HOLLYWOOD UPDATES
Is Lorne Michaels Masterminding the Feud Between Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor?
We haven't heard much in the way of Sinead O'Connor in the past decade. Her name still inspires recollection of the 1992 Saturday Night Live performance that saw her tear up a photograph of then-active Pope John Paul II while singing the line "Fight the real enemy" during a rendition of her popular number "War." Over 20 years and half a dozen albums later and O'Connor is still unable to escape the looming shadow of this '92 controversy.
But is this just the converged potencies of nostalgia and celebrity scandals? Or is there something foul going on behind the curtains?
O'Connor's name is bound to come up in the same conversation as Saturday Night Live again this weekend, but for an entirely different reason. On Saturday, Miley Cyrus will take to the Studio 8H stage, hosting the variety program following a ganglion of her own volatile buzz — the lasting result of her VMAs performance and every bit of public attention she has received thereafter. This week in particular, Cyrus found herself the focus of an open letter penned by none other than O'Connor, who pointed out the error in the young music artist's conduct. After a hostile response by Cyrus, O'Connor was driven to lashing out with a more decided venom, providing those adhered to the gossip headlines a feud more than worthy of replacing the newly dissipated enmity between Drake and Chris Brown.
But the timing is interesting. Miley's VMAs performance took place at the end of August. Her "Wrecking Ball" video came out in early September. Why then, on Oct. 2, would O'Connor first decide to write an essay expressing to Cyrus the criminal behaviors of the music industry and pleading with her to distance herself from their grasp? Because this week is Cyrus' Saturday Night Live gig.
Thanks to the buzz-factor of the 20-year-old host, there are bound to be a handful of viewers tuning into this weekend's broadcast of the NBC tentpole. Not to see her music, not to see her comedy, but to see her shenanigans. To see what crazy stunt she'll pull next. And artists of integrity though they may be, it would behoove the minds behind SNL to make sure that Miley doesn't disappoint. That's why SNL top banana Lorne Michaels is calling in the big guns: O'Connor, whose papal debacle was the most brazen, talk-worthy thing to come out of the show since that first utterance of "Jane, you ignorant slut."
Perhaps Michaels has masterminded this O'Connor/Cyrus feud in order to recreate the same high-profile controversy his show saw back in '92 — Miley ripping a photo of Sinead, of Madonna (who lambasted the performance one week later) taking Cyrus' side, or perhaps of O'Connor herself showing up to proverbially duke it out with the youthful twerker in the second hour of the show.
And as for O'Connor, maybe this is her chance to be free, once and for all, from these connotations. To pass the torch to Miley — to allow her to claim the title of "that girl who did that crazy thing on SNL that time." And Miley... well, we're sure she's in no way averse to this additional spike in buzz. So it's a win-win-win for Miley, Sinead, and good ol' Lorne.
Oh, Lorne. You dog, you.
Shirtless Aaron Eckhart Is What Passes for Monstrous in 'I, Frankenstein' Trailer
Maybe we're a bunch of crotchety old people, but the new trailer for I, Frankenstein, looks nothing like the 19th century gothic horror classic that we all pretended to read in high school. We certainly don’t remember Frankenstein's monster surfing on top subway trains (or maybe that Sparknotes summary had more holes than we thought).
At least there's a logical reason for these disparities: I, Frankenstein draws from the graphic novel that it's based on rather than Mary Shelley's original novel. Kevin Grevioux, the author of the graphic novel, also wrote the screenplay for the film.
This continuation of the Frankenstein lore features a handsomely scarred Aaron Eckhart, stitched together with various parts of murdered Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue models, fighting off gargoyle monsters that explode into fiery tendrils. He also found time, in between the monster vanquishing to go to the nearest Hot Topic and buy the perfect hoodie that symbolizes all of his immortal angst. One that he takes off quite frequently to show off that hot bod.
Nina Dobrev Gets Naked for Obamacare
Nina Dobrev is the latest celeb to join the #GetCovered movement. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Healthcare.gov launched the health insurance marketplace that, under the Afforable Care Act will provide health insurance to everyone who needs it. The administration launched the site despite the government shutdown that was perpetrated by the Republican Party's efforts to slow down the health care laws.
When the marketplace opened on Tuesday, social media sites lit up with pictures and tweets from celebs who urged young people to #GetCovered. Stars like Kerry Washington, Olivia Wilde, Connie Britton, Emily Van Camp, Pharell, and Sophia Bush collectively pushed for Obamacare by posting these photos and tweets.
John Legend kickstarted the movement on Tuesday with the tweet:
Talent often runs in the family -- just ask the Jacksons (maybe not LaToya) -- and so it comes as no surprise that many celebrities also have siblings who share their aspirations in entertainment. While some successfully strike out on their own like Solange Knowles, others stay perpetually in the shadows of their sibling's success. So what new faces have recently emerged from some famous family trees?
Briana Cuoco
The little sis of the The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco recently made headlines after she won her audition for The Voice. The aspiring singer was currently working as Cuoco's personal assistant, but given the tears Kaley shed during the audition, the two are clearly close. Briana has also made bit appearances on The Mentalist and The Big Bang Theory thanks to her family connection, but we'll have to wait and see if she can survive on The Voice on her own musical merit.
Ashley Horn
In the ultimate case of Single White Female, Lindsay Lohan's half-sister has recently clawed her way into the media spotlight after it was revealed she underwent plastic surgery five times to resemble her sister. The formerly fresh-faced 18 year-old now resembles more a sad Cabbage Patch kid than her famous sibling. As if this family wasn't dysfunctional enough, Horn only recently learned of her status as the love child of Michael Lohan after he took a paternity test on a daytime talk show in 2012. Something tells us Lohan didn't do a victory dance
Sandra Vergara
Sharing the same surname and bewitching beauty as her famous sister, Sofia Vergara, this up and coming actress has already cemented her sex-symbol status by appearing on the cover of Maxim. While technically not Sofia's biological sister, Sandra is her first cousin and was adopted by Sofia's parents when she was a month old. While she won't be appearing on Pepsi billboards anytime soon, Sandra has landed small rolls on CSI: Miami, the film Fright Night and a recurring role in The Bold and the Beautiful.
Gemma Styles
It's often the younger sibling who wants to follow in their famous brother or sister's footsteps, but for Gemma Styles (older sister of One Direction's Harry Styles) — she was a late bloomer. Gemma shares her brother's passion for music and allegedly already has a demo in the bag with an album soon to follow. Her brother is very supportive and the two share a close relationship (he does have her name tattooed on his arm). Plus it doesn't hurt to have a built-in, rabid fan base at your disposal.
Alex Watson
True sibling rivalry is when you share a Burberry modeling campaign, play a friendly game of polo in the English countryside and calorie-count your biscuits together. Well, the first part is true for Alex Watson, the smoldering hot and professional model brother of Emma Watson. He pals around with Malfoy, walks the red carpet and looks sexy with his hair pushed back — he's already well on his way to continuing the family tradition.
Reese Witherspoon to Star in 'Happily Ever After,' a Disney Princess Story 10 Years Past the Magic
In the hands of an increasingly self-aware media, the traditional fairy tale romance has come under fire in the past couple of decades. The genre has earned a wealth of criticism that includes accusations of instilling limiting female role models and harmfully unrealistic illustrations of relationships. As such, we've seen a wave of deconstruction: subtle entries like Shrek, Ella Enchanted, and the upcoming play-to-film adaptation Into the Woods. Now, Reese Witherspoon — with a hue and bone structure that seem to be modeled after those of a fabled royal — is delivering Happily Ever After, a Disney film that looks to showcase what happens to your standard prince and the princess 10 years down the line.
A decade past being whisked off from the clutches of a dragon or a witch or whatever evil might have befallen Witherspoon's character, we find her and her husband struggling to keep their relationship afloat. But how biting do we expect this potentially interesting project to be? On the one hand, it's a Disney production, which suggests that a happy ending will indeed follow a rocky rom-com set-up. But there's hope: the premise was pitched to the studio by Nahnatchka Khan, the creator of the short-lived Don't Trust the B— in Apartment 23, a sitcom that was unapologetically acerbic and devilish.
Disney, through ABC, allowed Khan free reign over her dark sense of humor with Don't Trust the B—
(a television show that was cut down before its due), so perhaps we'll see another impressively caustic tale in Witherspoon's Happily Ever After. After all, the actress has gained quite a colorful reputation in recent months.
Vampire Weekend: Vampire Picks For The Weekend of October 5th
Finally: a Weekend Planner for all things undead. Funny no one thought of it sooner, but October seems like the perfect time to start. And you're going to want to bookmark these ones, for sure.
Forever Tilda: No, Literally
Jim Jarmusch's vampire film, The Only Lovers Left Alive, isn't opening at the New York Film Festival until October 10th, but there are those nasty ticket lines. If they're sold out before you get there, here are two reasons why it would be worth begging everyone you know for tickets. The film has been tearing it up at festivals. And Tilda Swinton will be there to talk about the film. So will Jarmusch and Jeffrey Wright, but they're not androgyne goddeses.
3D Matinee
If you dig your vamps more tongue-in-cheek-lurid, master of horror Dario Argento's latest offering, Argento's Dracula 3D, opens at selected IFC screens on Oct 4th. If you don't know the work of this cult director already, you should. In fact, stay in Friday night and download a mini-festival first. Once you've studied up, treat yourself to a giant popcorn and try the Saturday afternoon matinee: less lines, more 1950s.
Books to Film: The Young Adult (YA) Lit Phenomenon
But is this just the converged potencies of nostalgia and celebrity scandals? Or is there something foul going on behind the curtains?
O'Connor's name is bound to come up in the same conversation as Saturday Night Live again this weekend, but for an entirely different reason. On Saturday, Miley Cyrus will take to the Studio 8H stage, hosting the variety program following a ganglion of her own volatile buzz — the lasting result of her VMAs performance and every bit of public attention she has received thereafter. This week in particular, Cyrus found herself the focus of an open letter penned by none other than O'Connor, who pointed out the error in the young music artist's conduct. After a hostile response by Cyrus, O'Connor was driven to lashing out with a more decided venom, providing those adhered to the gossip headlines a feud more than worthy of replacing the newly dissipated enmity between Drake and Chris Brown.
But the timing is interesting. Miley's VMAs performance took place at the end of August. Her "Wrecking Ball" video came out in early September. Why then, on Oct. 2, would O'Connor first decide to write an essay expressing to Cyrus the criminal behaviors of the music industry and pleading with her to distance herself from their grasp? Because this week is Cyrus' Saturday Night Live gig.
Thanks to the buzz-factor of the 20-year-old host, there are bound to be a handful of viewers tuning into this weekend's broadcast of the NBC tentpole. Not to see her music, not to see her comedy, but to see her shenanigans. To see what crazy stunt she'll pull next. And artists of integrity though they may be, it would behoove the minds behind SNL to make sure that Miley doesn't disappoint. That's why SNL top banana Lorne Michaels is calling in the big guns: O'Connor, whose papal debacle was the most brazen, talk-worthy thing to come out of the show since that first utterance of "Jane, you ignorant slut."
Perhaps Michaels has masterminded this O'Connor/Cyrus feud in order to recreate the same high-profile controversy his show saw back in '92 — Miley ripping a photo of Sinead, of Madonna (who lambasted the performance one week later) taking Cyrus' side, or perhaps of O'Connor herself showing up to proverbially duke it out with the youthful twerker in the second hour of the show.
And as for O'Connor, maybe this is her chance to be free, once and for all, from these connotations. To pass the torch to Miley — to allow her to claim the title of "that girl who did that crazy thing on SNL that time." And Miley... well, we're sure she's in no way averse to this additional spike in buzz. So it's a win-win-win for Miley, Sinead, and good ol' Lorne.
Oh, Lorne. You dog, you.
Shirtless Aaron Eckhart Is What Passes for Monstrous in 'I, Frankenstein' Trailer
At least there's a logical reason for these disparities: I, Frankenstein draws from the graphic novel that it's based on rather than Mary Shelley's original novel. Kevin Grevioux, the author of the graphic novel, also wrote the screenplay for the film.
This continuation of the Frankenstein lore features a handsomely scarred Aaron Eckhart, stitched together with various parts of murdered Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue models, fighting off gargoyle monsters that explode into fiery tendrils. He also found time, in between the monster vanquishing to go to the nearest Hot Topic and buy the perfect hoodie that symbolizes all of his immortal angst. One that he takes off quite frequently to show off that hot bod.
Nina Dobrev Gets Naked for Obamacare
When the marketplace opened on Tuesday, social media sites lit up with pictures and tweets from celebs who urged young people to #GetCovered. Stars like Kerry Washington, Olivia Wilde, Connie Britton, Emily Van Camp, Pharell, and Sophia Bush collectively pushed for Obamacare by posting these photos and tweets.
John Legend kickstarted the movement on Tuesday with the tweet:
Sibling Rivalry: Celebrity Brothers & Sisters Sharing the Spotlight
Briana Cuoco
The little sis of the The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco recently made headlines after she won her audition for The Voice. The aspiring singer was currently working as Cuoco's personal assistant, but given the tears Kaley shed during the audition, the two are clearly close. Briana has also made bit appearances on The Mentalist and The Big Bang Theory thanks to her family connection, but we'll have to wait and see if she can survive on The Voice on her own musical merit.
Ashley Horn
In the ultimate case of Single White Female, Lindsay Lohan's half-sister has recently clawed her way into the media spotlight after it was revealed she underwent plastic surgery five times to resemble her sister. The formerly fresh-faced 18 year-old now resembles more a sad Cabbage Patch kid than her famous sibling. As if this family wasn't dysfunctional enough, Horn only recently learned of her status as the love child of Michael Lohan after he took a paternity test on a daytime talk show in 2012. Something tells us Lohan didn't do a victory dance
Sandra Vergara
Sharing the same surname and bewitching beauty as her famous sister, Sofia Vergara, this up and coming actress has already cemented her sex-symbol status by appearing on the cover of Maxim. While technically not Sofia's biological sister, Sandra is her first cousin and was adopted by Sofia's parents when she was a month old. While she won't be appearing on Pepsi billboards anytime soon, Sandra has landed small rolls on CSI: Miami, the film Fright Night and a recurring role in The Bold and the Beautiful.
Gemma Styles
It's often the younger sibling who wants to follow in their famous brother or sister's footsteps, but for Gemma Styles (older sister of One Direction's Harry Styles) — she was a late bloomer. Gemma shares her brother's passion for music and allegedly already has a demo in the bag with an album soon to follow. Her brother is very supportive and the two share a close relationship (he does have her name tattooed on his arm). Plus it doesn't hurt to have a built-in, rabid fan base at your disposal.
Alex Watson
True sibling rivalry is when you share a Burberry modeling campaign, play a friendly game of polo in the English countryside and calorie-count your biscuits together. Well, the first part is true for Alex Watson, the smoldering hot and professional model brother of Emma Watson. He pals around with Malfoy, walks the red carpet and looks sexy with his hair pushed back — he's already well on his way to continuing the family tradition.
Reese Witherspoon to Star in 'Happily Ever After,' a Disney Princess Story 10 Years Past the Magic
A decade past being whisked off from the clutches of a dragon or a witch or whatever evil might have befallen Witherspoon's character, we find her and her husband struggling to keep their relationship afloat. But how biting do we expect this potentially interesting project to be? On the one hand, it's a Disney production, which suggests that a happy ending will indeed follow a rocky rom-com set-up. But there's hope: the premise was pitched to the studio by Nahnatchka Khan, the creator of the short-lived Don't Trust the B— in Apartment 23, a sitcom that was unapologetically acerbic and devilish.
Disney, through ABC, allowed Khan free reign over her dark sense of humor with Don't Trust the B—
(a television show that was cut down before its due), so perhaps we'll see another impressively caustic tale in Witherspoon's Happily Ever After. After all, the actress has gained quite a colorful reputation in recent months.
Vampire Weekend: Vampire Picks For The Weekend of October 5th
Finally: a Weekend Planner for all things undead. Funny no one thought of it sooner, but October seems like the perfect time to start. And you're going to want to bookmark these ones, for sure.
Forever Tilda: No, Literally
Jim Jarmusch's vampire film, The Only Lovers Left Alive, isn't opening at the New York Film Festival until October 10th, but there are those nasty ticket lines. If they're sold out before you get there, here are two reasons why it would be worth begging everyone you know for tickets. The film has been tearing it up at festivals. And Tilda Swinton will be there to talk about the film. So will Jarmusch and Jeffrey Wright, but they're not androgyne goddeses.
3D Matinee
If you dig your vamps more tongue-in-cheek-lurid, master of horror Dario Argento's latest offering, Argento's Dracula 3D, opens at selected IFC screens on Oct 4th. If you don't know the work of this cult director already, you should. In fact, stay in Friday night and download a mini-festival first. Once you've studied up, treat yourself to a giant popcorn and try the Saturday afternoon matinee: less lines, more 1950s.
Ranveer Singh heads home with Deepika Padukone
His ‘Ram-Leela’ co-star and rumoured ladylove Deepika Padukone was spotted with the actor, as he was coming out of the hospital almost after a week.
The actor had contracted the disease while he was shooting for Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Gunday’ in Durgapur, West Bengal.
Ranveer waved at the paparazzi and his fans waiting outside the hospital. He also took to Twitter a couple of days back to thank his well-wishers for their prayers.
He tweeted, “Your love & blessings have helped me fight this illness ! Thank you all for the warmth & wishes that helped me tide over my weakest hour (sic).”
Ace filmmaker Bhansali was concerned about his lead actor’s health and had cancelled the music launch of ‘Ram-Leela’.
"Ranveer Singh is on the road to recovery. However, doctors have advised complete rest for the next 15 days," the actor’s spokesperson said in a statement.
Will Shah Rukh Khan work with Shirish Kunder again?
But the duo might be a part of the same project if all goes well. The project in question is Farah Khan’s film ‘Happy New Year’ starring SRK, Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood and Vivaan Shah.
As a filmmaker, Farah shares great understanding with her editor husband Kunder, who has worked with her in ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Om Shanti Om’ and ‘Tees Maar Khan’.
Reportedly, Shirish was Farah’s only choice as an editor for ‘Happy New Year’. But apparently Shirish was occupied with other professional commitments. But now, Farah is keen to have him on board.
The choreographer-turned-filmmaker had landed in a awkward situation after her better half- Shirish- and best friend- Shah Rukh- ended up having a heated argument after the former took a dig at the latter on Twitter.
However, subsequently, Shirish realised his folly and tweeted apologising for his comments and thus extended an olive branch to the superstar.Here’s hoping to see the young hunk of an actor in action soon!
‘Rajjo’ Kangana Ranaut’s rendezvous with Kapil Sharma
Mumbai: Kangana Ranaut, who is all set to sizzle on the silverscreen as ‘Rajjo’, made her presence felt on the sets of Kapil Sharma’s ‘Comedy Nights With Kapil’.
The
pretty lass had a rocking time with the star comedian on his show.
Kapil was at the receiving hands this time around as Kangana made most
of her wit and sense of humour to pull his leg.
Even Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is a part of the super-hit show, couldn’t stop himself from shaking a leg with the talented actress.
Kapil
is back with a bang after the set of his show in Film City, Goregaon,
was reduced to ashes after a massive fire broke out in the last week of
September following a short circuit.
But the tragic event hasn’t dampened Sharma’s fiery spirit. He played a proud host to Kangana and enthralled audiences.
‘Rajjo’ is slated to release on November 15 along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Ram Leela’.
The
pretty lass had a rocking time with the star comedian on his show.
Kapil was at the receiving hands this time around as Kangana made most
of her wit and sense of humour to pull his leg.Even Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is a part of the super-hit show, couldn’t stop himself from shaking a leg with the talented actress.
Kapil
is back with a bang after the set of his show in Film City, Goregaon,
was reduced to ashes after a massive fire broke out in the last week of
September following a short circuit. But the tragic event hasn’t dampened Sharma’s fiery spirit. He played a proud host to Kangana and enthralled audiences.
‘Rajjo’ is slated to release on November 15 along with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Ram Leela’.
