Betty White, working actress into her 90s, dies just shy of her 100th birthday

Comedic actress Betty White, who capped a career of more than 80 years by becoming America's geriatric sweetheart after Emmy-winning roles on television sitcoms "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," has died less than 3 weeks shy of her 100th birthday, People magazine said on Friday, quoting her agent.

The agent, Jeff Witjas, told the magazine: "Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever." No cause was cited.

In a youth-driven entertainment industry where an actress over 40 faces career twilight, White was an elderly anomaly who was a star in her 60s and a pop culture phenomenon in her 80s and 90s.

Playing on her imminent likability, White was still starring in a TV sitcom, "Hot in Cleveland," at age 92 until it was canceled in late 2014.

White said her longevity was a result of good health, good fortune and loving her work.

"It's incredible that I'm still in this business and that you are still putting up with me," White said in an appearance at the 2018 Emmy Awards ceremony, where she was honored for her long career. "It's incredible that you can stay in a career this long and still have people put up with you. I wish they did that at home."

White was not afraid to mock herself and throw out a joke about her sex life or a snarky crack that one would not expect from a sweet-smiling, white-haired elderly woman. She was frequently asked if, after such a long career, there was anything she still wanted to do and the standard response was: "Robert Redford."

"Old age hasn’t diminished her," the New York Times wrote in 2013. "It has given her a second wind."

Minutes after news emerged of her death, US President Joe Biden told reporters: "That's a shame. She was a lovely lady." His wife, Jill Biden, said: "Who didn't love Betty White? We're so sad about her death.'

Betty Marion White was born on January 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois, and her family moved to Los Angeles during the Great Depression, where she attended Beverly Hills High School.

A DEBUT IN THE 1930S

White started her entertainment career in radio in the late 1930s and by 1939 had made her TV debut singing on an experimental channel in Los Angeles. After serving in the American Women's Voluntary Service, which helped the US effort during World War Two, she was a regular on "Hollywood on Television," a daily 5-hour live variety show, in 1949.

A few years later she became a pioneering woman in television by co-founding a production company and serving as a co-creator, producer and star of the 1950s sitcom "Life With Elizabeth."

Through the 1960s and early '70s White was seen regularly on television, hosting coverage of the annual Tournament of Rose Parade and appearing on game shows such as "Match Game" and "Password." She married "Password" host Allen Ludden, her third and final husband, in 1963.

White reached a new level of success on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," playing the host of a home-making television show, the snide, lusty Sue Ann Nivens, whose credo was "a woman who does a good job in the kitchen is sure to reap her rewards in other parts of the house." White won best-supporting actress Emmys for the role in 1975 and 1976.

She won another Emmy in 1986 for "The Golden Girls," a sitcom about four older women living together in Miami that featured an age demographic rarely highlighted on American television. White also was nominated for an Emmy six other times for her portrayal of the widowed Rose Nylund, a sweet, naive and ditzy Midwesterner, on the show, which ran from 1985 to 1992 and was one of the top-rated series of its time.

After a less successful sequel to "The Golden Girls" came a series of small movie parts, talk-show appearances and one-off television roles, including one that won her an Emmy for a guest appearance on "The John Larroquette Show."

By 2009 she was becoming ubiquitous with more frequent television appearances and a role in the Sandra Bullock film "The Proposal." She starred in a popular Snickers candy commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, taking a brutal hit in a mud puddle in a football game.

A young fan started a Facebook campaign to have White host "Saturday Night Live" and she ended up appearing in every sketch on the show and winning still another Emmy for it.

The Associated Press voted her entertainer of the year in 2010 and a 2011 Reuters/Ipsos poll found that White, then 89, was the most popular and trusted celebrity in America with an 86 percent favorability rating.

White's witty and brassy demeanor came in handy as host of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," a hidden-camera show in which elderly actors pulled pranks on younger people.

"Who would ever dream that I would not only be this healthy, but still be invited to work?" White said in a 2015 interview with Oprah Winfrey. "That's the privilege ... to still have jobs to do is such a privilege."

White, who had no children, worked for animal causes. She once turned down a role in the movie "As Good as It Gets" because of a scene in which a dog was thrown in a garbage chute. (Writing by Bill Trott; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Diane Craft and Howard Goller)

-reuters

Authorities search for ‘Glee’ star believed to have drowned

Authorities planned Friday to renew the search for “Glee” star Naya Rivera, who is believed to have drowned in a Southern California lake while boating with her 4-year-old son.

Rivera, 33, disappeared after renting the pontoon boat for three hours Wednesday afternoon and taking it out on Lake Piru in Ventura County, the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

The lake an hour’s drive from Los Angeles was searched by dozens of people, most of them divers, with help from helicopters, drones and all-terrain vehicles. The search to recover Rivera’s body continued into the night Thursday before ending for that day.

The area where the boat was found is about 30 feet (9 meters) deep. Murky waters heavy with plants made it difficult for divers to see more than about a foot ahead of them, sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Donoghue said Thursday.

“If the body is entangled on something beneath the water, it may never come back up,” Donoghue said.

Rivera played Santana Lopez, a singing cheerleader in 113 episodes of the musical-comedy “Glee,” which aired on Fox from 2009 until 2015. She also had recurring roles on “The Bernie Mac Show” and “The Royal Family.”

Rivera, a Los Angeles resident, had experience boating on the lake in Los Padres National Forest, Donoghue said.

Surveillance video taken at about 1 p.m. Wednesday shows Rivera and her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, leaving on the rented boat.

When the boat failed to return, its vendor found the vessel drifting in the northern end of the lake late Wednesday afternoon with the boy asleep on board. He told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming and he got back into the boat but she didn’t, according to a Sheriff’s Office statement.

The boy was wearing a life vest and another life jacket was found in the boat along with Rivera’s purse and identification.

Rivera is believed to have drowned “in what appears to be a tragic accident,” the statement said.

The boy, Rivera’s son from her marriage to actor Ryan Dorsey, was safe and healthy and with family members, authorities said. The couple finalized their divorce in June 2018 after nearly four years of marriage.

She called the boy, her only child, “my greatest success, and I will never do any better than him” in her 2016 memoir “Sorry Not Sorry.”

The most recent tweet on Rivera’s account, from Tuesday, read “just the two of us” along with a photo of her and her son.

It appeared increasingly likely she would become the third major cast member from the show to die in their 30s.


Co-star Mark Salling, who Rivera dated at one point, killed himself in 2018 at age 35 after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

Cory Monteith, one of the show’s leads, died at 31 in 2013 from a toxic mix of alcohol and heroin.

Rivera was engaged to rapper Big Sean in 2013, but their relationship ended a year later. The pair met on Twitter and collaborated musically, with the rapper appearing on Rivera’s debut single “Sorry.” She married Dorsey a few months later.

Associated Press

Cyber-bullied K-pop star found dead at her home

SEOUL, South Korea — A popular K-pop star who had long been the target of abusive online comments was found dead at her home Monday, South Korean police said.

The body of Sulli, a former member of top girl group f(x), was discovered by her manager at her home on the outskirts of the capital, Seoul.

Police said in a statement that the 25-year-old had been suffering from "severe depression".

The exact cause of her death was still under investigation.

South Korea has one of the world's highest rates of suicide which, according to recent government figures, is among the top causes of death for those under 40.

Sulli, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri, was known for her outspokenness and drive for women's rights, for which she had suffered online bullying and harassment.

She debuted in 2009 for f(x), which quickly became one of the top K-pop girl groups worldwide.

She suspended her career in 2014 after struggling with cyber-bullying and left the group a year later to focus on acting projects.

Sulli was active on social media and recently hosted a TV series where celebrities discussed their experiences with online abuse.

Her death sent shockwaves through the K-pop fan community.

"I always adored and respected you for your boldness. All I can say is rest in peace," a fan commented on Sulli's Instagram account.

"In heaven, you don't have to act strong or pretend everything is okay," another fan said. "I hope you will only think about yourself there."

source: philstar.com

Kim Kardashian takes Instagram crown with record 45 million followers

LOS ANGELES | Reality television star Kim Kardashian is now more than ever the queen of social media, announcing Wednesday that her Instagram account has a record 45 million followers.

“45 million Instagram followers!!!!! I love you guys!!!!!” Kardashian informed those same followers, captioning a selfie of a sidelong smile and copious cleavage.

With that tally, the star of “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and wife of rapper Kanye West now has more followers than any other Instagram user.

Pop stars Taylor Swift and Beyonce are close behind at 44.7 million and 44.6 million, respectively, and two other pop stars, Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, round out the top five.

Instagram, acquired by Facebook in 2012, is a platform for users to share photos, with little emphasis on text, a format that may be particularly well-suited to Kardashian’s particular self-promotion genius.

A photo of newlyweds Kardashian and West kissing at their wedding, posted to her account last year, became the most “liked” photo on Instagram before being surpassed by a photo on the account of her younger half-sister, Kendall Jenner, earlier this summer.

Kardashian still has plenty of room for improvement on less photo-centric social media; Katy Perry leads all Twitter users with 74.8 million followers, while Kardashian has a mere 34.9 million.

source: interaksyon.com

Kate Winslet honored with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

LOS ANGELES | Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet was honored with a star on the storied Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday — hours after an earthquake jolted Tinseltown awake.

The “Titanic” star joked that the pre-dawn 4.4 magnitude quake, which was felt strongly across the Los Angeles area, occurred just as she was getting ready with a breast pump for her three-month old son.

“I had no idea that this was going to be such a well attended event,” she said, referring to the quake as she accepted the honor on Hollywood Boulevard, noting that the shaker “frightened me quite a lot actually.”

The 38-year-old Brit said she headed for a nearby doorway, said to be a safe place in the event of a quake, “with my breast pump in my hand”.

Winslet had a baby boy in December with new husband Ned RocknRoll. She already has a daughter, Mia Honey, with first husband Jim Threapleton and a son, Joe Alfie, with Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.

Winslet has been nominated six times for Oscars, including for her role alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in 1998′s “Titanic,” finally winning in 2009 for playing a Nazi concentration camp guard in “The Reader.”

At Monday’s Hollywood ceremony, local councillor Mitch O’Farrell also quipped about the quake, saying: “The ground in Los Angeles literally shook in anticipation of Kate Winslet’s star today.

The British actress’s “Titanic” cast-mate Kathy Bates meanwhile made a more earthy joke, about the famous stars which honor generations of celebrities along a stretch of tourist-thronged Hollywood sidewalk.

“You deserve to have stars strewn at your feet,” she said.

“Even though stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame sometimes get a little dirty with a little poo or whatever, what will last is your wonderful beautiful films, characters that you’ve played that have stolen our hearts.

“Nobody can ever poo on those.”

source: interaksyon.com

Alice Dixson says showing skin at 44 ‘part of taking my career to a different level’

Alice Dixson says the secret to anything is just being happy.

“When you’re happy with what you’re doing, happy with your family life, it will show,” she told InterAksyon during a recent photo shoot for an upcoming issue of a popular magazine.

The shoot also highlights what “For Love or Money” co-star Derek Ramsay fittingly describes as “a better body than most teenagers”. When asked what her secret is for staying fit, the 44-year old actress said there’s really no secret.


“For me, it’s just being active. Just enjoy what you do, drink lots of water, get a lot of sleep, eat a lot of good food,” she replied.

“In terms of fitness, I do a lot of different things. Archery is one of them. I also used to do horseback riding. I’ve been diving for quite a while and recently, somebody told me how to wakeboard, so nakakatayo na ‘ko. Introduction to new things is always good for the soul,” she added.

While her flattering figure has something to do with why Alice is showing a little more skin on TV, film and photo shoots these days, it’s also because she admits to being more confident about herself these days.

“I’ve been very shy and conservative in the past but lately I’ve realized I’m not a teenager anymore. The roles that I accept have a certain level of maturity and I don’t find going sexy is something that I should be shy about anymore,” she pointed out.

Alice also thinks that doing these things is a good example to women who belong to her age bracket.

“Women of my age should be proud that we can maintain our fitness to a certain degree. By showing what I have, I thought I can be a good example for women of my age to exercise, to keep fit and stay healthy”.

And yes, she insists she’s just really happy these days. When asked if that happiness includes dating since she is very much an eligible bachelorette once again, Alice first giggled and laughed before turning serious and answering in the negative.

“I’m not really looking, I think that thing will just come and surprise you. Wala, hindi ako naghahanap ngayon,” she stressed. I’m really happy now and enjoying simple joys. Tahimik ang buhay ko and I hope it stays that way.”

There are two things that are putting a big smile on Alice’s face these days. One is the positive feedback she’s been getting for her performance in “For Love or Money”, the weekly drama series on TV5 that she topbills along with Derek Ramsay and Ritz Azul.

Everybody has been tweeting me really good comments. They say it’s their second favorite show of mine after ‘Babaeng Hampaslupa’. Our bosses at TV5 have all expressed their contentment about the show. I heard one of the bosses say that our show is very outstanding. Everybody from our director to the production staff to the artists are very happy with how people have received us,” she enthused.

Alice said she’s astonished that many found her portrayal of wealthy millionaire Kristine Almonte so effective that she is now referred to by the name of her character in social media posts.

“Most of the tweets are actually for Kristine, not me. They say Kristine is really gorgeous and sexy in their tweets and they just tag Alice Dixson in their tweets. They also refer to Derek as his character Edward so I’m glad people could relate to our characters.”

Do these same people think she is actually that rich? Alice said she does get that impression as the show has also attracted some unlikely viewers in only its second month on the air.




“I actually have a couple of Chinese friends who own large companies here in the Philippines and never really watch TV. But they’ve been watching ‘For Love or Money’ and they’re asking me why I have to offer P10 million to Derek. Everybody else has their own comments about the show and I’m happy that the people talking about our show are not just your usual viewers,” she noted.

The other thing Alice is excited about is her new film, “When the Love is Gone”, which marks her first dramatic lead role on the big screen since 1999’s “Ganito Ako Magmahal”.

Although the film is an acknowledged remake of Danny Zialcita’s “Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi”, Alice said the script is actually different from the original.

“The theme is similar but it’s really not the same. I now consider it as one of my favorite films and that’s a big thing considering I’ve done so many films,” she exclaimed.

One thing that the remake retained from its original source is the witty dialogue that Zialcita’s films were known for. This include the famous line, “Nandiyan ba ang asawa ko na asawa mo na asawa ng boung bayan?” immortalized by Laurice Guillen which Alice gets to deliver in the new version.

As firsts go, 2013 has seen a lot from Alice Dixson: the first time she wore a two-piece bikini in a TV show, her first ever sexy photo shoot, her first time to have numerous kissing scenes again (mostly with Derek) in a long time. The actress said it’s all part of taking her career to a different level.

“I have to be open to doing new things so yeah, people can expect more different and new things from me,” she concluded.

source: interaksyon.com

Sofia Vergara highest paid actress on US television, again: Forbes

NEW YORK | Sofia Vergara of ABC’s successful TV comedy “Modern Family” is the highest-paid actress on U.S. television for the second consecutive year with estimated earnings of $30 million, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

The voluptuous Colombian-born actress easily surpassed Emmy and Golden Globe-winner Mariska Hargitay of NBC’s “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and Kaley Cuoco, a star of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory,” who both tied for second with $11 million.

“As the reigning queen of celebrity endorsement deals (thanks largely to her bilingual portfolio), Vergara’s earnings over the past year reached $30 million — making her far and away the highest-paid actress on prime time,” Forbes.com said.

Vergara, 41, has clothing and home goods lines sold at Sears Holding Corp’s retailer Kmart and lucrative endorsement deals with PepsiCo Inc’s Diet Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble Co’s CoverGirl and others.

Sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian of the E! cable reality series “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” shared the No. 4 spot with earnings of $10 million each along with three other women, including Melissa McCarthy of CBS’s “Mike & Molly.”

McCarthy scored a hit on the big screen in “Bridesmaids,” a film that grossed about $288 million at the global box office, and in “The Heat” with Sandra Bullock.

Like Vergara, the Kardashian sisters have a clothing line and other licensing deals.

Forbes compiled the list by estimating earnings for the year to June 2013 from the actresses’ TV work, endorsements, residuals and advertising work, and by talking to agents, managers and lawyers.

Amy Poehler, a first timer on the list, was No. 13. The “Parks & Recreation” star earned $7 million and also signed a book deal.

Forbes estimated that the top 20 actresses and reality stars earned a combined total of $183 million.

The complete list can be found at Forbes.com

source: interaksyon.com

Lindsay Lohan: Pregnant, or April Fools' Joke?

Is she pregnant, or only joking?

"Its official. Pregnant…" Lindsay Lohan wrote on Twitter overnight, although the timing of the announcement was certainly suspicious.

If it was an April Fools' joke, it was a late one, posted after midnight ET. Then again, lateness is a Lohan specialty – she was an hour tardy to her crucial court hearing last month, and also missed her flight back to the U.S. from Brazil on Monday.

If it's not a joke and she is indeed expecting, the actress, 26, will be in for an unusual first few months of pregnancy.

She's been ordered to serve 90 days in a rehab center under lock and key – and undergo psychotherapy and perform community service – after pleading no contest to reckless driving and lying to police last June, when she crashed her Porsche.

source: people.com

Judge refuses to dismiss car crash charges against Lindsay Lohan

LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles judge refused on Friday to dismiss the reckless driving and obstruction case against actress Lindsay Lohan and said the "Mean Girls" star would stand trial later this month in connection with her 2012 car crash.

Lohan, 26, was charged with reckless driving, lying to police and obstructing police - all misdemeanors - after her Porsche luxury sports car smashed into a truck on June 8, 2012, in Santa Monica, California.

The actress, who has been in out of trouble since 2007 and had her probation revoked for a 2011 theft in which she pleaded no contest, told police she was not driving the car at the time of the accident. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At a brief hearing on Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Dabney rejected defense lawyer Mark Heller's argument that Lohan was unlawfully questioned by police following the 2012 car crash.

The judge also refused Heller's request that Lohan's trial be pushed back to the first week of April. Lohan, who was not present at the hearing, will stand trial as scheduled on March 18, Dabney ruled.

The actress faces three months to a year in jail on each misdemeanor charge if convicted, though a prison sentence is seen as unlikely in the case. Lohan also could go to jail if she is found to have violated the terms of her probation.

Earlier this week Heller told reporters that Lohan had started a new round of psychotherapy and wanted to give inspirational speeches to school kids in a bid to turn her life around.

source: interaksyon.com

Netizens believe Anne Curtis had no undies in birthday number on ‘ASAP’

The online discussions regarding the show-stopping number by Anne Curtis on “ASAP 18” on Sunday have already shifted from the obvious question of whether or not she was wearing any underwear underneath the high-slit black gown she wore on her production number of Rihanna’s “Diamonds”.

Although many have given their thumbs up to the sizzling song number, not a few people were left wondering if the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board should step in and impose the same sanctions they had imposed on “Party Pilipinas” early this month.

When he first assumed the position of MTRCB chairman last October, Atty. Eugenio “Toto” Villareal told InterAksyon that the regulatory body is very strict when it conducts the post-telecast reviews of live shows. “If there are violations then there will be sanctions but due process is always strictly observed in such cases,” he vowed.

In the case of “Party Pilipinas”, the MTRCB found enough grounds to place the show on a six-month probation following a “sexually charged” dance number on its January 27 broadcast in which Lovi Poe and Rocco Nacino simulated the sex act on a propped-up bed and also while suspended by a mobile harness several feet above the stage.

While Anne Curtis’ number is not exactly in the same league, it was nonetheless quite provocative as she also got drenched in fake rain showers towards the end of the song. All throughout, the birthday girl had her fans wondering if all she had under her gown was her birthday suit.

And for a second after she finished the song — at the 3:19 mark on the YouTube video supplied by ABS-CBN News — the absence of underwear appeared to have been laid bare for all to see… or not.

Many fans believe she did go commando, although at least one Facebook user, Eric John Silva, thought she was wearing “see-through leggings with her stockings on”.

“Daring naman lagi si Anne,” noted Twitter user Mac Chan KARO. Back in 2010, Anne had what fans called a “swimsuit malfunction” that resulted in an equally controversial “nipple slip” in another production number for “ASAP” that took place in Boracay.

source: interaksyon.com

John Prats stages golf invitational, admits dating Isabel Oli

John Prats is in love.

And it’s not just with Isabel Oli, the actress he admits he is currently dating but also with the game of golf, of which he has become an avid enthusiast.

“Si Zanjoe Marudo ang unang nag-encourage sa ‘kin ng sport na ito. At first, akala ko boring siya pero the more I played it, the more I was challenged by it. Nung nagsisiumula pa lang ako, sa driving range muna kasama ko si Jayson Gainza. Then later, before I knew it, we were already playing on the fairways at least once a week,” the 29-year old actor slash comedian confessed during the press conference for the 1st John Prats Cup Golf Tournament Friday.

Happening on February 22, 2013 at the Eastridge Golf and Country Club, the tournament is designed to be a charity sports event, the proceeds of which will go to the rehabilitation of the Holy Trinity Parish in Cainta, Rizal, as well as the Kanlungan ni Maria, a residential institution for the aged.

Having invited his friends from in and out of showbiz, including Ariel Rivera, Smokey Manaloto, Ogie Alcasid, Sam Milby, Bea Alonzo and sister Camille Prats, John expects the invitational will be an auspicious gathering of fellow celebrity golfers, corporate personalities and distinguished names from local government.

“I also invited everyone from my TV show, ‘Banana Split’ but the general public and pretty much everyone is welcome to participate,” he stressed. “There is an entrance fee of P2,000 per player for those who want to join.”

Asked if actor Derek Ramsay, who is also known to be a close friend of his is invited, John answered in the affirmative.

“Yes, I invited Derek but I don’t he could make it that day because he has a taping for ‘Kidlat’. Sayang nga eh,” he replied.

John acknowledges that comparisons with the celebrated Goma Cup celebrity golf tournaments organized by Richard Gomez are inevitable. But while his own invitational golffest is nowhere near the magnitude of the Goma Cup, which incidentally has not been heard from for quite a while, John said he is hoping that his tournament will eventually pick up where the former left off.

“It’s too early to say whether puwede na kaming ikumpara sa Goma Cup, but I do hope I can organize this again next year depending on the response and the number of participants that sign up for this initial endeavor,” he added.

As to whether Isabel Oli and all his other ex-girlfriends, including Shaina Magdayao, Heart Evangelista and Bianca Manalo, are also invited to play in the tournament, John smiled and said he doesn’t think any of them actually plays golf.

“Isabel will be there, though but she won’t play,” he quipped.

With the subject shifting to his lovelife, John was asked if he ever had awkward moments with his exes given that they all belong to the same industry and eventually bump into each other from time to time.

“Oo naman, lalo na pag kaka-break up pa lang. But eventually we ended up becoming friends, and we make it a point to at least say hello and make small talk ‘pag nagkikita sa mga shows. Si Heart medyo last year lang kami ulit naging okay but since sabay kami ng birthday (February 14) we do make it a point to greet each other kahit via text,” the actor revealed.

Speaking of his birthday, did he celebrate it with Isabel?

“I actually celebrated it with my family. But Isabel was there and brought Lechon Cebu na napakasarap. The family likes her so wala naman kaming problema so far,” he enthused.

So aside from the fact that she is drop dead gorgeous, what is it exactly that John likes about Isabel?

“She’s a simple girl, mabait and more importantly, family-oriented,” he quipped. “And as far as having a family goes, my dad in particular is already pressuring me to have one, especially kids. So that is also what I’m preparing myself for.”

source: interaksyon.com

Barbra Streisand to sing again at Oscars after 36 years

NEW YORK – Actress, singer and director Barbra Streisand may be a familiar figure at Hollywood’s Oscars, but she has only sung on the annual awards show once.

Streisand will perform again at the Academy Awards on February 24, producers said on Wednesday, without providing details about how her appearance would fit into the show or what she might sing.

Streisand, 70, has won two Oscars, one for best actress in “Funny Girl” and another for best original song, “Evergreen” from her 1976 vehicle “A Star Is Born.” Her performance of the song at the 1977 Oscars show was her only previous onstage stint at Hollywood’s biggest night.

“In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music, how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand?” producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a statement. “We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year’s Oscars.”

Streisand has also been nominated for several Oscars, including for best actress in “The Way We Were” and as producer for best picture nominee “The Prince of Tides.”

Most recently she co-starred with Seth Rogen in “The Guilt Trip,” a Christmas 2012 release.

Earlier this month, the Film Society of Lincoln Center announced that Streisand would be this year’s recipient of its annual Chaplin Award, a prestigious honor recognizing achievement in film.

The Oscars will be presented at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, hosted by Seth MacFarlane and broadcast live on ABC as well as in more than 225 countries worldwide.

source: interaksyon.com

Ang Lee mulls directing Angelina Jolie in historical epic ‘Cleopatra’

TAIPEI – Oscar-winning director Ang Lee said Saturday he will “probably” accept an offer to direct historical epic “Cleopatra” starring Angelina Jolie, after the Hollywood actress wrote to him asking him to come on board.

Lee, whose 3D adventure “Life of Pi” has earned 11 Oscar nominations, said he would read the script before making a decision but the project was “very attractive”.

“Sony has asked me to shoot the movie and Angelina Jolie wrote to me to express her wishes to collaborate. We admire each other… the project looks very attractive,” the Taiwanese-American told reporters in Taipei.

“It’s a big-budget movie so I am carefully evaluating it … this is a rare opportunity and I will probably take it.”

Lee returned to his birth place over the weekend to celebrate after “Life of Pie” earned 11 Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director.

The movie, based on the novel by Yann Martel about about an Indian boy cast adrift with a Bengal tiger, has become Lee’s highest-grossing film ever with more than $450 in global box office sales, according to 20th Century Fox.

About 70 percent of the movie was shot in Taiwan, including at a now-abandoned airport in the center of the country where Lee’s team built a specially designed wave-generating tank.

Asked if he plans to cast his son Mason Lee, who starred in “The Hangover Part II”, in his future projects, Lee joked that he would rather not “torture” his kin.

“He likes acting and I give him my blessings… I am tough on actors but it’s difficult to be tough on your own son and it’d be an unnecessary torture for us. I’d rather torture other people’s kids.”

The filmmaker, who is based in New York, was hailed as the “glory of Taiwan” after becoming the first Asian to win a best director Oscar for his gay cowboy drama “Brokeback Mountain” in 2007.

source: interaksyon.com

Emma Watson Is a Perfectionist

Emma Watson accepts nothing but the best.

The actress, 22, thanks her parents for the "very strong work ethics" they introduced to her in life.

"[They taught me to have] a love and respect for what you do, and [take] pride in it," she says in the U.K. edition of Marie Claire's February issue.

But Watson admits there's a little downside to having such strong drive.

"This is sort of irritating at times – I'm a bit OCD about perfectionism," she says. "I'm my own worst critic. I think that's really hard, but it also spurs me on. I always want to do better. I'm always striving towards the next thing."

But with maturity and experience, the actress has learned not to be as hard on herself.

"Now I feel a lot more settled in who I am and what I think and how I want to do things," Watson says. "And because I feel good about what I am doing, I don't need anyone else to say whether they think it's good or not. I think that comes with age, which is nice."

Even so, she doesn't stop creating goals.

"I always have the same New Year's resolution: to speak French fluently," she says. "I get a huge wave of nostalgia when I come into the Gare du Nord [railway]. There's such an emphasis on culture, art and music. And I'll do anything for a warm baguette."

source: people.com

At 43, Alice Dixson can still make audiences feel it

As a licensed realtor based in the British Columbia in Canada, Alice Dixson was living a peaceful, quiet and financially secure life after she had been last seen on GMA’s “Darna” in 2005.

Then in 2011, the  former Binibining Pilipinas-International got an offer from TV5 to play the pivotal role of lawyer Diana Wong a.k.a. Anastasia See in the surprise hit teleserye “Babaeng Hampaslupa”.

And just like that, everything changed for the Filipina-American actress best known for such memorable films as “Dyesebel”, “My Other Woman” and “Okay Ka Fairy Ko”.

“Naging sunod-sunod na ang projects ko after that. There was ‘Glamorosa’, ‘Isang Dakot Na Luha’, ‘Enchanted Garden’ and now, ‘Never Say Goodbye’ where I play Sophie Albert’s mother. Hindi na ko binitawan ng TV5”, she enthused.

And no one is more surprised with all of these pleasant developments than the 43-year-old actress herself.

“Nagulat talaga ako. I never expected to be this busy at this stage of my career. I’ve been very lucky but while my realty business is still doing fine, I had to let go of some of my work there to concentrate on my projects here.”

Alice said she’s very much enjoying her work right now and does not mind supporting the Kapatid network’s up and coming talents.

“We haven’t started taping for ‘Never Say Goodbye’ so I don’t have any experience yet with Sophie and Vin but with Alex Gonzaga in ‘Babaeng Hampaslupa’, she really worked very hard there, and I think it’s a good attitude for these young talents to develop. Ang daming puwedeng pumalit sa kanila pag hindi nila minahal ang trabahong ito,” Alice pointed out.

As for seasoned actors and actresses like her, Cesar Montano, Gardo Verzosa and the one and only superstar Ms. Nora Aunor playing the parents of the “Artista Academy” top winners, Alice thinks it’s a good thing for both Sophie and Vin to work with as many experienced thespians as possible.

“Maganda ito, lalo na nagsisimula pa lang ang mga showbiz careers nila. Sana tuloy-tuloy na ito for them,” she added.





Still one of the most beautiful faces in the business, Alice has also wisely used her celebrity to further her personal advocacy.

Last August, she surprised the members of the entertainment press when she arrived at the press conference of “Enchanted Garden” wearing a black t-shirt that said “Fuck cancer” as part of her support against cancer awareness.

She said that while there is no surefire way of avoiding cancer, regular check-ups and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can certainly help.

Among the many films that she did, some of which now makes her cringe when she watches them on cable TV, she nonetheless cites Mel Chionglo’s “Dysebel” and Maryo J. Delos Reyes’ “My Other Woman” as two of her favorites.

“I also liked ‘Isang Araw Walang Diyos’ directed by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes, ‘Sana Dalawa Ang Puso Ko’ directed by Laurice Guillen and ‘Walang Matigas Na Tinapay Sa Mainit na Kape’ directed by Tony Cruz which was memorable because it was also an FPJ film,” she enthused.

As memorable performances go, Alice Dixson is probably also best remembered for the classic Palmolive soap commercial she made way back in 1987. Yes, the one where she exuberantly sang that unforgettable catch phrase, “I can feel it!”

“You know what? Advertising directors still refer to that commercial as some kind of a benchmark for what they consider as a good commercial. It should be as good daw as ‘I Can Feel It’. Well, it is certainly one of the most memorable things that I’ve ever done in my life,” she conceded.

source: interaksyon.com

New York court date in Lindsay Lohan car accident case cancelled

NEW YORK - Embattled U.S. actress Lindsay Lohan appears to be off the hook after being arrested for leaving the scene of an accident last month when her Porsche allegedly clipped a pedestrian in an alley behind an upscale Manhattan hotel.

New York prosecutors said Lohan's scheduled court appearance on Tuesday had been cancelled. No future court date was scheduled, an indication the district attorney has decided not to move forward with the case.

"Apparently prosecutors agreed that there wasn't enough to proceed." said Lohan's spokesman, Steve Honig. "This turned out to be nothing just like we said from the very beginning."

The 26-year-old actress, who has been in and out of court, rehab and prison since a 2007 drunk driving arrest in Los Angeles, was charged on Sept. 19 with a misdemeanor after a man said he had been hit by the actress' car behind the Dream hotel.

Police issued Lohan a ticket with a court date of Oct. 23.

A spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment on why the case against the "Mean Girls" actress was not moving ahead.

A week after the incident in New York, Lohan reportedly got into a public spat with a man who she said refused to delete pictures he had taken of her from his phone. She claimed the man assaulted her, but charges were later dropped.

Earlier this month, police on Long Island responded to an early-morning 911 call about a verbal dispute involving Lohan and her mother, Dina, but made no arrests, a spokeswoman for the Nassau County police said.

Lohan remains on probation in California until 2014 in connection with a jewelry theft case. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Audra McDonald Is Married

Actress Audra McDonald is a married woman. On Saturday night, the former Private Practice actress exchanged vows in an Esosa dress with Broadway star Will Swenson at their home in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.

Both Broadway veterans, the two met in 2007 and got engaged this past New Year's while on vacation in Puerto Rico.

"Well that was just the best day ever #SadieSadiemarriedlady," McDonald, 42, Tweeted late Saturday.

This is the second marriage for McDonald, 42, and Swenson, 38, who have children with their former spouses. McDonald is mother to one daughter, Zoe Madeline, 11, and Swenson is father to two sons, Bridger, 11, and Sawyer, 8. The couple tells PEOPLE that they look forward to their new life together as husband, wife and "wee posse of three."

After four seasons playing Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC's hit medical drama Private Practice, McDonald returned to Broadway in January of this year, starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. The show recently completed a historic 322-performance run. For her portrayal of Bess, the Juilliard-trained singer and actress won a record-tying fifth Tony, placing her in the illustrious company of Broadway legends Julie Harris and Angela Lansbury as the only people in Tony history to win five performance awards.

Will Swenson was most recently seen as Tick in the critically acclaimed Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. He is currently in rehearsals for Manhattan Theatre Club's Murder Ballad, a new rock musical opening on Nov. 15 at City Center Stage II.

source: people.com

Selena Gomez Shows Off Her Newest Tattoo, Roman Numerals

Just like her boyfriend Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez is also a tattoo enthusiast. Her newest tattoo was carved by Bang Bang when she visited New York City. It took only 20 minutes for him to carve the tattoo, and Selena was pleased with the work. Her tattoo is Roman Numerals LXXVI, which is 76 in latin.

After finishing the tattoo, he took a photograph of her new body ink and another photo of him posing with the young star. In the photograph, her skin was still slightly red and bruised as the effect of the tattooing process. It was rumored that she visited him on recommendation from her "Spring Breakers" co-star Vanessa Hudgens, who also got her butterfly neck tattoo from him.


Bang Bang commented, "Selena was nervous it might have been painful, so she held her best friend's hand the whole time. But she did a great job." When asked about the meaning of number 76, he replied, "The tattoo was a tribute to a family member who she said means a lot to her." So far, the 20 year-old artist never explained who the person was.

This is Selena's second tattoo. Her first one is a small musical note on her wrist, which was carved by Louie Gomez. She wanted it to be a small one because she was still afraid to deal with the pain. Due to its size, the tattoo was often mistaken as a heart by many people. "It's a music note. Everybody thought it was a heart, but it's a little music note," she said to clarify the people who misunderstood the tattoo pattern.

Selena got the music note tattooed to represent her love of music. "I was named after a singer and music obviously is a big influence for me. And there's music stuff with my mom that means a lot to me, too," she explained about her first design. However, on February 2012, she claimed that she was done with tattoos.

source:  aceshowbiz.com

Lindsay Lohan assaulted in New York hotel, man arrested

NEW YORK – Actress Lindsay Lohan was attacked by a man in a New York hotel on Sunday, her spokesman said, in what media reports described as a scuffle over her demands that photos of her be deleted from his cellphone.

Lohan suffered minor injuries following the Sunday morning attack, spokesman Steve Honig said in a statement.

Her assailant was arrested, Honig said. A spokeswoman for the New York City Police Department did not immediately comment.

Celebrity website TMZ.com, citing sources close to the actress, identified the attacker as a man Lohan met at a New York nightclub.

The two began arguing in Lohan’s hotel room after she noticed he was taking pictures of her with his cellphone, TMZ and E! News reported.

Lohan told police the man threw her to the ground, climbed on top of her and tried to choke her before someone else pulled him off, TMZ said.

Honig declined comment on the media reports.

The 26-year-old actress, who has been in and out of court, rehab and prison in recent years, was arrested in New York last week after a pedestrian told police that her car struck him in an alley. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, a misdemeanor.

source: interaksyon.com

Anne Curtis meets SMC boss Ramon Ang, finds him ‘very humble’

Anne Curtis made a courtesy call to San Miguel Corporation president and COO Ramon Ang on Friday morning two days before her scheduled appearance as the muse of the San Mig Coffee Mixers at the PBA opening ceremonies on Sunday.

“Was finally able to meet Business Tycoon Ramon Ang today alongside the San Miguel Coffee players. For a man of such power he is very humble,” the actress posted on her Facebook and Twitter accounts.

This was preceded by this message: “Now rushing to Shoooooowtime! Time for more coffee para todo listo!!!!”

The “It’s Showtime” co-host recently added San Migue Coffee Super Packs to her portfolio of product endorsements. She is also the image model for two other San Miguel products, GSM Blue and Magnolia Health Drinks.



She was also the muse of Barangay Ginebra during one of the PBA opening ceremonies in 2010.

The 27-year-old, labeled by fans as the National Sweetheart and Princess of All Media, has lost count of her brand ambassadorships.

“I’m not sure. Siguro around 25 na. Around that number siguro,” she said during the media conference for San Mig Coffee two weeks ago.

“It’s another blessing na dumating sa akin. It only means na I did something good na naman. I’m happy to endorse this new product because, basically, coffee drinker ako,” she noted.

Anne was named Best Actress at the FAMAS Awards on Tuesday for her performance in last year’s blockbuster hit “No Other Woman”.

The follow-up film that  reunites her with leading man Derek Ramsey, “A Secret Affair”, will open next month in theaters nationwide.

source: interaksyon.com