Celebrity News

Alexa Ray Joel going back to school

Alexa Ray Joel is going back to school to study psychology following her apparent suicide attempt.

Alexa - the 23-year-old daughter of 'Piano Man' singer Billy Joel and ex-wife Christie Brinkley - was rushed to hospital last month after reportedly taking an overdose of pills but has now said she plans to go back into education to study because she wants to help other young women who find themselves in the same position.

The singer-songwriter wrote on her MySpace page: "I have many exciting new developments for the New Year. Most importantly, to help young girls with something I feel I know a GREAT deal about: Heartbreak-Related Depression.

"Although it does not get much attention in our society, it is a very serious and painful condition. I hope to bring this topic more to light... I'm even going back to school for psychology in the hope to learn more about this and many other afflictions that many of us have had to face."

Alexa split up with boyfriend Jimmy Riot twice last year, and thanked fans for standing by her at such a difficult time.

She wrote: "I just wanted to thank you all for the incredible outpouring of love and support. It's certainly been a whirlwind of a month, but reading all of your encouraging posts has never failed to cheer me up!!!"

On-stage diva Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey had her hair and make-up re-touched by one of her entourage during a sold-out concert at the weekend.

The 'Hero' singer was performing to a packed out audience at the Borgata Hotel and Casino, in Atlantic City, when her stagehands brought out a chaise longue on whichshe laid down on. She was then pampered while enjoying a glass of champagne.

Laying back on her on stage throne, she playfully asked: "Do they expect me to stand up for the whole show? They call me a diva... because I am."

During her stay at the hotel, Mariah had a huge rider and needed ten carts to carry all her luggage.

The 40-year-old star recently admitted she loves being known as a diva - but doesn't think she is demanding enough.

She said: "You know what? I guess I am a diva in many ways! When it comes to certain things, yes, I can be difficult and a little bit rigid about what I want.

"Am I demanding? I don't think I'm demanding enough."

Sherlock Holmes 2 in jeopardy

Guy Ritchie's plans for a 'Sherlock Holmes' sequel are in jeopardy after Robert Downey Jr. claimed the character could be portrayed as gay.

Andrea Plunket, who holds the US copyright to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary creation, is unhappy with comments made by Downey that Holmesand his sidekick Dr. Watson could be lovers.

And Plunkett says if Ritchie and the screenwriters want to take the character - who is played by Downey in the current movie - in that direction she will not allow a follow-up film.

She said: "I hope this is just an example of Mr. Downey's black sense of humor. It would be drastic, but I would withdraw permission for more films to be made if they feel that is a theme they wish to bring out in the future.

"I am not hostile to homosexuals, but I am to anyone who is not true to the spirit of the books."

Plunket's worries were sparked after Downey said in an interview with US talk show host David Letterman that Sherlock could be considered a "butch homosexual".

It is not the first time Downey has spoken about the implied "bromance" between Holmes and Watson - who is played by Jude Law.

He said: "I think the word bromance is so passe. We are two men who happen to be roommates who wrestle a lot and share a bed."

Insecure Kim Cattrall

Kim Cattrall is "totally insecure".

The 'Sex and the City' actress - who split from chef Alan Wyse last July after five years together - insists she isn't confident enough to approach men herself and can't understand how other women do it.

She said: "I could not go intoa bar and pick up a man - that is so foreign to me it's not even in my hemisphere. I am totally insecure. That is predatory behavior, and I don't consider myself a predator. In fact, I feel sometimes that I am the pursued."

The 53-year-old star - who has been married three times - admits she is only just getting used to her single status but has started dating again, despite finding it difficult conducting her personal life in the public eye.

She added to You magazine: "Am I enjoying my freedom? I'm not sure if I'm there yet. I've been so busy since we split that I haven't had much time to adjust. I'm starting to date; it feels all right. It's very hard to be private about that. Whenever you step out for a drink or dinner, whomever you're with becomes your latest beau. Which is a bit of a laugh for my gay friends."

John Mayer's internet love

John Mayer thinks his twitter account is a substitute relationship.

The 'Gravity' hitmaker - who was rumored to have been dumped by actress Jennifer Aniston because of his obsession with the social networking website - admits interacting with other users of the micro-blogging sitecan be as satisfying as going on a date.

Explaining his new song 'Half of My Heart', he said: "It's about questions of, do I want to share my desires with someone else or do I just want to sate them myself with my laptop and my Twitter account? ? these are substituting relationships.

"Knowing that I could blog right now from my iPhone and it's up on the internet with people reading it and responding to it. How much is that a synthetic version of having dinner with somebody? How intimidating must it be to try to find an 'in' with the man who is consistently satisfying himself by all means necessary? Where is her place in that?"

The singer - whose previous girlfriends have included Cameron Diaz and Jessica Simpson - believes romantic relationships are difficult because they need time devoting to them and cannot be postponed until more convenient times.

He added to The Times newspaper: "Interpersonal relationships are not bookmarks. You don't go to load all tabs, 'How was your day honey?' You don't go, 'You know what, I'm gonna put this conversation with the woman I love on my iPod and listen to it on the subway'. You have to be present, in this synthetic, listen-later sort of world."

Charlie Sheen's unhappy mother-in-law

Brooke Mueller's mother isn't keen for her daughter to reconcile with Charlie Sheen.

Moira Fiore admits Brooke - mother of the 'Two and a Half Men' actor's nine-month-old twin sons, Bob and Max - wants to get back with Charlie despite him allegedly assaulting her Christmas Day (25.12.09) but isn't sure it's a good idea.

She told E! online: "She hasn't spoken with him. But she wants to reconcile with him.

"I have mixed emotions about it. But she won't listen to any advice I give her."

When asked if she felt comfortable about the twins being in the same house as Charlie, she replied: "I'd rather not comment about that."

It was recently reported Charlie's family had been investigated by social services.

Pitkin County Social Services officials reportedly visited Brooke last week following her allegations that the actor assaulted her and after finding Bob and Max to be "just fine" agreed she can continue caring for the tots.

A source said: "The people from the social services agency talked to Brooke, her mom, her step-dad and her nanny, and told them that everything looks good and Brooke appears to be an excellent mother.

"Brooke and the twins, Max and Bob, are planning to stay in their rented Aspen house for at least another month. After that they may go to Palm Beach to visit family for awhile."

Lindsay Lohan plans new start

Lindsay Lohan is determined to make huge changes in her life.

The 'Mean Girls' actress admits she had a turbulent 2009 - which saw her split several times from on/off girlfriend Samantha Ronson, her debut collection for fashion label Ungaro critically panned and her film work dryup - and wants to make sure 2010 is lot better by getting rid of the negativity which surrounds her.

She tweeted: "To answer everybody's question... My new year's resolution is to stop letting the lucky few that have my heart, try2constantly tear me down. 2010 is about moving forward, not backwards. Leaving the bad (people, habits, and negative energy behind) time to make changes-right!?!? (sic)"

Last month, Lindsay's father Michael begged Samantha to help him save his daughter by making her go to rehab to be treated for the addiction he claims she has to prescription drugs.

He said: "Maybe Samantha will help Lindsay turn her life around and get her into rehab. At least I know Samantha cares. Time is running out for Lindsay. We need to save her."

While Michael is keen to welcome Samantha back into his daughter's life, he wants to exclude her mother, his estranged wife Dina, and branded her a "sick human being".

Michael has previously vowed to help turn Lindsay's life around.

He said: "I want my daughter off prescription medication. She never needed it in her life... I'm not going to watch my daughter die. Hate me now, but you will love me more later because I'm going to turn her life around."

Maggie Gyllenhaal has Emma dream

Maggie Gyllenhaal wants to be like Emma Thompson.

The 32-year-old actress - who recently starred alongside the British star in 'Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang' - wants to turn out just like Emma because the 50-year-old Oscar-winner gave her great advice on how to cope with being aworking mother.

Maggie - who has a three-year-old daughter Ramona with her husband Peter Sarsgaard - said: "I want to be her when I grow up. Emma was the one who said to me - when I was a newlywed, I had no nanny and I was working on this movie. She said, 'You have to let yourself drop the ball. Human beings do that. If you don't, some really important part of you won't survive.' She wrote it to me in a text. I think about it all the time."

The 'Dark Knight' actress - whose brother is actor Jake Gyllenhaal -feels like she has "sacrificed" a lot since she gave birth but admits she still makes mistakes as a parent.

She told the USA Today newspaper: "Being a mother forces me to be so responsible. I'm very protective, and I try to keep Ramona out of this Hollywood stuff. But I make mistakes. I have that tug of wanting things that feel good to me and trying to figure out what I have to sacrifice. I haven't been perfect at that."

Maggie also believes motherhood has softened her "fierce" personality.

She added: "When I was in my 20s, I thought the idea was to be as strong as you could in my work, in my life. To just be fierce and bold. I don't think that anymore. I've gotten softer. You have to be so brave to feel your feelings. You have to have a different kind of strength to reveal the ways in which you're weak and the things you're ashamed of."

Shy actress Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver was too shy for Hollywood.

The 60-year-old actress - who stars as Dr. Grace Augustine in the new 3-D animated blockbuster 'Avatar' - still feels uncomfortable in the film industry but refuses to let her feelings get in the way of her career.

She said: "It took me a while to let my hair down in the business because I was kind of a shy person. I was from New York and never really felt at ease in Hollywood. I don't really now either but I don't care, it's not important that I do. Filmmakers find me or I find them."

The 'Alien' star also admitted that her shyness caused her to accept any role she was offered, and that's been her same approach ever since.

She said: "That's why I love playing small parts and big parts and doing comedies and dramas. That has been my only strategy. I just think about what would be interesting.

"I don't have ambitions, I believe in taking what comes. I have that philosophy about life in general. I go in and try to transform it into the best it can be."

The actress said the most important thing for her was always the script, not the people she'd star with.

She said: "My basic approach has always been the same. I never go, 'I don't know about this script but boy I'd love to play that part.' "

Private star Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz hates the attention she gets for being famous.

The actress insists she accepts people will always be interested in her life while she is in the public eye, but thinks photographers have become more aggressive in their pursuit of her since she first shot to fame in 'The Mask' in 1994.

She said: "Some people say that being a celebrity I should just deal with things like the paparazzi but, honestly, 10 years ago it wasn't like this.

"I don't know what happened to America society, but all of a sudden this pack of really aggressive people emerged. But I guess you have to make peace with it. It is part of what society wants and expects from people in my position."

The 37-year-old actress says she has learned to take steps to be more cautious about the attention she receives.

She explained: "I'm very aware of my words and who I say them to.

"I'm aware that what I said gets overheard, and people can take it and twist it, and I have no control over that."

Charlie Sheen's kids 'fine'

Charlie Sheen's family have been investigated by social services.

Pitkin County Social Services officials reportedly visited the 'Two and a Half Men' star's wife Brooke Mueller last week following her allegations that the actor assaulted her and after finding nine-month-old Bob and Max to be "just fine" agreed she can continue caring for the tots.

A source told People magazine: "The people from the social services agency talked to Brooke, her mom, her step-dad and her nanny, and told them that everything looks good and Brooke appears to be an excellent mother.

"Brooke and the twins, Max and Bob, are planning to stay in their rented Aspen house for at least another month. After that they may go to Palm Beach to visit family for awhile."

It is unclear whether the representative interviewed Charlie as well as Brooke, her family and their staff.

However, it has been claimed that lawyers are seeking to get a protective order modified so that the actor can live with Brooke and the twins again.

According to gossip website TMZ, the couple still want some parts of the order - which was given following Charlie's arrest on Christmas Day (25.12.09) - to remain in place, including that Charlie should not be in possession of a gun or other weapon, that he refrain from drinking or using drugs, and that he not harass or annoy any possible witnesses in the case.

Meanwhile, a court hearing scheduled for tomorrow (04.01.10) has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts and is now likely to take place on January 11.

Mark Wahlberg's Beckham moan

Mark Wahlberg hates soccer and dislikes David Beckham for moving to Hollywood.

'The Lovely Bones' actor lives on the same road as the English soccer ace, and said the neighbourhood has been disrupted since he moved to Los Angeles with his family, wife Victoria and three boys - Brooklyn, 10, Romeo, seven and Cruz, four - in 2007.

Mark said: "Man, the Beckhams. It used to be so quiet on my road. Then David moves in with his family.

"Suddenly we've got paparazzi hanging out day and night. Now they'll follow any car that drives down the road. I take strong exception to that kind of thing. When I take my kids to the park I don't want strangers sticking their lenses into our faces."

He added that he doesn't see the point in playing soccer and thinks it will never catch on and become a popular sport in his native US.

Mark, 38, added: "I'm not telling Beckham to take his family home. I'm just not sure why he came to America in the first place.

"Man, we don't want your soccer. There's no way Americans are going to buy the idea of 90 minutes of running around without much happening. Thanks for trying guys, but we'll stick to baseball and basketball."

Megan Fox's geeky love

Megan Fox wants to date a geek.

The 'Jennifer's Body' actress, who is in an on/off relationship with actor Brian Austin Green, says comic book fans make great boyfriends because they are well-mannered.

She said: "I have been to comic book conventions a few times and eventhough there are a lot of guys here, they are always very polite and very kind."

Megan claims she is keen to romance a sci-fan fan because they would have a lot in common.

She explained: "Maybe it's because I'm a geek too but the kind of guys you meet at those conventions are very nice and very appreciative of what you do."

Megan's 'How to Lose Friends and Alienate People' co-star Simon Pegg previously reinforced the actress' claims she is a nerd.

He said: "We wrapped early one day and went to a bar. Megan and I sat in the corner, got really p***ed and had a good chat.

"She's really sharp and actually a bit of a geek. Queen of the geeks - the most beautiful geek I've ever met.

"Even if she did keep pointing out I was old enough to be her father."

Hilary Swank is a miracle

Hilary Swank believes in miracles.

The two-time Oscar winner - who once lived in a car with her mother until they had enough money to rent out an apartment - is still amazed at how much success she has had in Hollywood.

Hilary, 35, said: "I would say I believe in miracles, especially after seeing where I've come from and where I am today.

"A lot of young women - and some men - come up to me and say, 'You're a reminder to me to not give up my dream.' That you don't have to be born into it."

The 'Amelia' star also feels her humble background has made her appreciate where she is now.

She added: "It's a quality of my life that I wouldn't change for the world. It's made me really appreciate what I have in my life now. It also keeps me grounded. I don't want to ever forget where I've come from."

Smooth-skinned Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne uses moisturizer twice a day.

The 61-year-old Black Sabbath rocker - who has previously fought a public battle with drink and drug addiction - has now decided it's time to take better care of his skin.

He said: "Somebody told me a year ago to use a goodmoisturizer every morning and night, so I've been doing that. I think it's made a difference."

Ozzy's wife Sharon, 57, has reportedly spent over $195,000 on cosmetic surgery but Ozzy, 60, says he doesn't plan to do the same.

He said: "I feel for Sharon because she puts on weight just thinking about a French fry. She has Botox but I haven't tried it."

Ozzy recently revealed he wants 'Public Enemies' actor Johnny Depp to play him in a movie.

He said: "What's left to wish for? A number one album would be good. And to have a movie made of the book, maybe with Johnny Depp playing me - I'd like that."

Regular dad Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington's job is being a dad.

The 'American Gangster' star - who has son John, 25, daughter Katie, 22, and twins Olivia and Malcolm, 18 with wife Pauletta- says being a father has helped keep him grounded throughout his career.

He said: "I am who I am - a regular guy with a great job. How I'm analyzed belongs to someone else. In a few minutes, I've got a kid's game to go to, and then I'm taking our daughter to auditions. Today, that's my job."

Denzel, 54, also admitted he was flattered when president Barack Obama said he wanted him to play him in a movie but admits it probably won't happen.

He said: "It's very flattering that he said that. But when his story is ready to be told, I'll be too old. And if it were made right now, he has too much to do to have me hanging around asking for tips on how to play him."