Celebrity News

The Artist dominates BAFTA Awards

'The Artist' has won seven awards at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA).

The silent movie - starring Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo - picked up prizes including Best Director for Michael Hazanavicius and Best Film at the ceremony at London's Royal Opera House tonight (12.02.12).

French actor Jean Dujardin beat hard-hitting contenders including George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Gary Oldman to scoop the Best Actor gong, and he admitted he was very proud to win.

He said: "To be in the company of such talented and illustrious nominees; Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Fassebender, George Clooney. I'm very very proud. I'm sorry. I'm shocked."

Meryl Streep picked up the Best Actress prize for her role as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady', and upon going on to pick up her award from Colin Firth, she accidentally slipped out of her Jimmy Choo shoe.

Upon finally arriving at the podium, she joked: "That couldn't be any worse!"

Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress for the role of maid Minnie in 'The Help', and speaking backstage afterwards she admitted she was overawed with the attention she had been getting since starring in the film.

She told BANG Showbiz: "I never dreamed this could happen. It really is an emotional moment. I don't cry pretty!

"The attention is overwhelming. I like to fly under the radar and not wear so much make-up or pantyhose and shoes. So I could do with a little less attention!"

Other winners included 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' for Best Adapted Screenplay, Christopher Plummer for Best Supporting Actor and 'Hugo' for Best Sound.



Partial list of winners at the 2012 BAFTA Awards:



BEST FILM: 'The Artist'

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM: 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'

DIRECTOR: Michel Hazanavicius for 'The Artist'

LEADING ACTOR: Jean Dujardin in 'The Artist'

LEADING ACTRESS: Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady'

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer in 'Beginners'

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer in 'The Help'

OUTSTANDING BRITISH DEBUT: 'Tyrannosaur'

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: 'The Skin I Live In'

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Michel Hazanavicius for 'The Artist'

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'

DOCUMENTARY: 'Senna'

ANIMATED FILM: 'Rango'

Whitney Houston dies at 48

Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48.

The 'My Love is Your Love' hitmaker was pronounced dead by paramedics at the Beverly Hilton Hotel at 3.55pm yesterday (11.02.12) after she was unresponsive to attempts at reviving her.

A reason for her death has not yet been given, and her body was identified by family and friends, TMZ.com reports.

Whitney was staying at the hotel ahead of a planned performance at record executive Clive Davies' pre-Grammy party - which took place last night - and she was seen partying and drinking with friends on Friday night (10.02.12).

Hours after her death her 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina - whom she had with ex-husband Bobby Brown - tried to see her mother's body but was denied access by police.

She screamed and cursed in a bid to get access but eventually left without her request being fulfilled.

Whitney's cousin Dionne Warwick turned up some hours later and she was also denied access.

Meanwhile a teary Bobby took to the stage for a planned concert in Mississippi with his group New Edition.

At the end of one song, he looked up at the sky, where he blew a kiss and shouted: "I love you, Whitney."

Whitney and Brown were married from 1992 to 2007, and the pair were known for a volatile relationship that included periods of heavy drug use.

However, speaking about their marriage in 2009, Whitney admitted she had strong feelings for him.

She said: "I loved him so much. He was my drug. I didn't do anything without him."

Simon Cowell leads Whitney tributes

Simon Cowell has proclaimed Whitney Houston to be "one of the greatest superstars of all time".

The music mogul and 'X Factor' judge is one of a number of high-profile stars to pay tribute to the 48-year-old singer - who died in a hotel room yesterday (11.02.12) - saying he was "devastated" by her passing.

He said: "You're going to remember where you were when you heard the news. It's that significant. I am absolutely devastated by this news. I am so sad for her.

"She was undoubtedly one of the greatest superstars of all time, one of the greatest voices in our life time we're likely ever to hear."

Mariah Carey - who previously worked with Whitney on song 'When You Believe'- said she was distraught by the passing of her "friend"

She wrote on twitter: "Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney's family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth."

Dolly Parton, who allowed Whitney to cover her classic song 'I Will Always Love You', said she was "grateful" to her and added she would be missed "from the bottom" of her heart.

She said in a statement: "Mine is one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did of my song, and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you.' You will be missed."

Singer Kelly Rowland also recalled Whitney's "love and encouragement" she had shown when she first rose to fame with Destiny's Child in the late 90s.

She wrote on twitter: "I am beyond heartbroken. Whitney Houston was undoubtedly one of the greatest singers & performers of all time & such a huge influence of me. She embraced me when I first started out with Destiny's Child, with love, with encouragement and with that powerhouse voice.(sic)"

The reason for Whitney's death is as-yet unknown.

Gemma Arterton can defend herself in a fight

Gemma Arterton learnt how to fight when she was growing up.

The British actress and her younger sister Hannah were raised on a council estate in Kent, in south east England, by their mother Sally-Anne - who brought them up alone after divorcing Gemma's father - and the Hollywood starlet admits she had to learn how to defend herself.

She revealed to America's Vogue magazine: "I never started anything. I was always provoked."

Recalling one incident outside a Gravesend Theatre when a local girl demanded a cigarette from her, said: "I was like, 'Why don't you buy your own like the rest of us?' And she punched me in the face! She was much smaller than me, and it was a really s**t punch, so I punched her back."

The 'Tamara Drewe' star was also prepared to confront boys who stepped out of line with her.

She said: "I was quite strong-willed and not very good with boys (growing up). I was in this s**t club in Gravesend and this boy pinched my arse, and I turned round and decked him. He just didn't know what hit him, Obviously, I did!"

Kelly Clarkson's Superman crush

Kelly Clarkson has a crush on Henry Cavill.

The 29-year-old singer revealed the 'Superman Man of Steel' actor has caught her eye although she is happy being single for now.

She said: "The new Superman Henry Cavill is frickin' hot. God did good on that one.

"People are really concerned about my relationship status. When I tell people I'm happy being single, they don't believe me. They say: 'You have to be miserable being alone'."

Kelly has endured speculation about her sexuality since winning 'American Idol' in 2002 but says she would have no problem admitting if she was gay.

She told Now magazine: "I'm not gay. If I was I'd say 'I love women!' That's why it drives me nuts. But I feel like even if I did say it, people would be like: 'You're just trying to do that to win the gay audience'."

She may not be dating anyone at the moment but Katy revealed a love of sexy underwear saying "I don't wear granny pants ever. I'm 29 - I wear Victoria's Secret pants."

Viggo Mortensen blasts editing

Viggo Mortensen believes an actor's performance can be ruined by editing.

The 'A Dangerous Method' actor revealed he was shocked when watching a film he had made to find that the director had cut his lines and put in a whole new sentence by putting together words he had said in other scenes.

He explained to Shortlist magazine: "A director decided he didn't like me saying what he had shot and took words I'd said on other scenes and cobbled a new sentence together. I was stunned."

Filmmaker David Cronenberg who has worked with Viggo on three movies, crime thrillers 'A History of Violence' and 'Eastern Promises' and most recently 'A Dangerous Method', admitted directors do have the power to completely change an actor's performance in the editing suite.

He said: "I spend weeks with the actor in the editing room, looking at every nuance. Even the rhythm of their breathing as they speak. It can really reshape a performance. You hear people say, 'My performance was destroyed in the editing room' It can actually happen."

Prince Harry supports Everest expedition

Britain's Prince Harry is to support a group of injured servicemen as they attempt to climb Mount Everest.

The 27-year-old royal - who has not yet revealed whether he will be able to join the trekkers on their mission - is backing the expedition in his capacity as patron of the Walking with the Wounded charity.

Speaking at the launch of the mission, Harry said: "Walking With The Wounded has become a household name. It has changed from being a one-off expedition into a fully-fledged charity.

"It now blazes the trail in showing wounded servicemen and women that hope remains."

While it thought Harry's military commitments could prevent the prince from joining the servicemen on the Everest expedition, he is determined to support them all the way.

He added: "It's not just about the men that you see before you. It's about the future of so many more.

"The expedition to the Himalayas, of which I am so proud to be patron, is raising money to train and educate those with physical and cognitive injuries suffered in war to manage their transition into civilian employment.

"The concept is quite simple - a job equals security. They have given their all for our security, security is the very lease as a nation that we owe them."

In 2011, Prince Harry joined the Walking with the Wounded expedition team as they became the first team of unsupported amputees to reach the Geographic North Pole.

Liv Tyler still figuring love out

Liv Tyler is "still trying to figure love out".

The 34-year-old actress - who has been dating photographer Theo Wenner for the past six months - explained she is constantly attempting to find out what the meaning of "life and love" are.

She said: "Am I happy in love? I'mstill trying to figure love out. I'm honestly still trying to figure it all out. Life and love and my ideas of love. And what love really is. And how it works and what it all means."

The brunette beauty - who has a seven-year-old son, Milo, with ex-husband Royston Langdon - admitted she has been using her own experiences of love as a child in an attempt to understand who she is as a person.

Liv added in an interview with Marie Claire magazine: "I'm actually really trying to apply myself to understanding who I am, how I work, what I've done in the past, and my childhood, and how I am at raising a child.

"What I saw as a child in love, the examples I saw and how that affects who I am today in love. All of those questions."

Militant atheist Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe is a "militant atheist".

The 22-year-old star was brought up in a Christian/Jewish household, but believes it is important to separate religion and education because he thinks sex lessons are important.

He told attitude magazine: "I'm not religious, I'm an atheist, and a militant atheist when religion starts impacting on legislation.

"We need sex education in schools. Schools have to talk to kids from a young age about relationships, gay and straight. In Britain it's better - more of a conversation is being had."

Daniel continues to have a vested interest in politics, but having supported the Liberal Democrat party in the last UK election, he now thinks he is more of a Labour follower, because he believes they stand up for more left-wing values.

He said: "I will probably be going to Labour. From what I've seen of Ed Miliband I really like him and he speaks for what I believe in. I think he's genuine, genuinely left wing and will act as such if he gets in."

Vanessa Minnillo didn't invite brother to wedding

Vanessa Minnillo didn't invite her brother to her recent wedding.

The TV presenter married singer Nick Lachey in a romantic ceremony in the British Virgin Islands last July but her sibling Vincent wasn't in attendance as they no longer to speak to each other.

A source told America's Star magazine: "Vincent and Vanessa were really, really close when they were kids. But for whatever reason, she stopped talking with him years ago.

"It hurt Vincent initially, but he's moved on and just accepts it for what it is."

Vanessa's mother, Helen Bondoc, was also not there as the pair haven't spoken to each in 12 years.

When Helen was shown Vanessa and Nick's wedding photos 12 days after their nuptials, Helen said: "Oh my goodness, she's beautiful!

"She's changed so much, though I can still see that little scar on her forehead from where she picked at her chicken pox when she was a child.

"I didn't have a clue that Vanessa was getting married. We last spoke about 12 years ago, on the phone. I just wanted to talk to her and tell her everything straight about my life. But I still think about her all the time, and I still love her dearly."