I was seven when I first saw Beyoncé sing and shake on TV. Even though she shared the stage with the three other members of Destiny’s Child back then, it was clear that Bey was the queen. With her doc Life Is But a Dream finally giving us a glimpse into her personal life, let’s check out the R&B diva’s evolution from talent show to Super Bowl show-stopper.
Destiny’s child
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born in Houston, Texas on September 4, 1981. Even though we’ve been saying Bey’s fabulous name for years, her family only let us in on its origin at the Life Is But a Dream premiere. Turns out it comes from her mom’s maiden name Beyince. Luckily for us, Beyoncé definitely has way more diva-worthy oomph.
She sang everywhere she could
One school play was all it took for little Bey to fall in love with acting, music and dancing. She became a choir and talent show queen, out-singing older kids and getting standing ovations since she was seven. Check out this clip to see eight-year-old Beyoncé werking a talent show in 1989!
First girl group!
Nine-year-old Beyoncé formed the group Girls Tyme with her cousin and future Destiny’s Child BFF, Kelly Rowland in 1990. The R&B gang included original DC members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson. The girls perfected their dance moves in Beyoncé’s backyard when they weren’t wowing talent show crowds.
She wasn’t afraid to rock the stage Read more…
Because news of the Destiny’s Child reunion is so exciting, here is a video of Beyonce and Michelle Williams keepin’ it real. Showing off their “respect my gangster” handshake, these two ladies show just how much street cred they really have. (Let’s just hope Kelly Rowland is in on this too!)
The trailer for Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful is, at times, so visually stunning that it look like it’s animated. Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) managed to re-envision the Land of Oz we all remember from 1939′s The Wizard of Oz while preserving the original vision and maintaining its integrity.
The plot centres around a small-time magician named Oscar Diggs (James Franco) who is hurled into the Land of Oz where he must transform himself into the great and powerful Wizard. The film also stars Mina Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Zach Braff.
The Wizard of Oz was one of my fave movies as a kid so I love that they’re reinterpreting it for the next generation. You’ll have to wait nearly a year though because it’s not being released until March, 2013.
Watch it here:
While it has been almost a decade since Destiny’s Child’s last full-length album, the group comprised of Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams may be recording a new album soon!
According to Mathew Knowles, Beyonce’s father and former manager of Destiny’s Child, the group has previously unreleased material that will appear on two compilation releases via his Music World Entertainment label partnership with Sony.
“We still have our joint venture with Sony, and in November, we’re putting out two Destiny’s Child catalog records with new material,” Knowles told The Huffington Post when asked about his label’s upcoming plans.
And beyond the new songs, Knowles also talked about the possibility of a Destiny’s Child reunion tour!
“It takes a year of planning to do these tours, but first it starts with the artist wanting to do it. And I think the ladies are still working happily in their solo careers,” he explained.
“I hope in the next five years that there is a reunion tour. I think it would be incredible.”
Considering this, the decision is obviously up to the trio who have all been busy focusing on their solo careers.
Beyonce, as we know, has become a massive hitmaker and recently just became a mother to a baby girl named Blue Ivy. Kelly, has also fared quite well hitting No. 1 with Lil’ Wayne on ‘Motivation’ and is set to do the same with her new single ‘Ice’. As for Michelle, the gospel singer has been successful on Broadway and is set to launch a clothing line in partnership with African brand Koshie O.
Guys, what do you think of this potentially exciting news? Will there ever be a Destiny’s Child reunion?
In the world of celebrity news, there’s no shortage of hits and misses. This week, Jason Segel and Michelle Williams warm our icy hearts when they’re caught out on a date, and January Jones makes us want to puke with her placenta pills.
Hits
James Cameron goes down the Mariana Trench for science
The Titanic/Avatar director went 36,000 ft. below sea level for National Geographic. While he didn’t see any deep sea monsters, expect James Cameron to turn the sea into a metaphorical wasteland. As he said to National Geographic: “There had to be a moment where I just stopped, and took it in, and said ‘This is where I am; I’m at the bottom of the ocean, the deepest place on Earth. What does that mean?’” I don’t know, I just don’t know…
Hunger Games soundtrack debuts at number one
No surprises here. The Hunger Games soundtrack debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart. It’s the first soundtrack to top the list in three years and features everyone from Taylor Swift to Kid Cudi to Arcade Fire.
Jason Segel and Michelle Williams are dating
Jason Segel and Michelle Williams are like Internet cats. Do we really need to see photos of them together? No. Do we want to? Yes, because like my favourite Internet cats, they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Misses
Courtney Stodden for PETA
PETA was on the right track when they lost a Kardashian, but somehow lost their way again when this this barely legal mound of plastic started publicly supporting them. It’s like they want their supporters to be 50 IQ points dumber.
Octomom poses topless for a European magazine, inspired universal gagging
Nadya Suleman finally discovered that having octuplets don’t make you famewhore money. So to pay rent, she decided to reveal it all (almost). Octomom said she “pinged back to shape like a rubberband,” but her body looks like it’s been Kate Gosselin’d, nipped and tucked all over.
January Jones eats her placenta in pill form
This last spot almost went to Alicia Silverstone feeding her baby like a bird. Then, I asked myself, who would even think to be all, “Doctor, after I pop this kid out, do you mind saving my placenta? It’s my version of a protein shake!” Famous people. That’s who.
We saw a lot of white at the Oscars tonight, but the shade wasn’t my favourite. It looked a little too bridal and boring to me. It also washed out some ladies on camera, like Rooney Mara. Long sleeves were another big look, which I personally loved. Some critics deemed it too “mature” but who cares about those rules anyway?
Ladies in colour, Michelle Williams and Emma Stone
My absolute favourite look of the night goes to Michelle Williams who wore a coral Louis Vuitton gown. It looked like a vibrant red on camera but this photo really brings out the coral. She paired it with a simple necklace and brooch. She can do no wrong!
Emma Stone wore a beautiful red haute couture dress by Giambattista Valli. I know there will be a bit of disagreement about the bow but I like that she’s fearless. There was some chatter that her dress was too similar to one of Nicole Kidman’s past dresses, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. Especially considering how many similar little black dresses we see on the carpet each year.
Young starlets, Sarah Hyland and Shailene Woodley and Rooney Mara
Sarah Hyland’s lilac dress was a little too prom for me. I like the cap sleeve on her right shoulder but found the cut to be a little plain. I originally liked Shailene Woodley’s Valentino dress when I first saw it, but it didn’t photograph as well as it looked on camera. Although some critics thought it wasn’t “age appropriate,” I like the fact that she has a very unique style for being so young. Instead of bare arms and a low cut she went for a dress that’s comparatively conservative. In comparison, Rooney Mara’s Givenchy white dress washed her out and was ill-fitting. She said she picked it out that morning and it showed!
Screen Gold, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman
No joke, I’ve always had a weird affinity for capes. They rock. And Gwyneth Paltrow, who wore Tom Ford, rocks for wearing one. Natalie Portman’s dress was a little too 50s sweetheart to me. We see her in the “cute” dress a lot and I wish she’d mix it up for a change. But still, the style makes her comfortable so I can’t blame her for going that route. My second best of the night goes to Angelina Jolie. She looked HOT with that slit in the leg and she actually cracked a smile.
Funny ladies, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy
My favourite of these ladies was Rose Byrne. Her haircut is the type of style that makes me chop off my hair and then immediately regret it. But it looks chic on her. Maya Rudolph looked great in a simple purple. In comparison, her SNL buddy Kristen Wiig was a little too beachy and casual for the night. If she pulled up her hair it would have made a huge difference. I heard some different points of view about Melissa McCarthy’s dress but I don’t think it’s structured enough and I’m not huge on the colour.
Best of the night? Sacha Baron Cohen
Lions and tigers and spoilers. Oh my!
We announced that the Wizard of Oz prequel was in the works about a year ago. Oz The Great and Powerful is a Sam Raimi (Spiderman) directed story of how the wizard ruled the kingdom. But this week, some details about the film finally surfaced thanks to blabbering youngsters Abigail Spencer and Joey King.
“We’re doing the same thing as the first Wizard of Oz, we’re making it black and white in the beginning and then (it gets) colorful when we enter the Land of Oz,” she said in an interview with TeenSpot. “It’s also going to be a 3D movie; I’m so excited about that. It’s going to add a whole new level to the awesomeness of Oz.”
“It’s before the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and Dorothy and all that,” says Spencer who plays the Wizard’s assistant May in an interview with E! ”It really goes deeper into how that story came to be.
Rather than James Franco, Michelle Williams or Mila Kunis belting out ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ like the Judy Garland-starring original it is based more upon the books, according to Spencer.
“This is the real story and I think this is actually what the writer [L. Frank Baum] intended when he wrote them.”
Oz is set for release on March 8 of next year.
The Oscar nominations were announced this morning in L.A. and while there are some expected nods (like Michelle Williams and Meryl Streep) there are a few awful surprises. For instance, why is everyone in “The Help” nominated? Why is “Tree of Life” nominated for Best Picture when it should have been a film gone straight to DVD? It also sucks that Ryan Gosling was robbed, so I’m going to have to write a letter to the Academy.
The only good surprise stemming from this roster of nominations is Melissa McCarthy for her supporting role in “Bridesmaids”. My money’s on Melissa, although realistically, she’ll probably lose to one of the 573097654 actresses in “The Help”.
Here’s a look at some of the nominations. * indications my pick. You can read the full list here.
Best Picture
“The Artist” *
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“The Help”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”
“The Tree of Life”
Best Actress
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn” *
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte, “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners” *
Max Von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids” *
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Best Director
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris” *
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Steven Spielberg, “War Horse”
After more than three years after Heath Ledger’s death, his former fiancee, Michelle Williams, is finally opening up about his sudden and tragic death.
Williams has proved to be quite a strong women in the years succeeding Ledger’s death. She has taken on some very dramatic films including Wendy and Lucy and Mammoth. This year she stars in the Weinstein Company’s indie gem, Blue Valentine, alongside Ryan Gosling.
See the video below for clips from the interview.
Every film blog on the web is talking about the MPAA and their decision to turn the NC17 rating of Blue Valentine into an R.
Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company fought long an hard against the NC17 rating in an appeal battle. The film was supposedly deemed NC17 for sexually graphic content. However, the content is not explicit but the MPAA was offended.
The MPAA is Hollywood’s best kept secret. The members of the rating board are hidden from society. The rating system is extremely problematic because it nearly promotes censorship.
It was strange to see that Blue Valentine has originally been rated NC17. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a married couple. The film tracks their marriage by crosscutting between time periods. The trailer for the film is so tame compared to the other extremely violent ones that play before and after it. It’s hard not to wonder what the MPAA uses as criteria for their rating system.
At least Blue Valentine will be properly released in theaters with an R rating. The MPAA finally did something right this time.
Michelle Williams is feuding with the late Heath Ledger’s family, reports gossip columnist Perez Hilton.
According to new reports, Williams is concerned that her daughter Matilda—who is also Heath’s child and the beneficiary to the actor’s estate—will be screwed over by Heath’s father, Kim.
Kim Ledger was identified in Heath’s will as the executor of the estate and, according to reports, Williams has a right to be worried.
Reports state that Heath’s father has mishandled his own inheritance after the passing of his father and lost a substantial amount of money. PerezHilton.com even reports that Kim Ledger’s siblings took him to court over the matter.
Hopefully, Kim Ledger has learned from his previous mistake.
Michelle Williams took her first red carpet walk since Heath Ledger’s death Thursday evening.
Williams, wearing a Chanel lace number, was promoting her new film “Wendy and Lucy” at the Cannes Film Festival. “She came in and had a long nap and then came to the screening,” said the actress’ rep.
Williams also appears in Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut, “Synecdoche, New York” which is also screening in Cannes. The actress also told reporters that it felt special to have two films out at the same time.
“The experience is something you can look back on at the end of your life and think, “That was a cool thing I did when I was 27,’ ” she said.
Ledger died last January at the age 28 of an accidental overdose. The couple have a two-year-old daughter named Matilda.
Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda and ex-fiancee Michelle Williams are not in the late actor’s will.
Ledger drafted the will in 2003, before he even met Williams and long before the birth of his daughter. In the will, the Brokeback Mountain star left everything he owned to his parents and three sisters, the New York Daily News reports, according to E! Online.
Ledger’s father, Kim, quickly released a statement after the news broke assuring the public that Williams and Matilda will have access to the late actor’s estate.
“Matilda is our absolute priority and Michelle is an integral part of our family,” Kim Ledger said to People. “They will be taken care of and that’s how Heath would want it to be.”
Ledger’s rep also reiterated the sentiment and cleared up recent rumours.
The story is getting taken out of context and media is speculating that this means Matilda and Michelle will not be taken care of. I want to make it very clear nothing could be farther from the truth,” she said.
The value of Ledger’s estate is unknown at this time but according to the Daily News, the legalities will be handled in his native country Australia.
Heath Ledger’s family and friends have been mourning the actor’s tragic death for weeks and during his final memorial service on Saturday, they gathered to celebrate his life.
The service, held in the chapel of an exclusive boarding school in Ledger’s hometown of Perth, Australia, ended with guests taking a fully-clothed plunge into the Indian Ocean, E! Online reports.
Ledger’s former fiancé Michelle Williams was among the 500 family members, friends, and celebrities present to commemorate the late actor in the initial service.
Actress Cate Blanchett delivered a eulogy and video montages honoring the Oscar-nominated actor’s life and work were streamed for attendees.
Mourners left the ceremony to the sound of the Beatles’ “Come Together” and a small group proceeded to one of Ledger’s favorite places, Cottesloe Beach.
The group remembered Ledger with a gathering complete with wine and beer before jumping into the ocean as a last hoorah for Heath. Then, friends and family gathered arm in arm to watch the sunset.
“The sun goes down on our love,” E! Online reports that two mourners said, “But it will never go down on Heathy.”
Michelle Williams has broken her silence on the unexpected death of former fiancé Heath Ledger.
The grieving actress released a statement for the first time since Ledger’s passing and asked fans and media to allow her and the couple’s two-year-old daughter Matilda Rose Ledger to mourn in peace, E! Online reports.
“My heart is broken,” the statement released Friday reads. “Please respect our need to grieve privately.”
“I am the mother of the most tender-hearted, high-spirited, beautiful little girl who is the spitting image of her father,” Williams said. “All that I can cling to is his presence inside her that reveals itself every day.
“His family and I watch Matilda as she whispers to trees, hugs animals, and takes steps two at a time, and we know that he is with us still. She will be brought up in the best memories of him.”
Williams has reportedly been devastated since she heard the news. It was announced that production on the actress’ next film, Blue Valentine, is on hold to allow time to mourn.
The drama co-stars Ryan Gosling and was scheduled to start shooting Feb. 25.
As the press tries to piece together the last moments of Heath Ledger’s life, his family and friends are attempting to privately grieve the actor’s death.
A closed viewing reportedly took place at a New York City funeral home on Friday, according to E! Online.
There has been no official confirmation from Ledger’s family but police barricades outside the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home Friday morning, were apparently set up to protect the grieving guests from onlookers and paparazzi while they paid their respects.
The NYPD blocked off the street at around 4 p.m. as a hearse reportedly carrying Ledger’s coffin left the home and made its way to the airport.
It is speculated that Ledger’s former fiancée Michelle Williams was in attendance at the viewing as well as the couple’s daughter Matilda, and both of their immediate families.
It had been rumoured that the general public would be able to mourn the late actor in an official service held in L.A sometime this week but Ledger’s publicist told E! News Thursday that “there are no plans for a public service.”
Information is pouring in after Heath Ledger’s tragic death on Tuesday.
TMZ reports that five bottles of prescription pills were found in the apartment with Ledger’s body: three anti-anxiety medications (Xanax, Valium and Ativan) and two sleeping medications (Lunesta and Restoril). Restoril is used to treat “debilitating insomnia.” All of the bottles were prescribed to Ledger and were mostly full.
Ledger’s autopsy yesterday was inconclusive. It is still unclear whether his death was a suicide or accidental. However, “Four Feathers” director Shekhar Kapur told the UK Daily Telegraph that Ledger was excited to meet with him the next day, and asked Kapur to call and wake him in the morning.
“I had just arrived in New York [from London],” Kapur said. “He said he could not see me that night but really wanted to meet me the next day. He made me promise that I would call him in the morning and wake him up. I tried. Little did I know that his soul had already left his body.”
Ledger left behind 2-year-old daughter, Matilda. It now appears that Ledger’s “Brokeback Mountain” co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal, will be fulfilling his duties as godfather and aiding Michelle Williams in raising Matilda.
Gyllenhaal already has experience helping out with his niece, Ramona. Gyllenhaal’s sister, Maggie, is also a co-star and friend to Ledger, as she took over the role of Rachel Dawes in “The Dark Knight,” Ledger’s last completed film role.
Williams’ “Dawson’s Creek” co-star, Busy Philipps, is Matilda’s godmother. The Daily Telegraph reports that Philipps has already joined Williams in New York City.
Preparations are currently being made to move Ledger’s body back to Perth, Australia for burial.
Destiny?s Child members Kelly Rowland, Beyonc? Knowles and Michelle Williams reunited on Sunday to perform the American national anthem at the NBA?s 55th annual All-Star Game.
Following Jann Arden?s mediocre rendition of Oh Canada, Destiny?s Child rocked Houston?s Toyota Center with a beautiful and flawless rendition of America?s Star-Spangled Banner.
Destiny?s Child fans shouldn?t get their hopes too high. According to various sources this is “their last ever performance.?
Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams beat TomKat to becoming new parents. Why are Dawson’s girls all becoming mommies?
E!Online reports that Matilda Rose Ledger was born on Friday in Brooklyn, where the couple currently makes their home. No other stats were released (at least, not to Us Weekly and Extra).
The Australian actor and the Dawson’s Creek alum began dating last June after meeting on the Canadian set of the upcoming Ang Lee film Brokeback Mountain, in which they play husband and wife.
The publicity-shy couple had a low-profile pregnancy. (How much more pregnant couples can people take, after all?) Even after the birth was widely reported, Williams’ publicist only said, “At this point we are not commenting.” Rumours about an engagement are also unconfirmed.
Australian newspapers have speculated that Ledger will move his new family down under, although the actor said earlier this year, “I am actually thinking of going to live in Italy. We have a few places up our sleeves. I would much rather work in Europe than in America.”
Ledger is currently on promotional duty for Brokeback Mountain and Casanova. The highly anticipated Brokeback Mountain, in which Ledger stars opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, opens December 9.
Clothing retailer Gap Inc. has rounded up a string of big-name celebrities to command a mega marketing campaign this fall. Starting in September, star singers including Alanis Morissette, Keith Urban, and Michelle Williams will be urging you to fall into the Gap when they appear in the company?s ?Favourites? advertising campaign.
For this promotion, what?s old is new again: the Gap?s new TV ads will feature each artist performing a cover of a favourite song. Of course, each singer will also be modelling a pair of Gap jeans at the same time.
Morissette will cover Seal?s ?Crazy? while fellow pop-rock chicks Liz Phair and Joss Stone, will take on Irving Berlin’s “Check to Cheek” and the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” respectively.
Meanwhile, country superstar Urban will give his version of Billy Thorpe’s “Most People I Know Think I’m Crazy,” and Williams, of Destiny?s Child fame, will sing the Al Green classic “Let’s Stay Together.” This year?s breakout R&B sensation John Legend will be doing the Isley Brothers’ “Hello It’s Me,” while singer-songwriter Jason Mraz tackles Bob Marley’s “One Love.” Finally, Incubus’ Brandon Boyd will channel Elvis Costello with his hit, “Alison.”
From September 1 to 17, fans who want to hear more of the performances can pick up a special eight-track CD available at Gap stores and Gap.com. Each of the songs, along with a director’s cut of the commercial and behind-the-scenes footage, will be distributed as a free gift to customers making purchases of $60 or more, while supplies last.
This promotion will be an appropriate tie-in to another Gap marketing campaign that partners up the fashion giant with Apple iTunes next month. From August 8 to 31, a simple trip to a Gap fitting room will score customers free music. All Gap wants you to do is to try on any pair of its new jean fits and you?ll score a complimentary song from Apple?s iTunes music store.
