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HEATH LEDGER’s THE DARK KNIGHT co-star CHRISTIAN BALE insists the late star has one final shock in store for fans when he appears as comic book villain THE JOKER in the BATMAN BEGINS sequel.
In an interview given just before Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday (22Jan08), Bale told reporters the Aussie star would stun film fans with his dark portrayal as Batman’s arch-villain in The Dark Knight.
He said, "Heath’s an incredible actor and he’s brought a very, very scary Joker to life. It’s shocking. He’ll shock you. Heath will shock you."

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Tragic movie star HEATH LEDGER found it hard to play a junkie in 2005 CANDY, because he had never been addicted to anything stronger than tobacco.
Speaking in a November 2006 interview, little more than a year before his death from a suspected drug overdose, Ledger revealed how tough it was for him to comprehend the motivation of a heroin addict.
The Australian actor, who was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday (22Jan08), aged just 28, told Moviefone.com, "I’ve never been addicted to anything other than tobacco, so I think it’s hard for us outside of their world to comprehend how they’re making their decisions.
"I didn’t necessarily agree with many of his choices in life or the decisions he would make."

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HEATH LEDGER’s family and Hollywood friends will honour the tragic actor at a memorial service in Los Angeles this weekend (26-27Jan08).
According to New York police sources, Ledger’s father Kim will jet to California with his son’s body, after he arrives in Manhattan on Friday (25Jan08).
While in Los Angeles, Ledger’s family are expected to attend a service, alongside a number of the Oscar-nominated star’s contemporaries.
Sophie Ward, a friend of Ledger’s and the sister of the actor’s last known love interest Gemma Ward, reveals, "(The memorial) will be in LA, then he will be buried in Perth (in Australia)." In an interview with The West Australian newspaper, Ward reveals she spent time with Ledger in their native Perth over Christmas, and insists he neither drank alcohol or took drugs.

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A U.S. radio host who mocked HEATH LEDGER’s death live on air a few hours after his passing has been slammed by gay activists.
During his Tuesday (22Jan08) show, Fox News Radio presenter Jon Gibson played an audio clip from gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain in which Jake Gyllenhaal’s character says to Ledger’s, "I wish I knew how to quit you." Gibson then told his listeners, "Well, he found out how to quit you." Later in the broadcast, Gibson played another Brokeback Mountain clip, this time of Ledger’s character saying, "We’re dead." The host then mockingly repeated, "We’re dead," before playing the clip again.
Gibson, who is on record as criticising Brokeback Mountain as a "gay agenda movie", went on to label Ledger a "weirdo" who had "a serious drug problem" and speculated as to reasons why the actor may have taken his own life.
Ledger, who was found dead in his New York apartment on Tuesday (22Jan08), is not thought to have committed suicide, according to authorities and his family.
Rashad Robinson, a spokesman for The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), says, "Gibson’s remarks are vulgar and disgusting. It’s sickening that Gibson would exploit Heath Ledger’s tragic death to promote such hurtful intolerance.
"And to do so at a time when family and friends are grieving shows a level of insensitivity that is beyond the pale.'’ On his Wednesday (23Jan08) show, Gibson refused to apologise for his comments, explaining they were just "a little Brokeback Mountain joke" and there is "no point in passing up a good joke".

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Actors JOSH HARTNETT and KIRSTEN DUNST have fuelled speculation they’re romantically involved after the couple was spotted kissing at the Sundance Film Festival.
The stars were watching a performance by supergroup Camp Freddy at the Park City, Utah event when they stunned revellers with a public display of affection after the gig.
A source tells U.S. publication People, "They were making out like crazy." Hartnett has recently been romantically linked to beauties including Rihanna and Scarlett Johansson, while Dunst dated Razorlight rocker Johnny Borrell last year (07).

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Movie star OWEN WILSON stunned the owner of a smoke shop in Venice, California last week (17Jan08) when he allegedly walked in and purchased a huge bong and a ‘monkey’ pipe.
The Wedding Crashers star’s drug use was linked to his apparent suicide attempt last summer (Aug07) - and so his low-key shopping trip to the Green House Smoke Shop has startled many.
U.S. magazine Life & Style reports Wilson was "friendly" but desperate not to be recognised as he spent $300 (£150) on "one of the biggest bongs".
An insider tells the publication, "He was worried that someone might have seen him coming out. He hid behind a FedEx truck for 30 seconds before darting to his car."

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The attorney representing BRITNEY SPEARS’ former bodyguard has poured scorn on the pop star’s legal team for failing to get her into court.
Spears has failed to show for two crucial custody hearings this month (Jan08), leaving celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred asking why the Toxic singer’s lawyers can’t make her attend court hearings.
Allred says, "If she were my client, I’d have her in check and she’d be at court on time." In the latest non-show incident on Wednesday (23Jan08), Spears reportedly arrived an hour late, walked into the Los Angeles courthouse and through a metal detector before telling her attorney she couldn’t go through with a court appearance. She then fled.
On the same day (23Jan08), Allred grilled her client, the singer’s former bodyguard Tony Barretto, as part of a deposition.
She adds, "We discussed several issues, including Britney’s drug use, her nudity and her ability to drive with her children." Allred tells America’s In Touch Weekly magazine that the two-hour deposition was in preparation for her client to testify in court when the Spears custody battle with her ex-husband Kevin Federline goes to trial.

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PAMELA ANDERSON’s new film has been released straight to DVD just days after the actress confessed she was surprised it was getting a theatrical release.
The former Baywatch babe insists she took the role of a bubbly blonde, mistaken for a killer, so she could have fun in her native Vancouver, Canada with her brother Jerry, the film’s director, and co-star Denise Richards.
But studio bosses initially felt sure the comedy would be a hit, and planned a cinema release.
Anderson admitted, "I thought, ‘It’ll go direct to video. It’ll be fun. No one will ever see it.’ "Now it’s, like, hitting theatres, so I’m really surprised. I didn’t know you could make a movie in nine days but you can." But now U.S. publication the Globe reports Anderson’s initial instincts were right - the film won’t hit big screens.

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Pop superstar GEORGE MICHAEL has learned he wasn’t the first choice to play actor JONNY LEE MILLER’s musical conscience in quirky new TV show ELI STONE producers approached PHIL COLLINS before him.
The Faith singer, who appears to Miller’s troubled lawyer character in dream sequences, reveals he wasn’t television bosses go-to guy because they felt sure he’d turn them down.
Michael says, "Apparently, the studio didn’t think I’d say yes. They wrote it for Phil Collins, I think." But producers needn’t have fretted - Michael accepted the job as soon as they offered it to him.
He adds, "They said they wanted to name each episode after a song of mine.
It’s all flattering to the ego, isn’t it?" Eli Stone debuts in America on 31 January (08).

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Rocker BONO poked fun at his green credentials during a conference with AL GORE on Thursday (24Jan08), revealing how he went to great lengths to show the former U.S. vice president how environmentally friendly his home is.
The U2 frontman and Nobel Prize winner Gore were discussing climate change and global poverty, while sitting on a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland when the singer decided to inject some fun into the proceedings.
A joking Bono told the conference hall how paranoid he was when Gore visited his home.
The 47-year-old said, "He’s been round my house and there was a little bit of, ‘Here’s the recycler, Al!’ I’ve got a posh car but, ‘It runs on ethanol, Al!’ "There’s a little bit of that (when Gore visits)."

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EDDIE MURPHY’s ex TRACEY EDMONDS is nursing her broken heart on the snowy streets of the Sundance Film Festival - with rapper 50 CENT.
The music executive, who split from funnyman Murphy earlier this month (Jan08) after a brief ‘marriage’ which was never legalised in the U.S., was spotted partying with the rap star at a private dinner on Saturday night (19Jan08).
But she refused to pose for photos and entered the party, thrown at ChefDance by 50’s VitaminWater bosses, through a back door, according to online blogger Marc Malkin.
Edmonds stayed at the Utah event and was spotted partying with girlfriends at Harry O’s on Sunday night (20Jan08).
Murphy and Edmonds wed in Bora Bora on New Year’s Day (01Jan08). They split two weeks later, while in the process of organising a legal ceremony on American soil.

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Funnyman RAY ROMANO only agreed to star in sombre new movie THE LAST WORD after showing the script to his therapist.
The Everybody Loves Raymond star was reluctant to take on the role of a failed composer, who makes his living writing telephone jingles, because suicide is a central theme.
But he changed his mind when his counsellor recognised the movie’s positive ending.
Romano reveals, "My shrink read it. Not joking, I ran it by him first. And he actually saw it for what it is. There’s a redemptive message of hope at the end of the film."

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The force wasn’t with STAR WARS star HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN while he was making new sci-fi action film JUMPER - the injury-prone actor was always "banged up".
The Canadian star cut his hand and ear open during shooting and suffered eye problems after drops were applied following a fight scene with co-star Jamie Bell.
Christensen says, "One of my pupils got stuck in the dilated position… and I had to go to hospital." He admits his injuries became a joke on the set: "It was an ongoing theme of, ‘OK, what’s wrong with Hayden now?’"

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HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL star ASHLEY TISDALE is hiding a family secret from her fans - her aunt is serving a 10-year prison sentence for drug trafficking.
Peggy Tisdale, 45, was locked up in 2005 after she was found guilty of five drug charges. The crimes were the latest in a long list of legal woes, including felony convictions for possession of firearms and battery of a law enforcement officer.
But a publicist for the 22-year-old actress insists Aunt Peggy isn’t really part of the Tisdale family, explaining her brother, the singer/actress’ father Mike, hasn’t spoken to his troubled sibling in more than 20 years.
And Tisdale’s grandfather, Henry, claims the star has never met her incarcerated aunt.
However, U.S. tabloid the Star reports Peggy has attempted to cash in on her famous niece from behind bars - by requesting signed publicity pictures to sell on to fellow inmates.

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DANIEL DAY-LEWIS suffered for his art while filming Oscar-nominated movie THERE WILL BE BLOOD after breaking a rib during a stunt fall.
The movie star, who has won a Best Actor Academy Award nod for his portrayal of ruthless oil tycoon Daniel Plainview, admits a scene in which his character falls down a well was for real and he didn’t have to pretend to be hurt.
The My Left Foot star says, "I actually did that stunt myself
. It was a very narrow silver mine and the most unstable set I’ve ever worked on.
"When I fell I gasped and then found myself on my back on the floor of the mine, unable to breathe at first." And the actor is still puzzled by the crew’s reaction following the tumble: "Suddenly, the first assistant (director) on the film was in my face offering me a banana."

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300 actress LENA HEADEY has been battling depression for nearly two decades.
The star of hit new U.S. TV Terminator spin-off The Sarah Connor Chronicles reveals the condition first struck when she was a teenager.
The 34-year-old Brit admits the blues got so bad at times, she considered suicide.
She says, "I found the teenage years very difficult. My mum took me to the doctor, and he said it was depression. It was a relief just to know what it was. It comes and goes." Headey has managed to control her depression, without medication, and insists she only struggles with violent mood swings a couple of times a year.
She adds, "I don’t use medication because I’m worried about becoming dependant on it.
"When the depression comes it is very intense, and you can’t see beyond it." And her suicidal thoughts have dwindled: "I guess there have been thoughts in my head but not enough to do anything about them."

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Oscar-winning actor DANIEL DAY-LEWIS broke down in tears as he paid tribute to HEATH LEDGER during an appearance on OPRAH WINFREY’s talk show on Thursday (24Jan08).
Day-Lewis broke off a chat to promote his new movie There Will Be Blood to express his sorrow at the Australian star’s death from a suspected drug overdose at his New York apartment on Tuesday (22Jan08).
The 50-year-old’s eyes filled with tears as he struggled to speak of Ledger’s career and premature death.
He said, "I hope you don’t mind if I speak about this Oprah… I feel very unsettled at the moment. I only just heard the news about Heath Ledger.
"It seems strange to be talking about anything else. There isn’t anything to say other than to express one’s regret to his family and his friends.
"I didn’t know him. I have a strong impression I would have liked him very much as a person if I had.
"I had already marvelled at some of his work. And looked forward to the work he would do in the future."

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Beloved U.S. film critic ROGER EBERT has been readmitted to hospital as part of his ongoing battle with cancer.
The 65-year-old Chicago, Illinois-based reviewer has previously been operated on three times - in 2002, doctors removed a malignant tumour from his thyroid gland; in 2003, Ebert underwent surgery on his salivary gland; and in 2006, a cancerous growth was removed from the same area.
In a post on his website, Ebert writes, "I’ll have another surgery, which I hope will solve some problems I’ve still been living with.
"I’ll be in hospital for awhile (nothing like last time, I trust!). I plan to return full-time as soon as possible."

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