Robert Pattinson Responds to 'Water for Elephants' Criticisms

Reviews have varied so far about "Water for Elephants", and Robert Pattinson is prepared for the worse. Talking to USA Today about his latest stint, Pattinson said he senses people will always compare his new roles to EdwardCullen, his character in "Twilight", and criticize his performance overall. 

"I always see these things like, 'Can he act or not?,'" he said. "It's like, I'm nothing like Edward. What do you think I'm doing in that? So (when a new role arises), everyone's like 'It's very different'." 

Telling the story of a veterinary school student Jacob who meets and falls in love with Marlena, a star performer in a circus of a bygone era, "Water for Elephants" was only given a 49% rating from movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. It says the film "has an evocative sense of its time and place but lacks the burning passions required to pull off this type of romantic weepie." 

While renowned critic Roger Ebert gave the movie three stars, calling the film "endearingly old-fashioned", the New York Times referred to it as "bland" and "monotonous". 

The pic was released on Friday, April 22 in 2,817 theaters across the nation. Fox 2000 estimated an opening weekend gross of $13 million to $15 million, particularly coming from female audience. 

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'Harry Potter' Stars Up for 'Great Expectations'

Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter will allegedly team up once again in "Great Expectations". The two "Harry Potter" stars are up to take the roles of Abel Magwitch and Miss Havisham respectively in the film adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel. 

According to U.K.'s Daily Mail, Carter has a bigger chance to make an appearance in the drama as her schedule is more likely to allow her shooting the film. In the meantime, Fiennes apparently needs more slot on his schedule as he has already been set to play Prospero in Trevor Nunn's version of "The Tempest" at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. 

Fiennes is best known for his role as Lord Voldemort in "Harry Potter" film franchise. He also starred as Hades in "Clash of the Titans", and will reprise his role in the upcoming sequel. Meanwhile, Carter also stars in the "Harry Potter" film series, taking the role of the villainous Bellatrix Lestrange. She has recently received her BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in "The King's Speech". 

Also rumored circling "Great Expectations" is Jeremy Irvine. Variety has previously reported that the British newcomer is in negotiations to take the main role of Pip in the new project. However, there is no official confirmation from the actor. 

"Great Expectations" is a book-to-film project helmed by Mike Newell. The film has Rowan Joffe serve as the screenwriter, with Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen serving as the producers. No release date has been issued for the movie yet. 

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Michael Jackson Autopsy Images, Concert Footage Allowed as Trial Evidence

The judge will also permit portions of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson's final concert rehearsal footage to be viewed in court, as requested by a District Attorney earlier this week.

Prosecutors believe the new evidence will help support claims that the superstar was "happy and excited for the future", and not looking to take his own life. Dr. Conrad Murray's defence team recently suggested Jackson may have purposefully overdosed on powerful anaesthetic Propofol after finding himself in financial trouble.

Jackson's physician will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter next month. He is charged with administering the dose of Propofol, which killed the King of Pop in June, 2009.

The doctor has pleaded not guilty.

On Thursday Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor gave prosecutors permission to present the rehearsal footage and autopsy photos as evidence during a pre-trial hearing.

But the judge barred both prosecution and defence teams from digging up the personal lives of Jackson and his doctor.

He insisted that Dr. Dr. Conrad Murray's extramarital affairs, out-of-wedlock children and penchant for strip clubs, and Jackson's financial issues would not be part of the trial.

The prosecution had planned to use Dr. Conrad Murray's private life to prop up their case against the doctor, who faces a maximum of four years in prison if he's found guilty of administering the drug that killed Jackson.

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Dame Helen Mirren 'Feels' for Kate Middleton Over Royal Wedding Pressure

The veteran actress, Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of the prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen", is looking forward to watching the nuptials on April 29. 

But Dame Helen Mirren admits she empathises with 29-year-old Middleton over the amount of attention she is receiving as a future queen.

She tells OK! TV, "I'm not quite sure where I'll be (when the weddingtakes place), but I know wherever I am it will be on the telly. It doesn't matter where I'll be... you know, Bulgaria... the countryside, there will be a little pub with the wedding on. Everybody all over the world I guess will be glued to it." 

"I do feel for (Middleton)... the stress of all of that must be so huge and my heart does go out to Kate. Queen Kate, I love the idea of Queen Kate... They're a lovely couple." 

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Jennifer Hudson Has No Plans for Playboy Shoot

The "Spotlight" hitmaker, Jennifer Hudson dropped 80 pounds (36.2 kilograms) within months of giving birth to her son David Jr. in 2009. She embarked on her weight-loss mission after feeling ashamed when friends didn't notice she was pregnant with the tot. 

But Jennifer Hudson has ruled out showing off her new shape in men's magazine Playboy because she likes to "cover up" her body. 

She tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "I love my new figure. All the fabulous clothes I can wear and get sent, I joke that I'm like a walking billboard now." 

"But I won't be taking my clothes off - no way at all. Beyonce Knowles andRihanna can have that. I like to cover up more. I won't do Playboy. Playboy can call, and wait. That's just not me." 

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David Beckham's Flying Visit for Royal Wedding

The sports ace has been given permission by Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena for David Beckham to attend Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton, but he is needed for his team's game against FC Dallas two days after the wedding. 

So he plans to attend the ceremony with his singer-turned-fashion designer wifeVictoria Adams next Friday and catch an early flight to Texas the following morning. 

David Beckham says, "Obviously, it's not ideal with the travel, but it's a royal wedding and those don't come around very often. So I'll be there for the game, but it'll be down to Bruce to decide if I play or not." 

"I'll go to the wedding on Friday and then I'll fly out of London straight to Dallas on Saturday morning... Bruce understands and the club understands that obviously it's important." 

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Robert Pattinson Made Up Royal Connection

The "Twilight" star, Robert Pattinson left his native U.K. and moved to the U.S. prior to landing the lead role in the hitvampire franchise, and admits he used his British charm to win over American acquaintances.

Robert Pattinson even pretended to be friends with Britain's young royals in a bid to impress new pals, confessing his ploy to U.S. TV host Jimmy Kimmel. 

He says, "I don't think I've ever met them (the royals). I used to tell people when I came to the States that I did. They believed me! Five or six years ago when I first used to come to Los Angeles there weren't many English people, now there are like a million and people still believe me."

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Rachel Bilson Shows Off Bikini Body on Vacation With Hayden Christensen

Arriving in Barbados for some R&R, Rachel Bilson does not waste time to show off her bikini body. On Friday afternoon, April 22, the "Waiting for Forever" actress was spotted in a skimpy black two-piece as she and her on-and-off boyfriend Hayden Christensen hit the beach and took a dip in the ocean. 

Photos of the beach outing capture the 29-year-old beauty going make-up free with her hair being tied up in a loose bun. Her 30-year-old boyfriend was spotted wearing a pair of black board shorts as he joined her in soaking up the sun. Daily Mail reported that he was swimming around her when they were in the water. 

Rachel and Hayden began dating after meeting on the set of "Jumper" in 2007. They got engaged in December 2008, but called off the engagement in August 2010. Rachel's representative confirmed it after report of the two "taking about a month off" to decide whether or not they should stay together surfaced. The couple's work commitments were blamed for the ending of the engagement. 

The twosome rekindled their romance in November 2010, but by March this year, it was suggested that they have called it quits for good. A source told Us Magazine at the time, "They're done this time. Engagement's over, relationship's over. She's really had it." Though so, they were spotted taking a bike ride around Beverly Hills together on Tuesday, April 19. 

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Cameron Diaz and A-Rod to Wed?

Those who show off their abs together...marry? The fit and happy Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez might be hearing wedding bells in their not-so-far-off future. 

The duo have introduced each other to their families, partied it up in Miami, hit the gym together regularly -- and apparently after a year as a couple are ready to seal the deal.

A source said: “Alex is very loving toward Cameron and protective of her. She loves that he’s such a family man.”

Cameron, who moved to Miami to be closer to A-Rod and his little ones, might be wearing some impressive bling soon. The Yankees third baseman has been scoping out some baubles at upscale New York City jewelers, InTouch reports.

In the past, Cameron has sounded noncommittal about desiring a marriage certificate. She said:  "If I say, 'This is how I'm going to live my life,' I am closing myself off to all these other possibilities. I'm the kind of girl who likes to be open to every possibility, who is open to all my options."

Maybe A-Rod has scored a home run in the love department and converted the marriage-phobe. Get it? "Home run?" Never mind.

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Justin Bieber Snags Spot on the 'TIME 100'

There's some fresh meat in this year's TIME 100 —and there are legions of young ladies who will be thrilled to hear just who made this year's list of the most influential people.

Justin Bieber has scored a spot on the annual list, which this year includes Glee actor Chris Colfer, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Bieber's mentor Usher wrote the accompanying blurb, gushing:

From the minute I met Justin, I knew this kid possessed a certain confidence that only a star could have. He was born a star. He knew what he wanted to accomplish; all he had to do was get everyone else to believe it. Now, looking back at his incredible run, the reality of who he is and what he's accomplished far exceeds anybody's expectations of him.Usher promises you haven't seen the best of the Biebs, saying, "Stay tuned, because his story will get even better." Still, he fails to note just how Justin has influenced others. But we know Justin has inspired at least one major player: NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who for months was trying his hand at Bieber's now-shorn shag.

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Want to Live in Paris Hilton's Old House?

Want to move in with Paris Hilton? Fat chance. But for the low cost of $20,000 a month, you can now rent out her old house in LA, where if you're lucky, the socialite might stop in one day when she's feeling overly nostalgic. 

Hilton's family made its fortune in the hotel industry, but that doesn't mean Paris lives out of one. At the moment she's living in a massive 7,000 square foot mansion in Beverly Hills. But the house she's renting is a 3,000 square foot West Hollywood Spanish-style pad, miniature in comparison to her current abode, yet larger than most homes one person should ever want to live in alone. 

Paris sold the house back in 2007 for $5 million, which was prudent on her part since the market would collapse a year later, sending home prices plummeting. After all, for a girl whose family company rakes in $7.5 billion annually, it's critical for her to make sound financial moves.

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Emma Watson Was Teased Over 'Harry Potter' at Brown

Emma Watson is currently taking a break from her studies at Brown University, presumably to finish work on the final Harry Potter installment and other film and fashion projects. But the New York Daily News claims that Watson may have had other reasons for ditching class: The British actress was reportedly teased and taunted in and out of class.

A source told the paper that Watson was a regular participant in class discussions, but that her statements, however cogent, were often met with cheers like, "Three points for Gryffindor!" What's more, Watson found herself being stalked by Harvard students at a Brown-vs.-Harvard football game, and had to be surrounded by security guards.

Watson says she's still planning to get her degree, but now there's speculation she'll seek it somewhere else. Maybe there are just too many Harry Potter fans at Brown.

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Nicolas Cage's Son Is Getting Married Sunday

Last weekend was rough for Nicolas Cage, but this weekend he really has something to celebrate. The actor's 20-year-old son, Weston Cage, is getting married to 22-year-old girlfriend Nikki Williams in New Orleans on Sunday.

Weston is Nic's son with actress Christina Fulton. The two were together from about 1988 to 1990. He has one other son, Kal-El, with wife Alice Kim. Weston and Nikki kept the engagement a secret until just last week when they posted news of the wedding on their Facebook accounts. The two are both singers based in Los Angeles with Weston fronting a black metal band called Eyes of Noctum.

While the two are young, they do seem very devoted. One picture posted on Nikki's Facebook shows their wrists, emblazoned with each other's names written in a flowing script. The two will reportedly celebrate bachelor and bachelorette parties with Nikki's party planned for Thursday night.

She wrote on her Twitter: "Nashvillians: Tonight is my bachelorette party. (...) I hope to see you all!"

We wish the best of luck to them both.

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Russell Brand on Katy Perry: 'I Love Having My Own Little Pop Star'

Russell Brand has what most people only dream of: his "own little pop star." He and Katy Perry have been married since October 2010, and even though they only see each other once a week, they're crazy in love.

Russell said about his wife: "We see each other once a week. We meet up all the time. She's beautiful. I love having my own little pop star. She's brill." (FYI: "Brill" means "cool.")

The British star has definitely changed his womanizing ways and even toned down his look since becoming involved with Katy, but he insists the transformation was all his doing. He told the Daily Mirror: "Katy's not like that. We wouldn't have got married if we were a couple of bickering little snides. The skinny jeans aren't gone for good. I like my trousers fitted - but I'm in my 30s. It's normal to stop having a mad haircut. Imagine being 70 with that ludicrous nest. It's natural passage of time. Certainly one changes as a result of marriage. If you don't, why do it? Anything that doesn't change you, don't do it. It's pointless."

Russell also said he's anxious to start a family, but he'd be thoroughly disappointed if the little tyke didn't have a British accent. He joked: "Imagine if my children didn't have an Essex accent. I don't think I could take it. My children have got to be born somewhere where it's legitimate for them to support West Ham United. Everything makes me a little homesick. I've become madly patriotic."

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Supposed Rupert Grint Bong Photo Circulates on the Internet

Rupert Grint may be among the ranks of Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and countless others celebrities who enjoyed the not-so-underground marijuana holiday that was 4-20 on Wednesday. Or maybe not.

A picture of someone who appears to be the flame-haired Harry Potter actor with his lips to a sizeable bong began circulating on the Internets this week. The shot was supposedly taken at aHarry Potter cast party. Who sold Ron out? We're betting on one of those Parvati twins.

Grint's reps insist the picture is not of their client, but a mere lookalike. Besides, the dude in the picture could very well have been smoking salvia, which is legal for those over 18 (including Miley Cyrus).

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Mel Gibson Talks Leaked Tapes, 'Hangover II' and Jodie Foster in First Interview in 9 Months

It's been nine months since Mel Gibson became one of the most reviled personalities in all of Hollywood thanks to a series of leaked phone conversations. Now with a new movie, The Beaver, hitting theaters in May he's opened up in his first interview since the tapes hit the Internet back in July.

While Deadline interviewer Allison Weiner was openly sympathetic to Mel (she called it hypocrisy that he was booted from Hangover II when Mike Tyson was in the first, and she declined to ask if he ever hitOksana Grigorieva), he still opens up on some big questions. For instance he admits he regrets what he said in the leaked tapes, which included racist and threatening remarks, but he continues to try to explain away his words instead of outright apologizing. He also calls it a "betrayal" that he was recorded in the first place.

"I’ve never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion or sexuality -- period," he said. "I don’t blame some people for thinking that though, from the garbage they heard on those leaked tapes, which have been edited. You have to put it all in the proper context of being in an irrationally, heated discussion at the height of a breakdown, trying to get out of a really unhealthy relationship. It’s one terribly, awful moment in time, said to one person, in the span of one day and doesn’t represent what I truly believe or how I’ve treated people my entire life."
And how did Mel feel when those words came back to haunt him when he lost hisHangover cameo?

"You just move on and go okay," he said. "I’m not greatly offended by it. It seemed like a good idea at the time and it went south."

The aging actor is clearly grateful for the few celebrities who came to his defense, such as Whoopi Goldberg, who was criticized for stepping up for him.

"I knew Whoopi before she was Whoopi. And she’s great and I always liked her and loved her," Mel said. "I like her even more now because she got it."

Mel goes on to gush over The Beaver director Jodie Foster, who was quick to defend him when the scandal first broke.

"I’d give her a pedicure every day of the week if I could," he said. "We met on Maverick many years ago. ... She totally surprised me. I knew she was bright, so that didn’t surprise me. She was really bright. And she was pragmatic and extremely sensitive and a good heart, a real good heart. So how could you not become friends? We became fast friends and we maintained that over the years. ... You couldn’t get two people who are more diametrically opposed on everything that they think about religion and politics than what we do. But there is a core of goodness there that’s undeniable and I just love her."

Even though Mel claims he would be happy to quit acting, it sounds like he's doing his best to do what image rehabilitation he can manage. He says he'll soon be working on a new movie with Braveheart screenwriter Randy Wallace, but it remains to be seen whether audiences will be willing to spend money on anything with his name in the credits.

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Kim Kardashian to be a Mom?

No, Kim Kardashian isn't on the babytrain yet, but if things go her way, she'll be a mama one day soon. 

The 30-year-old reality TV star has been spending a lot of time lately with her sister Kourtney's baby, whom Kim absolutely adores. Has the experience made Kim want her own little guy? Well if what she's saying to OK! Magazine holds any weight, then we can expect a fruitful future for the voluptuous beauty. 

"When the time is right I would love to be a mother," Kim told the magazine. Sure, that could mean she won't be popping out a baby for years to come, but we all know that her family doesn't exactly hold off on things. Her sister Khloe waited only a month before she married her man, Lamar Odom.

At the moment, Kim is, according to her Twitpic page, getting in "some much needed vacay with [her] baybay!!!" Her baby is NBA player, Kris Humphries, not that anyone didn't know that. As to where they're vacationing, the picture doesn't offer much of a lead, but the palm trees, sun and sand make us real glad we're indoors. 

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Sandra Bullock Is Reportedly Pissed About Ex's Tell-All Book

When someone has special ties to a Hollywood figure, there's always the choice to sell out by penning novels about that person. And Sandra Bullock's ex-husband Jesse James has chosen to take that low road in his upcoming book "American Outlaw." Sandra's reaction? She's apparently "devastated."

As if his slue of extra-marital affairs wasn't enough to enrage Sandra, he's surely crossed the line by spilling all their juicy details to the world. James, a motorcyle builder, apparently "didn't warn her about the book at all" and she's super uncomfortable with everyone knowing the deets about his multiple ladies-in-waiting. A source says she is "devastated" and has insisted there is no longer a possibility of friendship for the two.

James is off happily engaged to his future (and fourth) wife, Kat Von D, a tattoo artist, while Sandra is busy being a mom to adopted son Louis -- and also still has a relationship with James' kids Chandler and Jesse Jr. 

The CEO of West Coast Choppers sees the book as a straightforward read on his tumultuous life. He recently said: “I've lived a pretty crazy life. My life has been defined by many things and I just wanted [the memoir] to be a good story."

So gushing about marital affairs and the details of a nasty divorce is justified because it translates as a "good story?" We think not. Hopefully this will sink to the bottom of the Barnes & Noble Bestsellers list. 

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Britney Spears Is 'in LOVE' with Video of Marines Performing 'Hold It Against Me'

Britney Spears is feeling the love from her fans all the way in Afghanistan. In the spirit of the incredibly popular Lady Gaga spoof, a group of marines stationed there have put together a new lip sync video for Britney's "Hold It Against Me."

The video features at least a dozen men and women of marine squadron 266 Rein taking turns in front of the camera as they show off their dance moves and rock out to Britney's latest hit. The video starts with the words "Somewhere deep in the heart of Afghanistan," and is enough to make you think the Marine Corps might be including lip syncing and break dancing in basic training. On Thursday, Britney herself gave the video her gold star approval via Twitter.

She wrote: "I am in LOVE with this... I always knew our soldiers were fierce! Thanks for everything you guys do."

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