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EVA MENDES was so thrilled when fellow Latina AMERICA FERRERA received a Golden Globe nomination, she asked for her phone number to personally congratulate her.
Mendes, who has a Cuban background, loves the ABC comedy and is thrilled to see Latina actresses hitting the mainstream. Ferrera’s parents are Honduran.
The HITCH beauty says, "I also love Ugly Betty. I didn’t know America Ferrera and when she was nominated for a Golden Globe, I asked my agent for her phone number.
"I called to congratulate her and she is very sweet, so it would be a compliment to be compared to her as she is breaking down the boundaries and conventions for a lot of women." Ferrera went on to win the Golden Globe for her role as BETTY SUAREZ at the January (07) ceremony.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

JAMES McAVOY knew FOREST WHITAKER would scoop the Best Actor Oscar for THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND as soon as cameras started rolling on the film.
The Scottish star was blown away by Whitaker’s performance as Ugandan dictator IDI AMIN.
He says, "You never dare to hope that it will be excessively successful, but while we were making it I could tell that Forest was giving a remarkable performance."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Filmmaker STEVEN SPIELBERG is reeling after an FBI investigation discovered his NORMAN ROCKWELL painting had been stolen from a gallery over three decades ago.
The director bought RUSSIAN SCHOOLROOM from a dealer in 1989 and was alerted to its background when one of his employees saw the painting on a FBI website which listed stolen artworks.
After the FBI was alerted, an investigation concluded last week (ends02MAR07) and its authenticity was confirmed yesterday (02MAR07).
The painting was stolen from the Clayton Art Gallery in Clayton, Missouri in the late 1970s.
Spielberg’s spokesman MARVIN LEVY says, "(Spielberg is) certainly one of the collectors of Rockwell. We have a few in our office on the Universal lot." The New York City-born artist died in November 1978 of emphysema.

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FOREST WHITAKER and JENNIFER HUDSON picked up acting prizes at the NAACP Image Awards on Friday (02MAR07), just six days after their Oscar wins.
Whitaker was named Best Actor for his performance as Ugandan dictator IDI AMIN in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, while Hudson garnered Best Supporting Actress for her role as EFFIE WHITE in DREAMGIRLS, at the star-studded ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Accepting his award, Whitaker said, "Doing this role gave me so many blessings. One was being able to go back to Africa and touch my roots." Hudson gushed, "There is nothing like being recognised and honoured by your own." KEKE PALMER picked up the coveted Best Actress gong for AKEELAH AND THE BEE, while DJIMON HOUNSOU was named Best Supporting Actor for BLOOD DIAMOND, after losing out in the same category last weekend (25FEB07) at the Academy Awards.
WILL SMITH’s movie THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS won the Best Motion Picture honour and SPIKE LEE was named Best Director for THE INSIDE MAN.
In the TV categories, GREY’S ANATOMY star ISAIAH WASHINGTON received Best Actor For A Drama Series and his co-star CHANDRA WILSON accepted Best Supporting Actress In A Drama Series.
Other winners in TV included VANESSA WILLIAMS for Best Supporting Actress In A Comedy for UGLY BETTY - which was named Best Television Comedy Series, TYLER JAMES WILLIAMS for Actor In A Comedy Series in EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS for Actress In A Comedy Series in GIRLFRIENDS.
In music, PRINCE and MARY J. BLIGE picked up Male Artist and Female Artist respectively, THE ROOTS in the Group category and GLADYS KNIGHT for Jazz Artist.
Comedian BILL COSBY was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame and U2 frontman BONO received the Chairman’s Award for his tireless campaigner against world poverty and debt.
The Image awards are given out annually by America’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

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Pop singer GWEN STEFANI hated being pregnant - insisting it made her feel "gross".
The HOLLABACK girl, who gave birth to her first child KINGSTON in May 2006, found out she was expecting half way through a 42-date US tour, struggled to fit into her many stage costumes which made her feel fat and unattractive.
She says, "I was surprised how much I didn’t enjoy pregnancy. Having something growing in your stomach feels so unnatural. Your body’s changing and you can’t control it. You just feel gross.
"I was having to get up on stage, wearing bathing suits, looking fat. Nobody knew I was pregnant, except me. They were constantly having to add extra panels to my costumes.
"To be honest, I was feeling pretty bad about myself." (MP/WNBGU/ES) WENN - SECOND - HOLLYWOOD, SHOWBIZ & PEOPLE NEWS - 03 MARCH 2007

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English singer/songwriter DAVID GRAY blasted two female fans during a gig in Scotland on Thursday (01MAR07) when their arguing interrupted his performance.
Two women were exchanging insults during Gray’s acoustic concert at Paisley Town Hall, much to the chagrin of the star and his audience.
Gray stopping singing and shouted, "F**k off. I’m trying to go deep with this song." Police were called to the Town Hall to investigate but no arrests were made.
Following the gig, Gray said, "Paisley seems like a spicy town where anything can happen. I had my wits about me but I wasn’t expecting it at a pretty delicate moment."

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Latin pop star CHRISTIAN CHAVEZ has revealed he is gay, following leaked pictures on the internet showing him ‘marrying’ another man.
Chavez, 23, a member of Mexican band RBD, has posted a message on the group’s website - apologising to fans for keeping his sexuality a secret.
He writes, "I don’t want to keep on lying and lie to myself because of fear.
"I feel bad for not having shared this with all my fans before, as they are the ones that worry and it is because of them that I decided to be honest." The photographs were taken in 2005 in Canada, where gay marriage is legal.
Chavez says the snaps, "Show a part of me, a part that I was not prepared to speak of in fear of rejection, of criticism, but especially for my family and its consequences.
"Although I’m scared and filled with uncertainty I know that I can rely on the support of my fans. Their love is bigger than all of this. I ask them from the bottom of my heart, not to judge me for being honest and to feel proud of who they are and never make the same mistake I did. Tolerance to diversity!"

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LATEST: JAMES BROWN’s widow TOMI RAY HYNIE finally got the chance to mourn over the soul legend’s body on Thursday (01MAR07).
Back-up singer Hynie and her son JAMES BROWN have been shut out of the singer’s will, with his trustees claiming she wasn’t legally married to Brown and that another man was the father of the young James.
Hynie announced last week (ends02MAR07) that she had come to an agreement with the trustees on how to obtain DNA samples from Brown’s remains to help clarify whether he fathered several children not mentioned in his will.
Hynie visited Brown’s body at an undisclosed location on Thursday, to say the intimate goodbye she missed out on during the singer’s two funeral services in December (06).
She says, "We had a saying that his father, Papa Joe, used to say when he would win playing dice. He would say, ‘Us win’ to James. So, I was praying and I said, ‘Us win, baby. We are going to put you in the ground and you’re going to get some rest finally, at last." Following the DNA tests, Brown will finally be laid to rest, but Hynie has refused to disclose his place of burial.
She adds, "I’m very happy we’re coming to a resolution with the family on that. He was my life … and I miss him very much." The PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG hitmaker died on Christmas Day (25DEC06) of pneumonia.

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RAY star KERRY WASHINGTON had to use her acting skills to save her life when she came face to face with an angry gorilla in Uganda.
The actress went on a gorilla safari during a day off from shooting THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, in which she plays African tyrant IDI AMIN’s wife KAY - but never imagined she’d get so close to a wild ape.
Washington took special lessons before her eight-hour trip into the jungle, so she’d be prepared if a gorilla attacked her - but when she actually came face to face with one of the beasts, she relied on her acting skills and became a gorilla herself.
She explains, "You’re supposed to keep your distance but all of a sudden this female gorilla starts climbing down the tree and there wasn’t anywhere for us to back up.
"She stopped and stared at me and it was like I was back in acting school. I became a gorilla. I was chewing leaves and scratching my armpit. I was so excited to have this opportunity to do the old acting class zoo exercise.
"She and I were totally into it for 10 minutes, hanging out and being gorillas."

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LOST star EVANGELINE LILLY is attracted to men who are in touch with their feminine side and are able to pick out clothes for her. The 27-year-old has been dating co-star DOMINIC MONAGHAN for two years and needs a man who isn’t afraid to show his feelings. She explains, "I tend to like metrosexual men. I like men who have a little woman and a little man in there. "I don’t know if that’s just because I’m a little man and a little woman. I don’t mind getting my hands greasy fixing a car or tearing down a wall. "So if he’s willing to go shop for me and buy me new clothes…." Lily claims she would even share her new wardrobe adding, "I don’t mind a man in high heels!"

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LATEST: ANNA NICOLE SMITH was buried in the Bahamas yesterday (02MAR07), three weeks after she died in a Florida hotel suite (08FEB07) at the age of 39.
The former Playboy Playmate was buried after a 90-minute church ceremony attended by 300 mourners.
Her lawyer and companion HOWARD K STERN, spoke during the service and slammed her "so-called family members" and vowed to continue to protect Smith even in death.
When Stern finished his speech inside Mount Horeb Baptist Church, his supporters stood and clapped.
Smith’s estranged mother VIRGIE ARTHUR was also at the service and had filed an emergency legal motion to stop the funeral earlier that morning in favour of a burial in Texas, which was denied.
Smith’s casket was carried down a red carpet into the chapel by six pallbearers, including former bodyguard MAURICE "BIG MOE" BRIGHTHAUPT, Houston, Texas police officer TROY HOLLIER, and her Los Angeles attorney RON RALE. The church was decorated with pink and white roses and daisies and Smith’s mahogany coffin was covered in a rhinestone-studded, pink feathered blanket.
Among mourners attended the service were Smith’s former boyfriend LARRY BIRKHEAD, JOHN JAMES, a soap-opera actor who produced Smith’s last movie and GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist SLASH.
After the funeral, the coffin was moved to Lake View cemetery, where she was buried in a tiara and custom-made beaded gown next to her son, DANIEL, who died of drug-related causes in September (06).
DR. JOSHUA PERPER, the Broward County medical examiner in charge of the case, is scheduled to announce the cause of Smith’s death next week (beg05MAR07).

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A Louisiana judge has ruled rapper COREY MILLER can promote his new CD while under house arrest, but cannot discuss the murder charge against him.
Miller, 35, has been ordered to stay at his grandmother’s home until a date for his new trial on second-degree murder charges is set.
The rapper, who has performed under the name C-MURDER and C-MILLER, is accused of murdering a 16 year old who was shot in the chest during a brawl at a now-closed club in 2002.
Judge MARTHA SASSONE told Miller Thursday (01MAR07) that she must approve any visitors, including reporters.
She explained, "As it pertains to his livelihood, (Miller) can speak to whomever he likes on the phone insofar as it doesn’t relate to this case." Sassone has had a gag order in place for years to keep pretrial publicity to a minimum.
Miller’s attorney argued the gag order conflicted with his constitutional right to free speech and his ability to make money to support his family and pay his legal fees.

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KISS rocker GENE SIMMONS and longtime girlfriend SHANNON TWEED are kicking off the second season of their reality show by having their face lifts filmed. The half-hour reality series, GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS, features the couple, along with their two teenagers.
The Kiss frontman and the former Playboy Playmate will undergo the procedure on two episodes of the series airing 1 April (07) in the US.
Simmons, 57, had a face lift and liposuction and explains the decision to film him going under the knife saying, "Honest to God, it just sort of happened. "(The operation is) like a biology class, more fascinating than gory." Tweed, who turns 50 later this month (MAR07), had her face lift done by the same Beverly Hills surgeon as Simmons.
She adds, "Plastic surgery was Gene’s idea. But I wasn’t going to let him look younger than me!"

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LATEST: BOBBY BROWN hung up on a Washington, D.C. radio station yesterday (02MAR07) that allegedly paid for him to get out of jail in exchange for him appearing on their morning show.
The DON’T BE CRUEL singer was arrested Sunday (25FEB07) in Massachusetts for failing to appear in court and failure to pay back child support and court fees.
The radio station posted $19,150 (£9,820) to bail the singer out of jail on Wednesday night (28FEB07) and expected him to be a guest-host for one week.
Brown did call the morning program THE KANE SHOW, but hung up after 10 minutes after getting into an argument with the host over whether he would discuss his child support woes and his actual agreement with the station.
The conversation started badly when host KANE asked Brown about his repeated troubles with the law for not paying child support.
A furious Brown shot back, "I’m a father and as far as not paying child support, that’s personal!" After more heated discussion, the two engaged in a lengthy argument over Brown’s alleged agreement to appear on the show and he hung up.
The station says it plans to rescind the hosting offer and will attempt to get their money back.

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