Pakistani-origin woman told she was too dark to play a hobbit

A Pakistani-origin British woman has accused the casting manager of filmmaker Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" movie of racism because he told her she was "too dark" to play one of the diminutive creatures, a media report said Tuesday.Naz Humphreys attended a casting session in Hamilton, New Zealand, last week and stood in line for three hours only to be told later her skin tone was not suitable.Video footage from the audition showed the casting manager...

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Kirsten Dunst forgot steamy topless scene she did with Ryan Gosling

It seems shedding clothes is no big deal for 'Spiderman' star Kirsten Dunst as she said she has forgotten doing a topless scene against Ryan Gosling for her new film.Dunst has done a steamy topless shower scene with Gosling in the upcoming crime drama 'All Good Things.' "I forgot I even did it. I don't even think about it...We really got to know each other through eight weeks of rehearsal, it was important we felt very comfortable with each other,"...

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Tight security for Oprah during her Down Under visit

The talk show host will be given personal protection and police escort vehicles as she travels through Sydney, reports the Daily Telegraph.Senior police sources have confirmed that the Federal Government has awarded Winfrey the honour of being a 'formal guest of government,' allowing her a government security detail and police escort vehicles.There is also the prospect of road closures on December 14, the day her show is hosted at the Opera House,...

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Actress Lara Dutta, who recently launched her video CDs on yoga, was Tuesday appointed the brand ambassador of Kellogg's breakfast cereal brand Special K.

"With Special K, I know I have a low-fat breakfast option to start my day. Plus, it helps keep me full and leaves me with energy to grapple with my long day ahead. And, the best part is that I love the taste," the former Miss Universe said in a press statement.The 32-year-old, last seen in "Housefull", says she connects well with the product."I can relate to the Special K woman - I enjoy the confidence that comes from loving your body, and I also...

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Preity Zinta to be brand ambassador of Himachal tourism

Preity Zinta would be Himachal Pradesh's brand ambassador for promoting tourism, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal announced here Tuesday."Preity Zinta would motivate world-renowned personalities and entrepreneurs to visit and invest in high-end tourism the state. She has agreed in principle to act as a brand ambassador for tourism," Dhumal told reporters.Preity has even agreed to work for environment awareness in the state, he said.A team of government...

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Kara Tointon slams interview headline

Kara Tointon has hit out at a magazine which carried an interview with her Strictly Come Dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev today.The former EastEnders actress insisted that a headline used in New magazine was "fictional"."Gutted at NEW mag!" she wrote on Twitter. "Artem did interview and they have written a head line that he never said 'I'm in love with Kara' total lie"She continued: "don't get why they speak to u and then make up a fictional head...

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IAS urges Pope to support condom use

Following Pope's comments that condom use could, in specific circumstances, be acceptable, the International AIDS Society (IAS) has urged him and the Catholic Church to come out clearly and strongly in support of all evidence-based methods of HIV prevention, including condom use.By implying that there can only be some exceptional circumstances that could allow for condom usage, such as that of male prostitutes, the Pope is ignoring scientific evidence...

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Spears to remain under conservatorship?

Britney Spears will reportedly remain under the conservatorship of her father for the foreseeable future. Recently it was claimed the singer could regain control of her financial assets as early as January 2011.However, according to TMZ, there are currently no plans to end the conservatorship and Spears herself is said to be happy for it to continue at present.The singer's father, Jamie Spears, assumed control over both the singer's personal care...

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Is she plain lucky?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become quite the epitome of success despite her latest three flicks not doing so well at the box office. This star has more than proved her star status not only in India but also abroad as everyone who is interested in the world of glitz and glamour is well aware by now. However the actress in her is not yet satiated and she is thus reportedly going in for a signing up on quite a few new projects these days. The most popular...

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Dannii: 'I was Kylie's fat, ugly sister'

Dannii Minogue has admitted that she is enjoying not being in her sister Kylie's shadow.The X Factor judge told Marie Claire that she struggled to achieve success in the UK because of her sister's popularity. "When I first came over, it was hard because it was Kyliemania," she confessed. "She was this cute little thing and I was the fat, ugly sister."Can you imagine for years being asked what it’s like to be Kylie's sister?"She added: "I guess it's...

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James Franco and Anne Hathaway to host 83rd annual Academy Awards

Actor James Franco and actress Anne Hathaway will host the 83rd Academy Awards in February, the Academy announced on Monday.Franco, 32, can currently be seen in "127 Hours" but is also known for his roles in movies such as "Eat, Love, Pray," "Date Night," "Milk" and "Pineapple Express." He is also known for his portrayals of Harry Osborn in the "Spider-Man" trilogy. Hathaway, 28, was recently seen in "Alice in Wonderland" and currently can be seen...

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Jacqueline Fernandez Interacts With The TEEN OF THE YEAR 2010 Participants

Stage all set for Teen of the Year 2010 Pageant. The Teenager magazine in association with Habitat for Humanity India is conducted this event with the theme of 'Building a socially conscious India'.Now in its 15th year, the event has 18 participants chosen from various zonals held across the country, representing different regions of India.Noted Bollywood actor and goodwill ambassador of Habitat for Humanity India Jacqueline Fernandez, has lent her...

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Wife: 'Russell Crowe is volatile'

Russell Crowe's wife Danielle Spencer has revealed that he can be "volatile".The Australian musician, who has sons Charlie and Tennyson with Oscar-winning actor Crowe, said that the media have made him a "caricature" by turning him into a stereotypical "angry man".Spencer told The Australian Women's Weekly magazine: "He's quite a volatile person, sure, but he also has a very warm and soft and funny side to him, too. He's multi-faceted, as most people...

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Deepika is face of her dad's Olympic Gold Quest

Actress Deepika becomes the face of her father, ace badminton player Prakash Padukone's organisation Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ)."I am the face of Olympic Gold Quest. I have just come on board. Olympic Gold Quest is training our athletes for the Olympics in 2012," Deepika told IANS in an interview. Prakash Padukone launched OGQ a few years back with billiards player Geet Sethi. The negligence of the government towards the athletes made them set up the...

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Rao: 'My film is a love letter to Mumbai'

Kiran Rao has said that her directorial debut is about her own experiences in Mumbai.Dhobi Ghat, which stars her husband Aamir Khan, follows the intercrossing lives of four individuals in the Indian city.The helmer has opted to promote the film through releasing postcards describing what the film means to her.On one of the cards, she said: "I came to Mumbai 12 years ago, moved house seven times, worked on eight films, found love and am seeing my...

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Mark Ruffalo on terror advisory list?

Mark Ruffalo has allegedly been placed on the United States terror advisory list. Ruffalo, who plays the Hulk in the upcoming Avengers movie, was reportedly added to the list after arranging screenings of a documentary about natural gas drilling. The actor told GQ that his presence on the record was "pretty f**kin' funny".Ruffalo is an advocate for stopping the practice of natural gas drilling, and organised screenings earlier this year for documentary...

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Rihanna 'sick of talking about Brown'

Rihanna has revealed that she is constantly asked about her abusive relationship with Chris Brown but has no interest in discussing it.Replying to a tweet from a fan who urged the singer to stop talking about her ex-boyfriend, the popstar insisted that she finds journalists' continual questions about him "annoying".In response to the tweet, she wrote: "AGREED! People won't stop askin abt it! Its f**kin annoying! "Nobody wants to relive that, but...

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Jason London, girlfriend confirm engagement

Jason London has confirmed that he is engaged to longtime girlfriend Sofia Karstens.E! Online reports that the actor proposed to his fiancée on Saturday night with an engagement ring that had once belonged to Karstens's grandmother.The couple plan to tie the knot in Vermont next July. "I love waking up with my best friend every morning," London said.Karstens explained that she is excited to marry the Dazed And Confused star.She remarked: "I feel...

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'Spider-Man' preview suffers tech issues

The first showing of new Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark was plagued by a number of technical problems which resulted in the production having to be stopped on five separate occasions.The preview performance was attended by an audience of almost 2000, but issues with the show's high-wire stunts caused delays and led to an impromptu intermission having to be called at one point."I don't know how everyone else feels, but I feel like...

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Shah Rukh Khan 'in political controversy'

Shah Rukh Khan has been forced to cancel his appearance at a gala dinner.According to the Hindustan Times, the actor's attendance at the event, organised by a Pakistan television channel, came under attack from a right wing political group.In a front-page article on the pro-Shiv Sena newspaper Saamna, the report said: "It is inappropriate for Khan to be part of the event when India is observing the second anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks."The...

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'Star Wars' director Kershner dies at 87

American film director Irvin Kershner has died at the age of 87.Kershner was best known as the director of second Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back.According to Yahoo News, Kershner's goddaughter Adriana Santini confirmed his death earlier today following his long illness.As well as directing the most popular instalment in the long-running science fiction series, Kershner also helmed Robocop 2 and unofficial James Bond film Never Say Never Again.Despite...

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Wikileaks: World leaders, as United States see‎

Among hundreds of thousands of documents released on Sunday night by Wikileaks, the whistle-blower website, are US embassy cables detailing private impressions of a host of world leaders written by ambassadors and ministers across the globe.Here is a round-up of what the documents say about some of the world's most influential figures, as reported by the newspapers given advanced access to the material.Dmitry Medvedev, Russian PresidentMedvedev is...

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The King's Speech

Among tried-and-true formulas for an effective, Oscar-candidate movie, the most reliable often concern either the activities of an ordinary person facing extraordinary circumstances or those of an extraordinary person challenged by the ordinary. Like The Queen before it, The King's Speech, a stately, carefully crafted specimen of a satisfying formula movie well positioned for the awards attention being heaped upon it, opts for the second variation...

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Julia Roberts’ $1.5 Million Commercial

She’s always garnered a handsome salary, and Julia Roberts reportedly nabbed $1.5 million for appearing in an Italian coffeehouse commercial. The “Pretty Woman” actress didn’t even have to memorize any lines, as she just stands and looks pretty while posing for a portrait during the 45-second spot.Also included in the ad are Italian entertainers Paolo Bonolis and Luca Laurenti, who offer Julia some A Modo Mio coffee.And in the end, it’s the...

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Sinha: 'Paparazzi caused crowd trouble'

Sonakshi Sinha has blamed the paparazzi for wreaking havoc at a charity event commemorating the lives of those killed in the Mumbai terrorist attacks.The Dabanng actress was apparently chased by fans who tried to get up close to the actress, before she was led away in tears.She clarified on Twitter: "It was conveniently omitted that the 'miscreants' happened to be mediapersons and their cameramen!"Sinha described the paparazzi as "creating a ruckus,...

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Original James Bond gun sells for £227,250

A fan has paid £227,250 ($439,000) in an auction for the original gun held by Sean Connery in the publicity shots for From Russia With Love. The auction, which took place at Christie's auction house in the UK, featured a variety of classic character-related film items. In addition to the gun in question, the auction also put up a Darth Vader costume from the film The Empire Strikes Back. The Darth Vader costume failed to sell, but the gun fetched...

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Susan Boyle 'to star in musical of her own life'

Susan Boyle is to star in a stage musical of her own life, it has been reported.The 'Perfect Day' singer said that she is excited to be appearing in the project, which tells the entire story of Boyle's life from her early years growing up in Blackburn, West Lothian to her breakthrough performance on Britain's Got Talent and beyond.The 49-year-old said: "I'm definitely going to be on stage. I'd rather that than having to sit watching people up there...

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Leslie Nielsen dies, aged 84

Leslie Nielsen has died at the age of 84.The comic actor, best known for his roles in Airplane! and The Naked Gun, passed away at a hospital near his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he was being treated for pneumonia.Nielsen's nephew Doug announced the news on Canadian radio station CJOB, saying: "Just in this last 48 hours, the infection has gotten too much and today at 5.30am, with his friends and his wife by his side, he just fell asleep...

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Lara Bingle makes waves in see-through outfit for boat cruise

Australian model Lara Bingle turned up with friends for a boat cruise on Sydney Harbour the other day in a see-through outfit that left little to the imagination.Dressed in a sheer black corset, she bared plenty of cleavage in full view of the public, reports The Daily Telegraph.The former girlfriend of cricketer Michael Clarke basked on the bow of the boat while celebrating a friend's birthday.Bingle and her cruise buddies sailed Sydney Harbour...

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Excited To Record Live After A Gap Of 30 Years

Veteran singer Asha Bhosle went through an age-old experience after about 30 years and she was visibly very excited about it. Yes, she got to record live for an album, which is something not executed at all in recent times. She has recorded an album titled "Naina Lagai Ke" with singer-sitarist Shujaat Khan, where all the songs are traditional and classical-based.Speaking on her new album, she said that if a song is genuinely melodious it does not...

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Depp bans phones at home

'Pirates of the Caribbean' star Johnny Depp has banned phones in his French home to ensure that private time with his family is uninterrupted.The 47-year-old star shares a luxury home in the country with his partner Vanessa Paradis and their two children.He makes makes sure they can relax during their stays there by cutting contact with the outside world."When I'm at our house in France I totally cut myself off from the rest of the world. I never...

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Lily Allen plans for New Year wedding

Singer Lily Allen who suffered a miscarriage earlier this month is planning to tie the knot with boyfriend Sam Cooper in the New Year."Lily and Sam had loose plans to marry after the baby was born but nothing concrete was in motion," dailymail.co.uk quoted a friend of the pair as saying. "Now they have decided they want to be man and wife as soon as possible. They realised through their grief that they absolutely adore one another and cannot live...

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Kimberley Walsh 'ready' to have kids

Kimberley Walsh is reportedly getting ready to start a family with boyfriend Justin Scott.Walsh has been prompted to consider her plans by sister Sally, who recently became pregnant - leading the Girls Aloud star to become "seriously broody" in her own situation.A friend told Heat: "Kimberly and Justin are following every step of Sally's pregnancy and are absolutely loving stocking up on little outfits for when he or she arrives."With Girls Aloud...

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Madhuri Dixit 'to judge dance show'

Madhuri Dixit has been confirmed as a celebrity judge on a television dance show. According to Mid Day, the star has agreed to appear on the Indian version of Dancing With The Stars, retitled Jhalak Dikhla Jaa.The actress revealed: "Since dance is my passion and this show is associated with that, I thought of taking it up. It took me some time to say yes." The 43-year old actress, who earned a reputation as one of the most prolific dancers in the...

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Kylie responds to miming controversy

Kylie Minogue has responded to complaints about a mimed performance of her song 'Get Outta My Way' at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade last Thursday.The Australian pop icon performed alongside Jessica Simpson and Kanye West, the latter of whom was booed during his moment in the spotlight.After fans began complaining about Minogue's mimed vocals on social networking sites, the popstar addressed her followers, saying: "Relax peeps, EVERYONE has to...

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Katie Waissel's gran halts porn career

Katie Waissel's grandmother Sheila Vogel-Coupe has said she does not think of herself as a prostitute, as has been claimed, and vowed that she would not make another porn film.The 81-year old pensioner spoke to the London Evening Standard after allegations arose that she had been advertising her services on an escort website, and had starred in the porn film Freddie's Great British Granny Bang.She said: "When my second husband died I was lonely and...

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