Mickeys

Nominees & Winners for the 82nd Academy Awards:

Oscars 2010

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

“Coraline” Henry Selick
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
“The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
“The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
“Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction

“Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
“Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
“Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

“Avatar” Mauro Fiore
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
“The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
“Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
“The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

“Bright Star” Janet Patterson
“Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

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Supermodel Naomi Campbell says she wants to move on from an incident in which she was accused of assaulting a chauffeur after he said he regretted involving the police.

Campbell says she will not be 'held hostage to her past'

New York City driver Miodrag Mejdina had told police that Campbell hit him from behind as she sat in the back seat of a luxury 4×4.

He claimed his head struck the steering wheel of the black Cadillac Escalade.

But now he has said through his lawyer that he got “angry and over-reacted”, the incident was “blown out of proportion” and he wanted to apologise to Campbell “for causing that to happen”.

He is not pressing charges.

Campbell, 39, issued a statement, saying: “On Tuesday, March 2, I was accused of unacceptable behaviour towards a driver in New York.

“I have worked very hard on correcting my previous wrongdoings and I will not be held hostage to my past.

“I try to treat everyone with respect and I am pleased the driver has apologised. I would like to put the last few days behind me and move on.”

The catwalk diva has faced a series of lawsuits and criminal cases including accusations of attacking household employees and two police officers at London’s Heathrow airport.

taken from SkyNews

Bob Skinstad arrested

Cape Town – Chaos erupted at the V&A Waterfront on Monday when former Springbok captain and SuperSport presenter, Bob Skinstad, was arrested.

Journalists at the venue were quick to react, grabbing their tape recorders as they started firing questions at the two armed policemen who handcuffed Skinstad and escorted him into a police van.

The commanding officer refused to comment as to the exact charges, except to say “Mr Skinstad cannot be giving out free school shoes to children. Just imagine if every child thinks they should now have a pair of school shoes. And for free. What would happen? There would be dancing in the streets and that is not right. ”

An anonymous rugby fan in his late 40s, who was passing by at the time said, “I was shocked. Just the other day I was watching Bob on TV thinking what a likeable, decent guy he is and then I see him being dragged off in handcuffs by the police. It was terrible to see.”

Bob Skinstad in jail

It has since emerged that Skinstad, who prefers to be called Bob, is being charged with a “positivity” crime – using the media to raise awareness for the millions of schoolchildren who are subjected to the daily pain and humiliation of having to go to school without school shoes.  In fact, in most cases, children who do not have uniform or shoes do not attend school.

Says Bob: “What child wants to go to school when they know they will be teased, when they know that they will stand out? I believe every child has the right to own a pair of school shoes because it’s an important step in giving children a sense of pride and dignity, thus enhancing the child’s education.”

Determined to “walk the talk”, Bob started the “bobsforgood foundation” along with his good friend, Ron Rutland. The foundation is driven by a single concept – to put shoes on the seven million children in South Africa that do not have shoes. Bob is fully committed in providing beneficiaries with shoes made in South African, by South African women who were once disadvantaged themselves. It’s about supporting everything that is South African. It’s a win-win situation for children and our economy.

So serious is Bob about this issue, that he is willing to “go to jail” for the cause.

Over the next five days, Bob will be housed in a constricted jail cell at the V&A Waterfront’s Barrow Court in the shopping mall. He will be released from jail on February 20 when the next leg of his awareness campaign – Walk This Way – will begin.

Bob and his team will Walk This Way to nine key towns in the Western Cape and aim to provide over 5 000 shoes to underprivileged kids from pre-selected schools. The entire campaign is fully endorsed by Donald Grant, MEC Education, whose department helped the campaign organisers ensure they benefitted the neediest schools.

Bobs urges everyone to come to the Waterfront, have lots of fun, enjoy the event and support bobsforgood, saying, “If we all do our bit, no matter how small, I believe we can create a better South Africa – one step at a time.” Your donation can make a massive difference in a child’s life.

Visit www.bobsforgoodfoundation.org and donate online

Visit him in the V&A Waterfront’s Barrow Court from the 15th to the 20th of February where you can make a pledge to Bob

The public can give Bob’s team a call on 0861 00 BOBS

Or to send an EFT, Bob’s foundation bank account is called ‘bobsforgood’
Standard Bank Mowbray
Branch No: 024909
Account No: 075 221 381

taken from News24

One of Britain’s top fashion designers Alexander McQueen has been found dead – reportedly hanged – at his flat in central London.

Alexander McQueen and his mother Joyce

The 40-year-old is believed to have become depressed following the death of his mother Joyce, who died on February 2.

McQueen, who was named British fashion designer of the year four times between 1996 and 2003, had posted a string of messages on Twitter which offered an insight into his state of mind after he lost his beloved mum.

On February 3 he wrote: “i’m letting my followers know the my mother passed away yesterday if it she had not me nor would you RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [sic]“.

This was followed up seconds later with: “but life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Then four days later, over two tweets, he wrote: “sunday evening been a f*****g awful week but my friends have been great but now i have to some how pull myself together and finish with the HELLS ANGLES & PROLIFIC DEAMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The last message on his account, which appears to have been written around mid- afternoon on Tuesday, read: “im here with my girl annie tinkerbell wishing kerry the slag, happy birthday in NY, your 40 now girl time to slow it down we think.”

Scotland Yard said police were called to McQueen’s property on Green Street, in London’s West End, at 10.20am after he was found dead by the London Ambulance Service.

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Michael Jackson’s doctor could soon be charged with manslaughter over the superstar’s death, according to reports.

Michael Jackson

Prosecutors are to file a criminal complaint against Conrad Murray, a law enforcement official told reporters.

A judge will then decide if there are grounds for trying Murray on an involuntary manslaughter charge

Jackson died on June 25 from an anaesthetic overdose, but the doctor maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.

Murray returned to Los Angeles at the weekend in case he was charged, his spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said.

“Dr Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose – on family business and to be available for law enforcement. We’re trying to be as cooperative as we can,” she said.

The district attorney’s office has been working closely with police to build a case against Murray.

Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances in London.

But he died in LA after Murray administered the general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get help the singer, a chronic insomniac, to sleep.

Murray strongly denies any criminal wrongdoing.

“We continue to maintain that Dr Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson,” Ms Sevcik said.

taken from SkyNews

Sir Richard Branson and JK Rowling are expected to be among the guests at a fund-raising event to mark the 1,000th day since Madeleine McCann went missing.

Madeleine's Fund raised almost £2m in the first 10 months after she disappeared

Around 180 people have been invited by her parents Kate and Gerry McCann to attend the £150-a-head dinner, raffle and auction at Sir Richard’s Kensington Roof Gardens in west London.

Half the money raised will go to the McCanns’ fund to find their daughter, with the other half split between the charities Missing People and Missing Children Europe.

Supporters of the couple from Rothley, Leicestershire, will also launch 1,000 glowing paper lanterns into the night sky in Britain, Portugal and the US to coincide with the anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance.

Almost £2m was raised for Madeleine’s Fund in the first 10 months after she went missing from Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007.

But as the number of donations lessened her parents spent hundreds of thousands of pounds hiring a series of private detectives to continue the search.

McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell stressed there was no “crisis” in the fund, which currently stands at approximately £500,000.

“But even if the fund were to run dry, it doesn’t mean the search stops,” he said.

Mr Mitchell said the west London dinner would be attended primarily by the couple’s friends and long-term supporters, including their millionaire backer Brian Kennedy.

The paper lanterns will be launched at 7.30pm British time from about 20 different locations, including Praia da Luz, Rothley and Mrs McCann’s hometown of Liverpool.

taken from SkyNews

Michael Jackson’s doctor looks set to be charged over the singer’s death, according to the website TMZ.

Dr Conrad Murray

Los Angeles police will present their case against Dr Conrad Murray to the District Attorney’s office within weeks, the celebrity site said.

LAPD sources are quoted as saying Dr Murray will most likely face a charge of involuntary manslaughter which requires proof of gross negligence.

Jackson died suddenly last June, aged 50, at his LA home while under the care of Dr Murray.

The pop superstar had been due to launch a series of concerts at London’s 02 Arena just days later.

Miranda Sevcik, a spokeswoman for Dr Murray, and his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, said he has no comment.

Both insisted the doctor had not prescribed or administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson, according to the Associated Press news agency.

Authorities have apparently also lined up medical expert witnesses who will testify about the normal standard of care expected in a situation such as Jackson’s, the source told AP.

taken from SkyNews

The burned body of an aspiring Playboy model has been found in a rubbish bin.

Picture of Paula Sladweski featured on the model website ExploreTalent.com

Paula Sladewski – who appeared in the video Playboy: The Ultimate Playmate Search – was so badly burned officials had to use dental records to identify her.

The LA-based model had been visiting Florida during a holiday with her boyfriend who reported her missing.

On New Year’s Eve she went to a Lady Gaga concert in Miami and spent the weekend visiting nightclubs and bars.

Reports claimed she became separated from her boyfriend in the early hours of Sunday morning. Her charred remains were discovered on Sunday night.

A passer-by had alerted the authorities after seeing a bin on fire in a Miami street.

Ms Sladewski’s stepfather Richard Watkins told the Miami Herald his stepdaughter was an aspiring model who saw the profession as her dream.

Playboy: The Ultimate Playmate Search was released in 2003 and featured a string of women aspiring to be models for the brand.

A cause of death has not been established. Police are investigating.

taken from SkyNews

Rockers in the US are looking forward to a day of celebrations with the annual Rock and Roll Day falling on what would have been Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday.

Elvis, pictured in the 1960s. His fans are as steadfast as ever

The king of rock’n'roll was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Vernon and Gladys Presley in 1935; he had a twin brother, Jessie Gaaron, who was stillborn.

Elvis went on to become the best-selling solo artist of all time, with worldwide sales of around one billion records.

His premature death in 1977 at the age of just 42 left fans distraught, with so many thousands flocking to pay their respects outside his Gracelands home in Memphis that President Carter took the decision to call in the National Guard.

Graceland is to play host to today’s anniversary party, with Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie and her mother, Priscilla – Elvis’ former wife – attending a birthday cake-cutting ceremony at which Memphis officials are due to announce Elvis Presley Day.

More than 300 fans from the UK are in Memphis for the celebrations but, says Todd Slaughter of the Elvis Presley Fan Club of Great Britain, they are facing one or two problems.

“They’ve got the same weather out there as we have here,” he told Sky News Online.

“So we’re not sure what’s going on.

“The plan was to go to Gracelands and from there to Tupelo but that’s been cancelled because of the bad weather.

Elvis with Todd Slaughter, at Elvis' final concert

“What’ll they do if all else fails? Have a drink I expect – they’re British after all!”

Todd, who runs the fan club, has been taking fans to see Elvis since 1972.

“I thought all that would finish when he died but it’s still going strong. We take anything up to 1,000 people out. They’re ordinary fans – mums, dads, children and they’re just straightforward people who love Elvis.”

Todd himself met Elvis on three times, the first when he was with fellow Elvis fan, Radio Luxembourg DJ Tony Prince.

“Nothing prepared me for meeting him.

“The amazing thing was you didn’t realise he was there. You’d be in the room and he wasn’t there and then suddenly he was, but there was no fanfare, no build up…he was just there, he just appeared.

“He wasn’t a public speaker – some stars get their kicks from all the attention wherever they are, but he wasn’t like that. He was very shy.

“I would think the stage was where he got his release, when he was performing.”

taken from SkyNews

A clip of a new Michael Jackson song has been gathering momentum after being leaked onto the internet.

Another Day is the second new song to emerge since Jackson's death

Another Day, which has been posted on YouTube, is a collaboration with American rocker Lenny Kravitz.

The clip runs at 1 minute 27 seconds and features Jackson singing a verse which appears to be from a Kravitz song called Storm, according to the celebrity gossip website TMZ.

Kravitz gave an interview shortly after Jackson’s death in which he mentioned working with the star on a song that had not yet been released.

The singer called it “the most amazing experience I’ve had in the studio”.

So far, various clips of the track have been viewed more than 20,000 times on YouTube.

It is the second song to emerge from the King of Pop since his death.

A track entitled This Is It, was released as a single in October ahead of the cinema release of the documentary of the same name.

The film featured footage of the star rehearsing for his London comeback concerts just days before his death on June 25, 2009.

taken from SkyNews

An anti-fur campaigning group has come under fire from the White House for claiming they have the backing of first lady Michelle Obama without permission.

Michelle Obama has confirmed she doesn't wear fur

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals used a picture of Mrs Obama under the slogan ‘Fur-Free and Fabulous’.

The president of Peta, Ingrid Newkirk, said she didn’t seek Mrs Obama’s consent for the anti-fur ad because it knows that she can’t make such an endorsement.

Peta included the first lady in its Washington ad campaign based on White House confirmation that she does not wear fur.

In the ad, which is being used in Washington DC area, she is pictures alongside Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Underwood and Tyra Banks – three others who have refused to wear fur.

In response to the White House criticism, Peta released a statement saying, “We haven’t asked the White House to fund or promote the campaign, as they can’t do such things…

“But the fact is that Michelle Obama has issued a statement indicating that she doesn’t wear fur, and the world should know that in Peta’s eyes, that makes her pretty fabulous.”

Mrs Obama’s deputy press secretary confirmed that the first lady was fur-free after French first lady Carla Bruni made a similar announcement.

taken from SkyNews

A bare-chested picture of scandal-hit Tiger Woods showing off his bulging biceps has been exposed to the world.

The full-length Leibovitz picture

The latest issue of the US magazine Vanity Fair, featuring the famous golfer on its cover, will hit newsagents’ shelves this week.

The revealing image was taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz and the publication promises a full portfolio inside.

The 33-year-old multi-millionaire sportsman has recently been dropped by a number of high-profile sponsors following revelations over a string of extra-martial affairs.

Vanity Fair describes the pictures of Woods – taken before the scandal that erupted after he was hurt in an early morning car crash – as raw and unguarded.

The article accompanying the pictures is definitely post-scandal.

It is called “Tiger in the rough” and starts out, “When Tiger Woods finally fell from his pedestal…”

Leibovitz, who reportedly took the pictures four years ago, said: “Tiger is an intensely competitive athlete – and quite serious about his sport.

“I wanted to reveal that in these photos. And to show his incredible focus and dedication.”

The photographs emerge at a time when the golfer himself has remained hidden.

Woods has not been seen since the crash outside his home in November.

The collision sparked the allegations that Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren had serious marital problems.

He later announced he was giving up golf for the foreseeable future.

US telecommunications company AT&T is the latest firm to end its association with the golfer following the claims of numerous infidelities.

Accenture and Gillette have also dropped support for Woods.

The latest Vanity Fair magazine will go on sale in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday and the rest of the US on January 12.

taken from SkyNews

for a full list visit SkyNews

The 3-D extravaganza “Avatar” ruled the worldwide box office for a second weekend on Sunday, while the latest exploits of Alvin and the Chipmunks and Sherlock Holmes helped set a North American sales record.

“Avatar,” an eco-friendly morality tale from “Titanic” writer/director James Cameron, earned $220 million (138 million pounds) in North America and 108 foreign markets, taking its 10-day haul to $617.3 million.

Distributor 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp, said the film was No. 1 everywhere except in India where it followed a local movie. It opens in China on January 2 and Italy on January 15.

British director Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes,” starring Robert Downey Jr. as the Victorian sleuth, opened to $91.4 million in North America and 17 foreign markets. The Warner Bros. release opened at No. 2 in the United States and Canada with a better-than-expected $65.4 million.

Family audiences spent $86.7 million on Fox’s “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” a follow-up to the cartoon characters’ 2007 worldwide smash. In North America, the film ranked No. 3 for the weekend with $50.2 million, also exceeding studio forecasts. Thanks to an early start on Wednesday, its tally stands at $77.1 million, taking its worldwide haul to $113.6 million.

Fox said “Alvin” opened in 42 markets, and was No. 2 in at least 20 of them.

SALES RECORD SMASHED

The three films helped set a new weekend sales record in North America, according to tracking firm Hollywood.com Box Office. The top 12 releases grossed $278 million, smashing the mark of $261 million set in July 2008 when “The Dark Knight” was the top film, it said.

The firm also forecast record sales of $10.5 billion this year, up 9 percent from 2008. Even with higher ticket prices, it predicted the number of tickets sold would rise almost 5 percent from last year to 1.4 billion — the highest tally since 2006.

The other major new release in North America, “It’s Complicated,” opened at No. 4 with a solid $22.1 million. The Universal Pictures comedy, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, also pulled in $5.4 million from 11 foreign markets. Spain chipped in $2.1 million.

The only sour note was struck by the Weinstein Co. musical “Nine,” which earned just $5.5 million in its first weekend of wide release, good enough for only No. 8. The closely held studio said the film struggled to connect with moviegoers in the heartland, but did better in the big cities.

STRONG HOLD FOR “AVATAR”

“Avatar” has earned $212.3 million after 10 days of release across the United States and Canada. The film enjoyed a surprisingly strong hold, losing just 3 percent of its opening-weekend audience.

It garnered almost as much attention for its reported record-breaking budget of at least $300 million as for its tale of a disabled ex-Marine sent from Earth to infiltrate an alien race of 10-foot (3 metre)-tall blue people in order to save his polluted planet.

“Sherlock Holmes” looks set to give Downey his second movie franchise after “Iron Man.” It ranks as the fifth-biggest December opener in North America, and it set a Christmas Day opening record of $24.8 million.

Warner Bros. is talking about sequel prospects but no decisions have been made yet, said Dan Fellman, president of distribution at the Time Warner Inc unit. Downey reinvents the staid Holmes as a dashing superhero; Jude Law co-stars as Watson.

The “Alvin and the Chipmunks” sequel ranks No. 7 among all-time December openings in North America. “Alvin” and “It’s Complicated” come from female directors, Betty Thomas and Nancy Meyers, respectively, a rare appearance by two women in the top tier.

The No. 5 spot went to “Up in the Air,” which rose three places in its first weekend of wide release. Director Jason Reitman’s meditation on love and loneliness in corporate America has earned $24.5 million since Viacom Inc’s Paramount Pictures released it in 15 theaters on December 4.

taken from EWN

Actor Charlie Sheen spent Christmas Day in jail after being arrested for allegedly attacking his wife.

Charlie Sheen's mugshot after he was arrested in Aspen

The 44-year-old was taken into custody at Pitkin County Colorado Jail in the ski resort of Aspen on domestic violence charges.

Police said the Hollywood star was booked for “second degree assault”, “menacing” and “criminal mischief”.

The Two And A Half Men and Spin City star was bailed and is due to appear in court in February.

Police did not release the name of the victim, but Hollywood media reports said Sheen’s arrest followed a domestic dispute with his third wife, Brooke Mueller.

Sheen with wife Brooke in September

Since the 1990s Sheen has had several brushes with the law in cases related to drugs and domestic violence.

In 1990 he checked into drug rehab but soon fell off the wagon, and in May 1998 he nearly died of an overdose in his home.

He was also accused by his ex-wife actress Denise Richards of assault and threatening behaviour in 2005.

Ms Mueller, who has been married to Sheen for 19 months, gave birth to twin boys in March.

Sheen also has two daughters with former James Bond girl Richards, whom he divorced in 2006.

taken from SkyNews