Latest Celebrities and Lifestyle News

DDB Shanghai launches Lipton China's “Golden Ratio” campaign

2011-11-22T05:13:00.000-08:00

Shanghai: In the last two years, DDB Shanghai has been on a mission to help build Lipton as the world’s tea expert. The recent “Golden Ratio” campaign marks another milestone in the journey, this time by demonstrating the product story in a simple and fascinating way. The objective of the campaign is to continue to leverage Lipton’s tea credential to build its milk tea business in order to differentiate in the me-too category. The key is how to present the product story in an unique and impressive way that’s never-before-seen by the consumers.

The campaign features Takeshi Kaneshiro, Lipton’s ambassador for the last two years. When he drinks Lipton’s milk tea, something magical starts to happen. Not only is he being transformed, the demonstration of the product ingredients is cleverly and beautifully weaved into the story. The end result is a simple and yet delightful ad.

“The entire ad is beautiful. In our business, authenticity and deliciousness are critical. DDB has done a superb job in raising the bar. Have you ever seen product demonstration this perfect?”, said Jane Huang, Director of Lipton BD China.

“This ad is a labor of love. In a 15-second ad, every frame is precious and, therefore, carefully designed. We wanted to have the most delicious product shot so we knew we wanted to shoot real tea and milk liquid. This entailed prop-building and countless testing, “ said Michael Dee, Chief Creative Officer of DDB China.

Credits:

Client: Lipton China

Agency: DDB Shanghai

Chief Creative Officer: Michael Dee

Producer: George Ooi

Director-In-Charge: Margaret Wu

Production House: China Film

Director: Masami Kamiyama

http://www.medianewsline.com/news/146/ARTICLE/8536/2011-11-21.html

Winners of the 46th annual Golden Bell Awards

2011-10-23T12:34:00.001-07:00

Source: Appledaily, UDN
Written by: fufu @ CpopAccess.com

The 46th annual Golden Bell Awards ceremony just came to an end. Although Sonia Sui of "Fierce Wife" was the most anticipated win, it was Tian Xin of "Who's The One" who took home the award. Tian Xin expressed in tears, "I really never thought that I would win." She said in joy, "Hsiao-Yen told me before that I should keep acting until I win. Even though I've now won, I will still continue acting." She then shouted, "Everyone is welcome to come find me to act in dramas. I'm really priced economically!"

Here are the winners in major categories in bold.

Best Drama:
Somewhere Over The Sky (Hakka TV)
Fierce Wife (SETTV)
Scent Of Love (CTV)
The Invaluable Treasure 1949 (PTS)
Love You (Meng Tian Wen Chuang Jian Zhi)

Best Variety Program:
Big Party (CtiTV)
Million Primary School (TTV)
Super Taste (TVBS)
Tao’s Show (CTV)
Variety Big Brother (CTV)

Best Actor from a drama series:
Jin Shi-Jye / Invaluable Treasure 1949 (PTS)
Joseph Chang / Love You (Meng Tian Wen Chuang Jian Zhi)
James Wen / Fierce Wife (SETTV)
Will Pan / Endless Love (Ke Mi Fu Ya Chuan Bo)
Long Shao-Hua / DaAi TV: Roadside President (Tzu Chi Foundation)

Best Actress from a drama series:
Tian Xin / Who’s The One (TTV)
Sonia Sui / Fierce Wife (SETTV)
Xiu Qin / DaAi TV: I Love US Dollars (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Yao Han-Yi / Somewhere Over The Sky (Hakka TV)
Megan Lai / Invaluable Treasure 1949 (PTS)

Best Supporting Actor from a drama series:
Gu Bin / Somewhere Over The Sky (Hakka TV)
Lee Li-Chun / Scent Of Love (CTV)
Lee Wang-Luo / Monga Yao Hui (CTS)
Qu Zhong-Heng / Lian Lian Alishan (CtiTV)
Jack Kao / Scent Of Love (CTV)

Best Supporting Actress from a drama series:
Amanda Zhu / Fierce Wife (SETTV)
Ke Su-Yun / DaAi TV: Romantic Love (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Ma Hui Zhen / DaAi TV: Roadside President (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Janel Tsai / Fierce Wife (SETTV)
Su Ming-Ming / DaAi TV: Blissful Bluebird (Qi Zhi International)

Best Host for a variety program:
Li Jing / Super Idol (SETTV)
Hao Jiao Xiang Qi / Super Taste (TVBS)
Matilda Tao / Tao’s Show (CTV)
Chang Fei / Variety Big Brother (CTV)
Chang Hsiao-Yen / Million Primary School (TTV)

Wu Chun Celebrates 32nd Birthday With “Valiant Legend” Cast

2011-10-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

October 10th was Wu Chun’s (吴尊) 32nd birthday. Wu Chun was currently filming Ronny Yu’s (于仁泰) new movie, Valiant Legend in the outskirts of Beijing. Since his presence was required in many scenes, Wu Chun was unable to take time off to celebrate his birthday with his family and remained in the Beijing area to work instead.

On Wu Chun’s birthday, he filmed scenes where the Yang family of warriors were besieged by their enemies. On the set were Adam Cheung (郑少秋), who played the Yang patriarch, Ekin Cheng (郑伊健) as the elder Yang son, Yu Bo (于波) as the second son, Vic Zhou (周渝民) as the third son, Liny Li (李晨) as the fourth son, Raymond Lam (林峰) as the fifth son, and Fu Xinbo (付辛博) as the seventh son.

The cast and crew of Valiant Legend planned a surprise party for Wu Chun and everyone was forbidden to wish him a happy birthday earlier in the day. A birthday cake was ordered in advance and the crew hoped to give Wu Chun a memorable birthday. The day’s filming took place at a remote desert location, which required several hours back and forth driving from the center of Beijing. In early dawn, a crew member picked up the birthday cake to deliver to the filming location by noon time for the celebration.
The plans for the surprise birthday celebration were implmented very successfully. Prior to lunch time, Wu Chun stayed on the set to film a close-up shot. Contrary to their normal routine, Adam Cheng and the other six “Yang sons” abruptly left to go eat lunch without Wu Chun, who was left alone with crew members. In fact, everyone waited by the studio door for Wu Chun to finish filming so they can surprise him with the birthday cake. When Wu Chun saw Adam Cheng and his other “brothers” gathered together singing a happy birthday song, he was surprised and very moved.

Wu Chun said happily, “My past birthdays were normally celebrated with my father at home. This year, I had to stay in Beijing to fim as recent scenes required the presence of all the cast members; I cannot have everyone wait for me to come back. Although my birthday was spent in the studio, I never expected everyone to celebrate with me. When I saw my father and brothers from the movie singing a birthday song, that moment felt really warm and touching! It was the first time I celebrated my birthday with so many brothers and crew members. Fortunately the size of the birthday cake was large enough to share with everyone!”

Normally loving to play the most, Ekin Cheng and Raymond Lam said, “Since we have filmed together for more than a month, we got along like real brothers. It was very difficult to hold back and not wish Wu Chun a happy birthday earlier in the morning. When it was lunch time, we had to pretend to leave without him. Normally, we would always eat lunch with him. When we saw Wu Chun’s expression upon holding the birthday cake, we knew that our plan was a big success!”

By Jayne on October 12, 2011
Credits:http://www.jaynestars.com/
Source: Sohu.com

Asian cinema dazzles at Busan festival

2011-10-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

BUSAN, South Korea - Asia's top film festival drew to a close Friday after nine days packed with screenings that left audiences enthused over the future of the region's movie industry.

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) rolled out the red carpet to a cast of A-list stars and showcased more than 300 productions from all over the world -- but it has been the local films that have left cinema-goers buzzing.

"The standard of productions we have seen here this year has been outstanding," said Chinese director Yonfan, in town to head the jury for the festival's main New Currents award.

"It is an indication that Asian cinema is very healthy and there is a vast collection of very talented people out there making films today."

That talent pool was reflected in the 13 films from 12 countries which contested this year's New Currents award, which offers two prizes of $30,000 and is open to first- and second-time Asian directors.

While the money went to Iranian director Morteza Farshbaf's gripping "Mourning" and the languid family drama "Nino" from Filipino Loy Arcenas, the field was full of films that belied their makers' collective inexperience behind the camera.

The Mangesh Hadawale-directed "Watch Indian Circus" picked up the festival's audience award after delighting packed houses with its mix of comedy and savage social commentary as it followed the ups and downs of an impoverished couple as they find the funds to treat their children to a night out.

Away from the main award, Korean cinema was out in full force, with a wildly diverse collection of productions.

They included everything from the local box office smash "Sunny" -- a reflection on chances missed and taken in life -- to the bleak-but-brilliant animation "The King of Pigs", a nasty look at troubled modern youths that shows the genre can be worked for more than just light entertainment.

The 16th edition of BIFF began with the opening of the $140 million Busan Cinema Centre, a 30,000 square metre complex that boasts a spectacular LED-lit roof and a 4,000-seater outdoor theatre.

Festival organisers hope the facility will establish the city as a hub for both the screening and development of Asian film.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1159423/1/.html
The event opened with the heart-warming romance "Always", with Korean director Song Il-gon's film making its world premiere.

The night was almost stolen by local starlet Oh In-hye, whose "barely there" dress left the opening night audience with mouths agape and ensured her name was briefly the "most-searched" on the Internet in South Korea.

But the festival soon got down to the serious business of screening films, with 307 productions on show for a total audience of 196,177 people.

Among other highlights for fans was a master class held by French director Luc Besson, here to promote his biopic of the Myanmar activist Aung San Suu Kyi "The Lady", along with the film's star, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.

Besson gave an intriguing insight into the workings of the modern film industry and declared he could only survive by "working with Hollywood but never in Hollywood."

Yeoh's measured and mesmerising performance in "The Lady" had her audience whispering the word "Oscars" and the actress herself said it was a rare opportunity to play such a complex character.

"There are not many icons in our times, let alone a woman and let alone an Asian woman, so I am justly deeply grateful that I was given the chance to play this role," she said.

Several elaborate 3D productions including Japanese maverick Takeshi Miike's slow-burning "Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samauri" showed what can be done when you have money at your disposal.

But two Korean thrillers shot with 3D technology -- "Persimmon" and "A Fish" -- were well received by critics and audiences alike, showing what can also be done on a shoestring budget.

The festival's other main prize, Flash Forward, is open to young filmmakers from outside Asia and its $30,000 prize was picked up by first-time Italian filmmaker Guido Lombardi's "La Bas -- A Criminal Education".

"I think what makes this event unique is the audience involvement," said the director. "We had about 100 people stay for a Q&A after our first screening and they seemed to know all about us and all about cinema. There seems to be a real appreciation for cinema everywhere you go."

It was a sentiment shared by the legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert -- the Cannes award-winning star of "The Piano Teacher" (2001) -- here to screen her family drama "My Little Princess."
Huppert was left impressed both by the festival's new home and by the Asian films she was able to take in.

"This is a festival with a history of unearthing Asian talent and I am attracted to working in the region because there is a vitality here," she said. "There is a freedom to create here I don't think you find anywhere else in the world."

- AFP /ls

2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards will be held in S'pore on Nov 29

2011-10-15T12:19:00.001-07:00

SINGAPORE: CJ E&M and MediaCorp VizPro International, the organisers of the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2011 MAMA), have confirmed that the prestigious awards event will be held in Singapore on November 29, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

According to a press statement from MediaCorp Vizpro International, the concept of this year's MAMA is "Music Makes One" and expresses a vision that music can connect the world together as one.

The awards show originally began as the Mnet Music Awards in 1999 and has been one of the biggest events on the Korean music calendar for the past decade.

In 2010, it was rebranded the MAMA and was held outside Korea for the first time in Macau before coming to Singapore in 2011.

Over 80 K-pop artistes, presenters and international performers attended the MAMA in 2010, which drew some 30,000 fans.

A spokesperson for MediaCorp Vizpro said the list of K-pop luminaries gracing 2011 MAMA is still "not yet confirmed".

However organisers revealed that attending stars will take to the red carpet at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from 5pm to 7pm (Singapore time) that day, before the main show begins.

-CNA/ha

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1159445/1/.html

Rain enlists in Korean military

2011-10-11T23:58:00.001-07:00

MANILA, Philippines – And he’s off to the military.

Asian pop star Rain enlisted in the Korean military Tuesday, leaving thousands of fans in despair and temporarily abandoning his showbiz career for his mandatory service.

The 29-year-old popular singer, whose real name is Jung Ji Hoon, reported this afternoon to the Uijeongbu 306 Reserve Troop Station in Geonggi Province in South Korea for his enlistment.

Rain will receive his basic military training at the camp after which he will be in active duty.

Rain met fans and the media briefly before entering the camp. He saluted and bowed and thanked the fans for coming.

About 1,000 fans from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and China are at the site to bid Rain goodbye. Fans arrived at Uijeongbu early morning Tuesday armed with banners and streamers proclaiming their support and love for their idol, adding that they will be waiting for his comeback.

Last Sunday, Rain held his free concert dubbed as “Last for the Best” for fans in Samseong in Gangnam, Seoul. Thousands trooped to the concert to see Rain perform for the last time.

On his Twitter, Rain announced that the concert would be aired on Mnet TV station after his enlistment.

Rain also visited his mother’s grave on Monday to pay his respect.

In the last 10 years, Rain has become one of the most successful Korean artists.

Early this year, Rain won the 2011 TIME 100 Poll readers’ choice as the No. 1 most influential person in the world, edging out the likes of Beyonce (No. 6), US President Barack Obama (No. 46), and Lady Gaga (No. 12).

Rain also became successful in acting on TV and films. He starred in the Hollywood films “Speed Racer” and “Ninja Assassin.”

http://mb.com.ph/articles/337369/rain-enlists-korean-military

‘The Kitchen Musical’ Asian TV Series Eyes US Debut

2011-10-06T11:24:00.003-07:00

The Kitchen Musical, the exciting new Asian series (kinda like Glee and Hell’s Kitchen combined), is set to debut on US television after the show premiered strongly in the the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Emmy & Golden Globe Award-winning producer, Ben Silverman, who brought Ugly Betty and The Office to the US has also selected The Kitchen Musical for the same route. This is a first as formats are only brought back to the US after the show has performed well internationally.

The first Pan-Asian musical series, topbilled by our very own Karylle and Christian Bautista, debuted on seven countries, including ABS-CBN and Studio 23, in the region and 18 territories via AXN last Sunday, October 2.

The Kitchen Musical received rave reviews from viewers and instantly gained fans accross Southeast Asia that it became one of the trending topics on Twitter right after the airing of its pilot episode.

http://www.starmometer.com/2011/10/04/the-kitchen-musical-asian-tv-series-eyes-us-debut/

No baby pressure for Barbie Hsu

2011-10-06T11:24:00.001-07:00

Barbie Hsu's mum speaks up for her daughter when quizzed by reporters of her suspected pregnancy

Ever since Taiwanese actress Barbie married Chinese millionaire Wang Xiaofei, there has been constant speculations of her pregnancy because of her sudden weight gain and her choice of loose clothing and flats.

A few days ago, a netizen spotted the actress at a hospital in Beijing. She held hands with her husband and appeared pregnant, fuelling speculations that she might have successfully conceived a baby.

However, when asked about Barbie's expectancy yesterday, the actress' mother denied the rumours and explained, "No, [Barbie is not pregnant]. Xiaofei has been under a lot of pressure lately, even his lips are chipped. Barbie was just accompanying him to see a doctor."

The matriarch also further urged the media not to give Barbie too much pressure.

"We'll share the good news when Barbie's pregnant. Don't put pressure on her. If the media stop asking, she will have less pressure; when there's less pressure, the possibility of conceiving is also higher," Barbie's mother said.

A staunch vegetarian, the PETA ambassador insisted on keeping to her vegetarian habits while trying for a child. To help condition her body and prepare it for her future pregnancy, Barbie's mother-in-law Zhang Lan, has been consistently feeding her with Chinese herbs. When the actress returns to her own home, her mother will also cook nutritious vegetarian meals for her.

News of Barbie's pregnancy may be rumours, but the 34-year-old's mum remains very optimistic of the situation.

"Barbie will become pregnant eventually, so long as she's young and healthy," she said.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5341560

Adele cancels US tour due to illness

2011-10-06T11:21:00.003-07:00

Adele has been forced to cancel her upcoming tour of the US due to an illness.

The 'Someone Like You' star has suffered a vocal cord haemorrhage. She was preparing to launch her US tour on October 7 after recently completing her shows in the UK.

New Jersey doctors told the singer that she needs more time to recover from the illness. She previously had to cancel several dates in the UK due to laryngitis.

Adele apologised to US fans in a statement, saying: "Singing is literally my life, it's my hobby, my love, my freedom and now my job. I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or I risk damaging my voice forever.

"I have great confidence in believing you know how much this upsets me, how seriously I take it and how truly devastated and annoyed I am by this.

"Wanting to do something so bad and not being able to is the most frustrating thing as I'm sure you know! My voice is weak and I need to build it back up.

"I'm gonna be starting up vocal rehab as soon as [possible], and start building my overall stamina in my voice, body and mind. I will be back and I'm gonna smash the ball out the park once I'm touring again. I apologise from the bottom of my heart, sincerely I do.

"I know it's not only disappointing because of the show, but it's plane tickets, hotel bookings, birthdays, anniversaries and time wasted.

"But please have faith in me that this is the only thing I can do to make sure I can always sing and always make music for you to the best of my ability."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a343858/adele-cancels-us-tour-due-to-illness.html

Taylor Swift confirms "sad" new album for 2012

2011-10-06T11:21:00.001-07:00

Taylor Swift has revealed that her new album will contain "sad" songs.

The star confirmed that the LP will be released sometime in 2012, and said that she has already written ten new songs for the record.

"They're sad, if I'm being honest," she admitted in an interview with The New Yorker, adding that her most recent track "is about moving on".

She explained that she sees singing as her main form of communication, saying: "I write songs, and my voice is just a way to get those lyrics across."

The new album will serve as the follow-up to 2010's Speak Now, which has sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide since its release last October.

The 21-year-old performer is currently on the North American leg of her world tour and was recently joined on stage by Nicki Minaj in Los Angeles and TI in Atlanta.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a344017/taylor-swift-confirms-sad-new-album-for-2012.html

'Harry Potter', Robert Downey Jr for Spike TV's Scream Awards 2011

2011-10-06T11:20:00.001-07:00

Spike TV has announced the first of the presenters and recipients for the upcoming sixth annual Scream Awards.

The ceremony, which celebrates the best of sci-fi, fantasy, horror and comic books, will be taped on Saturday, October 15 at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.

Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr will accept the 'Hero Award', while Nicolas Cage will be on hand to receive the Maverick Award to "recognise his fearless and intriguing body of work", as well as premiering exclusive footage from the upcoming film Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky, Fringe creator JJ Abrams and Let Me In actress Chloe Moretz have also been confirmed to attend.

Joining them are Harold and Kumar stars Kal Penn and John Cho , True Blood's Joe Manganiello, Doctor Who actor Matt Smith and Fringe's Anna Torv, with more to be announced in the upcoming days.

The broadcast will also feature a special farewell to the Harry Potter franchise as well as premiering new previews from Total Recall, The Woman in Black, Paranormal Activity 3 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

"The superstars and superheroes who are coming to Scream this year do it because they love and appreciate these fans for their unparalleled passion. We have a lot of Scream-worthy surprises for the fans this year," said executive vice president of event production for Viacom Media Networks Entertainment Group, Casey Patterson.

The two-hour broadcast of the Spike TV Scream Awards 2011 will air Tuesday, October 18 at 9PM ET/PT.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a344052/harry-potter-robert-downey-jr-for-spike-tvs-scream-awards-2011.html

Thai actor excited to meet Filipino fans

2011-08-07T22:29:00.001-07:00

MANILA, Philippines – After much speculation that he is coming to the Philippines, Thai superstar Mario Maurer finally confirmed that he will visit the country soon.

In an exclusive interview with “The Buzz” aired on Sunday, Maurer said he will come to the Philippines to endorse a local clothing brand. He also said he is looking forward to meet his Filipino fans.

“I have to go to the Philippines to meet my fans because I have to go for Penshoppe. I will meet my fans there,” he said.

Furthermore, Maurer revealed that he would love to star in a romantic movie along with a Filipina actress.

“Doing a movie outside of Thailand, I think, is a very cool opportunity...I never expected that I’m going to get famous in the Philippines or in China or Taiwan,” he said.

Asked for the qualities of a girl that he likes, Maurer said: “Sweet girl. I like a happy girl or funny girl. I like girls that dress up very nice.”

Maurer was born in Thailand on December 4, 1988. He started modeling at the age of 16 .

From then on, he began to star in numerous movies. His acting has also been recognized by many award bodies.

Last year, Maurer did a film titled “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

The Filipino series adaptation of this movie paved the way for him to capture the hearts of the Filipinos.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/08/07/11/thai-actor-excited-meet-filipino-fans

Peter Chan reveals the secret to Takeshi Kaneshiro's success

2011-08-07T22:28:00.001-07:00

Taiwan-born heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro is one of the biggest stars in Asia and has melted the hearts of countless movie-goers throughout the world.

But why is he so successful?

Hong Kong director Peter Chan has worked with Kaneshiro on "Perhaps Love", "Warlords" as well as his latest flick, the martial arts film "Wu Xia", and the 48-year-old director believes he has it all figured out.

Chan told channelnewsasia.com that Kaneshiro is a very special sort of star whom people found naturally appealing, regardless of gender.

Women love him while men could identify with him without feeling threatened.

"Kaneshiro is handsome of course. There are a lot of handsome men around but there are few [like Kaneshiro] who are handsome and yet not annoying to other men.

"You need to be handsome and give off this introverted 'feeling' so men will let their guard down, plainly put - so men won't think you will snatch their girlfriends," Chan said with a chuckle.

Chan likened Kaneshiro's appeal to American actor Robert Redford's universal likeability.

Even though a lot of people said Brad Pitt looked like Redford, Pitt lacked a certain humility that make Redford look less threatening to male audiences, so Redford's charm still gave him an edge over his look-alike.

"Takeshi Kaneshiro is a rare talent who is so handsome yet you don't feel he is threatening."

"This could be the result of him being very introverted and very concerned about what people think of him."

"He gives people the feeling he is insecure and has a certain kind of disarming vulnerability about him," said Chan pensively.

The director went on to reveal that Kaneshiro was very much like himself – both men were "insecure" and "perfectionists".

Chan added it was these similarities and Kaneshiro's broad appeal that made him repeatedly cast Kaneshiro in his films.

CNA
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1145196/1/.html

Ariel Lin to stop acting in dramas

2011-07-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

Many speculated that Taiwanese actress Ariel Lin's health was deteriorating when she suddenly announced that she would stop acting in dramas.

Yesterday, Ariel, who suffered from a pituitary sella cyst two years ago, said that she would be reducing her future workload and had no plans of releasing another record.

While some speculate that the actress may be sick again, others questioned if she had made the decision in the name of love.

Ariel clarified that her ailment is untreatable and may recur even after surgery. Heeding her mother's advice, Ariel decided that her family is more important.

"I still love to act, but my health condition is not as good as it used to be. I think I should work within my health limit and set aside some time for people who are important to me," Ariel said.

When Ariel was filming her new drama series I May Not Love You in April, the actress had frequently fallen ill with tonsil inflammation because of the hot weather and her slow metabolism rate.

"It's tough to be the female lead for a drama series. It's like going through military boot camp, where [one's heart and soul] cannot have proper balance," the actress described.

Ariel's boyfriend Cheng Jia Yao had been visiting her on the set constantly.

When asked if she was departing showbiz because of love, Ariel laughed, "I merely wanted him to understand my job. After all, he may be my family member in future."

However, the actress wished for privacy when it came to marriage.

"I've always lived up to everyone's expectations throughout the years. When it comes to [marriage], I may want to be a little selfish," Ariel said, suggesting that she would not be having a high-profile wedding.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4997454

Wu Chun not secretly married with kids, says manager

2011-07-16T04:08:00.001-07:00

Channel News Asia

TAIPEI: Taiwan actor Wu Chun's manager Lu Shu Juan, spoke out against recent media reports that claimed Wu is already married and has a 4-month-old daughter, on her micro blog on Wednesday, reported Taiwan media.

Many were convinced by the reports as they were accompanied by photographs of Wu in a car, with a woman who is allegedly his wife, as well as the accounts of Wu's neighbours, who said it was "an open secret" that Wu is a married man.

However, Lu flatly denied these rumours.

"The person in the picture is Wu's sister-in-law! They even got the name wrong!" Lu explained.

Lu added that it was impossible for Wu to have started a family as he had been very busy shooting movies and working on drama serials.

"He is flying around every day, where would he find the time to get married?" said Lu, pointing out that Wu had always been quite the workaholic.

-CNA/ha

Takeshi Kaneshiro has fun with close combat

2011-07-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

courtesy of takungpao.com

Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo) and Peter Chan Ho Sun yesterday attended a forum at the Beijing People's University. During the event a duel between Gum Sing Mo and Jiang Wu from WU XIA was shown. Actually this scene was removed from the Mainland release, thus yesterday it was a special screening. The event also arranged for three students to perform mountain folk songs to coordinate with the story in the film.

This duel was almost too much for Gum Sing Mo. he had to stand in water for hand to hand combat with Jiang Wu but also had to wield his umbrella as a weapon like acrobats. Luckily action director Yen Chi Tan was on hand to direct. With his natural talent he was able to complete this scene sooner than he expected.

However during the shoot, Gum Sing Mo slipped and fell into the water several times. He almost "poked" Wu Jing in the eye during close combat. Luckily Jiang Wu was fast enough to dodge it. Even Chan Ho Sun was sweating bullets. Gum Sing Mo said, "This fight scene is truly satisfying for me. I consider it as some wu xia fun! Of course I have to thank Yen Chi Tan. I appreciate him very much. He not only has to perform but also handle the action part. I deeply experience his spirit for perfection. No matter how tough it got he would always do his part to its best. No wonder everyone say he is the strongest in the universe."

In another needle to the neck scene, Gum Sing Mo revealed that he has always been somewhat resistant to needles. However he realized that this scene was very key so he toughed it out. The team hired an acupuncture specialist to be on hand to direct. Gum Sing Mo recalled, "That practitioner gave me very detailed explanation and demonstration, so I very quickly understood how and where to apply the needle. I could accept and too afraid about applying it not too deep on the neck. I only wanted to finish sooner so I don't have to keep looking at those needles that make me uncomfortable."

Daniel Radcliffe loves free Potter rides

2011-07-16T03:46:00.001-07:00

Daniel Radcliffe is pleased there is now a 'Harry Potter' theme park - because he doesn't have to pay to go on the rides.

Daniel Radcliffe loves the 'Harry Potter' theme park - because he doesn't have to pay.

The 21-year-old actor - who has played the titular boy wizard in all eight of the movies in the franchise - was thrilled to be asked to open the attraction in Florida, which is based on the films and original books by J. K. Rowling, because he got to enjoy the rides afterwards.

He said: 'It's brilliant going round your own theme park. You don't have to queue, you don't have to pay.

'I went on the Dragon Challenge roller coaster five times.'

Despite having amassed an estimated £48 million fortune, Daniel admits he 'doesn't know' what to do with his cash, but is pleased he never has to worry about his finances.

He said: 'I don't know what to do with it. I'm very fortunate to have it, and it gives you room to manoeuvre.

'But the main thing about having money is it means you don't have to worry about it. And that for me is a lovely thing. It's not for fast cars and hookers.'

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com

Alicia Keys grows more womanly

2011-07-16T03:45:00.001-07:00

Alicia Keys feels more centred and ''womanly'' since becoming a mother to son Egypt, nine months.

Alicia Keys feels 'more womanly' since becoming a mother.

The 30-year-old singer - who has a nine-month-old son Egypt with husband Swizz Beatz - has found parenthood has made her more content and 'connected' with herself.

She said: 'It's about becoming more centred in myself. Having the baby has connected me to a deep, more womanly place.'

Alicia also described her marriage to Swizz - whose real name is Kasseem Dean - as 'very equal'.

She said: 'We have a very equal relationship. Equal is my favourite word.'

The 'Empire State of Mind' hitmaker is upset about the sexualisation of pop music, and was astonished at the sight she was greeted by at her goddaughter's recent birthday party.

She explained: 'There were little girls emulating the dance moves they'd seen on TV, like six-year-old strippers.

'I'm going to have to teach my son by example.'

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com

Wu Chun rumoured to have a four-month-old daughter

2011-06-16T04:18:00.001-07:00

The Bruneian heartthrob was said to be married to his sweetheart of 15 years

According to a Hong Kong tabloid, 32-year-old Bruneian actor Wu Chun became a father in February this year.

Apparently, the member of Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit became engaged to his sweetheart of 15 years in 2008. The couple then got married one year later and earlier this year, a daughter was born.

The tabloid reported that the long-haired girl, who often visits Wu Chun's family home in Brunei, is 31-year-old Lin Li Ying. She had supposedly been dating Wu Chun since she was 16 and the couple had a steady relationship in the last 15 years.

Recently, baby apparel was spotting hanging at the balcony on the third floor of the house, fuelling speculations that there might be a newborn baby in the Wu residence.

The tabloid further added that Wu Chun's marriage is not a secret in Brunei. However, worried that the news might impose his showbiz career, the actor's family and friends had been working hard to keep it a secret from the media.

Responding to the report, Wu Chun's manager denied the allegations, saying that Wu Chun had been very busy, and had no time to get married and have kids.

MSN

Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket being auctioned

2011-06-07T07:01:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson's iconic red leather jacket worn in the 1983 video for 'Thriller' is up for auction.

Michael Jackson's iconic red leather 'Thriller' jacket is up for auction.

The coat - which the late star wore in the iconic 1983 music video which saw him transform into a zombie - is expected to fetch between $200,000 and $400,000 when it is sold in Beverley Hills, California, later this month.

Auctioneers Julien's said: 'We know of no other jacket that is so easily recognisable or one that so altered fashion history. It is the most recognised and significant piece of pop culture.'

The jacket is signed 'love Michael Jackson' on its sleeve, and was originally presented to the King of Pop's designers, Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, who worked with him on a number of outfits during his career.

The epic 14-minute 'Thriller' video in which Michael wore the leather coat is regarded as one of the most influential and recognisable in pop culture history and featured a street sequence in which a ghoulish version of the singer danced with zombies.

Other items in the sale include the shirt Michael wore in the video to his duet 'Scream' with sister Janet and a black sequined glove the 'Man in the Mirror' star wore at the 1984 American Music Awards, which it is thought will sell for up to $30,000. Another item is a wig worn by the star, expected to fetch up to $6,000.

The 'Music Icons' sale also features memorabilia from a host of other stars, including a bustier signed by Madonna, a pair of trousers worn by Gene Simmons, a Jaguar car owned by Frank Sinatra and a pair of trainers signed by Britney Spears, as well as items once belonging to Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley.

Julien's 'Music Icons' sale will take place on June 25 and 26.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/hollywood/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4915045&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Ella apologises for her online outburst

2011-06-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

Taiwanese pop singer apologises to fans on her microblog and admits to having a low EQ\

Fans of Taiwanese girl group S.H.E.'s Ella Chen, who visited the star while she was filming a new movie, complained to her record company and manager that Ella was overworked and even injured herself.

Upon receiving the news, Ella took to her microblog, saying, "Please do not speak on behalf of me and think that this is a sign of love. I don't need the extra trouble."

She added, "If you think my job is difficult, then, I guess I should do nothing but stay at home all day long."

Her outburst and remarks went down badly with her fans and they slammed her for being ungrateful.

The singer eventually apologised to her fans on her microblog, saying, "Even at the age of 30, I still have such low EQ. Your replies sure gave me a good lesson!"

Her record company added, "Fans can rest assure that we will take care of all artistes, as they are very precious to us."

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4901998&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Sean Kingston critical after jet-ski accident

2011-05-30T08:18:00.001-07:00

Singer Sean Kingston is in a critical condition in a Miami hospital after being involved in a jet-skiing accident yesterday (29.05.11).

Sean Kingston is in a critical condition after a jet-ski accident.

The 'Beautiful Girls' hitmaker struck a bridge connecting Palm Island with the MacArthur Causeway in Miami, Florida, on Sunday evening (29.05.11) and has been taken to the Jackson Memorial Hospital nearby to be treated for his injuries.

A representative for the 21-year-old singer said: 'Sean Kingston was in an accident today. No further details are available at the moment. He and his family thank everyone for the well-wishes.'

A female passenger who was also on the jet-ski has also been taken to hospital.

Officials investigating the accident are said to have ruled out alcohol playing a part in the accident, TMZ reports.

Fellow musician Nicki Minaj has tweeted her support for the singer, saying: 'My love & prayers are with Sean Kingston & his family.(sic)'

Justin Bieber - who collaborated with Sean on the song 'Eenie Meenie' - asked his twitter followers to pray for him.

He wrote: 'got my friend seankingston in my prayers tonight. a true friend and big bro. please keep him in your prayers tonight as well.(sic)'

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/hollywood/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4886802&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Wu Chun Scores 13 Points For LeApple

2011-05-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei born international star Wu Chun yesterday contributed 13 points for LeApple basketball team but couldn't helped his team to victory as they fell to Auto Expents 56-54 in overtime at the Aewon Cup Basketball Tournament.

Wu Chun who took a rest after sustaining a bit of cramp after regular time, in an interview with Bulletin, said: "It was a tight game but if I can continue to play, the result might be different."

Wu Chun, the owner of Fitness Zone also expressed: "It's great to be able to compete in a basketball game with all my friends. I haven't been in competitive basketball for almost eight years. It was quite an exhausting comeback but it's worth it."

LeApple team that comprised mostly veteran national players managed to come back to take the lead in the third quarter but the resilient Auto Expents managed to keep the game tight and were tied at 49 a piece with just 50 seconds left.

In the last 10 seconds, Auto Expent were leading but a last ditch shot by No 4 Soon Chin Long put LeApple into overtime.

In overtime, the younger Auto Expent team came up with a number of big shots to win the match-up.

Today, Tutong will take on KB in the women's category at 5pm while in the men's event, Yun Lee Motors will face LeApple at 7pm and Auto Expent will play against Chevrolet Cruz.
-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Takeshi Kaneshiro: Still single and waiting for love

2011-05-17T06:23:00.001-07:00

The heartthrob denied rumours of getting married during his interview at Cannes

As the only Chinese movie participating in the 64th Cannes Movie Festival, Wu Xia attracted immense attention with screening activities, parties and red carpet events at the venue.

The official world premiere for Wu Xia started at 12am and attracted 2,300 audiences into the Lumiere Theater. After the screening, the movie received a three-minute long standing ovation, which moved the actors and team to tears.

The handsome Takeshi Kaneshiro appeared at the red carpet event decked in a smart black suit and stubble. Fans screamed his name and one female reporter from China even swooned, "He is so handsome!"

Known for his low-profile personal life, Takeshi is often rumored to be married.

Two years ago, the actor was said to have married to a Japanese girl and she was pregnant at the time of their wedding. However, his manager denied the rumour, although Takeshi had never clarified the speculation personally.

When asked about his current martial status, Takeshi said, "No I've never gotten married before. It has always been a media speculation. I'm still single."

He added that he's leaving it up to fate now.

In the movie Wu Xia, Takeshi spoke with a Szechuan dialect. However, the actor admitted that he had forgotten how to speak in the dialect now.

Actress Li Xiao Ran plays Takeshi's wife in the movie. She made everyone laughed when she said that she was completely dizzy on the first day of filming because she liked Takeshi a lot.

The embarrassed Takeshi pretended to wipe his perspiration, upon hearing Xiao Ran's confession.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4846055&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Why do we love wearing jeans?

2011-04-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

You never fail to have these on your closets. It is probably the most popular wardrobe for all ages. You even seek a new pair whenever you see new designs. You also love decorating it with gems and hand painted it. Did you know that jeans was originally created for work and not for casual wears? It became popular in the 1950s. Such classic brands to name include Levi's and Wrangler. And became an icon to Americans and now to all races. Below are the reasons why do we love wearing jeans:

1. Quality – Jeans comes from a kind of material made in Europe. Named after Sailors from Genoa, Italy – the word “denim” came from a French material (Nimes, France) “Serge de Nimes.” A traditional denim composes of durable twill-woven cotton fabric with coloured (usually blue) warp and white filling threads; it is also woven in coloured stripes. Now, denims are made from polyamid, lycra, polypropylene or with polyester for more active look. Also comes with two-way stretch fabrics and special coatings for jeans to be a strong and last longer.

2. Design – There are different categories of jeans, these are: ankle jeans, baggy jeans, bootcut, carpenter jeans, classic, hip-huggers, loose, shaggy, skinny and other many types. Manufacturers keep on producing and designing new styles and discover new fabrics for enhancement of their products. Before buying, check out which style suits your body.

3. Price – Jeans aren't that expensive. You can wear it for a long time, some love wearing them until it worn out. Many do style their jeans by cutting and pasting patches to look different. Even girls do turn their denim pants into skirts or bags to make it more fashionable.

4. Easy to Wear – We usually love wearing comfortable clothes, that's why we always prefer wearing jeans. It doesn't get dirty nor crumple easily. This is the safest option to wear whenever you go out shopping, or just want to hang out with your friends.

5. Jeans are forever – Considering the innovations made by different manufacturers, jeans are still going to stay for a long period of time. It won't leave our generation, making it in high fashion statement.

For the past several years, denim has been reinvented and new products were introduced from time to time. Making it a symbol of fashion and lifestyle, designers keep on inventing new concepts. Creativeness outshine the industry from our usual day to day casual jeans into handbags, home collections, cushions, bed sheets and furniture coverings. As time goes by, nothing not a single wardrobe in your closet will replace our Jeans.

Katie Holmes wore the Ralph Lauren Spring 2011 Collection

2011-04-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 28 Katie Holmes wore the Ralph Lauren Spring 2011Collection Knitted Lace Henley Tank Dress to the premiere of her new mini-series “The Kennedy’s” in Los Angeles

Elizabeth Hurley files for divorce

2011-04-02T10:03:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth Hurley has filed for divorce from estranged husband Arun Nayer, citing his ''unreasonable behaviour''

Elizabeth Hurley has filed for divorce from estranged husband Arun Nayer.

The actress-and-model - who announced her split from the Indian textile heir last year after four years of marriage - filed papers at London's High Court yesterday (01.04.11), citing Arun's 'unreasonable behaviour'.

Elizabeth - who has an eight-year-old son, Damian, from a previous relationship - and Arun split last year but the news wasn't made public until after it was revealed she had been romancing Australian cricketer Shane Warne.

She tweeted at the time: 'Painful, sad days. Arun & I separated for private reasons but FTR (for the record) he has been a great father to our son Damian & will always be in his life. (sic)'

However, the 45-year-old beauty insisted she had no plans to get divorced.

She said: 'Bored now of silly speculations: no one is divorcing anyone yet, no one is fighting over money and I have no plans to go to Australia. Enough! (sic)'

After news of Elizabeth and Shane's romance was made public, the couple split but rekindled in January and in February she met his parents, Keith and Bridgette, at the sportsman's Melbourne home.

The couple initially parted ways in December after it emerged the cricketer had been sending lewd text messages to another woman while he was romancing Elizabeth.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/hollywood/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4753490&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Sylvester Stallone | Sylvester Stallone To Launch 'Rambo' Fashion Line | Contactmusic

2011-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Sylvester Stallone | Sylvester Stallone To Launch 'Rambo' Fashion Line | Contactmusic

Elisha Cuthbert: The Heart Truth Fashion Show Photos

2011-03-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Elisha Cuthbert: The Heart Truth Fashion Show Photos

Kelly Lin weds American-Chinese beau Chris Young

2011-03-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

MALDIVES: Taiwan actress Kelly Lin married American-Chinese businessman Chris Young in a low-key beach wedding in the Maldives on Monday, reported Taiwan media.

Lin, dressed in a white, low-cut wedding gown and Young, who wore a simple white shirt and pants, exchanged their vows in a 30-minute ceremony on the beach.

"I am really happy, full of love," said the groom after the ceremony.

"So disgusting!" said Lin with an embarrassed laugh as the pair left the venue.

The "Just Call Me Nobody" star, sporting a sparkling 3-carat diamond wedding band, also told reporters that she preferred a low-key wedding, "nothing too complicated as it fits my personality".

And the pair's wedding was as low-key as they come.

They made reservations at their hotel in the Maldives using the pseudonym "Mala Group".

The couple did not hire a band for the ceremony and were married by a local pastor.

Only about 30 guests were invited to the wedding.

There were no grooms-men, with Lin's close friend, Taiwan-born Hong Kong actress Shu Qi the closest thing to a bridesmaid at the wedding.

Lin, 37 started dating Young, 39, who owns a clothing company in the US, a few months after separating from former-F4 member Ken Zhu in June last year.

The couple had actually known each other eight years ago but had maintained a platonic relationship until October last year.

"I hope that she will be happy. We can still be best sisters forever," Shu Qi told reporters.

She also admitted that she was a "very unfashionable person" and had given the newly-weds a pair of traditional 'Dragon Phoenix' gold bracelets as a wedding gift.

While Shu Qi did not say much, her wedding card spoke volumes of her thoughts on her best friend’s nuptials.

"I really can't bear to let you spend the rest of your life with another person.

"You must know that I am holding back tears and putting up with the pain to leave you in the hands of someone who loves you even more," wrote the actress, who took three flights from her filming location just to attend Lin's wedding.

-CNA/ha

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1119404/1/.html

Models Walk Intrepid Runway for Charity

2011-03-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey Fashion Cares was never a tiny benefit, but during the last couple of years it has evolved into massive planning proportions. That's because the event, which has raised millions of dollars for local AIDS and LGBT charities, now also doubles as one of the world's most lucrative male fashion shows.

more here

Burberry Beauty Spring/Summer 2011 - Sun-kissed Look

2011-03-29T05:06:00.000-07:00

link here

Kelly Lin to wed today at the Maldives

2011-03-28T07:52:00.001-07:00

The Taiwanese actress is marrying Chinese-American businessman Chris Young

Taiwanese actress Kelly Lin will hold her wedding ceremony with Chinese-American Chris Young today.

It was previously speculated that she will walk down the aisle on Mar 20.

The couple and their family had arrived at the Maldives on Mar 25. The next day, Kelly and Chris mingled with their guests. Chris also helped to hand out drinks to friends and relatives.

Meeting Kelly's relatives for the first time, Chris introduced himself in fluent Mandarin.

"I'm Chris Young. 'Yang' is spelt as 'Young' and my Chinese name is Yang Chen. I own a clothing business -- a small brand, known as Smart Threads -- in America," Chris said.

Kelly and Chris then returned to their room to rest.

In the evening, Kelly appeared at the beach in a white gown, ready for her wedding photo shoot. However, Chris seemed to look nervous under the scrutiny of Kelly's father and relatives.

"Dad, don't look from the sidelines. He's nervous," the actress said.

Kelly later changed into a red, bareback dress, which exuded sexiness and beauty.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4742086

Barbie Hsu says “I do!”

2011-03-28T07:50:00.001-07:00

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu is now Mrs. Wang. Yesterday, the actress got married to Chinese millionaire Wang Xiaofei in front of 300 guests, at Sanya, Hainan Island in China.

Despite the ban on recording devices and handphones, photos from the couple's wedding were still leaked.

Kevin Tsai, who was the host for the wedding, updated his microblog in the afternoon, showing a pair of shoes he designed specially for Barbie.

He also uploaded pictures of the wedding cakes, one of which had the letters "WS" which stood for the newlyweds.

Kevin wrote, "Love is like a magic lamp. It's only when you hold it to your chest and pray to it sincerely, you will know how many wishes it would grant you and how it would grant you these wishes."

The Here Comes Kang Xi host also revealed that the wedding was held at a small white church near the swimming pool and that wedding sweets were given to friends and relatives.

Guests who turned up at the joyous event included bridesmaids Pace Wu, Makiyo and Aya, A-Mei, Christine Fan, Blackie Chen, Na Ying and her husband, Li Yapeng, former Japanese footballer Hidetoshi Nakata and Huang Xiaoming.

Although the skies turned dark and strong winds started blowing, the wedding still began promptly at 5pm.

Younger sister Dee Hsu's daughters were the flower girls at the wedding. They walked down the aisle in front of the bride, who was given away by her father. Barbie was then handed over to Xiaofei and Kevin presided over the oath-taking.

When Barbie was asked if she was willing to marry Xiaofei, the actress shouted, "I super do!"

Each guest was also given a balloon with a sunflower seed inside it, prior to the ceremony. When it ended, the guests let go of their balloons, allowing them to soar into the sky, signifying the couple's love for each other.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=4732036

Elizabeth Taylor Dead at 79

2011-03-26T07:37:00.001-07:00

Taylor died at 1:28 AM at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles ... where she had been hospitalized for the past couple of weeks. A private funeral will be held later this week.

Taylor's publicist says she was "surrounded by her children -- Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton."

Taylor's rep says the actress died "peacefully" from congestive heart failure, "a condition with which she had struggled with for many years." The rep adds, "Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, this was not to be."

Someone at the hospital Tuesday night tells TMZ ... doctors knew at around 6 PM that Taylor was dying.

http://www.tmz.com/

Lady GaGa fends off Katy Perry for US No.1

2011-03-26T07:36:00.003-07:00

Lady GaGa has fought off competition from Katy Perry to spend a sixth week atop the Billboard Hot 100 with 'Born This Way'.

The singer continues to lead the tally with the track, while Perry climbs from three to two with the Kayne West-assisted 'E.T'.

Elsewhere, Rihanna's 'S&M' completes the top three, the Black Eyed Peas vault from 22 to five with 'Just Can't Get Enough', and Glee's first original song 'Loser Like Me' lands at six.

Further down the chart, Selena Gomez & The Scene's 'Who Says' debuts at number 24, while Tinie Tempah's 'Written In The Stars' leaps from 45 to 39.

Jessie J advances 58 to 54 with 'Price Tag', and Rebecca Black's 'Friday' lands at 72.

The top ten singles in full (click where possible for our reviews):

1. (1) Lady GaGa: 'Born This Way'
2. (3) Katy Perry ft. Kanye West: 'E.T.'
3. (4) Rihanna: 'S&M'
4. (2) Cee Lo Green: 'F**k You!'
5. (22) Pink: 'F**kin' Perfect'
8. (12) Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes: 'Look At Me Now'
9. (7) Bruno Mars: 'Grenade'
10. (13) Jeremih ft. 50 Cent: 'Down On Me'

Digital Spy

Madonna's Charity Fails in Bid to Finance School

2011-03-26T07:36:00.001-07:00

LOS ANGELES — A high-profile charitable foundation set up to build a school for impoverished girls in Malawi, founded by the singer Madonna and fellow devotees of a prominent Jewish mysticism movement, has collapsed after spending $3.8 million on a project that never came to fruition.
Enlarge This Image

Karel Prinsloo/Associated Press
Madonna in Malawi in 2007. A group she helped found had planned to build a $15 million school there.

The board of directors of the organization, Raising Malawi, has been ousted and replaced by a caretaker board, including Madonna and her manager, officials with the organization said Thursday. Its executive director, who is the boyfriend of Madonna’s former trainer, Tracy Anderson, left in October amid criticism of his management style and cost overruns for the school. These included what auditors described as outlandish expenditures on salaries, cars, office space and a golf course membership, free housing and a car and driver for the school’s director.

Most strikingly, the plans to build a $15 million school for about 400 girls in the poor southeastern African country of 15 million — which had drawn financial support from Hollywood and society circles, as well as the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, an organization devoted to Jewish mysticism — have been officially abandoned.

That prospective move set off a fierce backlash when first raised earlier this year, with Malawi officials saying they were stunned and asserting that Madonna was blaming management breakdowns because she had been unable to raise the money she had promised.

“A thoughtful decision has been made to discontinue plans for the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls, as it was originally conceived,” Michael Berg, a co-director of the Kabbalah Centre and the co-founder of Raising Malawi, said Thursday in an e-mail to the center’s members who had contributed to the project. The e-mail announced the replacement of the board of directors.

Madonna has lent her name, reputation and $11 million of her money to the organization that she founded with Mr. Berg. She has been a regular visitor to Malawi, attending at least two ceremonies at what would have been the site of the school in Lilongwe, and has adopted two children from the country.

On Thursday, in conceding the shortcomings of her charity, Madonna issued a statement saying she was still intent on using the organization, which has raised $18 million so far, to advance improvements in the beleaguered nation.

“There’s a real education crisis in Malawi,” she said. “Sixty-seven percent of girls don’t go to secondary school, and this is simply unacceptable. Our team is going to work hard to address this in every way we can.” She and her aides offered no explanation of why, given her high interest in the project, she had not noticed the problems as they began unfolding.

Trevor Neilson, a founder of the Global Philanthropy Group, which Madonna recruited last November amid signs of upheaval at her charity, said he told her that building an expensive school in Malawi was an ineffective form of philanthropy, and suggested instead using resources to finance education programs though existing and proven nongovernmental organizations.

Mr. Neilson said that an examination found that $3.8 million had been spent on the school that will now not be built, with much of the money going to architects, design and salaries and, in one case, two cars for employees who had not even been hired yet.

“Despite $3.8 million having been spent by the previous management team, the project has not broken ground, there was no title to the land and there was, over all, a startling lack of accountability on the part of the management team in Malawi and the management team in the United States,” he said. “We have yet to determine exactly what happened to all of that $3.8 million. We have not accounted for all the funds that were used.”

A written report by the Global Philanthropy Group, a copy of which was provided Thursday by the Kabbalah Centre, was critical of two former officials of the organization: Philippe van den Bossche, who has worked for Madonna since 2004 and was the executive director of Raising Malawi from 2005 until October, and Anjimile Oponyo, who worked at the United Nations Development Program when she was chosen last year to head the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.

Ms. Oponyo said that she was barred from talking about her association with the foundation, and that she could not comment on the allegations in the report of mismanagement — including whether she benefited from an extravagant compensation package that included that car and driver and golf club membership.

In an e-mail, Mr. van den Bossche said he, too, was prohibited from commenting; Madonna has a history of confidentiality agreements with employees.

“I am strictly bound by the confidentiality agreements and I am forced by those agreements to be silent on any of these questions,” Mr. van den Bossche said.

Mr. Neilson said that Madonna was involved in a film project — she is directing a movie about King Edward VIII — and was not available for an interview. But in a statement, Madonna said she was pleased with other work that Raising Malawi had done in helping children in Malawi, even as she acknowledged its problems. “While I’m proud of these accomplishments, I’m frustrated that our education work has not moved forward in a faster way,” she said.

Raising Malawi will not disband and will instead use its money in different ways to help the poor in a country where Madonna has sought to become a major philanthropic presence, foundation officials said.

Madonna attended a fund-raiser hosted by Gucci in New York in 2008, whose guests also included Tom Cruise and Gwyneth Paltrow, and was on hand for what turned out to be a purely ceremonial groundbreaking and the laying off the first brick at the school. Other donors to the project include the Yankee Alex Rodriguez.

The report faulted Mr. van den Bossche for his roles both in overseeing the planning of the building and in creating the educational curriculum. “Philippe’s level of mismanagement and lack of oversight was extreme in both aspects of the project,” it said, “and the lack of success of the players on the ground is in large part a result of his inability to effectively manage project plans, people and finances.”

The report was similarly critical of Ms. Oponyo. “Her charisma masks a lack of substantive knowledge of the practical application of educational development,” it said, “and her weak management skills are a major contributor to the current financial and programmatic chaos.”

nytimes.com

Marie Digby is newest 'ASAP' member

2011-03-26T07:35:00.001-07:00

MANILA, Philippines – International acoustic singer Marie Digby is joining the local music scene.

Digby, who was linked to hunk actor-singer Sam Milby, is the newest member of musical variety show “ASAP Rocks.” She will also do a recording under ABS-CBN Star Records.

In her interview with ABS-CBN News, Digby disclosed that she would love to do a duet with KC Concepcion and Milby.

Digby is also open to doing hosting job, citing her experience as an emcee of beauty pageant Miss Earth 2010 in Vietnam. She, however, said that her top priority is her music.

As for acting, she said: “I don’t know if I can act.”

Digby on Wednesday night performed during the welcome reception held for the 40 Binibining Pilipinas candidates. The event was attended by ABS-CBN bosses led by chairman and chief executive officer Eugenio Lopez III and president Charo Santos-Concio.

When asked about her impression of the candidates, Digby said: “The girls are lovely. They’re not only beautiful but they have so much personality and I’ve gotten the chance to speak with some of them. And I think this year, it would be tough to pick a winner.”

Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. president Stella Marquez-Araneta, designer Pitoy Moreno and beauty queens Miriam Quiambao, Venus Raj and Krista Kleiner were also present during the welcome reception.

The coronation night of Binibining Pilipinas 2011 will be held on April 10 at the Araneta Coliseum, and it will be aired live on ABS-CBN.

Japan aid

From Japan, Digby is moving here to grab the opportunity "to work and then give back" to the quake and tsunami-hit country. Although she is miles away from Japan, the singer, who became popular on YouTube via her own version of Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” vowed to help through her music.

“My goal in coming here in Manila is not just to make music and meet my friends, it’s about what I can do to help Japan,” she said.

Her parents are also coming here from Tokyo to “visit me and make sure I’m okay and I’m settled. And also they want to get out of Japan as well.”

“I’ll be honest I’m concerned about my friends and family in Japan because they’re scared of radiation and nuclear plant. My parents are still in Japan so they’ll be coming here in Manila,” she added.

Digby and her mom were inside an elevator when a 9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan. She said they were lucky to be in a secure building when it happened.

ABS-CBN News

Jay Chou films commercial with Kobe Bryant

2011-02-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

Jay Chou films commercial with Kobe Bryant

source: MSN Entertainment

The Asian superstar also sang a song with the NBA player for the commercial

"Green is definitely my lucky colour," multi-talented Jay Chou declared.

Taiwanese singer Jay Chou was in Los Angeles, United States on Feb 21 to film a beverage commercial with NBA player Kobe Bryant.

Jay first made his debut in Hollywood with the movie The Green Hornet. This time, the singer would be venturing into Tinseltown with his music instead. Jay also claimed green as his lucky colour because it was the main colour for both his Hollywood movie debut and the commercial.

In the commercial, Jay was seen pitting his basketball skills against Kobe but due to his petite stature, Jay's attempts were always swatted away by the NBA player, who was a lot bigger than him.

"Kobe is like a wall. As confident as I might be, I feel dismayed [at not being able to shoot any hoops]," Jay said.

The singer added that he "usually did not have the chance to perform a slam dunk, but could finally have a taste of the move in the commercial".

Jay also did a song with Kobe, titled 'The Heaven and Earth Battle', in the commercial where he sang and Kobe rapped. This was Jay's first time working with a foreigner on his song.

"Our collaboration would surely be incomparable and invincible," Jay said.

Kobe also expressed that he "liked it very much" after hearing the song for the first time.

After news of their collaboration was announced, netizens gave positive reviews, calling them the "Dynamic Duo".

Wu Chun drops out of Absolute Boyfriend and remains without contract

2011-02-23T04:05:00.001-08:00

Source: Nownews
Written by: Zahra on 2/22/2011 @ CpopAccess.com

It's recently been revealed that Wu Chun's contracts with HIM and Comic had expired at the end of last year and there are no signs of him renewing the contracts after two months. He has stated before that the reason he would stop singing would be for his father. While there have still been promotions for a Fahrenheit album release, all the work Wu Chun has done for it was merely to fill the last of the requirements of his contract.

It has also been leaked that Wu Chun has dropped out of both his upcoming series (Absolute Boyfriend) and movie (Summer Holiday 2) leading to many speculations of him preparing to leave the entertainment industry. As of present, Wu Chun has expressed when interviewed that he has thought about leaving. For his fans, though, he will not depart rashly. However, he will not be putting his whole heart into the entertainment industry in the future.

In the five years he has been in showbiz, Wu Chun has only been able to take a vacation on New Year each year. This has been making him feel ashamed at the neglect over his own family and has previously been made to think about working less and spending more time taking care of his father. Wu Chun's father also hoped that his son did not have to work so hard and go back to Brunei to led a simple life. Thus, at the end of his contract last year, Wu Chun moved back to Brunei, and has been there since.

On February 13th, the third branch of Wu Chun's fitness gym opened and when he was interviewed then, he finally revealed what he was truly thinking. "I have always said that if I was happy doing what I did, then I would continue. If I wasn't happy, I would return to Brunei. Everyone knows that the entertainment industry isn't the only thing I partake in. The company has discussed renewing the contact with me, but I have not made a decision on my future yet, so I've been pushing it off." Wu Chun also emphasized that Brunei is his true home. Seeing how happy he was at being home, he was asked whether he really hadn't thought about leaving the industry to which he answered, "I do want to a little because I really miss my family. Since coming back home, I have been very happy, but also feel a bit guilty because I didn't take good care of my father in the past and wasn't able to accompany him to the doctors for his back and legs."

Thinking about the past five years, he said, "I originally had a pretty good life, but I also had a sense of accomplishment when living a life where I could take care of myself. At the same time, that satisfaction was cut in half. The half I lost was spending time with my family and my freedom. I actually don't have much confidence in my acting, most of the force that pushed me was from my fans, so I won't speak of quitting so easily. I will continue working, but I require a lot of freedom and will only take on jobs I like." Regarding work in the entertainment industry, he said, "It requires sacrifice. I really cherish everything that I learned each day while working. It will be helpful in all the decisions I make in the future. Even if it will be hard, I will face everything with a positive attitude."

Could this really be the end of Fahrenheit?

Group Sheds Pounds, Gains Passion For Workouts

2011-02-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

Bandar Seri Begawan - Fifty participants of the Healthy Lifestyle Clinic got fresh motivation to work harder to lose the extra pounds yesterday after getting a taste of working out in a fully-equipped gym at Fitness Zone in Serusop.

The Healthy Lifestyle Clinic, formerly known as Health Body Clinic was introduced two years ago and Fitness Zone joined the effort, to promote a healthy lifestyle last June.

The programme helps the participants who have a Body Mass Index of over 30 to reduce their weight. And one of the components of the programme is physical exercise whereby participants are taught the correct way of exercising.

Previously, a gym instructor from Fitness Zone would go to Health Promotion Centre for the physical exercise programme but yesterday was special as participants went to the gym to exercise.

Dr Hajah Norhayati binti Hajah Mohd Kassim, Senior Medical Officer, in an interview said The participants have to complete a 10 to 12-week programme. There are four intakes each year and today's participants are the first intake for 2011".

In previous intakes, she revealed, "There was a high level of drop-out in the 10 to 12-week programme. This is because we followed strict rules in the programme. Anyone who didn't show up three times for the programme, we would terminate their participation".

She reminded that exercise alone is not enough to reduce one's weight. One needs to have self-discipline and motivation, especially in controlling food intake.

In addition to exercise, she revealed, "The Health Promotion Centre also provides a dietitian as well as personal counselling for the participants. We also provide a diary for each participant to record what they eat".

Dr Hajah Norhayati disclosed some of the problems faced by the programme, including participants coming back to the programme after three months to reduce their weight again after reducing their weight in previous programmes.

She said, "It is important for us to go back in 10 weeks time and review our participants to see how they are. To see if they learned the skills and knowledge to live a healthy lifestyle independently."

Wu Chun, the Brunei-born superstar and owner of Fitness Zone said, "Fitness Zone is happy to tie up with the Ministry of Health. This programme started last year in June and Fitness Zone helped to provide fitness training assistance.

"As we know, Brunei has a high rate of obesity and we hope to (help) make a difference step by step," he added.

Wu Chun highlighted, "Previously, overweight people may have felt shy to work out and now (this) is no longer the case as more people want to get healthy. In Fitness Zone, we are providing the participants with different classes. The classes can be fun with great music that could attract the interest of the participants to stay longer."

When asked about how he stayed fit, the superstar said, "It's about a balanced diet. It's very important to balance food with exercise."

Wu Chun met the participants to motivate them to work harder and reminded them to never give up on working towards a healthy lifestyle. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Super Junior declared Korea's bestselling artist in 2010

2011-02-19T21:13:00.001-08:00

Gaon Chart, South Korea’s version of the Billboard charts, has named K-pop boy band Super Junior the bestselling artist in South Korea for 2010.

Super Junior received the Bestselling Album award for “Bonamana”, the group’s fourth album, at the awards ceremony held Feb. 9. "Bonamana" ranked first for selling 200,193 copies in 2010.

Minister Choung Byoung-gug of Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism handed the award to Super Junior.

In his speech, Super Junior leader Leeteuk said they’re very happy with the award especially that it came from Gaon.

The Gaon Chart is South Korea’s official music chart and is managed by the Korean Music Content Industry Association (KMCIA).

Following Super Junior is fellow SM Entertainment group Girls Generation, which copped the second to fourth places.

Girls Generation’s second album “Oh” sold 197,934 to place second. The group’s third mini-album “Hoot” sold 163,066 copies to place third while the girl group’s “Run Devil Run” album sold 136,851 to place fourth.

Big Bang members G-Dragon and T.O.P’s album sold 130,000 copies to place fifth while SHINee’s “Lucifer” album was at sixth for selling 124,961 copies.

2NE1’s “To Anyone” album ranked seventh with 122,845 copies sold. JYJ’s “The Beginning” was eight, selling 99,903 copies and Super Junior’s “Bonamana” repackage album placed at ninth with 99,355 copies sold.

JYJ’s “The Beginning” (New Limited Edition) and “The Beginning” (Luxury Package) ranked 10th and 11th by selling 98,311 and 92,649 copies, respectively.

Artists which ranked from 12th to 20th are: CNBlue’s “Bluetory” (77,183 copies sold), “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” official soundtrack (76,951), 2PM’s “Still 2:00 PM” (72,966), CNBlue’s “Blue Love” (71,468), KARA’s “Lupin” (64,782), SHINee’s “Hello” (63,118), SS501’s “Destination” (61,918), BEAST’s “Shock of the New Era” (59,868), and 2PM’s “Don’t Stop Can’t Stop” (57,873).

On the other hand, Miss A’s “Bad Girl Good Girl” was No. 1 on Gaon’s online chart while Lee Sungchul topped the mobile chart.

Singers G.Na and Kang Seung Yoon were awarded the best female and male rookies for 2010.

http://mb.com.ph/articles/303550/super-junior-declared-koreas-bestselling-artist-2010

SS501's Park Jung Min to star in idol drama

2011-02-19T21:11:00.001-08:00

Source: Nextmedia
Written by: Zahra @ CpopAccess.com

Kpop idol group SS501 member, Park Jung Min, has plans to stay in Taiwan for quite a while as he will start filming a Taiwanese drama in May. He excitedly said, "Hopefully, the crew will arrange for many different shooting sites so that I can also do some sightseeing."

Arriving in Taiwan yesterday for his fan meeting, he expressed that he was very interesting in acting and will definitely arrive in Taiwan in May for an idol drama. Apparently, he's been brushing up on Taiwanese idol dramas and acting by watching Show Luo and Barbie Hsu's "Corner with Love." He's also been trying to learn Chinese and can now hold a simple conversation. As for his fans, he stated, "Kissing scenes are alright. If I have to worry about the reaction of the fans, then I will not be able to act at all."

On a side note, he has ended the diet he was on for his newest album and was showered with gifts of food by fans.

Johnny Depp buys 8.5 million home in Venice

2011-01-30T06:13:00.000-08:00

Johnny Depp has reportedly bought an £8.5 million home in Venice because he loved the city so much when he filmed there with Angelina Jolie last year.

Johnny Depp has splashed out on an £8.5 million home in Venice after falling in love with the city during filming last year.

The 47-year-old actor spent several months in the Italian city with his family while shooting 'The Tourist' with Angelina Jolie and he was reportedly so besotted with the stunning location, he has bought the 17th century Palazzo Dona Sangiantoffetti.

According to local newspaper La Nuova Venezia, the Hollywood star outbid an Arab prince for the empty building which is one of the only available homes overlooking the famous Grand Canal.
Johnny - who has two children Lily-Rose, 11, and eight-year-old Jack with his French partner Vanessa Paradis - has previously spoken of his love for the city and revealed he loved to explore late at night when the streets were quiet.

He said: 'My experience of Venice really happened between 10pm and 2am when the streets closed and I was able to walk around and experience the poetry of Venice, the ghosts of Venice, all those wonderful dark alleys.

'For an actor being able to film within the confines of that magical city certainly helps... The city's magic shone through completely.'

While the actor and his family spent most of their time at their estate in France, he also owns a home in Hollywood and a 45 acre island in the Bahamas.

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/hollywood/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4611494&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Singer Bruno Mars to plead guilty

2011-01-29T15:59:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES - Pop singer Bruno Mars will plead guilty to a charge of possessing cocaine in Las Vegas last September and receive probation, among other sentencing requirements, according to a media report on Friday.
Clark County District Attorney David Roger told the Las Vegas Review Journal that Mars will be sentenced to a year of probation, pay a $2,000 fine, perform 200 hours of community service and attend drug counseling.
Mars, 25, rose to the top of the pop charts in 2010 with "Nothin' on You," his collaboration with rapper B.o.B. He co-wrote Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" and collaborated with Cee-Lo Green on Grammy-nominated song "F*ck You" before scoring a solo hit with the ballad "Just the Way You Are." More recently his "Grenade" has been topping music charts.
But 2010 was marred by his September arrest in which a bathroom attendant at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel saw Mars, whose real name is Peter Hernandez, with "a baggy of white powder," according to a police report at the time.
The powder was later tested and found to be cocaine.
Roger told the Las Vegas Review Journal that if Mars is able to complete his sentencing without getting into further trouble, he can withdraw his plea and the case will be dismissed. The newspaper said that type of sentencing was common in minor, first-time drug possession cases.
Mars had been due in court in Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, for a February 4 preliminary hearing, but he will waive that appearance and a new court date will be scheduled where he will be expected to enter the guilty plea.

source:
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20110129/ten-entertainment-us-brunomars-db3f2d5.html

Jay Chou likes low Hollywood profile

2011-01-18T06:38:00.001-08:00

BEIJING : Hollywood is usually the place to see and be seen, but for Taiwanese pop singer Jay Chou, star of the smash hit "The Green Hornet," Tinseltown offers a welcome break from the paparazzi in Asia.

"As an artist, I need a lot of space which I cannot really get in many places in Asia," Chou told reporters Monday ahead of the Chinese premiere of the superhero flick, which co-stars Seth Rogen.

"It felt like I was having a vacation in the United States - I took my mother to the production, and it felt really good to have some time for myself. I didn't have that feeling of people surreptitiously taking my picture."

"The Green Hornet" - the tale of a young playboy businessman who becomes a crime fighter - topped the box office in its opening weekend in North America, taking in US$34 million, according to industry data.

Chou, largely unknown in the United States but hugely popular in Asia, plays the role of Kato, sidekick to the Green Hornet played by Rogen.

French director Michel Gondry confessed to not knowing how famous Chou was when he started considering him for the part of Kato, adding he and Rogen - who wrote the screenplay - later hesitated about casting a pop star.

"We had a conference on Skype where Seth was reading with Jay and we felt there was already chemistry, even though it was with a 10-second delay, and we liked him for his acting," Gondry said.

Rogen has since declared himself a fan of Chou's music, and he and Gondry joked that the Taiwanese singer would "force" them to listen to some of his tracks.

"Jay many times took us in his car with his bodyguard and forced us to listen to his music very loud, and if we didn't like it, he would beat us up," Gondry joked.

Chou had to learn English for the part, and acknowledged the language barrier would be a challenge for any future work in Hollywood. But Rogen praised his co-star for his quick mastery of the language.

"He knew very little (English) when we started filming and a few weeks in, he could improvise his own dialogue and come up with his own jokes, which was very frustrating because that took me years to learn how to do," he said.

Channel News Asia

$1,000 AMAZON.COM SHOPPING SPREE

2010-11-23T04:37:00.000-08:00

Pink pregnant?

2010-11-11T06:03:00.001-08:00

http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/the-gossip-mill/pink-pregnant?cmpid=CAM_HB30

Pink is 12 weeks pregnant with her first baby, Us Weekly magazine reports. Last year, Pink and husband Carey Hart reunited after separating the previous year and insiders say after stabilising their relationship the couple decided to start a family.
"She's 12 weeks along. She wanted to do it between tours, when she has some time off," a source said. Pink was determined to make the relationship solid. Now she's really happy, and she's excited she got pregnant so fast! She'll be a brilliant mother."

Hebe Tien holds back tears at mention of Selina

2010-10-29T21:34:00.001-07:00

The member of S.H.E fought back tears and reassured fans of fellow band mate, Selina Jen’s condition at the Singapore Hit Awards 2010

It was a particularly emotional night for Hebe Tien, one-third of Taiwanese Mandopop girl group, S.H.E, as she holds back tears and worries over Selina's health condition.

Dressed in a simple black dress adorned with tassels, the 27-year-old artiste who recently released her solo debut album declared that she felt "very honoured to be a member of S.H.E" onstage at the 16th Singapore Hit Awards 2010.

Thanking everyone for the support when she received S.H.E's Most Popular Group award, she reminisced about their early days and the hardships they underwent together. Tears started to form in her eyes at the mention of Selina, who was involved in a filming accident eight days ago.

"We have encountered hardships but we have walked through them, especially during this critical period. Selina, my fellow sister is now in the hospital. People grow from adversity and we will definitely walk through this."

Choked with emotion and tears, Hebe mentioned that Selina has lost her only protective barrier, which is her skin, and is in a "fragile state". Despite her burnt conditions, Hebe shared that Selina is still going strong and endearingly called her "my heroine" and "angel."

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4427816&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Singapore Hit Awards 2010 Winners List unveiled!

2010-10-29T21:33:00.001-07:00

Who were the lucky ones that clinched the much coveted trophy at the Singapore Hit Awards 2010 last night? xinmsn brings you Singapore Hit Awards 2010 winners' list

Reported by: Lim Wen Ying, Joanna Goh, Esther Cheng & Loh Chuan Junn

This year's Singapore Hit Awards 2010 winners list sees power girl band S.H.E as the biggest winners.

The veteran idol group reign victorious and cemented their spot as one of asia's top group as they took highest spots in the award categories, sweeping five awards like Most Popular Group/Band, Best Group and Asia Media Award (Group) at the Singapore Indoor Stadium yesterday night.

Local songbird and Taiwanese Golden Melody Award-winning singer, Tanya Chua, also proved her worth as an all-rounded artiste. The 35-year-old singer-songwriter bagged four awards in total - Best Local Music Composition, Best Local Artiste, Asia Media Award (Female Artiste) and Most Versatile Personality Award.

Check out the full Winners List below!

Album of the Year: The Era, Jay Chou
Best Album Producer: Senses Around, Wang Zhi Ping
Best Composing Artiste: Fever, Sodagreen
Best Local Lyrics: Pao Wu Xian, Xiaohan
Best Local Music Composition: If You See Him, Tanya Chua
Best Local Artiste: Tanya Chua

Meritorious Newcomer: Magic Power, Serene Koong, Yen-J
Most Popular New Artiste: Serene Koong
Most Popular Male Artiste: Show Luo
Most Popular Female Artiste: Rainie Yang
Most Popular Group/Band: S.H.E

Y.E.S.93.3FM Pick of the Pops: Song of the Year: SHERO, S.H.E
Y.E.S.93.3FM Pick of the Pops: Artiste with Most Chart Hits: S.H.E
Y.E.S.93.3FM Pick of the Pops: Best Performing Song: Not That Simple, Tiger Huang

Local New Artiste - Media's Choice: Tay Kewei
Most Promising Artiste - Media's Choice: Olivia
Most Acclaimed Male Artiste: Alien Huang
Most Acclaimed Female Artiste: Jing Chang
Most Acclaimed Group: Y2J

Best Male Vocalist: JJ Lin
Best Female Vocalist: Tiger Huang
Best Group: S.H.E
Best Band: Sodagreen

Outstanding Regional Artiste (Mainland China: Jang Zhang
Outstanding Regional Artiste (Hong Kong): Eason Chan
Outstanding Regional Artiste (Taiwan): A*Mei
Outstanding Regional Artiste (Malaysia): Fang Jiong Bin

Asia Media Award (Male Artiste): Jay Chou
Asia Media Award (Female Artiste): Tanya Chua
Asia Media Award (Band): Sodagreen
Asia Media Award (Group): S.H.E

Most Versatile Personality Award: Tanya Chua
Honorary Award: Jeff Chang
BIOSKIN Most Stylish Artiste: Jing Chang
F&N Fruit Tree Fresh Greatest Improvement Artiste: Alien Huang

Related Links:
It's Girl Power at Singapore Hit Awards 2010
Rainie Yang and Show Luo for Most Popular Artiste at SHA 2010
Nomination list for Singapore Hit Awards 2010 announced!

http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4427813&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Robert Pattinson plans Halloween party

2010-10-29T09:55:00.001-07:00

Robert Pattinson is paying £30,000 to host a Halloween party for his Twilight castmates and crew, the Daily Star reports.
"Rob's organising a huge soiree to celebrate Halloween, he thinks it is going to be hilarious for them all to dress up in scary costumes,” a source explained. "The crew are huge fans of Rob and are really looking forward to it. Rob knows how much they all love Halloween so has really gone to town. He's asked a couple of costume designers he knows to make special ghoul costumes for his guests.
"Rob brought a special vintage gold ring with a red heart for Kristen,” the insider added. “He's planning to give it to her just before the bash starts."

http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/the-gossip-mill/robert-pattinson-plans-halloween-party?cmpid=CAM_HB30

Katy Perry: “I’m a 10 out of 10”

2010-10-29T09:54:00.003-07:00

http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/the-gossip-mill/katy-perry-im-a-10-out-of-10?cmpid=CAM_HB30

Katy Perry has said her relationship with new husband Russell Brand is so strong she has no fears he will ever cheat on her. Katy and Russell married in India this weekend and the singer has insisted she is not worried about her new husband’s previous reputation as a womaniser.
"He's made no secret of what his life was like before me, but that's then and this is the future,” Katy told Now magazine. “He's cheated in the past but he knows how good he has it with me and I know he'd never do anything to jeopardise that. I trust him 100%."
Katy then explained how she keeps her husband happy. "Like Ludacris rapped, 'I'm a lady in the street and a freak in the bed'. I can't rate myself, but if you ask Russell I'm sure he'd give me a10 out of 10," she explained.

Mariah Carey confirms pregnancy

2010-10-29T09:54:00.001-07:00

Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon have confirmed they are expecting their first child together. Rumours that the singer was pregnant have been rife for the last couple of months but the couple finally confirmed the good news during an appearance on the Today Show in New York.
"Yes, we are pregnant. This is true. It's been tough because I've been trying to hold on to a shred of privacy," Mariah explained before revealing she suffered a miscarriage in 2008, shortly after marrying Cannon. "It kind of shook us both and took us into a place that was really dark and difficult. When that happened I wasn't able to even talk to anybody about it. That was not easy."
"It definitely brought us closer together,” Cannon added. “It strengthened our relationship so much. She handled it so well."

http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/the-gossip-mill/mariah-carey-confirms-pregnancy?cmpid=CAM_HB30

Selina suffers burns from explosion accident on the set of new drama

2010-10-24T01:32:00.001-07:00

Source: Nownews, Sina, UDN
Posted by PA @ CpopAccess.com

Selina Ren of S.H.E was seriously injured during an accident on the set of her new drama in Shanghai. Early rumors suggested that she received burns of varying degrees (50% in one version), but were later denied by her record company. HIM records posted the following message on their website:

“Thank you for everyone’s concern on Selina’s injury during the filming of her drama!
Selina received burns from an accident this afternoon while filming an explosion scene in Shanghai. Her condition is currently stable after she has been taken to the hospital. She is currently resting.
Please don’t worry! Executives from the company, her dad and Ah Chong (her fiancé) have flown to Shanghai right away. They will give Selina the best medical treatment and care. Her two pals were also notified immediately. Since they already have activities scheduled for tomorrow, Hebe and Ella will gather themselves up and complete their tasks.
Thank you for everyone’s concern, and please give Selina your best wishes.”

Selina was in Shanghai to film the TV adaptation of the 1994 movie “I have a date with spring”. She and costar Yu Hao Ming(俞灝明) were shooting an explosion scene on the morning of the 22nd. According to news sources, Yu noticed something went wrong and tried to shield her from the accident. He was said to have suffered even more serious burns as a result.

HIM Records executive Derek Shih provided additional updates on his blog: Selina is suffering from 3rd degree burns on her arms, legs and back which will require skin grafts. Her family and doctors are discussing the possibility of transporting her back to Taiwan for further treatment. They have submitted a request with the International SOS (same medical service that flew cameraman Ko Chang back home after he was shot in India.)

Shih explained that the accident happened around 4pm on the 22nd. The explosives went off early during a scene which resulted in the accident. They rehearsed 6 to 7 times prior to filming without any problems. On rumors of the seriously injured Yu Hao Ming, Shih asked fans to refrain from visiting the hospital and pray for the two actors instead.

Goo Hye Sun and Wu Zun to Star in Taiwanese Remake of "Absolute Boyfriend"

2010-09-29T08:08:00.001-07:00

Credit/Source: http://asianfanatics.net
Posted By: franzii

Korean actress Goo Hye Sun and Taiwanese performer Wu Zun have been cast as leading roles in the Taiwanese remake of the Japanese sensation "Zettai Kareshi"or "Absolute Boyfriend".

Korean actress Goo Hye Sun, perhaps most known for her leading role in "Boys Over Flowers", will be starring in a new drama along with the Tiwanese actor and member of Fahrenheit Wu Zun. It will be a remake of the Japanese manga "Zettai Kareshi", also known as "Absolute Boyfriend", of which an anime series and drama have already spawned in Japan.

After starring in the drama "Princess Slaves" Wu Zun's popularity soared and it has been reported that Wu Zun will be highly paid for his participation in this drama, about NT$ (New Taiwan Dollars) 300k, or about $10000 USD an episode. Goo will allegedly be paid NT$ 470k, or $15000 USD an episode.

Back in March, Wu Zun, along with Fahrenheit, was appointed as Taiwan's Tourism Ambassador. After visiting Korea and filming a CF entitled "Touch Your Heart" with Goo, the two agreed to work on a project together in the future.

However, Taiwanese viewers have mixed emotions regarding Taiwan's GTV casting Korean female actresses as the lead roles in their last three broadcast dramas. Taiwanese audiences have expresses their strong desire to utilize and cultivate domestic talent. GTV replied by stating that Korean actresses have already proved their versatility in the international market, and they will not restrict the casting of their dramas by nationality.

Fasion designer Andre Kim passed away at the age of 75, netizens: “Another star has left us”

2010-08-13T07:56:00.001-07:00

World known fashion designer Andre Kim (Kim BongNam) passed away on 12th August at the age of 75.

He was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia after being down with flu and on 12th August at 7.25pm he was announced dead. Even though there were reports recently about his health recovering for the better, his health was known to be deteriorating and he had to rely on a respirator. There were also speculations that the main cause of his health deterioration is colorectal cancer.

With news of his passing on, many netizens commented, “He had made many big achievement in the fashion arena. He will not be forgotten”, “I was worried about him since we did not get to see him recently, and knowing that he has passed away is just sad”, “Another star has left us” etc.

News of Andre Kim’s health deteriorating surfaced a month back in June. An official said back then, “Teacher has been hospitalised because of health issues”.

His wake will be held at Seoul University Hospital.

http://sookyeong.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/fasion-designer-andre-kim-dies-at-the-age-of-75/

Lee Byung-hun may shoot "G.I. Joe" sequel early next year

2010-08-13T07:54:00.001-07:00

Top Korean actor Lee Byung-hun says filming for the sequel to Hollywood action flick "G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra" is expected to start early next year.

Lee made the remark on Wednesday during a press screening and press conference for his movie "I Saw the Devil," critically acclaimed director Kim Ji-woon's latest pic co-starring actor Choi Min-shik from smash hit Korean pic "Old Boy."

"We were supposed to go into shoot around winter of this year but I had heard it would be delayed to summer of next year over problems with the scenario. But then I heard that the scenario is done so I think we'll start early next year but I'm not sure about this either," Lee explained.

The 40-year-old actor, long considered one of the most popular actors in Korea, made his Hollywood debut through the hit action figure pic from last year, playing the role of Storm Shadow opposite actors Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller.

"Devil," about a secret agent (played by Lee) plotting revenge against a serial killer (Choi) who killed his fiancee, has been lauded one of the most anticipated films this year for the collaboration of filmmaker Kim of "The Good, The Bad, the Weird" and two of the country's top actors.

The revenge thriller opened in theaters today after three rounds of ratings reviews -- the film was slapped a restricted rating twice before it received approval for an 18+ rating.

In Korea, a restricted rating virtually bans a film from being screened since they can only be shown in special theaters only showing adult films but no such theaters exist in the country.

http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?sec=ent8&idxno=2010081216495354877

Wu Chun's face swollen from being slapped by Rainie

2010-07-09T22:23:00.001-07:00

Source: Ming Pao, Appledaily TW
Credit : fufu @ CpopAccess.com

Wu Chun fans’ hearts will surely ache. The handsome and fair-skinned Wu Chun was slapped in the face five to six times by co-star Rainie Yang during the filming of their new drama, “Sunshine Angel 陽光天使.” For the sake of realism, Rainie didn’t hold back, “That day, he turned into a ‘pig head’ (swollen face) after I hit him a couple of times.” And took two days for Wu Chun's face to heal. Furthermore, in another scene where she had to hit Wu Chun’s chest, she hit him so hard that she bruised him. Although Wu Chun went through much physical torture, he often made mistakes in his speech, causing Rainie to be angry. For example, he called Rainie a "busybody" when he wanted to say that she is a "considerate" person.

The drama held their press conference yesterday at Okinawa. Its production cost is around eighty million dollars (NT), and it is a collaboration between Taiwan, China, and Japan. But the media were more interested in Rainie and Wu Chun’s love lives. Wu Chun revealed that he has not dated for 14 years, while Rainie has also been single for almost six years. When Wu Chun was asked if he really has no desire to date, he responded, “I have strong willpower.”

Wu Chun has not dated for 14 years?!

2010-07-09T22:22:00.001-07:00

The actor also denied rumours that he dated former co-star Ella Chen

Source : xinmsn.com

You'll think given his looks Wu Chun would not have problems finding a girlfriend, but you may be wrong.

Taiwanese heartthrob Wu Chun was in Okinawa, Japan, to promote his latest idol drama Yang Guang Tian Shi (loosely translated to Angel of Sunshine), which also features singer-actress Rainie Yang.

Yang Guang Tian Shi is a joint collaboration between Taiwan, China and Japan with production costs running up to TWD80m (S$4m). Even with that huge scale, the media still chose to focus on the love lives of the two stars.

Previously rumoured to have dated Taiwanese stars such as Angela Zhang, Ariel Lin and most recently, Ella Chen of girl group S.H.E., Wu Chun revealed to everyone's surprise that he has been single for the past 14 years.

Yet Ella had mentioned in an earlier interview that she still has feelings for a fellow actor she dated when working together on a previous drama, leading reporters to suspect that Wu Chun is the man in question.

The hunky star denied and said, "We are in love when acting in the show but outside of it, we are just good friends. We are still in contact too"

Rainie also stood up for Wu Chun, saying that unlike other male actors, Wu Chun does not flirt during his spare time, so working with him was a very relaxed experience.

She even complained that Wu Chun often ignores her and drifts off in conversations.

While Wu Chun explains that he is just being forgetful and not because he was not paying attention to Rainie, one still can't help but to wonder what is occupying the mind of this secretive hunk.

Rainie Yang and Wu Chun bonding just fine for latest idol drama

2010-07-09T22:21:00.001-07:00

Source: showbiz.chinatimes.com
Credit : Pauli @ CpopAccess.com

When boy band Fahrenheit’s Wu Chun was cast as the lead actor for the upcoming Taiwanese drama “Sunshine Angel 陽光天使” alongside Taiwanese pop princess Rainie Yang, many thought that the shy, reserved, and cool-natured Wu Chun would make an incompatible coupling with the passionately zany and attention-loving Rainie. Yet once the two famous Taiwanese entertainers embarked to Shanghai for the filming of their new idol drama, their acting took on an authentic air of sweetheart romance during shooting, and their professional relationship off camera has been remarkably warm. The duo has often been seen chatting and laughing together on the set, and not only have they been eating together frequently, but they also have flirtatious arguments and give off an affectionate vibe

Wu Chun’s cold disposition thawed by Rainie

Wu Chun has been especially much of the talk alongside female stars with frank personalities, having been in scandals with girls such as previous idol drama co-stars Ella of girl group S.H.E and Angela Chang. Co-starring with Rainie this time around, Wu Chun’s long-known cold disposition has been “thawed” by Rainie once they went abroad for shooting. For instance, prior to filming the idol drama, Rainie Yang had praised Wu Chun for being handsome. Moreover, once they started filming on location in Shanghai, since the temperature for their outdoor scenes was chilly to the point of shivering despite already being June, the two would watch over each other and also venture out together during meal breaks.

Ill-fated couple on-screen, animated pair off-screen

In the idol drama, Rainie plays a pure, kind-hearted, and easy-going girl who encounters an unconventional Wu Chun. The two of them have many scenes with conflicts, one which involves them in a shabby area eating commoner food as they scowl at each other like an ill-fated couple. But once the cameras stop filming, Wu Chun would commence with his teasing at Rainie's expense. He would also quickly say “You’re dumb!” to Rainie, and when she asks what he just said, Wu Chun would lie by saying that he told her “You’re beautiful!” Furthermore, since Wu Chun’s real name is Wu Ji Zun, Rainie came up with the nickname "Xiao Ji" to Wu Chun, which progressed their relationship much further.

Wu Chun’s management commented that Rainie knows how to create an atmosphere, and that she would often tell jokes to everyone on the spot. Furthermore, his management commented that Wu Chun has been easy to get along with, as both him and Rainie have been interacting with each other like any regular encounter. Whether there’s any sort of romance involved, Wu Chun’s management is not aware of any. Rainie’s management added by explaining that the both of them are simply good friends that work close together and bond well with each other, and that people should not look at their professional relationship too deeply.

13-Year-Old Launches Fashion Line. Madonna's 13-Year-Old

2010-07-03T21:59:00.001-07:00

13-Year-Old Launches Fashion Line. Madonna's 13-Year-Old

What ever Lola wants, Lola gets. And in the case of Madonna's little girl, that would be a career as a fashion designer.

Madonna is putting out a junior fashion line called (what else?) Material Girls to be released August 3 at Macy's and her daughter, Lourdes Leon, as the line's Creative Director reportedly helped design most of the looks. (Wonder if Lourdes reads The Sartorialist, one of TIME's Best Blogs.)

Lola (as she's called by her family) blogged on the clothing line's website that the looks will be 80s-inspired and luckily “the 80's are another huge obsession of mine.” (Note: it's also the era her mother is most famous for. Coincidence?).

Did we forget to mention that Lola is 13? She wasn't even a zygote in the 80's!

Now NewsFeed is by no means ageist—just because she's young doesn't disqualify her from having real talent. Fashion blogger Tavi is only 13 and she rocks! And the line could do really well. But in this case it's likely that Lola's design talent is really just riding on the fame coattails of her mother, who in turn seems like she's using her daughter's youth to give her junior line credibility.

Don't get us wrong; we actually aren't against Lola as a celebrity child. In fact, she's on the best end of the spectrum seeing as how she hasn't been shoved in the media's face since birth, the way the Jolie-Pitt army has.

But it's bad enough that celebrities feel that their fame is enough of a prerequisite to design clothing. Now, their children are getting in on it? Is there some talent to fame proximity ratio we don't know about?

What's next, a handbag line by Suri Cruise? (We shouldn't even joke).

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/01/13-year-old-launches-fashion-line-madonnas-13-year-old/

Martial arts actor’s short fuse over height

2010-07-03T21:58:00.001-07:00

HONG Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen is upset at being described as too short to play the role of Guan Yu, reported Nanyang Siang Pau.

Guan Yu, also known as Guan Gong, was one of the best-known Chinese historical figures to serve under Emperor Liu Bei during the Three Kingdoms era.

Due to his loyal and righteous character, he has been deified and is widely worshipped by the Chinese, especially those living in the southern part of China and Hong Kong.

Yen, who recently starred as the legendary Wu Chun exponent Ip Man, had been asked by film director Alan Mak Siu-fai to take up the role as Guan Yu in the movie The Lost Bladesman.

During a press conference to announce the new film in Beijing, China, recently, Yen, who is 174cm tall, was asked if he had to wear “special shoes” to make him look taller on screen. According to historical records, Guan Yu was supposedly 274cm tall.

Yen seemed furious over the question and answered: “Of course, there are special shoes – many of them. It’s a costume movie ma!”

Mak then came to Yen’s rescue and said the ancient system used to measure height was smaller, thus making Guan Yu seem very tall.

> Sin Chew Daily reported that there were complaints that Singaporean employees were too “casually dressed”.

Due to the current hot weather, some Singaporeans have taken to wearing leggings, jeans, bermuda shorts, T-shirt or even see-though shirt and slippers to work.

Protocol Academy image consultation company founder Teo Ser Lee said staff had to adhere to different dress codes in various industries

20 children tour German Pavilion with pop star WU Zun

2010-07-03T21:56:00.001-07:00

20 children tour German Pavilion with pop star WU Zun

2010-06-26

WU Zun, a well-known and loved TV star in China, recently visited the German Pavilion, “balancity”, with 20 children from migrant workers’ families. The visit was part of the “Expo Stars” series of events, in which various Chinese stars and starlets come to EXPO 2010 in Shanghai and visit the pavilions along with children from underprivileged families.

On Sunday, WU Zun came to balancity, where the singer and actor was welcomed by Pavilion Director Urte Fechter. The German Pavilion team had prepared goodie bags for the young visitors, which WU Zun presented to them. Many of the other Chinese visitors walking around balancity recognised the pop singer and grabbed the opportunity to take photos of him. In the VIP lounge, the 30-year-old tried a slice of German cake. His verdict? “Very yummy”.

: Taking a tour of balancity: 20 children at WU Zun’s side © German Pavilion

: VIP cake for a VIP: "Very yummy" © German Pavilion

: A host guides the star and the children through the German Pavilion. © German Pavilion

Victoria Beckham Told to ‘Stick to Fashion’

2010-07-03T21:54:00.001-07:00

The inquisitr : Victoria Beckham has been told to “stick to fashion”.The former Spice Girls star has been advised by Dane Bowers, who she collaborated with on the 2000 True Steppers single ‘Out of Your Mind’, not to return to the pop industry as her work as a designer is much better than her musical talent.

Dane told BANG Showbiz, “I think she should stick to fashion design but she’d probably say that herself. The whole fashion thing is definitely where her future lies.”

However, the 31-year-old singer insisted Victoria has more vocal ability than she is given credit for.He added, “She’s the first person to say that she’s no Mariah Carey but she can hold a tune. You don’t make it as far as the Spice Girls did if you can’t sing at all”.

Dane, who shot to fame as a member of Another Level, has no intention of staying away from the world of music.With a comeback single ‘All She Needs’ to be released on Sunday, July 4, the singer admitted that it is more difficult the second time around.

He revealed “People expect more from you when you’re well known, often they’re just waiting for you to fail. If you’re a new artist it’s a bit easier as people wait to see what you’re like”.

Source: The inquisitr

I'll Be There - (Cinema Trailer)

2010-05-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Starring KC Concepcion & Gabby Concepcion Coming this June 2010

Ella (SHE) and Wu Chun (Fahrenheit) New CM

2010-05-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Rainie Yang & Wu Zun to collaborate in new idol drama; ‘Princess of Cute’ exclaims that he’s prettier than her!

2010-05-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

Source: Liberty Times
Translation: Sarah @ http://asianfanatics.net

‘Princess of Cute’ Rainie Yang is scared of Wu Zun’s good lucks! The two will collaborate in new idol drama ‘陽光小妹’ (lit trans: Sunshine Girl’) in May. Upon knowing that her new co-star would be Wu Zun, Rainie admitted that she had been looking forward to working with him for a long time, but her first reaction was: “I’m dead! He’s even prettier than me! Will other people think he’s the female lead?” The 2 have not formally met yet, and already Rainie is worried that her own beauty is not up to par with his.

Amazed by Wu Zun’s good looks

Last year, Rainie missed the chance to collaborate with Wu Zun in ‘ToGetHer’ But this year, the chance has come again! The 2 are not very familiar with each other as this will be their first collaboration together. However, back when Wu Zun filmed ‘Tokyo Juliet’ with Ariel Lin, Rainie once went to visit her good friend, so she also got to meet Wu Zun, who wasn’t as popular back then. Her first impression of Wu Zun was: “This person is too pretty ah!” Even till now, Wu Zun’s good looks have left a deep impression on her. Rainie revealed that the person she would most like to collaborate with is film king Tony Leung, however she feels that this seems impossible.

Very full work schedule

Besides dramas, Rainie has also accepted 6 endorsements in only 4 months, and within the year, she also has to film advertisements that she had accepted last year. Her work schedule is very full. Yesterday, Rainie attended a promotion event for her new beauty beverage endorsement, and revealed that she once had severe constipation problems, and couldn’t go toilet for 10 days. She expressed that it’s very embarrassing to tell this story but after she drank the beauty beverage, the constipation problem immediately disappeared and even her skin became more smooth.

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/720499-rainie-yang-wu-zun-to-collaborate-in-new-idol-drama%3B-princess-of-cute-exclaims-that-hes-prettier-than-her/

Agency Contract with Kim Hyung Joong to Expire

2010-05-08T11:03:00.000-07:00

The agency contract between the leader of popular group SS501, Kim Hyung Joong (24), and his current agency DSPent will expire on June 8, so his every move is drawing people’s attention in the entertainment industry.

Kim Hyun Joong has actively worked as a group artist and, at the same time, he also appeared in the drama “Boys Over Flowers” and successfully established a solid foothold as an actor. He is an A-class star in the Foreign Agent market for this year's first half. People in the music industry are paying attention to his next agency because his move will have an effect on the activities of the group SS501, which is gaining huge popularity in Asian countries centering around the greater China region. As of May 6, according to a person who belongs to DSPent and close friends of other members, Kim Hyun Joong has not yet renewed his contract with his current agency, and many other agencies are suggesting a huge down payment be made to him to make a deal.

Members of SS501 reportedly had discussed future plans after their concert held in Saitama Arena in Tokyo. An executive director of a music entertainment agency who is acquainted with members of SS501 said, “Kim Hyun Joong may join the agency that three members of Dong Bang Shin Ki--who left the SM entertainment--belong to. Since those three members are actively working in Asian countries including Japan, those movements might be suitable for Kim Hyun Joong’s further activities. In particular, Kim Hyun Joong is now living with his best friend, Young Woong Jae Joong, and I heard that they had many discussions together about Kim Hyun Joong’s future plans.”

In addition, as it has been reported that Kim Hyun Joong met Bae Yong Joon several times, many interpretations are being made about the meeting between them. A person at DSPent said, “Kim Hyun Joong knows Bae Yong Joon personally, as he regards Bae as a senior actor.” But, other people in the music industry said, “Kim Hyun Joong might possibly want to discuss with Bae Yong Joon his future plans, such as activities in Japan. They are two big stars who can have a significant effect on the Hallyu market, so their meeting might produce something.”

Even in this situation, there is also a possibility that Kim Hyun Joong will stay with his current agency. A person in the music industry said, “He will make a comeback as a member of SS501, with a new album at the end of this month, so he might be able to discuss remaining with his agency for a month.” Even though there are many predictions about Kim Hyun Joong’s possible future agencies, people in the music industry cannot easily be sure of the future plans of SS501 as a group. A person close to the group Shin Hwa said, “Members of the group GOD belonged to two different agencies, and also the members of Shin Hwa later transferred to different agencies, but they still worked together as a group for their album. So, even though Kim Hyun Joong’s agency is changed to another agency, SS501 might continue their activities as a group if every member wants to do so.”

http://english.kbs.co.kr/Entertain/EntertainmentNews/view.html?No=7373

Torn ligament in right knee caused LP bet's fall onstage

2010-05-08T10:58:00.001-07:00

A torn ligament in her right knee was the reason why Liberal Party senatorial bet and Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel suddenly fell down while speaking onstage at the party's miting de avance at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

A statement from Hontiveros's camp said that as of 9:30 p.m., the LP bet was in St. Luke's Medical Center Quezon City, where she was brought after she fell onstage shortly before 8 p.m.

This page requires a higher version browser Hontiveros had been leading the crowd in chanting "Nobody nobody but Mar" when she turned to point to LP vice presidential candidate Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, who was sitting right behind her. Apparently, the abrupt movement twisted her right knee.

"She couldn’t stand and was in deep pain and was rushed out of the stage on a stretcher," the statement read.

"She wishes to convey to her supporters and friends that she is fine. Doctors have assured that there is no cause for alarm and that she needs time to recover," it said.

Celebrity Kris Aquino, sister of LP standard bearer Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, was among those who quickly rushed to Hontiveros' side.

While others attended to the congresswoman, Kris diverted the attention of the crowd by introducing comedienne Pokwang, who then went invited the candidates to join her in a lively dance number of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."—JV, GMANews.TV

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20100507/tph-torn-ligament-in-right-knee-caused-l-d6cd5cf.html

Ready, Summer 2012? Here Comes Batman 3!

2010-05-02T09:07:00.001-07:00

Same bat channel, new bat time.

Warner Bros. isn't about to let little details like no title, no production start date and no locked-down plot stop it from setting up a tentpole, as the studio today announced a July 20, 2012, release date for the third installment of the rebooted Batman franchise.

Christian Bale will be back in the cowl under the direction of Christopher Nolan.

With the release date now set, Nolan is currently hashing out a story for the Dark Knight followup, which already faces some steep competition. Also headed to the big screen in 2012: The Avengers (May 4), Battleship (May 25), Star Trek 2 (June 29), and what will likely be the Bat's biggest competition: the Spider-Man reboot's reboot (July 3).

Comic geeks, get ready.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b178986_ready_summer_2012_here_comes_batman_3.html?utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=imdb_tv-movies

Radcliffe 'to stun Broadway audiences'

2010-05-02T09:06:00.003-07:00

Daniel Radcliffe has been busy preparing for his upcoming musical debut on Broadway.

The 20-year-old actor will play the leading role in the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying next spring.

Director Rob Ashford is quoted by WENN as saying: "He's singing every day with a vocal coach in London and I've got my assistant putting him through his dance paces every other day. I'm covering all bases with Daniel - and he's delivering."

Meanwhile, actress Rose Hemingway - who plays Radcliffe's love interest - praised the Harry Potter star "He's been doing a lot of work and he's going to surprise people. He's not afraid to learn how to do things."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a217741/radcliffe-to-stun-broadway-audiences.html

Box Office: Friday numbers put Freddy Krueger in top spot Box Office: Friday numbers put Freddy Krueger in top spot

2010-05-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

Now this is what a weekend box office is supposed to look like. After last weekend’s sluggish performance from newcomers The Losers and The Back-Up Plan, it’s nice to have a new release with some heft to it. Such is the case with Nightmare on Elm Street. The R-rated remake of the popular Freddy Krueger slasher movie from the 1980s is destined for the top spot with what could be a $35+ million weekend. Starring Jackie Earle Haley, Nightmare grossed a solid $15 million on Friday night. That bodes well for horror fans. With an opening this strong, New Line Cinema must be thinking sequel options already.

Furry Vengeance, starring Brendan Fraser, had much more trouble finding an audience Friday night. The other newcomer for the weekend grossed a paltry $1.7 million on Friday for a weekend take that could top out at a little over $6 million. The PG-rated family film is unlikely to make it into the top five for the frame and has done little to steer How to Train Your Dragon off its course. That film landed in second place on Friday. While far beneath the No. 1 grosser with only $2.5 million, the 3-D flick is still likely to add $11 million to its already full coffers.

The battle for third place through fifth place could be a bit of a horse race with Date Night, The Back-Up Plan, and The Losers all jockeying for position. The three movies each grossed somewhere in the $2 million range on Friday night, and how they perform today will be the real determinant. It’s likely that Date Night will beat the other two flicks and should end the frame with something close to $8 million. The Back-Up Plan could gross in the $7 million range, while The Losers will be around $6 million.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/01/box-office-nightmare-on-elm-street/

GaGa 'most influential artist of 2010'

2010-05-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Lady GaGa has been named the world's most influential artist in Time magazine's Time 100 list of the most influential figures alive today.

The singer clinched the top spot in the list of 25 stars, with Conan O'Brien coming second and Kathryn Bigelow and Oprah Winfrey coming third and fourth.

GaGa's entry featured a tribute from veteran popstar Cyndi Lauper, who described the 'Poker Face' singer's lyrics as "incredibly literary" and "sophisticated".

Lauper wrote: "When I see someone like GaGa, I sit back in admiration... She isn't a pop act, she is a performance artist. She herself is the art."

The top ten also featured Robert Pattinson at number six and Taylor Swift at nine. Meanwhile, Glee star Lea Michele was a surprise entry at number 13, above established stars such as Simon Cowell and Sir Elton John.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a217403/gaga-most-influential-artist-of-2010.html

HK celebrities raise HK$35 million for China quake victims

2010-04-27T06:39:00.001-07:00

Source : Channel News Asia

HONG KONG: More than 300 celebrities turned up for the "Artistes 414 Fundraising Campaign" show at the Hong Kong Coliseum on Monday, and helped raise HK$35 million (S$6.1 million) for the victims of the recent Yushu earthquake in Qinghai province, China, reported Chinese media.

The two-hour-long charity show was hosted by screen veterans Eric Tsang, Carol Cheng, Sally Wu and Lawrence Cheng.

It is also the first television show in TVB history to be telecast uninterrupted, on all four of its channels, without any commercials or trailers.

A slew of big names such as 'Heveanly Kings' Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai were in attendance.

Action stars Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung also made an appearance, along with singers Charlene Choi and Ronald Cheng, who were not seen together since their high profile divorce.

Host Amigo Choi also turned up for the first time since his assault case involving his ex-girlfriend Elizabete Kwong, to appeal for donations during on show.

"I completely understand how it feels. Life has its ups and downs and it gives people a lot to worry about, but a natural disaster makes everything even worse," said Choi on stage.

The programme did not feature any stunts or acrobatics but instead focused on the celebrities, all dressed in simple white T-shirts with the show's logo, who sang in groups and appealed for donations.

Hong Kong singer Sammi Cheng and Nick Cheung, who have just returned from their humanitarian trip to Yushu were on hand to present videos depicting the situation there.

Video clips of Jackie Chan's friends such as musician Kenny G, singer Lionel Richie and actor Will Smith appealing for donations were also shown during the charity show.

The 7.1 magnitude Yushu earthquake struck the prefecture in northwestern China on April 14 and left an estimated 2,203 dead with another 12,000 injured.

-CNA/ha

Rico Blanco debuts at No.1 in Hong Kong

2010-04-27T06:38:00.001-07:00

Rico Blanco's song "Neon Lights" from his album "Your Universe" has debuted at No. 1 in Hong Kong's top radio chart.

Beating no less than giant international artists such as Usher and will.i.am, Lady Gaga and Beyonce, Wonder Girls, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Bieber and Ludacris, “Neon Lights” makes its way to the top within a week from its release in Music Bus Hong Kong.

Although it has been close to a tradition that Warner Music Philippines has broken its artists into the international scene, no Filipino artist has ever topped the Hong Kong Music Bus Airplay Charts until the single "Neon Lights."

More, Blanco just finished a successful promo tour in Singapore, where Class95 FM also celebrated his birthday, playing a special birthday greeting by the biggest radio DJs every hour for 24-hours on Singapore radio that day.

"Your Universe," Rico Blanco’s debut album, is released by Warner Music Philippines.

http://mb.com.ph/articles/254816/rico-blanco-debuts-no1-hong-kong

300 artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China will participate in tonight’s fundraising event

2010-04-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 25, 2010 Hong Kong

Translation: llwy12@ http://asianfanatics.net

Close to 300 artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China will be attending the Qinghai Earthquake Artistes Fundraising Event at the HK Coliseum tonight. The list of artists performing tonight includes the recently divorced Charlene Choi and Ronald Cheng – this will be their first appearance on the same stage since their press conference weeks ago. As for the Four Kings, only Leon Lai, Andy Lau, and Jacky Cheung will be in attendance, as Aaron Kwok is currently in Beijing filming and cannot make it back on time. Other artists scheduled to be in attendance include Gillian Chung, Nicholas Tse, Sammi Cheng, Hacken Lee, Eason Chan, Kelly Chen, Gigi Leung, Vivian Chow, Joey Yung, etc. as well as Jackie Chan, who especially changed his schedule in order to attend the event.

As for China and Taiwan, artists Li Yu Chun, Da S, Xiao S, Ariel Lin, Harlem Yu, etc. will be making a special trip to Hong Kong to participate in the event.

In addition, the organizers of the event have asked the audiences who will be attending at the HK Coliseum not to display any name plates of their favorite artists out of respect for the quake victims.

The 5 hour marathon-type event will be held from 6pm to 11pm HK time and the entrance fee will be HKD$100 per person for audiences attending. The hosts of the event will be Dodo Cheng, Eric Tsang, Sally Wu (entertainment news personality), as well as Lawrence Cheng – at the start of the event, they will lead all the artists in singing the themesong for the event, <>.

All of Hong Kong’s major media outlets will be broadcasting the event live and major TV stations such as TVB and ATV have committed to broadcasting the event live without any commercials or editing. When asked about the financial effects of not airing commercials, both TVB and ATV indicated that the loss is in the 6 and 7-figures, but their sponsors have been supportive due to the nature of the event.

K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces

2010-04-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

Takeshi Kaneshiro's K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces

Holy Steampunk, Sherlock Holmes! Screen idol Takeshi Kaneshiro is back and this time hes showing his respect for Lupin, Raffles and all the great thieves and masked penny dreadful heroes of the turn-of-the-century in this massive steampunk blow-out directed by Shimako Sato, one of the few female directors in the big budget end of the Japanese film industry.

Its 1949 and World War II never happened. Nikola Tesla has just won a Nobel Prize rather than dying in obscurity and the Japanese Empire is an undying aristocracy where the rich sip tea out of bone china, while the poor die in the gutters. K-20, the Fiend with Twenty Faces, steals from the rich and gives to himself. But now, on the eve of the marriage between society princess, Yoko Hashiba, and chief of police, Kogoro Akechi, the fiend frames simple circus acrobat Hekichi Endo (Takeshi Kaneshiro) for his crimes and the poor sap is arrested and sentenced to death. But he escapes at the last minute and assumes the guise of K-20 in order to clear his good name.

Starting with a falling chandelier from PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and continuing with the Tunguska Explosion, Tesla coils, gyrocopters and all manner of pulp touchstones, this flick is constantly zooming, panning, gliding and skidding to a stop, suffused with old fashioned showmanship and skill. For sheer entertainment value its like all the Saturday morning matinees you never saw wrapped up in one film and given a big budget gloss. But more than the skill and style, the actors are a delight. The young princess, Hashiba (Takako Matsu) describes herself as just a modest girl from a good family, but really shes a two-fisted adventurer in waiting, hemmed in by good breeding but secretly yearning to sock a baddie in the jaw and fly a helicopter into the sunset. Takeshi Kaneshiro is charm itself, and its a pleasure to spend two hours in his company. By the time the last zeppelin has cleared the screen youll want to know where you can buy a ticket and stand in line to wait for the sequel. [D-Man2010]

source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156395/synopsis

Trailer here

Mike He takes up family responsibilities, denies avoiding military duty

2010-04-20T07:06:00.001-07:00

original source: Epoch Times
translated by minchong92 @ http://asianfanatics.net

After filming [Future Cops] last year and his father’s retirement, Mike He admitted: “My shoulders feel heavy [when supporting my family].” Although he will soon take up a new drama, Mike He still has to face the military draft. He commented that at the moment, he is able to juggle both studies and his career – he isn’t afraid of joining the military either.

Today, Mike He made an appearance for a makeup brand event. His “Prince Charming” style caused for many fans to call out nonstop. Mike joked that when he was small, he used to play with his mother’s makeup set. And then he scared himself when he accidentally applied too much to make his face all white.

After filming two movies in the first half of 2010, Mike He will soon collaborate with Janine Chang in [Xin Fu Zui Qing Tian/Happiness – The Sunniest Day]. Recently, the cast went to Nantou, Taiwan to observe the settings. When they passed by a tea field, they met the boss who enthusiastically presented Mike with teabags. Mike happily brought the gifts home to his parents. The drama will start filming at the end of April in Nantou.

After debuting 6 years ago, Mike He has always deposited his earnings into his parents’ bank accounts. He even bought a house and car for his family. Last year, his father decided to retire. As the eldest son, Mike He admitted: “My shoulders do feel heavy. Not only am I supporting the family, I’m also preparing myself to take no vacation this year.”

While supporting his family with one shoulder, Mike He also has to confront another issue – fulfilling his military duty. After studying for 6 years and still not graduating, it is as if he is avoiding the draft by prolonging his graduation date. Actually, this also includes Ethan Ruan, Bobby Dou etc.. They all seem to fear that their fans will change hearts once they go to the military. When Mike He was asked about his military duty, he acknowledged that many of his relatives are military men so he does not fear joining. Also, if he doesn’t join, his relatives will laugh at him. Mike also added that he juggles school with his career by taking two easy classes every two days of the week.

K-pop boy band SS501 may visit Manila in July

2010-04-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Another K-pop idol group may visit the Philippines soon.

Fangirlasia is currently negotiating to bring K-pop boy band SS501 to the Philippines for a fan meeting in July.

Triple S Philippines, the local fan club of SS501, has started accepting reservations from members for VIP seats that would cost P5,000 each.

Fangirlasia has also opened an event page on Facebook to know how many fans will be attending the event.

“We would like to remind everyone that this event is just a survey. We are still under negotiation. Date, time, and venue are tentative,” it said.

Since boy band SHINee visited the country in November last year, other K-pop groups followed suit.

This year, bands that have already held shows in the country are 4Minute, FT Island, U-Kiss and Super Junior.

Fangirlasia and Spin Manila brought boy band FT Island to the Philippines last March for the Manila 2010 Showcase held at the Philippine International Convention Center.

SS501 is a five-member boy band managed by DSP Entertainment that was launched in 2005. It is composed of leader Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Kyu Jong, Heo Young Saeng, Park Jung Min and Kim Hyung Joon.

Last year, SS501 held their first Asia Tour Persona that kicked off in Seoul and visited Tokyo, Taipei, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

Kim Hyun Joong, in particular, starred in the last year’s hit Korean drama series “Boys over Flowers,” which also became a top-rated program in the Philippines.

Last year, SS501 received the Bonsang and Hallyu awards in the Seoul Music Awards. The group also won the Best OST (official soundtrack) Award in the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) for “Because I’m Stupid,” which was used in “Boys over Flowers.” It also won the Top Buzz International Group in the Yahoo Buzz Award.

SS501 will be coming back to the K-pop music scene with a new album in May.

http://mb.com.ph/articles/253403/kpop-boy-band-ss501-may-visit-manila-july

Sharon Cuneta, Vilma Santos and KC Concepcion to Star in a Mother’s Day Movie?

2010-04-19T05:25:00.001-07:00

If plans push through, a powerhouse team-up starring the Megastar Sharon Cuneta, the Mega-daughter KC Concepcion and the Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos is in the works.

According to reports, the said project has a working title “Mothers and a Daughter” and it will be produced by Star Cinema. As the title suggests, the movie could be about a daughter with two persons claiming to be her mother.

The movie should be perfect for Mother’s Day this May but since Vilma Santos is seeking re-election for governor of Batangas, they can only start filming after the elections.

Sharon said on the Buzz Sunday afternoon that she’s really excited in doing a movie with Vilma Santos. She confirmed that it’s in Ate Vi’s contract that she will do a movie with her and it’s also indicated in her contract that she will do a movie with the Star for all Seasons.

“Kahit yaya lang ni Ate Vi ang magiging role ko tatanggapin ko”, Sharon said.

Sharonians and Vilmanians are surely hoping that this ambitious project will become a reality this year as this will be one of the most exciting team up in the history of Philippine cinema.

Meanwhile, the wheels are turning with KC’s other film project with Star Cinema co-starring her with Jericho Rosales. The movie has now a working title “Daddy’s Girl” and it will also star KC’s real dad Gabby Concepcion. The movie will be Star Cinema’s offering for Fathers’ Day this year.

http://www.starmometer.com/2010/01/03/sharon-cuneta-vilma-santos-and-kc-concepcion-to-star-in-a-mothers-day-movie/

Super Junior member expresses desire to star in Pinoy teleserye

2010-04-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Having seen the mob that welcomed his group right at NAIA and the thousands of screaming fans who trooped to the Big Dome to watch them perform, the acknowledged most popular member of bigtime Korean act Super Junior must have found the prospect of appearing in a Philippine teleserye as a next best move.

Both the media and the boy band's supporters present during a presscon at EDSA Plaza Hotel last Saturday reacted in cheerful agreement.

“I wish to do a TV drama in the Philippines,” said Donghae who is arguably the most famous among the 13-member flagship group of the current K-pop (Korean pop) fever.

From the moment one of the boys uttered, “We’re very excited to come here for the first time,” every word that tumbled out of the light-skinned Asian stars was anticipated as it passed through the interpreter's tongue.

One of the boys amused the starstruck crowd by speaking in straight English. “We just pray to God before we go to the stage,” he said when asked what’s that one thing they do before a performance.

Super Junior delivered their “Super Show 2” concert that same night, making it extra special since the Philippines is the last leg in their 15-show “Asia Concert Tour Live.”

“Thanks for all the support and we hope to visit again,” added Donghae.

The first K-pop group to have a gold record in the Philippines, Super Junior released the “Super Show 2 Live Album” last February. Their music video for the song “Sorry, Sorry” simultaneously topped different charts on leading music channel MYX.

The co-producer of the Super Junior concert, MYX is also airing a special titled “Asia MYX: Super Junior Special” today, April 19, Monday, at 8 p.m. The feature showcases exclusive footage from the Super Junior press conference and the group’s sold out three-hour show, along with an interview conducted by VJ Iya Villania. Repeat airings are scheduled on April 21 (9:30 a.m.), April 22 (4 p.m.), and April 25 (12 m.n. and 11 a.m.).

http://mb.com.ph/articles/253293/super-junior-member-expresses-desire-star-pinoy-teleserye

Depp defends 'Pirates Of The Caribbean'

2010-04-15T06:52:00.003-07:00

Johnny Depp has defended the longevity of movie franchise Pirates Of The Caribbean.

The actor, who plays Captain Jack Sparrow in the film series, is preparing to begin filming the fourth instalment On Stranger Tides.

Female First quotes him as saying: "I can't wait to get back in costume. Some people will say, 'Depp sold out by doing the sequels'.

"But it was never an issue for me. I love Captain Jack so much I'd do Pirates 7 if they asked."

The star recently found success with Tim Burton's remake of Alice In Wonderland.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a213730/depp-defends-pirates-of-the-caribbean.html

'Date Night' beats 'Titans' at US BO

2010-04-15T06:52:00.001-07:00

'Date Night' beats 'Titans' at US BO has debuted at the top of the US box office with $27.1 million over the weekend.

The comedy, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carrell, has knocked last week's top earner Clash Of The Titans to the number two spot with $26.8 million.

How To Train Your Dragon remains in the number three position with $25.3 million, followed by Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too? and Miley Cyrus's The Last Song.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid slips to number nine with $4.1 million, while Letters To God debuts in tenth place with $1.2 million.

The US box office top ten in full:

1. (-) Date Night - $27,100,000
2. (1) Clash Of The Titans - $26,875,000
3. (3) How To Train Your Dragon - $25,350,000
4. (2) Why Did I Get Married Too? - $11,000,000
5. (4) The Last Song - $10,000,000
6. (5) Alice In Wonderland - $5,600,000
7. (6) Hot Tub Time Machine - $5,430,000
8. (7) The Bounty Hunter - $4,300,000
9. (8) Diary Of A Wimpy Kid - $4,100,000
10. (-) Letters To God - $1,250,000

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a213758/date-night-beats-titans-at-us-bo.html

'Harry Potter' attraction to open in June

2010-04-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Universal Orlando Resort has announced that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter ride will open on June 18.

According to Entertainment Weekly, visitors will be able to see Hollywood-quality sets in the main centre Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

"As you venture through Hogwarts castle, you meet Harry, Ron, and Hermione who convince you to skip a planned lecture and follow them. Upon taking their advice, you travel by Floo powder, and begin the adventure as you soar over Hogwarts, narrowly escape a dragon attack, have a close encounter with the Whomping Willow, get pulled into a Quidditch match and more," said the theme park's press release.

The attraction is said to be the first ever combination of advanced robotic ride system technology, allowing guests to spend more time with their favourite characters at the centre of the adventure.

The ride is scheduled to last one hour, during which fans will explore Dumbledore's office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Gryffindor common room and the Room of Requirement.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a210692/harry-potter-attraction-to-open-in-june.html

Jolie pregnancy denied

2010-04-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

A spokesman for Angelina Jolie has denied rumours the actress is expecting her seventh child.

A spokesman for Angelina Jolie has denied rumours the actress is expecting her seventh child.Angelina Jolie is not pregnant, her spokesman has told People magazine. While the actress is filming her new film, The Tourist, in Venice with Johnny Depp, American gossips sites have reported the actress is pregnant with her, and partner Brad Pitt's, seventh child. However, a representative for Jolie has ended the gossip, simply calling the speculation, "totally false".

http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/Jolie-pregnancy-denied/v1?cmpid=CAM_HB30

Calling All Biking Enthusiasts

2010-04-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

Bandar Seri Begawan - The most anticipated cycling challenge is back!! Set to raise funds for SMARTER Brunei, the HSBC Cycling Challenge themed `Cycle for SMARTER' will see cyclists taking on a 108km challenge from HSBC Kuala Belait to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Centre in Sengkurong.

SMARTER Brunei is a non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the education of both autistic children and individuals. HSBC has been a proud supporter of SMARTER Brunei for many years.

To allow for wider participation and at the same time increase autism awareness, the organiser has also included a short 8km Community Challenge this year, which begins from HSBC Jerudong and finishes at the Autism Spectrum Disorder Centre in Sengkurong. This challenge is also open to children.

`Cycle for SMARTER' has received endorsements from both local and international celebrities including Wu Chun, Putri Norizah Ibnor Riza, Fakhrul Razi and DJ Izan, all of whom will in various ways throw their support behind the challenge as well as SMARTER.

To ensure the public is aware of safety and stand the best chance of completing the challenge, the organiser will be holding training sessions every Sunday at the National Stadium. Interested parties are welcome to join the training.

The registration fees for the 108km and 8km community challenge are $20 and $10 respectively. Interested parties can register at any HSBC branch, Triple Star Enterprise or Fitness Zone. Registration closes June 2. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/2010041419534/Local-News/calling-all-biking-enthusiasts.html

Edison Chen still a favourite with youths

2010-03-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

Source: XIN MSN

Perhaps time does heal wounds. Two years since his online sex photos frenzy, Hong Kong actor-singer Edison Chen’s popularity with college kids shows no signs of waning, or at least recovered since the 2008 scandal crashed his career to a halt.

Currently based in Los Angeles, the 29-year-old recently guested on Taiwanese variety Da Xue Sheng Le Mei, a talkshow catering to university students in the country, where the warm reception proved his seemingly unperturbed status as an idol to youths, regardless of gender.

The female undergrads in the audience switched from their usual lacklustre get-ups to mini skirts. When host Matilda Tao invited one of them to sing the classic ballad ‘Listen to the Sea’ at Edison, she blushed so much she couldn’t continue after two lines.

The male collegians, on the other hand, were in awe of the man and crowned him “fashion god”. Some revealed they own clothes from the Chinese-Canadian star’s fashion label, which prompted Edison to invite the students present to the opening of his new Taiwan store.

And he kept his word. His manager later asked for the namelist of all the undergrads who were at the recording from the show’s producer.

Sources said Edison wasn’t as uptight as his previous public appearances since the 2008 incident, believed to be due to a studio being closed to the media. His management had requested for reporters to be barred.

Lee Min Ho : ‘I Want Favorable Evaluation for Splendid Acting’

2010-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Actor Lee Min Ho, who came back to dramas after a one-year break following the KBS TV drama “Boys Over Flowers,” revealed his ambition of obtaining a "favorable evaluation for splendid acting" on his new MBC TV drama “Personal Taste,” which will broadcast its first episode on March 31.

In the production presentation of “Personal Taste” held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 25, Lee said, “I have distressed myself about how to play the character in the drama. I feel pressure because I want to be praised for good acting by viewers.”

The drama “Personal Taste” tells exhilarating stories about two characters. An easygoing woman, Park Gae In (Sohn Ye Jin), wants to have a gay male friend, and a charismatic man, Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho) is mistaken by her to be a gay man. These two create entertaining stories while they are living together.

Lee explained the character he plays: “He is a competent architect and when it comes to work, he always aims for perfection, so much so as to be regarded as a cold-hearted person. He does not want to be interrupted nor to interrupt others.“

Jeon Jin Ho is similar to Goo Jun Pyo, which is the character he played in his previous drama “Boys Over Flowers,” in that he is also a charismatic character. Lee Min Ho continued, “It is true that the two characters have similarities, but I do not care too much to differentiate this character with that of Goo Jun Pyo. I have rather concentrated on making a character who is very much faithful to the script. If I have to compare the character to Goo Jun Pyo, Jeon Jin Ho is a mature and thoughtful person and has a pride in his work as a professional.”

Asked about his one year break, he answered, “I had a tight schedule at home and abroad after the drama ‘Boys Over Flowers,’ so I actually took a break only for three months. During the break, I had seriously agonized about how to make a comeback to dramas, and with what kind of image. In the end, I decided to play a pleasant character in a drama, since I am still young, and chose ‘Personal Taste’ as my next drama.”

Lee Min Ho entered stardom with “Boys Over Flowers,” so it is natural that he feels stress about the viewer ratings for “Personal Taste” which has to compete with other outstanding dramas such as “Cinderella’s Stepsister (KBS)” and “Prosecutor Princess (SBS)”, which will air its first episode on the same day.

Lee Min Ho commented about the viewer ratings: “Honestly, I cannot afford to care about other competitors because I am only concentrating on playing my role in the drama. But, it would be great if the ratings came to around 18 percent for the first episode. Then, if the viewer ratings increased by one percent for each episode, the ratings for the final episode would be around 34 percent, since our drama has a total of 16 episodes for the series.”

KBS Global

Fahrenheit and Goo Hye Sun's "Touch Your Heart" music

2010-03-26T06:40:00.001-07:00

SS501 ‘Hallyu Fan Card’ First Concert in Japan

2010-03-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Popular group SS501 will hold their solo ‘SS501 Concert’ in Saitama Super Arena on 25-April and meet with their Japanese fans.

Korea’s Annex Telecom cooperate with Japan’s largest portal site Yahoo Japan on this new service and this concert is the first ‘Hallyu Fan Card’ event which invites 10,000 of the card purchasers.

‘Hallyu Fan Card’ offers free admission tickets to Hallyu Entertainers’ concerts and parties, as well as free access to various Hallyu contents through Yahoo! Japan’s ‘Hallyu Fan Card’ website, members will be able to attend to free monthly concerts in Japan from April onwards for 1 year with a total of 12 concerts, they will also have opportunities to attend to concerts held in Korea.

Credits : gounworld@yna.co.kr + SS601.com + (English Translation) xiaochu @ Quainte501.com

ABS-CBN soap operas now captivating non-Filipinos worldwide

2010-03-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

In a recent interview with Ms.Reena de Guzman Garingan, head of International Sales and Distribution (ISD) of ABS-CBN Global, we found out that there are also non-Filipinos worldwide who have been captivated by the Kapamilya network’s teleseryes. These are not necessarily subscribers of The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Formerly head of the sales department of The Manila Hotel for many years, Ms. Garingan said they decided to hold a press conference for the first time to share with the entertainment press the success that ABS-CBN Global ISD has achieved in 15 years. Also in the luncheon meeting with the press were Jeff Domingo who was one of the pioneers in putting up ABS-CBN Global 15 years ago and who now runs its, and Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN Corporate Communications who said “we are here to celebrate the success of ABS-CBN shows here and abroad…and to let you know that aside from catering to the Filipinos worldwide, ABS-CBN has also penetrated non-Filipino audiences all over the world…”

When they put up TFC, their purpose was to target the Filipino overseas workers. They did not expect that they would also be catering to non-Filipino audiences, Jeff said.

“It’s about time we have to tell you what we have done in the last 15 years in selling our shows abroad,” Reena said. She just came from a speaking engagement in Africa (she discussed the social and ethical responsibilities of media professionals in the forum attended by leading journalists and broadcasters in that country), where ABS-CBN teleseryes will be shown, not only once a day, but “on a multiple timeslot, not only in Africa but also in other countries,” she proudly shared.

“Hindi lang pala mga Filipino ang kinikilig sa love story nila Jericho Rosales at Kristine Hermosa in ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo,’ at naiiyak sa paghihiwalay nila Piolo Pascual at Angel Locsin sa teleserye nila, but also non-Filipinos. Nakakatuwa lang,” Reena added.

Before she can offer their shows to any country, Reena said she had to read about that country’s culture, tradition and customs. “This helps a lot for me to understand if they decline my offer. You have to know why they can’t take your product.” But so far they’re not finding it hard to sell their products. In fact, sometimes the teleserye hasn’t even end here but already some countries are offering to buy it, Reena said. Most of the time it’s the story they are interested in and not so much with the stars. “With non-Filipino audiences, hindi nila kilala ang mga artista by their real names, but by their characters in the teleserye,” she said.

Although “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” is known to be the most successful ABS-CBN telerserye abroad, it was actually “Mula sa Puso” which set the trend, but too bad the male star, Rico Yan, met an untimely demise “at wala na kaming maibigay na follow-up shows niya,” Reena lamented.

Just recently, “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” (known abroad as “The Promise”) aired on China’s national television and rated second over all local and foreign programs airing in that country. Ten years after Filipinos fell in love with the Kristine Hermosa-Jericho Rosales tandem, the now classic teleserye still has appealed to the Chinese audience and even hit the Top 30 list in the national weekly ranking, covering over 2,000 channels and capturing 1.3 billion viewers.

But before China, the love story of Angelo Buenavista and Yna Macaspac have appealed and mesmerized audiences in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Africa. As Cambodian Nai Hiu Mei recounts “the teleserye, broadcasted here with Khmer dubbing, was so popular that many Cambodian babies were named Angelo. On the other hand, Times of Zambia writer Meluse Kapatamoyo wrote “the series has become a topic of discussion among families, friends and even neighbors who daily ponder on how the show would end.”

Rene Lotter of One Africa Television has even said “when is ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ coming back? I wish I could get a dollar each time I get that question. From teenager to grandma, from household organizers to tax consultants – it’s gripped people across all genders.”

Another ABS-CBN teleserye, “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin” (a.k.a. “Only You”) was aired on primetime alongside “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” in mainland China, carried by the biggest state television broadcaster. Meanwhile, “Sana Maulit Muli” (a.k.a. “Chances”), “Maging Sino Ka Man” (a.k.a. “More Than Love”) and “Gulong ng Palad” (a.k.a. “Stand for Love”) are expected to be aired in the Republic soon.

Also earning recognition internationally is the Angel Locsin-Piolo Pascual starrer “Lobo” (a.k.a. “She-Wolf: The Last Sentinel”). In the recently concluded 2009 International Emmy Awards, “She-Wolf” was recognized for the stellar performance of Angel Locsin who received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress. This recognition is the second for the show which won the Best Telenovela Award at the 30th BANFF World Television Festival in Toronto, Canada last year. Currently, the show is enjoying wide viewership in Brunei and is expected to be released to other countries in Indo-China, Asia, Europe and Africa this year.

By the way, Reena said ABS-CBN shows are subtitled and dubbed in several languages including English, Turkish, Khmer, Mandarin and French. One of the programs dubbed in French is “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay” (a.k.a. “La Longue Attente” in French and “The Long Wait” in English) which will cater to French-speaking viewers in Africa and Europe.

Reena stressed that “ABS-CBN programs sell well because they resonate to the African audience. “Our writers, directors and actors are able to capture real-life experiences on screen. Our stories show pain and suffering but in the end, give viewers a glimpse of hope. As we demonstrate that obstacles and fear may be overcome, we help mend the broken African spirit.”

ISD which she heads, has been the premier source of top quality programs from the Philippines, making ABS-CBN the first and biggest Philippine content distributor in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific and the leading Asian distributor in Africa. Through ISD, Kapamilya shows have become so popular among non-Filipinos that ABS-CBN is now regarded as a market mover and thought leader in the field of broadcasting in Africa.

Indeed, ABS-CBN has made its mark in the global market. Through the efforts of the ISD group, homegrown Pinoy entertainment has been given a chance to shine on the global stage.

Manila Bulletin

New fund aims to boost 3D films in China

2010-03-22T09:20:00.001-07:00

New fund aims to boost 3D films in China
Triumphant looking to raise $17 million to back three-pic slate

By Jonathan Landreth

March 21, 2010, 07:46 PM ET
HONG KONG -- Hoping to offer investors a chance to help slake China's thirst for 3D in the wake of "Avatar," an investment banker-turned-producer has joined two Hong Kong movie veterans to open a pair of film funds at Filmart 2010.

Triumphant Film Funds will attempt to raise $17 million before the Cannes Film Festival in May to back a three-picture slate of martial arts action films and 3D sci-fi films aimed at investors interested in China's film market -- where boxoffice jumped 43% last year.

"Hollywood-quality 3D at Asian prices is our goal," said ex-Lehman Brothers trader Guy Orlebar, who will try to tap his investment industry contacts to raise the funds while his film veteran partners ensure they are spent wisely.

Orlebar, whose real name is Andy Garrett, founded Triumphant with veteran Hong Kong low-budget line-producer Ricky K.K. Wong of Cine-Century Entertainment, and veteran casting director and Screen Ops producer "Big" Mike Leeder ("Australia"). Wong and Leeder bring more than 40 years of filmmaking experience to the partnership, Orlebar said.

Triumphant's planned first films are the $10 million sci-fi epic "Future Fighters"; a live-action adaptation of Ray Bradbury's seminal novel "Frost and Fire" -- made with the Alexander Entertainment Group in Los Angeles; and the police vs. triad action film tentatively-titled "AVP" -- taken from the first initials of its confirmed cast: Hong Konger action star Andy On ("True Legend"), Taiwanese boy-band heartthrob Vanness Wu ("Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon"), and Philip Ng ("Bodyguards and Assassins"), who also will action direct, Orlebar said.

Triumphant hopes to start shooting "Future Fighters" early next year with action direction by Dee Dee Ku of Master Yuen Wo Ping's renowned stunt team.

The cast will include "Avatar" stunt performer Reuben Langdon, who also is an actor and the president of a Japan-based motion-capture company Just Cause. Also starring is Japanese actor Kazuya Shimizu ("Big Man Japan") and a host of human-piloted mechanized walking warriors.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/asia/news/e3i6e499b206b4e48ab58b5a25da4eab1c3

Brillante Mendoza’s ‘Lola’ Wins Grand Jury Prize in Miami Film Festival

2010-03-20T10:29:00.001-07:00

Another Brillante Mendoza film brought honor to the country.

“Lola,” the latest film by Cannes-winning director Brillante “Dante” Mendoza, won the Grand Knight Award, equivalent to the Grand Jury Prize in the world competition category of the 27th Miami International Film Festival in the US.

The international film festival also commended the star of Lola, Anita Linda, as a cinema icon and its story for offering “an earnest, compassionate study of forgiveness and redemption.”

The pinoy indie film bested 13 other entries from Russia, Brazil, China, Bolivia and The Netherlands in the category that celebrates the works of up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world.

Brillante Mendoza took home a cash prize of $25,000 cash from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Written by Lynda Casimiro, Lola is about two elderly women [who] bear the consequences of a crime involving their respective grandsons–one is the victim, the other is the suspect.

Starring Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio, Lola also won Second Best Picture at the Venice Filmfest last year and Best Film (with a cash prize of $50,000) in Dubai.

Starmometer

Fahrenheit launches Canon’s new range of digital cameras

2010-03-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Smile please, members of the Taiwanese boyband Fahrenheit is clicking away.

The four Wu Chun, Jiro Wang, Calvin Chen and Aaron Yan, who are used to being photographed, showed how much they enjoyed taking pictures of others at a press conference yesterday to launch Canon’s new range of Digital Ixus cameras.

There are three new models – IXUS 130, IXUS 105 and IXUS 210.

Signed on as brand ambassadors for Canon’s Digital Ixus range for yet another term, the boys raved about the stylish models and new enhanced features.

The group has already released three studio albums and are working on their fourth, expected to hit the stores in the third quarter of the year.

Fahrenheit will be making an appearance to promote their DVD at Tropicana City Mall at 11am tomorrow.

They will also attend a soft launch ceremony for the Canon concept store @ Soho KL, Mont Kiara at 6pm the same evening.

http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/19/music/5894690&sec=music

Taiwanese idol group Fahrenheit to visit Korea next week

2010-03-17T07:10:00.001-07:00

Taiwanese idol group Fahrenheit will be visiting Korea to promote their country's tourism and hold a fan meeting next week, according to the event's organizer Mays Entertainment on Tuesday.

The boy band -- dubbed the TVXQ of Taiwan -- will be meeting with local fans at their first official fan meeting in Seoul, to be held at Melon Ax Hall on March 26, Mays announced in a press release.

"Tickets for the event sold out in a few hours of going on sale," an official at Mays was quoted as saying.

The official explained that the fan meeting will feature a guest appearance by Korean actress Ku Hye-sun, who starred in hit KBS TV series "Boys Over Flowers" last year and shot a promotional music video with the boy band last January.

The quartet, who are publicity ambassadors for the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan, will also be attending a press conference regarding promoting tourism in their country.

Farenheit -- composed of Aaron Yan, Wu Chun, Calvin Chen, and Jiro Wang -- made their debut in September 2006 with a self-titled album released in Taiwan and mainland China.

They gained popularity throughout Asia with the success of the debut record and subsequent albums, "Two-Sided Fahrenheit" (2008) and "Love You More and More" (2009).

The four members, who have also branched out to acting in dramas and films, received the Asia Star award at the 2010 Asia Model Awards in January in Seoul alongside top Korean actor Lee Byung-hun. They were also named Best Asian Artist at the 2008 Asia Song Festival.

Tickets for their upcoming fan meeting are available on online reservation site Auction (http://ticket.auction.co.kr).

http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?sec=ent10&idxno=2010031612554333420

Arnel Pineda to Sing ‘Lupang Hinirang’ in Pacquiao-Clottey Bout

2010-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Contrary to previous reports that Charice will sing the Philippine National Anthem in the Pacquiao-Clottey bout, Arnel Pineda, the Filipino front man of Journey, confirms that he was personally invited by Pacquiao to sing “Lupang Hinirang” in his upcoming fight.

“I'll be going to Dallas to sing in Manny's fight. I’m really happy because it'll finally push through. ” the Filipino frontman of popular American rock band “Journey” said.

Arnel said he was not able to sing in Pacquiao’s previous fights because of his hectic schedule as Journey’s vocalist.

The much-awaited fight of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao against Ghanaian Joshua “The Grand Master” Clottey will be held on March 13 (March 14 in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

http://www.starmometer.com/2010/03/09/arnel-pineda-to-sing-lupang-hinirang-in-pacquiao-clottey-bout/

The Complete List Of 82nd Academy Awards Winners (Oscars 2010)

2010-03-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Oscar Academy Awards Official Website) - The Academy Awards winners for 2010 is The Hurt Locker upset Avatar! Katheryn Bigelow on becoming the first female director to win an Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker, which then went on to win Best Picture. "There's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime." Kathryn Bigelow, winning Best Director for The Hurt Locker.
Jeff Bridges won best actor for his portrayal of a boozy country singer in "Crazy Heart." Sandra Bullock took the best-actress prize as a brassy Southern mother in "The Blind Side."

Sandra Bullock took the best-actress prize as a brassy Southern mother in "The Blind Side."

Here is the full list of the 2010 winners:

- Motion Picture: "The Hurt Locker."
- Actor: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart."
- Actress: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side."
- Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds."
- Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker."
- Foreign Film: "El Secreto de Sus Ojos," Argentina.

- Adapted Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."
- Original Screenplay: Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker."
- Animated Feature Film: "Up."
- Art Direction: "Avatar."
- Cinematography: "Avatar."
- Sound Mixing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Sound Editing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Original Score: "Up," Michael Giacchino.
- Original Song: "The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)" from "Crazy Heart," Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett.
- Costume: "The Young Victoria."
- Documentary Feature: "The Cove."
- Documentary (short subject): "Music by Prudence."
- Film Editing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Makeup: "Star Trek."
- Animated Short Film: "Logorama."
- Live Action Short Film: "The New Tenants."
- Visual Effects: "Avatar."

http://top40-charts.com/news/Charts-Awards/The-Complete-List-Of-82nd-Academy-Awards-Winners-(Oscars-2010)/54865.html

U-Kiss,"Our increase of popularity? Thanks to Dongho!"

2010-03-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

Entering the 'Idol Craze' last year, U-Kiss comes back with their first full length album and their new title song 'Bingeul Bingeul'. Alexander (22), Kevin (19), Eli (19), Kibum (20), Soohyun (21), Dongho (16), and Kiseop (19) come back, but this time with a stronger and deeper image. Even with their packed schedule, U-Kiss came with a smile on their faces and anxiously waiting for the interview to begin.

▶ Maknae Dongho Changed?
Dongho of U-Kiss is the first member to get noticed by many fans. With 'Invincible Baseball' and 'Quiz to Change the World', Dongho has received many interest and love towards netizens and fans. This couldn't hide the members' jealousy.

"Our song is known by many people now. From then, our popularity also began to rise. But no matter what, I think Dongho was a big help to this. Dongho began to change though after this..." (laughs) (Kevin).

As the members began to complain about this, Dongho responded, "Ah, what's wrong!"

"Dongho gained a lot of confidence and freedom. I found out Dongho's hobby was knitting after watching a TV show!" (laughs) (Soohyun).

Dongho responded, "Because I thought the hyungs would tease me, I secretly knitted without telling them. I don't think they know how relaxing this is!"

Dongho's face was brought up with a smile after talking about his singing parts. "For our last song I only had 12 words but for 'Bingeul Bingeul' I got more parts. I think this is the best thing ever!" (Dongho)

▶ Weird Sleeping Habits
The dorky 7 members are known to have unique habits. Because the members do not have a dorm, this can be seen as they sleep in the car.

"One of Eli's habit is that he goes to the restroom right after he eats! Also because we have so many members, there were a lot of times when we forgot about Eli when he was in the bathroom. This happened at least 3 times so everytime we get in the car, our manager would ask if Eli is in the car." (Kibum)

Baseball lover Dongho, also plays baseball in his dream. Kiseop revealed, "While he's sleeping in the car, there are times when Dongho will just suddenly move his hands as if he's throwing a ball."

Dongho responded to this, "It's frustrating because I can't throw right in my dream!"

▶ Soohyun's Rumor With 2AM's Jokwon
Recently, a picture of Soohyun and Jokwon that was released online stirred netizens. There were many talks about if these two idols were gay.

"I was a JYP trainee before. As everyone knows, Jokwon was a trainee for 8 years. We would talk about hard times and help each other out; that's how we became good friends. Kwonnie seems to be nicer now" (laughs) (Soohyun).

7 members also talked about what they wanted to do in the future.

"I want to get a CF love call!" (Kibum)
"I want to be featured in a girl group's song." (Soohyun)
"I want to be in a drama of a sitcom." (Eli)
"I want to gain some weight." (Alexander)

But what about Dongho? Dongho's older brother is 10 years older. "Because it's almost my dad's 60th birthday, I would like to make more money and buy him a house in the country side."

Source: 7kisses.ipbfree.com/index.php
Credits: IS Plus
Translations: masterpiece @ 7kisses

Alice in Wonderland Scores Record Opening for Burton

2010-03-07T05:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (Walt Disney Pictures) set a new benchmark for the director by grossing an estimated $41 million in a single day (including Thursday night midnights) in conventional, Digital 3D and IMAX 3D theaters.

It might just miss the Top 10 for opening days, but it's setting itself up to have the biggest March opening with roughly $110 to 115 million, leaving Zack Snyder's 300 in the dust. That would also make it the second biggest non-summer opening weekend record after The Twilight Saga: New Moon, as well as giving Burton his biggest opening of all time, which was previously held by the $68 million opening of his Planet of the Apes remake in 2001.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63979

Nominees for the 82nd Academy Awards

2010-03-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Actor in a Leading Role

* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)

* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

Foreign Language Film

* “Ajami” Israel
* “The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada)” Peru
* “A Prophet (Un Prophète)” France
* “The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)” Argentina
* “The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)” Germany

Makeup

* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)

* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Best Picture

* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
* “The Blind Side” Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Producers
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Short Film (Animated)

* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects

* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/82/nominees.html