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Rapper COMMON has been studying the performances of film legends ROBERT DE NIRO and MARLON BRANDO in an attempt to boost his acting career.
The star - real name Lonnie Lynn Jr. - has had small roles in movies like Smoking Aces and American Gangster but is hoping to eventually become a Hollywood leading man.
He says, "I love acting. It’s a passion of mine. It’s a good way for me to express myself and to grow as an artist. I started checking it out, thought how much I loved it and so took classes. "I’ve been observing the art - checking out good movies like On The Waterfront and Taxi Driver, all the classics."

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Actor JUDE LAW hates press junkets so much he often gets drunk the night before in order to brave the repetitive questioning he faces the next day. The 34-year-old relies on an alcoholic "fog" to help him endure the numerous interviews he gives while promoting his movies - a tip he once picked up from fellow actor Tim Robbins.
He explains, "That’s what film festivals (parties) are for. You think I come to them and go to bed early to be bright and clear the next day? "Tim Robbins once told me it’s much easier to do this through a fog. Where else in life are you made to sit somewhere and answer the same questions over and over? It’s interrogation and brainwashing."

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The biological grandmother of ANGELINA JOLIE’s Ethiopian daughter ZAHARA has accused the man who handled the adoption of threatening to torture her - over fears she would out herself and the child’s mum as living relatives.
Almaz Elfneh, 45, claims Girma Degu - the man who set the AIDS orphan’s adoption into motion - bullied her into handing over the little girl and warned her she’d go to jail if she leaked out the truth.
Zahara has been living with Jolie and Brad Pitt since they took over her care in 2005.
Elfneh tells British newspaper the Mail On Sunday, "Girma took the baby to Addis Ababa. He promised he would keep in touch. He said he would bring back the baby to visit after five months and he would send me a picture. He also promised to introduce me to the family that would adopt her.
"But then Girma came to me and told me that the baby had been adopted and taken abroad. He said there will be journalists coming to you and you must deny the whole story and say it is not your granddaughter.
"He tried everything to get me to say that it’s not my granddaughter. He even threatened that he’d put me in jail and have me tortured." After stories first began to circulate two years ago (05) that Zahara’s birth mother was still alive, Elfneh claims a furious Degu dragged her to the local council offices and accused her of lying, according to the Mail On Sunday.

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WALK THE LINE star REESE WITHERSPOON is officially the highest-paid actress in the business.
The 31-year-old Oscar winner has beaten the likes of Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz and Nicole Kidman to claim the number one spot in the Hollywood Reporter’s annual female rich list - receiving a staggering $15-$20 million (£7.5-£10 million) paycheck per picture.
Tomb Raider star Jolie, 32, comes in second, though her salary for the current Beowulf picture was said to be a "mere" $8 million (£4 million). Diaz, 35, is placed third, with a $15 million (£7.5 million)-per-movie salary demand, though her take-home earnings from the most recent Shrek installment are pegged at a very healthy $30 million (£15 million).
Last year’s number two, Nicole Kidman, 40, fell to fourth place, with an asking price of $10 million (£5 million) to $15 million (£7.5 million) a film.
Also in the $10 million (£5 million) to $15 million (£7.5 million) club are Renée Zellweger, Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts, despite an absence from the screen since 2004.
The full list is: 1. Reese Witherspoon - $15 million-$20 million (£7.5 million-£10 million) 2. Angelina Jolie - $15 million-$20 million (£7.5 million-£10 million) 3. Cameron Diaz - $15+ million (£7.5 million+) 4. Nicole Kidman - $10 million-$15 million (£5 million - £7.5 million) 5. Renee Zellweger - $10 million-$15 million (£5 million - £7.5 million) 6. Sandra Bullock - $10 million-$15 million (£5 million - £7.5 million) 7. Julia Roberts - $10 million-$15 million (£5 million - £7.5 million) 8. Drew Barrymore - $10 million-$12 million (£5 million - £6 million) 9. Jodie Foster - $10 million-$12 million (£5 million - £6 million) 10. Halle Berry - $10 million (£5 million)

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VICTORIA BECKHAM has found an innovative way to style her hair - she uses underwear to tie it back.
The Spice Girl’s hairdresser Ben Cooke - who is responsible for the chic bob the singer debuted last year (06) - has revealed that before cutting her hair short, the 33-year-old frequently used skimpy thongs to hold up her ponytail. He tells Britain’s Closer magazine, "When she had her extensions she used to tie her hair back with a G-string because she always lost her hairbands. They were always clean though!"

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A-list stars including MADONNA, BEYONCE KNOWLES, BRITNEY SPEARS, JAY-Z and JACK NICHOLSON have made generous donations for a charity auction to raise money for AIDS.
The super-sale dubbed Bid 2 Beat Aids will kick off on action site eBay on World Aids Day, 1 December (07).
The list of participating celebrities also includes, Matt Damon, Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson, Owen Wilson and many more. Items on offer include an iPod designed by Yoko Ono; Borat’s hat; a CD signed by Vanessa Hudgens and Spiderman doll signed by Tobey Maguire.
Proceeds benefit LIFEbeat, the Music Industry Fights AIDS to support its ongoing AIDS/HIV programs nationwide.
The centrepiece of the auction is series of paintings created by celebrities who traced their hands on special paper, adding their personal artistic touch and signature.

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Hollywood actor JOHNNY DEPP enjoyed shooting gory scenes for his new movie SWEENY TODD - because he loved getting drenched in fake blood.
The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 44, found it hilarious watching the film crew being hit by the red corn syrup mixture used in violent scenes.
He says, "Everyone except me was covered in plastic. It was a bizarre sight.
There’d be a countdown - three - two - one… action. Then blammo (sic), a deluge of what looked like blood! It tasted kind of syrupy. It was also oily so it got pretty slippery."

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British actress RACHEL WEISZ is hoping her boyfriend film director DARREN ARONOFSKY will propose to her - so she can start planning her dream wedding.
The couple has been dating for six years and have an 18-month-old son, Henry, and Weistz is looking forward to the day they finally get married.
She says, "We’ve spent a lot of time dreaming up different versions of how we’d do it and what kind of ceremony we’d have. But we are still just dreaming about it."

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British funnyman RICKY GERVAIS has risked infuriating organisers of one of the world’s most prestigious awards ceremonies - by poking fun at the International Emmys and branding it an event for actors "who will never win a real Emmy".
The Office star and creator was honoured when he was asked to host the event - only to find out it was a less popular version of the esteemed American awards celebration.
He tells Britain’s Heat magazine, "Awards shows are weird. I was asked to present the International Emmys, then my American agent pointed out that it wasn’t the real Emmys. American’s haven’t even heard of it. "That’ll annoy people - stick that in: ‘Ricky Gervais doesn’t care about the International Emmys!’ In fact, I’d say the International Emmys are about as important as the (British Television) Comedy Awards. They’re for British people who will never win a real Emmy."

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Actress NATALIE PORTMAN has slammed Hollywood’s obsession with fashion, branding the attention paid to clothing labels "annoying".
The 26-year-old Closer star only agrees to wear designer frocks to red carpet events to avoid giving fashion critics an opportunity to mock her.
She says, "I get pissed off that I go to a premiere to talk about my movie and the first thing they ask me is what dress I’m wearing. And look, I buy into that because I play along - you have to, in a certain way. If you don’t dress up then they’ll talk about that! "It almost becomes less of an issue to play along with it, because then it doesn’t become a conversation topic. But that’s annoying."

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LATEST: Wrestling superstar HULK HOGAN has been exposed as liable for his son NICK BOLLEA’s summer car crash and consequent driving ban.
The sports star-turned-actor - who is currently going through a divorce with wife Linda - is said to have purchased beer for Nick and his friends before the 17-year-old’s summer (07) accident, which led to his arrest on a dangerous driving charge earlier this month (07Nov07).
Included in the damaging police report released this week (28Nov07) is a receipt from Albertson’s Liquor Store in Clearwater, Florida at 2:14 p.m. on the day of the accident for $78 (£39) worth of beer and ice. A clerk, June Hoopingarer, claims Hulk - real name Terry Bollea - was the one who purchased the booze.
The report adds that Nick and his friends spent the day of the accident on a boat with Hulk, where everyone consumed alcohol. The group were later turned away at a local establishment, Shepard’s Tiki Bar, because Nick was underage.
The teenager has been charged with reckless driving involving serious bodily injury, and will be tried as an adult.
His father’s attorney denied comment when contacted, saying that he had not seen the official report yet.

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Irish music mogul LOUIS WALSH has launched a scathing attack on the SPICE GIRLS just days before they kick off their world tour.
The X Factor judge deems the popular girl group - set to launch their comeback tour in Vancouver this Sunday (02Dec07 - talentless and money-grabbing. He says, "I couldn’t care less about the Spice Girls, I really couldn’t.
They’ve never done anything for me vocally. They’re just five girls out there trying to make some money now.
"I think young kids grew up with that Girl Power thing, that’s the attraction. I don’t get it because they can’t sing in my books."

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Country star BILLY RAY CYRUS traded a promising baseball career for one in music, after a voice in his head told him to pick up a guitar.
The singer is convinced it was his calling to be a singer, and has no regrets about ditching his plans to be a major league catcher.
He says, "I just felt this voice inside saying buy a guitar and form a band and you’ll fulfil your purpose. Trade in your catcher’s mitt and buy a guitar. And I did it."

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Hip-hop supergroup WU-TANG CLAN struggled to write their new album 8 DIAGRAMS because it was their first since the sudden death of founding member OL’ DIRTY BASTARD.
The surviving eight bandmates wrote a tribute to the late rapper - real name Russell Tyrone Jones - who died of an accidental overdose whilst recording at the group’s New York studio in 2004.
Clan member GZA, born Gary Grice, says, "It was such a shock to find out something happened to our brother. We’ve done albums without him either because he was locked up or was not f**king with us or was just on his own mission, but to know that he definitely won’t be around - it’s just not a good feeling. "Wu-Tang came together like Voltron and he was a major part of the body. Now we’re walking around with crutches."

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British composer ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’s art charity is battling in court to sell a $66 million (£33 million) PICASSO painting that is alleged to have been looted by Nazis.
The theatre impresario’s charity has begun proceedings at London’s High Court to prove once and for all that it owns The Absinthe Drinker - a study of an effete young man with a glass of the spirit.
The action comes after the 1903 portrait of Picasso’s close friend, Angel Fernández de Soto, was suddenly withdrawn from auction at Christie’s New York last year (06) when Professor Julius Schoeps, a German academic, claimed the Nazis forced his Jewish great-uncle to sell it.
Last week (ends25Nov07) a U.S. judge dismissed the case after finding out that Professor Schoeps did not have the right to sue.
Lloyd Webber’s charity - set up in 1992 to advance public art education - is now seeking a "negative declaration" to prove its ownership.

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LATEST: Singer/actress MARY-KATE OLSEN has been spotted partying - just a week after undergoing emergency surgery for a kidney infection.
The 21-year-old - who was hospitalised last week (19Nov) - surprised onlookers with her apparently speedy recovery, after she was seen dancing until 3am at New York City’s Beatrice Inn on Wednesday (26Nov07).
A club-goer tells New York gossip column PageSix, "She looked fine to me." The former child star has had a number of health scares. In 2004 she spent time in Utah’s Cirque Lodge to treat an eating disorder.

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Actress NICOLE KIDMAN has credited husband KEITH URBAN with giving her a true purpose in life.
The 40-year-old Moulin Rouge! star says she turned to acting to battle her feelings of depression - but only felt fulfilled when she met the country music star. She says, "Actually, I’m not that interested in working right now. I think that a lot of my wish to work was about wanting to get lost, not wanting to be in the world.
"I have a reason to be in the world now and that reason is Keith."

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JAMES BOND star DANIEL CRAIG has launched a staunch defence of the British film industry - insisting it needs no special treatment.
The British actor, 39, is adamant that the industry is in a healthy state and needs no pitying from other nations.
Speaking in London at the British Independent Film Awards on Wednesday night (28Nov07), he said it was good to celebrate British movies, but warned, "It’s not a charity case. It’s doing quite well." Whether making a Hollywood blockbuster or a low-budget British movie, he said the only thing that matters is a good script, good actors and a good director.
The actor, whose latest film The Golden Compass from the Philip Pullman novels opens in the U.K. next week (begs03Dec07), received the special Variety Award from the eponymous industry magazine for putting the international spotlight on British film.

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