they...

Rapper whose career included hit singles and acting roles

The rapper Heavy D, who has died suddenly aged 44, after collapsing at his home, was among a handful of hip-hop stars from the 1980s who successfully established a lasting career. Having created a string of infectious, party-time hits with Heavy D & the Boyz, he was able to extend his reach into the commercial mainstream through collaborations with Bb King and Michael Jackson, and subsequently exhibited bankable skills as both a businessman and actor. Although he was past his commercial peak as a musician, his last album, Love Opus, released in September, showed that he had not entirely run out of creative juice.

He was born Dwight Arrington Myers in Mandeville, Jamaica, and his parents moved the family to Mount Vernon, New York, in 1971. His mother Eulahlee was a nurse and his father Clifford a technician. He began putting together his own...

Hip hop legend Heavy D died Tuesday, November 8 in Los Angeles, according to MTV News. He was 44.

Heavy, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers, was mostly known for his role in the group Heavy D & the Boyz. The group recorded an array of hip hop dance hits like 1991's "Now That We Found Love" and 1994's "Nuttin' but Love." Heavy also composed the theme music to the sketch comedy series, "In Living Color."

Heavy D was transported to an L.A. hospital after a 911 call was placed from his Beverly Hills home. The call was made around 11:25 a.m. Pt to report an unconscious male, but when the ambulance arrived, Heavy was conscious and speaking. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a few hours later at 1 p.m. Et. As of now, the cause of death is unknown.

Heavy was also a film and television actor,...

Rapper had a string of hip-hop dance hits in the '90s; the cause of death is so far unknown.

By Rob Markman

Heavy D in 1991

Photo: Ron Galella / Getty Images

New York rap legend Heavy D died Tuesday (November 8) at age 44, MTV News has learned through a source.

Heavy, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers, was most known for his role in the group Heavy D & the Boyz. Together, the group recorded an array of hip-hop dance hits like 1991's "Now That We Found Love" and 1994's "Nuttin' but Love." Aside from his own hits, Heavy rapped on Michael Jackson's 1991 hit "Jam" and a remix to Janet Jackson's 1990 single "Alright" from her Rhythm Nation album.

Photos: The life and career of Heavy D.

According to a press release from the Beverly Hills Police Department obtained by MTV News, the Mount Vernon, New York, Mc was transported to...

She’s adorable, she’s great at looking terrified in those trailers for Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (sorry, too terrified to see it in the theater), and she’s been working on the pilot for Powers, which is based on the award-winning comic and graphic novel series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

Now she’s talking about Powers, and beyond the genuinely sweet 12-year-old vantage-point of the practicalities of the work, she has some encouraging things to say about the authenticity of the production.

First, here’s another quick reminder about the storyline of the potential series, from the FX press release:

Powers is a high concept crime procedural where the detectives police the brutal and sensational crimes surrounding super power beings, while illuminating the weaknesses and strengths of humanity in the process. Powers follows the life of “Christian Walker” (Jason Patric), a homicide...

We’ve been telling you for some time now about Powers, the show that’s currently in development and is based on a comic series about two detectives in a world where some people have super powers. We’ve told you that it will be starring Jason Patric (Sleepers, The Lost Boys) and Lucy Punch (Bad Teacher) as the detectives, with Charles S. Dutton (Roc) as the police captain and Bailee Madison (Just Go With It) as a 10-year-old girl who is taken in by one of the detectives.

We’re now happy to report that the Powers production has picked up former Lost Man In Black Titus Welliver (The Good Wife) and Supernatural’s roadhouse owner Ellen’s daughter Jo, Alona Tal (The Killing). Alona actually tweeted the news herself, and executive producer Brian M. Bendis confirmed it in his tweet.

According to AOL Welliver is set to play Triphammer,...

We have been reporting quite a bit of very recent casting news about the comic-to-tv-pilot adaptation of Powers, a police procedural set in a world with superpowers. It now looks like the final piece of the puzzle has fallen into place, as they have awarded the role of Christian to the very excellent Jason Patric. Here is the FX press release, which includes a nice bit of info about the show as well as about Mr. Patric:

Film and stage star Jason Patric has signed on to star as “Christian Walker” in the FX drama series pilot Powers, based on the award-winning comic and graphic novel series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

“We’ve been asked repeatedly why it has taken so long to bring our series adaptation of Powers to fruition. It is for the same reason we cast Jason Patric in this role; we are aiming for something extraordinary,...

Jason Patric has signed on to star as Christian Walker in the FX drama series pilot "Powers," based on the comic book series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming. "Powers" centers on Homicide detective Walker (Patric), who specializes in cases that involve "powers" (people with superpowers). The pilot will also star Lucy Punch ("Bad Teacher"), Charles S. Dutton ("Roc") and Bailee Madison ("Just Go With It"). The pilot was written by Charles H. Eglee ("The Shield," "The Walking Dead") and will be directed by Michael Dinner ("Sons of Anarchy," "Justified"). It starts shooting in July in Chicago.  "We've been...

The principle actors for FX’s adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming’s comic book series, Powers have been cast. Jason Patric (The Losers) will play the co-lead, Christian Walker as a detective who investigates super-powered cases. Lucy Punch (Bad Teacher) will play Walker’s fast-talking, firecracker detective Deena Pilgrim. The Powers pilot is being written by Charles H. Eglee (The Shield, The Walking Dead) and Michael Dinner (Sons of Anarchy) will direct.

Another key casting announced earlier this week was Bailee Madison in the role of Calista, a young girl who is put in the care of Walker in the first story of the comic, “Who Killed Retro Girl?” Hopefully Powers will be a hit with audiences so that they’ll see Madison reprise her role much later. Patric, Punch, and Madison will join Charles S. Dutton (Roc) who will play department head Captain Cross.

The...

Newly-single Leonardo DiCaprio was snapped getting closer with "Gossip Girl" darling, Blake Lively abroad a yacht in the French Riviera on Monday afternoon, May 17. Leo, who has just split from on-and-off supermodel girlfriendBar Refaeli, was caught displaying affectionate hugs and sharing laughs together with the 23-year-old starlet.

Donning casual outfit and aviator sunglasses, the "Titanic" actor spent relaxing moment on the boat along with director Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw. The 36-year-old actor was then joined by the "Green Lantern" actress moments later and they both were caught on camera while embracing one another.

According to an eyewitness, the pair was also spotted at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc during the Cannes International Film Festival. The source claimed, "She was wearing white and he was in a baseball cap. They walked around the grounds together. It looked like they were a couple."

A recent report has convinced...

Leonardo DiCaprio went incognito this morning when he boarded Steven Spielberg's yacht near Cannes. The actor paid a visit to his Catch Me If You Can director and his wife, Kate Capshaw. Leo's catching up with friends and business associates during the film festival despite some turmoil in his personal life. He recently parted ways from longtime girlfriend Bar Refaeli, who actually traveled to France as well in order to attend last night's big Chopard party. Leo is rumored to have moved on already with Blake Lively, another starlet enjoying the cinema fun. Blake and Leo were reportedly seen hanging at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc on Friday, the same evening he joined Jamie Foxx to see a Kanye West performance. She was nearby in order to see last week's Chanel cruise collection show, and evidently met up with Leo after befriending him last year while trying to...

It’s time to hire all the right actors for the television adaptation of “Powers” — which is no small task, given the series' loyal readership. First to be cast is the role of Captain Cross.

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Charles S. Dutton will play Captain Cross, the boss of detective leads Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim. Dutton starred in the 1991-1994 television series “Roc,” but has also been on Broadway and in such films as “Cry, the Beloved Country” and “A Time to Kill.”

“Powers,” which will air on FX, is based on the series from Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming.

Debuting in 2000, the "Powers" comic book series follows the detectives responsible for cases dealing with superpowers. Charles H. Eglee is working on script adaptation and Michael Dinner has been confirmed as the director of the show’s pilot episode.

Back in March, "Battlestar Galactica" actress...

In what will be the first of many casting updates for FX’s TV adaptation of gritty crime comic, Powers, Charles S. Dutton (Legion, Alien 3, The L Word) has been cast as Captain Cross of the homicide division in a world rampant with super heroes and villains. No word yet on who will play the two lead characters, Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, who investigate super-power related murders but following the twitter feeds of co-creator Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, I believe that the actors have been chosen already but have not been announced. In reaction to the Dutton news, Bendis tweeted to a fan this week, “Wait till you see who deena and walker be!”

Dutton has always been a strong casting no matter if he’s in a guest spot or a regular cast member. He can balance the subtle, funnier moments and really...

When we first saw Charles S. Dutton hit the acting scene decades ago, we knew one thing for sure: The man had powers. He fought a Xenomorph without weapons for god's sake! You need a hefty sac just to attempt such a thing!

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Charles S. Dutton has been cast in FX's drama pilot "Powers". The actor, best known for playing the title character in Fox's 1990s dramedy "Roc" and for kicking ass while preaching in Alien 3, will play Captain Cross, the head of a homicide police department where detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim investigate crimes involving those with superpowers.

The pilot is based on the graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming and centers on a pair of detectives who deal with cases involving people with superpowers.

The script was written by Charles "Chic" Eglee ("The Walking Dead"), and Michael Dinner ("Justified") directs the pilot.

The Hollywood Reporter are reporting that Charles S. Dutton has been cast in the FX pilot based off the hit comic series Powers created by Brian Michael Bendis: The actor, best known for playing the title character in Fox's 1990s dramedy Roc, will play Captain Cross, the head of a homicide police department where detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim investigate crimes involving those with superpowers. Dutton's most recent work was in the 2010 feature Legion Powered By Vistaprint...

Director and actor Carl Franklin will be 62 today. As an actor, he’s appeared in Five On The Black Hand Side, Good Times, The Fantastic Journey tv series, Lou Grant, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, Steel Magnolias and more. His directing creations include One False Move, Devil In A Blue Dress, One True Thing and Last Of The Ninth. Upcoming productions include Bless Me, Ultima and El Chico Blanco.

Actor Vicellous Reon Shannon welcomes 40. The Tennessee native’s credits include MacGyver, Sister To Sister, Roc, Deep Cover, Chicago Hope, Touched By An Angel, The Hurricane, 24, Dancing In September, House M.D., Jag and Sons Of Anarchy.

Producer Will Packer has a birthday today. The Florida native has produced a slew of hits. Trois, The Gospel, This Christmas, Stomp The Yard, Takers and Obsessed are just a few.

In case you forgot, the 42nd NAACP Awards ceremony aired on Fox TV last night. Anybody watch it?

I’ll save the color commentary and just post the list of winners, which follows below (no real surprises):

Outstanding Motion Picture

“For Colored Girls” (Lionsgate/34th Street Films)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Denzel Washington – “The Book of Eli” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture

Halle Berry – “Frankie & Alice” (Freestyle Releasing)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Samuel L. Jackson – “Mother and Child” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Kimberly Elise – “For Colored Girls” (Lionsgate/34th Street Films)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture

“Frankie & Alice” (Freestyle Releasing)

Outstanding Foreign Motion Picture

“Biutiful” (Roadside Attractions)

Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)

“For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots” (PBS)

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series

Aaron McGruder – “The Boondocks” – The...

The 42 annual NAACP Image Awards nominations were announced Wednesday (Jan. 12) by actresses Kimberly Elisa and Sanaa Lathan, rapper 50 Cent, singer Smokey Robinson and actors Columbus Short and Affion Crockett at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA.

ABC and NBC led the TV categories with 18 nominations each, followed by CBS and the Lifetime Movie Network with 10 apiece. "Grey's Anatomy" and "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" tied at five noms apiece, while "For Colored Girls" topped all other movies or TV series with seven nominations. Tyler Perry's film and television projects had a combined total of 20 nominations.

The entire list of nominees is as follows:

Television

Outstanding Comedy Series

• "30 Rock" (NBC)

• "Are We There Yet?" (TBS)

• "Glee" (Fox)

• "Modern Family" (ABC)

• "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series

• David Mann - "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (TBS)

• Dulé Hill - "Psych" (USA)

• Lavan Davis...