'Idol Party Live' With MTV News' Jim Cantiello
Check out our weekly 'American Idol' live stream that aired Thursday, March 3.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Join Us For 'Harry Potter' DVD Release LIVE STREAM!
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" may not hit theaters until this summer, but Muggles everywhere are no doubt rejoicing that the DVD for "Part 1" hits stores very soon (April 15, to be exact). We're pretty keen on helping you celebrate this momentous day, which is why we're hosting an MTV.com live [...]
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Miley Cyrus Readying International Tour
Singer will kick off new set of shows on April 29 in Ecuador.
By Jocelyn Vena
Miley Cyrus
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic
Miley Cyrus is ready to take her music back on the road. The teen superstar is in the planning process for a full-scale international tour, E! News confirms.
Miley will kick off the tour on April 29 at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, Ecuador. Then she will take the show to Lima, Peru, at Explanada del Monumental, on May 1. The singer/actress, who has already begun a workout regime to prep for the tour, is set to announce more dates soon. There are no immediate plans for her to play shows in the United States.
"Miley has a huge fanbase worldwide," a source told E! News. "She's pumped that her schedule has opened up and allowed her to perform for fans abroad."
For those who might not be able to see her on tour, Cyrus has resumed tweeting. No, the star has not reinstated her account, like Demi Lovato, but instead will send messages from the Twitter account of production team Rock Mafia. Cyrus is attached to a big-screen adaptation of the group's music video for their track "The Big Bang," which she starred in with Kevin Zegers.
"This is my new way to connect. When I need to speak out I will tweet from @Rock_Mafia ROCK MAFIA FOREVER. x MC," she tweeted, including a picture of herself and the group's Antonina Armato, who added, "Writing with Miley on a Rainy Sunday #Heaven!"
Cyrus has been meeting with lots of music producers recently. Last week she met with "Party in the U.S.A." producer Dr. Luke. Sources tell MTV News that Miley is interested in writing more for other artists.
Related ArtistsShakira - Underneath Your Clothes
- Artist: Shakira
- Label: Epic
- Director: Herb Ritts
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'Sucker Punch' Secrets Revealed!
MTV News spoke with filmmaker Zack Snyder and the cast about the making of the fantastical battle movie.
By Kara Warner
Emily Browning in "Sucker Punch"
Photo: Warner Bros.
At long last, Zack Snyder's mysterious, "Alice in Wonderland With Machine Guns" film "Sucker Punch" has arrived in theaters. MTV News has been on the case since its humble beginnings, bringing you all the news, videos, scoops and interviews ... in a nutshell, everything you need to know.
To celebrate the film's opening day, we present a few more fun facts about the film that we learned directly from the film's director/writer Zack Snyder and the cast.
1. Snyder's original plan for the movie was to build it around a big musical number.
"I had this idea that it'd be cool if we used the musical number for the spine of the movie or the spine of the action sequence," Snyder told MTV News. "And then getting in and out of it would be like, the music would start and that would draw us in. That would be the sort of mechanism for the fantasy to begin, and when the music ended, that would be the mechanism for it ending. And that was sort of how it started."
2. Inspiration for the look of the film came from the adult fantasy magazine Heavy Metal.
"I still read it, actually," Snyder said. "It's got little short stories in it and they're illustrated. And so it's like a comic strip that has more sex and violence than you would get from a normal comic book," Snyder said, adding that he started reading the magazine in his youth. "I think it influenced this movie in a pretty big way."
3. For the high-action "train sequence," Snyder used hundreds of shots to look like one, which took seven days to shoot.
"[The train sequence] is a sequence that's broken up into maybe 120 shots that look like one shot," Snyder explained. "So you just kind of have to know where the cameras are going and knowing where it came from, and put these little camera moves in and all these shifts that have to happen. ... You shoot one angle and then you shoot the other angle and then it's going to be stitched with the CG section. So you have to know what you're capable of," he said. "How far you can push the CG stitch so it doesn't break the shot. There's a whole bunch of things like that."
4. Everyone in the cast is wearing a ton of makeup.
Even for Oscar Isaac, who plays creepy institution overlord Blue Jones and has the privilege of being one of the only men in the cast, the makeup process was extensive.
"I remember they would spray-tan me and then put an extra coat of shine on it," he recalled. "Then blush and then tons of eyeliner. My hair was basically glued tight to my head."
But compared to what the ladies endured, Isaac's process wasn't that bad. Carla Gugino told us the filmmakers wanted the makeup to make a statement, and that she spent at least two hours in the makeup chair every morning.
"We definitely had so much fun," Gugino said. "Rosalina [Da Silva] designed the look of the film makeup-wise. And we did 'Watchmen' together as well," she explained. "She's amazing. But there was a point when she said, 'Carla, guess how many sets of lashes you have on your eyes?' and I was like, 'Including my real ones?' and she was like, 'Yes.' And we realized that it was four."
5. Snyder had to cut back on the violence in the movie, particularly a few scenes that involve implied or attempted rape.
"Those [scenes] of course got trimmed away," he said. "It's really delicate because even that subject matter, you have the harder version that is sometimes better because it actually makes the point a little bit more directly. The PG-13 version was difficult for me," he revealed. "I would say that the very things that they didn't like were the very things that you needed to see in order for you to understand the content of the scene. You know, to know how to feel about it, because otherwise you're sort of left in this weird middle ground," he said. "So it's difficult. It's tricky."
Snyder went on to explain why the sexual violence and lobotomy images were necessary to include in the film, juxtaposed with the idea of women not being victims and being able to defend themselves.
"For me it was all about having incredible threat in that world. Like, what is the most dangerous thing? What is the worst possible thing, and to me being lobotomized and then raped is probably the worst possible thing," he explained. "I like the idea that the verdict or the ... like if someone were to make a sacrifice, and you have two alternatives and one is just go back to jail. OK. You know, I get that. And one is you know, be lobotomized and then possibly raped for the rest of your zombified life. You know, you really need to think about that. You're giving up a lot, I guess, is my point."
Check out everything we've got on "Sucker Punch."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosEminem, Rihanna To Co-Headline U.K.'s V Festival
The 'Love the Way You Lie' duo will share the stage at the event's two sites this August.
By D.L. Chandler
Eminem and Rihanna
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
After weeks of speculation, organizers for the United Kingdom's annual V Festival have revealed the 2011 list of featured performers, which includes two Grammy-winning headliners from this side of the pond.
Eminem and his "Love the Way You Lie" duet partner, Rihanna, will be headlining acts for the popular summer concert event on August 20 in Weston Park. Arctic Monkeys and Plan B, meanwhile, will serve as co-headliners that day at a sister concert held simultaneously at nearby Hylands Park. On August 21, the two sets of headlining acts switch stages and hold another concurrent concert — a hallmark of the festival.
Em's involvement in the event had been rumored for weeks, but without any solid confirmation that the Detroit bad boy would appear. Rihanna's inclusion in the concerts also had been questionable, but organizers worked hard to secure the singer.
Eminem's star has been aglow of late, with the popular MC basking in the success of his seventh studio effort Recovery, which helped him snag the coveted Rap Album of the Year Grammy award for a second year in a row. Slim Shady's Grammy-winning co-star Rihanna — who is a record-setting female solo artist for sales in the U.K. — has had another successful year. The Barbadian pop artist's fifth studio release, Loud, has sold more than 1 million copies so far.
Eminem and Rihanna will be joined by a few of their stateside pals at the V Festival, along with many notable U.K. acts. Some of the other artists slated to play the festival include "Black and Yellow" star Wiz Khalifa, pop singer Bruno Mars, rock legends Duran Duran, DJ/producer Mark Ronson and grime rapper Dizzee Rascal.
The U.K. event is not the only big festival that Eminem is set to headline this year. In June, the rap star will be among the featured acts at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Related ArtistsTuesday, March 29, 2011
MTV After Hours With Josh Horowitz
MTV After Hours With Josh Horowitz
Our movies editor gets up close and personal with Hollywood's A-list.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Miley Cyrus - When I Look At You
- Artist: Miley Cyrus
- Label: Hollywood Records, Universal Music Spain, Vale Music
- Director: Marc Roussel
Rihanna - Live Your Life
- Artist: Rihanna
- Label: Atlantic Records
- Director: Anthony Mandler
- Album: Paper Trail [Clean]
Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me (Concept)
- Artist: Christina Aguilera
- Label: RCA
- Director: Anthony Mandler
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Miley Cyrus Snapped Stumbling Because Of Paparazzi Lights
'Party in the U.S.A.' star was blinded by flashes after meeting with producer Dr. Luke, sources tell MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena
Miley Cyrus (file)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
When photos of Miley Cyrus outside of Hollywood's Chateau Marmont hit the Internet on Tuesday (March 15), gossip blogs claimed the star was stumbling around the L.A.-area hotspot after a night of partying. But sources close to Cyrus tell MTV News the rumors are all wrong.
Miley was in a meeting with producer Dr. Luke at the hotel, where they discussed writing music for other artists. Luke and Cyrus worked together on her hit "Party in the U.S.A." According to sources, the teen superstar was actually blinded by the flashing lights of the paparazzi, not stumbling, as had been reported earlier on Tuesday.
Last week, Cyrus made headlines defending her mom against paparazzi gathered outside of the California Chicken Cafe in West Hollywood, California. She confronted one of the photographers, telling him, "You just hit my mom with your camera, don't you ever do that again. You just almost hurt my mom. Don't you ever even think about it, for real."
Cyrus has often expressed her displeasure with the celebrity photogs. "I just [want] people to know, I think in pictures I always look upset. It's because these cameras are following me. I just think it's really kind of unfair," she shared in a September video blog.
"I know there are some people that maybe like that attention, but I'm not one of them. I really just want to be able to go on walks and enjoy where I live. ... The paparazzi really frustrate me, and it makes me really upset that I'm being followed around by men that I don't know, and for anyone else, it would be considered stalking. I don't know who those guys are. I don't know if they're good guys or bad guys. I don't necessarily care; I don't want anyone following me."
In spite of the unwanted media attention, Cyrus is already having a good 2011. She recently showed off her funny side as a host on "Saturday Night Live" and she has two flicks, "LOL" and "So Undercover," set for release this year.
Related ArtistsBeyoncé - Video Phone (Extended Remix)
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
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Emma Roberts Talks 'Hunger Games' Role, Love For 'Pretty Little Liars'
Yes, "The Hunger Games" movie has already been cast. But since we knew Emma Roberts was one of the 30(!) or so actresses up for the role, we had to ask her about it during our chat at the press day for "Scream 4." Her answer led us into some fun girl talk about her [...]
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Shakira Separates From Boyfriend Of 11 Years
But Columbian pop star says she and Antonio de la Rua view split as 'temporary.'
By Nuzhat Naoreen
Shakira and Antonio de la Rua in 2007
Photo: Getty Images
With Valentine's Day a little more than a month away, the list of celebrity splits keeps on growing.
In a post on her blog, Shakira announced on Monday that she and her boyfriend of nearly 11 years, Antonio de la Rúa, are taking a break. While rumors of wedding bells have emerged about the couple in the past, the singer confirmed they have been separated since last August but chose to keep the news under wraps.
"We made a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship," Shakira wrote in her post. "Throughout this time we have continued to work together hand in hand, have remained close and have kept the details absolutely private until now."
The announcement comes fresh on the heels of other long-term celebrity couples calling it quits, including Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who separated last year after 11 years of marriage, and Mila Kunis and Macaulay Culkin, who ended their nine-year relationship earlier this month.
Shakira added that she and de la Rúa, who is a lawyer and the son of former Argentine president Fernando de la Rúa, "view this period of separation as temporary," explaining that they would continue to work together.
"Antonio continues to oversee and conduct my business and career interests as he has always done," she said. "We move forward as partners, developing projects together, working hand in hand and in close communication."
The singer also noted that the two are an "exceptional couple and partners," and stressed that the separation was amicable. "Our friendship and understanding of one another is unwavering and indestructible," she said.
Related Photos Related ArtistsJustin Bieber's Next Album To Capture Justin Timberlake's Magic
Songwriter Sean Garrett says former 'NSYNC star's success inspires Bieber's new project and also dishes on Beyoncé's album.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Justin Bieber
Photo: Getty Images
Justin Bieber may have declined the chance to join Justin Timberlake's label, but according to a songwriter in the know, the former 'NSYNC crooner is the inspiration for the teen sensation's upcoming album.
Songwriter Sean "The Pen "Garrett, who has been working with Bieber on the follow-up to the chart-ruling My World 2.0., spoke with Billboard about the direction for the teen superstar's forthcoming album, saying the project will feature more grown-up fare.
"What we're trying to do with Justin is to segue him into young adulthood," Garrett said of the project, which is also slated to feature production from hitmaker Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. "The one great thing about Justin Bieber is the fact that his fans are going to grow with him. So we want all the fans that started out with him to still be intrigued and excited about him, but we want to also stretch out a little bit and make the fans that are 22-23 years old love Justin as well. When Justin Timberlake went from the last album of *N Sync to his first solo album -- I want to say [we're aiming for] that level. That's the bar for the type of song, that level of 'Cry Me a River,' big records."
Garrett, who has crafted records for stars like Chris Brown and Bieber's mentor Usher, also said he's hard at work on Beyoncé's next project. However, the songwriter didn't divulge too much information, only revealing that he's "been working with her extremely hard ... she's my favorite."
While Garrett said the plan for his next outing is to angle Bieber toward a swiftly maturing audience, Bieber himself has refused to categorize his music, insisting to MTV News in December that he's just focused on creating quality records.
"Whatever comes out of my mouth is just what you guys are going to hear," Bieber explained of his hits. "I don't know, it's not a specific type of music. Whatever music I write, I wouldn't say I'm pop or R&B or country or anything: I would just say it's just good music,"
What do you think Justin Bieber's new music is going to sound like? Let us know in the comments!
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MULTIPLE CHOICE: Would You Watch A 'Pretty Little Liars' Movie?
by Jeni Sue Birnbaum Earlier this week, "Pretty Little Liars" aired its season finale?the second most-watched episode of the season. I was one of the millions who tuned in to see if the girls would finally solve the mystery of Alison?s murder. Who wasn?t shocked when it was revealed that Ian?s body mysteriously disappeared and A [...]
Friday, March 25, 2011
Katy Perry - Waking Up In Vegas (Manhattan Clique Remix)
Waking Up In Vegas (Manhattan Clique Remix)
- Artist: Katy Perry
- Label: Capitol
- Director: Joseph Kahn
- Album: One of the Boys
'Sucker Punch': The Reviews Are In!
'... the ride Snyder takes you on is so vividly conceived, so deliriously bizarre and wonderful,' writes Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald.
By Eric Ditzian
Abbie Cornish in "Sucker Punch"
Photo: Warner Bros.
We'll say this about Zack Snyder: The guy knows how to stir up passion in moviegoers, whether those intense feelings skew toward the aggressively negative or the bow-down-before-a-cinematic-god positive. Just take a peek at reviews for the director's adaptation of "Watchmen" in 2009.
A similar disparity in critical assessments surrounds Snyder's latest offering, the fantastical battle royale called "Sucker Punch." Some reviewers are passionately defending the film and calling out the haters for simply failing to understand what the director was trying to accomplish. Many more, however, are accusing Snyder of being the one who failed to deliver.
Will you love it? Hate it? Have you somehow never even heard of it? Check out what the critics are saying and decide for yourself.
The Story
"The story centers on Babydoll (Emily Browning), an orphan falsely accused of murdering her little sister and imprisoned inside an asylum where she is scheduled for a lobotomy. Before the procedure can be completed, Babydoll disappears into an alternate reality that exists entirely in her mind. There, she and four fellow inmates (Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung) are performers in a bordello managed by the theatrical Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) and run by the cruel pimp Blue (Miami's Oscar Isaac). In order to escape — the cathouse and the mental institution — the girls must first fight off winged dragons, zombies, giant ninja robots and android aliens and collect five talismans. No, Sucker Punch doesn't make any sense. But none of that matters, because the ride Snyder takes you on is so vividly conceived, so deliriously bizarre and wonderful." — Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
Storytelling Shortcomings
"The film abdicates so many basic responsibilities of coherent storytelling, even coherent stupid-action-movie storytelling, director/ co-writer/ co-producer Zack Snyder must have known in preproduction that his greasy collection of near-rape fantasies and violent revenge scenarios disguised as a female-empowerment fairy tale wasn't going to satisfy anyone but himself. Well, himself, plus ardent fans of Japanese-schoolgirl manga comics. ... You will be unprepared for a film packing this much confusing crud into a little less than two hours of solitary confinement, which feels more like dog hours, i.e., 14." — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
The Visuals
"Loaded with all kinds of visions of the fantastic and high-octane excitement, it's a visceral feast that utilizes Snyder's signature techniques with all the velocity of a fire-breathing dragon ... But 'Sucker Punch' is not just style over substance. That's an argument the film is sure to be met with, as well, but there is just as much bubbling up under 'Sucker Punch's' CG surface than there is in its sepia-toned skies. Filled with themes of empowerment, escapism, and changing the course of the typical narrative, the film rides high in its jet-propelled mech warrior, and it has much to tell us when it's done doing loopty loops around our brain." — Jeremy Kirk, FirstShowing.net
The Influences
"You could go to see 'Sucker Punch' this weekend — a lot of people probably will, and a few may even admit as much back at the office on Monday — or you could try to make it yourself, which might be more fun, though not necessarily cheaper. Here's what you will need: a bunch of video-game platforms; DVDs of 'Shutter Island,' 'Kill Bill,' 'Burlesque' and 'Shrek'; some back issues of Maxim; a large bag of crystal meth; and around $100 million. Your imagination will take care of the rest." — A.O. Scott, The New York Times
The Final Word
"Some will see the worst sort of objectification in its Victoria's Secret-esque femme front line that also includes the scantily clad corps of Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung. Others will argue that 'Sucker Punch's' sexy guerrillas represent female empowerment, to say nothing of the benefits of diet and exercise. I'd suggest the film is a wonderfully wild provocation — an imperfect, overlong, intemperate and utterly absorbing romp through the id that I wouldn't have missed for the world." — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times
Check out everything we've got on "Sucker Punch."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosTi보o, Guetta, Ingrosso Turn Out For Axwell's Big Night At LIV
By Adam Stewart Axwell's takeover of Fountainebleu's LIV Nightclub on Thursday evening (March 24) was without question one of Miami Music Week's most massive shows. Wednesday night (March 23), that same venue played host to would be superheros and villains as Laidback Luke presented the Miami permutation of his renowned "Super You & Me" party. But [...]
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Christina Aguilera Arrested For Public Intoxication
Singer arrested when boyfriend was pulled over on suspicion of DUI.
By Gil Kaufman
Christina Aguilera
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images
Christina Aguilera's public woes continued early Tuesday morning (March 1), when the singer was arrested in Los Angeles on a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication after police pulled over her boyfriend on suspicion of driving under the influence.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department confirmed that officers observed Aguilera's 25-year-old boyfriend Matthew Rutler driving in a manner that made them believe he was under the influence at around 2:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Aguilera was a passenger in the vehicle, and sheriff's department spokesperson Nicole Nishida said that the 30-year-old singer was "so intoxicated she couldn't take care of herself" and was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of suspicion of public drunkenness.
Around noon ET on Monday, Sheriff's department spokesperson Steve Whitmore held a press conference to clarify the situation, explaining that while Aguilera was, technically, arrested, the department had no interest in prosecuting her for any crime.
"She was not capable of taking care of herself. ... She was incapacitated, not belligerent, but just intoxicated," Whitmore said. He confirmed that Aguilera was arrested on a public intoxication charge but said it was a decision made by the arresting officers as a public welfare and public safety issue.
"If a person is incapacitated and can't take care of themselves, that's [an arrest] a decision made by the deputy on the scene," said Whitmore, who explained that because Aguilera was the passenger and was incapacitated and the driver was arrested for suspicion of DUI, she was taken to the Hollywood jail and held until she could "fend for herself."
Aguilera was booked into the West Hollywood sheriff's station and released on $250 bail at around 7:30 on Monday morning. A spokesperson for the singer could not be reached for comment at press time. An arrest report stated that Rutler was also booked on a misdemeanor charge of suspicion of driving under the influence at the West Hollywood station just before 3 a.m., with bail set at $5,000. [Editor's note: An earlier version of the story stated that Rutler's bail was $30,000, but Whitmore said those initial reports were inaccurate.] It was not known at press time if Rutler had been released on bail.
Whitmore said that because Aguilera was booked, fingerprinted and place in a holding cell, there will be a record of a misdemeanor arrest, but no prosecution. He said deputies monitored her as she sobered up, and once she passed a sobriety test, she was allowed to leave.
An anonymous source told TMZ that if "the driver had NOT been arrested for DUI, [Christina] would have never been in trouble." Another unnamed source allegedly close to the singer told the site that her confidants have been trying to get the performer into a rehab facility for several weeks.
Aguilera's personal life and career have been on a slide over the past year, beginning with the flop of her Bionic album, which has sold only 250,000 copies in the U.S. to date. That was followed by a hastily canceled U.S. tour, the disappointing returns for her big-screen debut in "Burlesque" and her divorce from husband Jordan Bratman.
Those incidents were followed by her infamous flubbing of the national anthem at February's Super Bowl and a stumble on the Grammys stage a week later, amid tabloid reports that her partying had gotten out of hand.
Related Photos Related ArtistsMonday, March 21, 2011
Katy Perry Praises Beyonce In Elle
'I think diva is a great and powerful word in the sense of what Beyoncé makes it,' the pop star says in the magazine's cover story.
By Jocelyn Vena
Katy Perry on the March issue of <i>Elle</i>
Photo: Carter Smith/Elle
Katy Perry not only glams up for the new issue of Elle, but she also gets real. The singer — who is gearing up for a big performance on this Sunday's Grammy Awards — dishes on diva behavior, discusses her personal life and even reveals how much she weighs in the fashion magazine's latest cover story.
"I feel like I'm at a point in my life right now where I could potentially stick around," Perry says about her outlook on being a pop star. "I don't feel like a diva, but I think diva is a great and powerful word in the sense of what Beyoncé makes it. And maybe I can't be Beyoncé, but maybe I can be Cyndi Lauper. I mean be like her, not be her. That would just be weird."
The singer also admits to having some ambitions outside of the entertainment world. "I think some people will die on the stage, and I'm not so sure I want to do that. Like, I want to have kids!" she explains. "I'm totally fine with saying that. I think some people are scared because they're worried it's going to ruin their career, but I want to live a full life."
That full life, these days, includes her hubby, Russell Brand, who she says is her perfect better half. "Everything clicked really fast. We kind of instantly got past all the surfacey stuff. And ever since then, there hasn't been a dull moment," she says. "We both needed balance, and we give that to each other. It wasn't about me taming him, which is what everyone always says — it was about timing."
Perry doesn't hold back at all, revealing details about her weight that very few celebrities seem willing to share with the world. "I was shaped like a square at one time. I was! I'm generally around 130 pounds, which is totally fine for me," she confesses. "But when I was a kid, I was the same height and weighed more like 145. And I had enormous boobs that I didn't know what to do with, so I wore minimizers, which were not cute. Those thick-ass straps! I got made fun of for the over-the-shoulder boulder holder ... and all I wanted was to look like Kate Moss. Little did I know ... that these things would come in handy someday."
What do you think about Katy's Elle confessions? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Related Photos Related Artists
Miley Cyrus' 'Hannah Montana' 'Destroyed' Her Family, Says Dad Billy Ray
Singer says he worries about his daughter's future.
By Gil Kaufman
Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus
Photo: WireImage
In a revealing interview in the new issue of GQ magazine, Billy Ray Cyrus talks about how he felt when he saw the video of daughter Miley Cyrus smoking a bong on her 18th birthday and his belief that her star-making turn in the Disney show "Hannah Montana" helped wreck his family.
"My kids learned to color on this table," Cyrus tells the interviewer about the table at which he was sitting when he first saw the video. "There's been a lot that's went around this table. Waylon Jennings sat right there in that chair and showed Miley the chords to 'Good Hearted Woman.' Sitting in that chair. This table's a bit like life. It's a circle. And I believe everything in life is a circle. You come into this world a little teeny wrinkled-up fetus ..."
Cyrus, who is in the midst of attempting a musical comeback, stresses that he "never made a dime off Miley" in the lengthy chat, in which he also clarifies that he's not her manager, though he played one on "Montana."
As for Miley's now infamous 18th birthday bash, Cyrus said he didn't want to go because he was tired of taking the blame in the press every time his daughter did something outrageous. "You know why I didn't go? Because they were having it in a bar," he said. "It was wrong. It was for 21 years old and up. Once again all them people, they all wanted me to fly out so that then when all the bad press came they could say, 'Daddy endorsed this stuff. ...' I started realizing I'm being used. If I would have went out there, I would have been right in the middle of all this stuff that's going on right now with the bong. They'd be hanging it on my ass. I had the common sense ... I said, 'This whole thing's falling apart up there and they just want to blame all of this stuff on you again.' I'm staying out of it."
When Miley's handlers were scrambling to try to head off the bong photo scandal in the days afterward — trying to "make kids' computers disappear and their phones disappear" — Billy Ray said he was told it was "none of my business."
He now realizes, he said, that instead of trying to be Miley's friend, he should have been her parent more often and warned her to slow down. "Honestly, I didn't know the ball was out of bounds until it was way up in the stands somewhere," he said. "Season four, it was a disaster," Cyrus said of the January 2010 start of "Montana." His marriage was falling apart, along with his family.
"I'll tell you right now — the damn show destroyed my family," he added.
Billy Ray did not speak to her in the weeks after the bong video went viral, but he made sure via text that she knew he was supporting her. "You know what, there's no doubt I did stuff when I was a teenager that I'm sure could have turned out horribly," he said. "I've done some stupid crap — I do stupid crap. We all do. But it's different when you sit back and you see it happening to your little girl. I feel like I got to try. It's my daughter. And some of these handlers are perhaps more interested in handling Miley's money than her safety and her career."
Cyrus said he's scared because he believes there are people around his daughter who are putting her in a "great deal of danger." He recalled how he became friendly with Nirvana's Kurt Cobain in the early 1990s when they met backstage at a venue and how they bonded then over the recent birth of their daughters.
"One more thing about Kurt — Kurt was one of those guys. That's why I'm concerned about Miley. I think that his world was just spinning so fast and he had so many people around him that didn't help him," he explained. "Like Anna Nicole Smith — you could see that train wreck coming. I was actually trying to reach out to Anna Nicole Smith, because I kept telling [ex-wife] Tish and everybody around me, going, 'This is a disaster.' Michael Jackson — I was trying to reach out to Michael Jackson. I knew he had kids, and I was going to invite his kids down to a taping of 'Hannah' — I just felt it would be good for Michael. I don't know why. I met Michael one time at the Grammys. He sat in front of me, in the front row, and a dime rolled out from under and hit my boot — this very boot I've got on — and I reached down and picked up this dime, and looked, he was going through his pockets, and I said, 'Are you looking for this?' 'Thank you.' And he took that dime and put it back in his pocket. I looked at my manager, I just said, 'Why did Michael Jackson have a dime? ...' Nobody could tell me."
Asked if he thinks his daughter is headed in the same tragic path as Cobain, Jackson and Smith, Cyrus said, "I don't know. I'm her daddy so maybe I'm a little sensitive to it, but now's a real good time to make sure everything's OK. An ounce of prevention's worth a pound of cure."
Related Photos Related ArtistsBright Eyes Go To The Opera For Surprise SXSW Show
Conor Oberst dazzles in a secret gig held at a 130-year-old Austin opera house on Friday.
By James Montgomery
Conor Oberst (file)
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
AUSTIN, Texas — When one thinks of Conor Oberst, a 130-year-old opera house probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Or the second, for that matter.
And yet, on Friday night at South by Southwest, there was Oberst and his Bright Eyes band, standing beneath the crystal chandeliers and velvet drapes of the Austin Club, a lavish, limestone-layered building first opened in 1878 as the Millett Opera House. The occasion wasn't a wedding or a banquet (both of which the club plays host to on the regular these days), but rather, an AOL Pop Up Show, announced only hours beforehand, much to the delight of fans and SXSWers alike, who lined up early and hoped against hope that they'd be one of the lucky ones to snag a spot inside.
Of course, most were turned away. But the folks who made it past the front doors were treated to a shambling, rambling (though all-too-brief) Bright Eyes set, as Oberst and his six-piece ensemble ran roughshod over songs from the past decade of his songbook.
Needless to say, the band probably felt a little out of place — at one point, after surveying his stuffy surroundings, Oberst joked, "Have you guys ever been to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland? Very soon the walls will start stretching to the stratosphere" — but if they were uncomfortable, they didn't show it, starting somberly with "An Attempt to Tip the Scales" (from 2000's Fevers and Mirrors) and building steam on "Hot Knives" (from '07's Cassadaga), the former featuring Oberst's warm, warbling vocals and the latter a stirring mix of wiring, winding guitars and wind-swept synths.
"Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" powered along with a pair of drummers, with Oberst flailing and hammering out chords on his electric guitar, and "Jejune Stars" (from his just-released The People's Key disc) was an exercise in frayed, frazzled fret abuse.
Of course, most Bright Eyes fans prefer Oberst's softer side, and they got that on "Beginner's Mind," which he prefaced with, "The next song is about trying not to become a cynical a--hole," and, thanks to some nifty vocal effects, sang as if his voice was at the bottom of a well. He also delivered a shuffling, austere take on "Bowl of Oranges."
He brought things to a hush with the stirring "Poison Oak," which started off whisper quiet, grew louder on winsome guitars, and then positively unspooled into an impressive din, pushed forward by a pealing organ line. The band continued that momentum with "The Calendar Hung Itself," a walloping, clomping stomper featuring dueling drummers and a blaring horn line.
And then, like most Bright Eyes sets, the band finished with "Road to Joy," which built to a froth and then, as Oberst spat, "Let's f--- it up, boys, make some noise!" boiled over into a squall of feedback and horns and organs. The crowd — some of whom had been waiting more than eight hours for this moment — losing their collective mind, surging forward and creating several worried looks amongst the Austin Club staff (thankfully, none of the good china was broken).
And when the band departed from the stage, the crowd chanted for an encore that never came. It was about the only down moment of the evening, but as those fans filed down the building's ornate staircase and out into the Austin night, you got the feeling they weren't focusing on the negative. It just didn't seem proper, given the surroundings.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsSunday, March 20, 2011
'RapFix Live' With Yelawolf
The newly signed Shady Records MC joins Sway in the MTV News studio to talk about his new label, Alabama and more.
Related ArtistsKaty Perry Denies Feud With Britney Spears
Singer calls the media 'filth' for implying she was attacking Spears for using product placement in her 'Hold It Against Me' video.
By James Montgomery
Katy Perry
Photo: John Parra/ WireImage
Last week, when Katy Perry answered a question tweeted by her California Dreams tourmate Marina and the Diamonds about product placement in music videos, she never expected to touch off a media firestorm. And she's plenty mad that she did.
It all started with Perry's reply to Marina's query for "a consensus on product placement in videos." Perry wrote on Twitter, "Do it with style and grace ... Not so 'In [your] face like some. [You] have to get creative with it. Some artists don't care though, and you can tell."
Given that Perry's response occurred hours after the premiere of Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" video (a version of which is loaded with promotional shots for products like Spears' own Radiance perfume, Make Up for Ever cosmetics and dating website PlentyofFish.com), most were quick to interpret it as a dig at Spears for selling out. And that made Perry very angry.
Early Wednesday morning (February 23), Perry took to Twitter once again to rip the tabloid media (or as she calls them, "filth") for their speculative and hurtful ways, claiming in a series of messages that they manipulated her words in an attempt to pit her against Spears, and, because of that, were basically responsible for the decline of civilization as we know it.
"Dear tabloid media a.k.a. FILTH: please note I expressed an overall feeling about product placement, [its] role in videos and the art of them being compliment[ary] or sticking out," Perry wrote. "Most, if not ALL, popsters welcome deals with products [to] offset costs of big-budget vids in these recessional music industry times. I'VE used them in MY vids before and am happy [to be] able [to] make a better vid because of [them].
"Once AGAIN, stop pitting artist against artist for [your] sensational satisfaction," she continued, "and stick to what [you're] best [at]: lying, gossiping, exaggerating and overall lending a hand [to] the deterioration of a generation."
What do you think of artists using product placement in their videos? Tell us in the comments.
Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists2011 Oscars Red Carpet Interviews
2011 Oscars Red Carpet Interviews
MTV News hits the Oscar's red carpet to ask the stars your burning questions.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Miley Cyrus, Other Stars Talk Grammys At Pre-Show Bash
Cyrus says she 'can't wait to see' her friend Christina Aguilera perform in the all-star Grammy tribute to Aretha Franklin.
By Vanessa WhiteWolf, with additional reporting from Sway
Miley Cyrus at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party on Saturday
Photo: Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Some of the entertainment world's biggest stars gathered at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday night for the annual Clive Davis and the Recording Academy's Pre-Grammy Gala. And on the evening before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, the big show was all anybody was talking about on the golden carpet.
Check out photos of Cee Lo, R. Kelly and Jennifer Hudon performing at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party.
Miley Cyrus said she was excited to see her pal Christina Aguilera take part in the Aretha Franklin tribute — where she'll be joined by Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch, Yolanda Adams and Martina McBride. "I got a little sneak peek of Christina when she was doing Aretha Franklin," Miley spilled. "She's a friend of mine and I can't wait to see her perform. She's always incredible. I think she's the best female vocalist. I love listening to her."
OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder, who just worked with Hudson on a track for her new album, was one of the many celebs who said they were most looking forward to seeing the "Dreamgirls" star honor Franklin. Tedder also had a few words about Davis' pre-show bash. A frequent attendee of the annual party, he admitted that though it often can be a "high-stress environment," that wasn't the case this year. "This time I'm just here eating food. I don't even know who's playing," he laughed.
Matthew Morrison of "Glee," meanwhile, showed loyalty to one his occasional co-stars, Gwyneth Paltrow, saying he was really looking forward to seeing the actress/singer take the stage with Cee Lo Green. Although maybe his excitement was more about relief, as the two of them spent last week filming Paltrow's upcoming return to the hit TV show while he was under the weather. "I had to kiss her last week and she was like, 'You better not get me sick!' " he admitted.
Janelle Monáe, who will join B.o.B and Bruno Mars on the Grammy stage, at first coyly refused to spill any details about the performance. She eventually opened up a little, though, offering that it would be "very revolutionary."
Another performer set to hit the stage on Sunday night (February 13) with her share of famous fans is Lady Gaga. Toni Braxton enthused, "What I love about her is that you never know what to expect. She's like a jack-in-the-box!"
Vanessa Minnillo, accompanied by fiancé Nick Lachey, summed it up for the ladies in general, saying, "It's such an unexpected and nerve-wracking year for female performers."
Don't miss "Snooki & Sway: Live From the Grammys," a red-carpet live stream kicking off Sunday (February 13) at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all Grammy night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!
Related Photos Related ArtistsBritney Spears Wanted To 'Experiment' On Femme Fatale
'I really wanted to play with my voice and change up my sound,' she tells Rolling Stone.
By Jocelyn Vena
Britney Spears in the "Hold It Against Me" video
Photo: Jive
When Britney Spears started planning Femme Fatale, there was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to take her time and make something incredibly different from anything she's previously released.
In a chat with Rolling Stone, the singer said she thinks she accomplished what she set out to do: "make a fresh-sounding album for the clubs or something that you play in your car when you're going out at night that gets you excited."
"I wanted it to sound different from everything else out right now," she told the mag. "I also wanted to experiment with all the different types of music I love, which is why you hear a mixture of pop, hip-hop and dance throughout the album. I also really wanted to play with my voice and change up my sound here and there, which was really fun."
Her first two singles certainly fit that bill. "Hold It Against Me" and "Till the World Ends" are sexy dance jams that are just a taste of what the album is about. "I really didn't want to record anything on this album that could be mistaken for anyone else out there. I think my first two singles, 'Hold It Against Me' and 'Till the World Ends,' sound completely different from anything else," she said. "And I think when my fans hear the rest of Femme Fatale, they'll see how fresh every song is."
On the album, Spears worked with longtime collaborators Dr. Luke and Max Martin, but she also hooked up with will.i.am on the song "Big Fat Bass." "The Peas make incredibly catchy, fun pop/dance records and I love will.i.am's style," she raved. "I have always wanted to do a song with him and would love to work with him more in the future. He is so interesting."
Like Spears, Luke wanted to push the boundaries for this album, and Spears described her "picky" attitude toward choosing songs, knowing that she wanted it to be "unique" from the other tracks on the radio.
"I only wanted songs that I immediately connected to. I also wanted to make sure that this album was completely different from Circus or anything else I had ever recorded," she said. "I love Circus, but I wanted something darker and edgier. I also wanted to make an album and didn't want to just record a bunch of songs and put them together. I think Femme Fatale is really connected from start to finish."
Are you looking forward to Britney's new music? Let us know in the comments!
Related Artists'Hunger Games' Experts Weigh In On Jennifer Lawrence's Casting
'In 'Winter's Bone,' you can see that she can handle anything that's thrown at her,' Down With the Capitol's Theresa Morgan tells MTV News.
By Amy Wilkinson
Jennifer Lawrence
Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
On Thursday, MTV News exclusively revealed that Jennifer Lawrence had landed the highly coveted role of Katniss Everdeen in the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' dystopian thriller "The Hunger Games."
The announcement capped months of speculation regarding who would enter the arena as District 12's female tribute. It seemed nearly every actress under the age of 25 had auditioned for the role, including fellow Oscar nominees Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin. Now that fans know Jennifer will carry Katniss' bow and arrow, reactions — largely mixed — have been flooding the internet.
The chief gripe from some is that the tall, blond 20-year-old doesn't resemble the novel's scrappy 16-year-old heroine described as olive-skinned and dark-haired.
"People are like, 'She shouldn't be Katniss because she looks wrong,' " said Mockingjay.net administrator Kimmy West. "Other people are telling them, 'Hey, acting is more important, and she's an amazing actress, so we should keep our minds open for the movie.' "
To wit, many Jennifer supporters cite the actress' performance in the Oscar-nominated "Winter's Bone" as reason enough for her to take up residence in Panem.
"She's extremely talented," said Down With the Capitol administrator Theresa Morgan. "In 'Winter's Bone,' you can see that she can handle anything that's thrown at her."
Age is also a factor working in Jennifer's favor. Though she's four years older than the novel's heroine, The Hob administrator Megan Scott said an older actress is needed to portray the older-than-her-years Katniss.
"Some people don't like it that she's a little bit older. Personally, I think it's great," Scott said. "I think she needs to bring maturity to the role."
The fact that the novel's author gave Jennifer her seal of approval has assured many fans that the fate of "The Hunger Games" is in good hands.
"Jennifer's just an incredible actress," Collins said. "So powerful, vulnerable, beautiful, unforgiving and brave. I never thought we'd find somebody this perfect for the role. And I can't wait for everyone to see her play it."
And, as many YA enthusiasts may recall, fans were initially hesitant to accept Robert Pattinson in the role of "Twilight" leading man Edward Cullen, and now Twilighters can't imagine anyone else as their vampire hero. The true test will come when "The Hunger Games" hits theaters March 23, 2012.
What do you think about Jennifer playing Katniss in "The Hunger Games"? Tell us in the comments below!
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Related PhotosThursday, March 17, 2011
MTV News Extended Play: Jennifer Hudson
MTV News Extended Play: Jennifer Hudson
The R&B songstress talks touring, acting, her son and more.
Related ArtistsJoe Jonas Gives All The 'Details' As This Week's Hump Day Hottie
Joe Jonas has always been adorable. And as the middle Jonas Brother, he always had potential to be, well, hot. That potential, it seems, has finally reached critical mass. Wowza! This month's Details cover boy has really grown into quite a Hump Day Hottie, if we do say so ourselves. Check out this dreamy video of [...]
Beyoncé - If I Were A Boy
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia/Music World Music
- Director: Jake Nava
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
MTV News Extended Play: Lupe Fiasco
MTV News Extended Play: Lupe Fiasco
MTV News caught up with Lupe Fiasco to talk about his new album <i>Lasers</i> and more!
Related Artists'Battle: Los Angeles' Victorious At Box Office
The apocalyptic sci-fi flick had a $36 million opening in its first weekend in theaters.
By Ryan J. Downey
Michelle Rodriguez in "Battle: Los Angeles"
Photo: Sony Pictures
The big bad wolf and cartoon Martians were no match for aliens of a much more sinister kind at the box office over the weekend. "Battle: Los Angeles" was the #1 movie with a $36 million debut, while the sci-fi flick's fellow new releases — "Red Riding Hood" and "Mars Needs Moms" — failed to muster the same type of excitement from moviegoers.
While the UFO-invasion flick starring Aaron Eckhart ("The Dark Knight"), Michelle Rodriguez ("Avatar") and Ne-Yo was victorious in the battle for tickets, it failed to conquer film critics. "Battle: Los Angeles" currently has a 33-percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Conversely, last week's #1 picture, "Rango," boasts an 89-percent rating with critics. The animated film about a lizard sheriff, which features the voice talents of Johnny Depp ("Pirates of the Caribbean") and Isla Fisher ("Wedding Crashers"), was #2 on the tally with a $23 million take, making its two-week total $68.6 million. (All box office figures are according to studio estimates.)
Amanda Seyfried ("Mean Girls") stars in "Red Riding Hood," a PG-13 take on the classic children's tale, which debuted at #3 after bringing in $14.1 million. The dark fantasy tale was the worst-reviewed film in the top 10 over the weekend, with a paltry 12-percent critical-approval score. "Red Riding Hood" was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, whose last movie was the first entry in the "Twilight" series, which, of course, launched an international box-office phenomenon. And Seyfried's recently starring vehicle, the 2010 romantic drama "Dear John," has earned more than $80 million.
"The Adjustment Bureau" was #4, earning $11.4 million for a two-week total of $38.4 million. The mind-bending thriller stars Matt Damon ("The Bourne Identity"), whose "Green Zone" opened during the same weekend last year with just a $14.3 million debut. Damon's new movie has already earned more than "Hereafter" or "Invictus" in just two weeks.
With an estimated production budget of $150 million, it's safe to say that "Mars Needs Moms" absolutely needed more viewers. The performance-capture Disney flick brought in just $6.8 million in its debut week to land in the #5 spot. The take was the lowest in history for a 3-D animated movie opening in more than 2000 theaters. (It premiered on 4,400 screens.) "Mars" was, of course, competing with another Disney kids movie, "Gnomeo and Juliet," which was #10 after earning $3.5 million to bring its total to $89 million. "Gnomeo"'s opening five weeks ago was four times that of "Mars."
The raunchy comedy "Hall Pass" was #6 six with $5.1 million for a $34.9 million total. "Beastly" continued to underperform with just $5 million for a $16.9 million total. Adam Sandler's "Just Go With It" headed closer to the $100 million mark by adding another $4 million to its domestic haul. Its $93.9 million total, of course, is still nowhere near the $160 million-plus earned by the comic actor's "The Waterboy," "Big Daddy" or even the more-recent "Grown Ups."
Multiple-Oscar-winner "The King's Speech" was #9 with $3.6 million for a $129 million total. For a small-budget historical drama, it's getting surprisingly close to star Colin Firth's biggest box-office successes — "A Christmas Carol" and "Mamma Mia!" — and has already passed pictures like "Shakespeare in Love" and "Bridget Jones's Diary."
This weekend's new releases will include "Limitless," "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "Paul."
Check out everything we've got on "Battle: Los Angeles," "Rango" and "Red Riding Hood."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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