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ANGELINA JOLIE is thrilled with her Best Actress Oscar nomination, calling the nod "a privilege beyond any expectation".
Jolie was nominated on Thursday (22Jan09) for her role in director Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, and will go up against Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, Melissa Leo and Meryl Streep in the category at the Academy Awards next month (22Feb09).
Jolie says, "Working with Clint Eastwood was a reward in itself that will last me a lifetime. It has been an exceptional year for acting, and I am honoured to be in the company of these talented actors whose performances all deserve this recognition." And there was a double reason for her to celebrate as the Oscar nominations were announced - her animated film Kung Fu Panda was also among the films chosen for Oscar glory; it’s up for Best Animated Feature. It’s a nod she’s certain her growing family will find thrilling.
She adds, "I am proud to be a part of a film my entire family loves so much." Jolie shares six children with partner Brad Pitt, whose film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - up for Best Film - earned him a Best Actor nomination.
Of his own achievement, Pitt says, "(The nominations are) a great honour for the movie. I’m especially happy for (Best Director nominee) David Fincher, for without him there would be no Ben Button."

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Newlywed and pregnant E.R. star PARMINDER NAGRA is planning a break from acting when the medical drama comes to an end this May (09), so she dedicate her time to becoming a first-time mum.
The British actress married longterm partner James Stenson at the weekend (17Jan09) in an intimate ceremony in the Hollywood Hills.
She is expecting the couple’s first child later this year, which will coincide with the finale of the long-running show.
Nagra, who has been a part of E.R. for six years, insists she is planning to get back to film acting after E.R. but will need some time to get used to motherhood first.
The 33-year-old Bend It Like Beckham star says, "I’ve been talking to producers about potential projects that they have in development. But I’m going to take a little time off. I don’t care what anyone says, when you have a baby you want to spend at least three or four months at home."

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Burlesque star DITA VON TEESE will titillate audiences after booking her return to striptease at Paris’ most famous nude revue.
The raven-haired star, who’ has allured the rich and famous with her inventive striptease act - using larger-than-life size martini glasses, carousel horses and rhinestone-encrusted bubble baths as props, is slated for a two-week run at the Crazy Horse in the French capital.
And she’ll be showing off her musical skills during the shows, which begin on 1 February (09) and run through the most romantic day of the year - St.
Valentine’s (14Feb09) - by performing songs she has recorded.
Von Teese, the former wife of goth rocker Marilyn Manson, tells Reuters, "I feel that Paris is a place that still appreciates its showgirls. I feel I have to raise the bar.
"I’ve always had a real fascination with the Crazy Horse ever since I was a teenager and I found a picture of this line of nearly nude toy soldiers standing at attention. (I want to) combine the Crazy Horse style with what I do, which is classic American burlesque."

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HEROES actress HAYDEN PANETTIERE’s father has been handed two years probation and ordered to attend domestic violence counselling, after he was charged with assaulting his wife.
Alan Panettiere appeared in a Beverly Hills, California court on Tuesday (20Jan09), where he pleaded not guilty to misdemeanour battery, stemming from a much-publicised fight with his wife last August (08) He was sentenced to 24 months probation, $400 (GBP265) in fines and ordered to attend 52 weeks of domestic violence counselling.
He must also obey a protective order that was previously placed against him.

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WILLIAM H. MACY is refusing to get drawn into the theatrical battle over pal JEREMY PIVEN’s departure from play SPEED-THE-PLOW, but he insists Broadway bosses are right to seek compensation.
Macy has taken over Piven’s role at short notice after the Entourage star quit the production, citing mercury poisoning.
The producers of the play have now filed a grievance against Piven with actor’s union Equity, because they don’t believe he was too ill to perform.
Macy says, "They have the right to go after him, but he’s a pal so I’d like to dodge that question.
"But Broadway is big money. It’s hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake and they’ve got to protect their interest and they spent a lot of money to get movie stars to come out and do a play.
"There’s a lot of talk about what’s the minimum number of weeks you’ll do in order to make it pay off for the producers. I think six months is the minimum."

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America’s new President, BARACK OBAMA, has inspired a musical, which will open in London in March (09).
Obama on My Mind will chronicle the former Senator’s journey to the White House, and the efforts of his campaign managers to get him there.
Playwright Teddy Hayes’ production features hard-hitting political commentary and pop, gospel, jazz and Motown-esque soul.
Obama became the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday (20Jan09).
(KL/LAT/IG) WENN - SIXTH - HOLLYWOOD, SHOWBIZ & PEOPLE NEWS - 22 JANUARY 2009

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LADY GAGA is still top of the pops in America, scoring a third week at number one with JUST DANCE.
The track keeps Beyonce’s Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) and Kanye West’s Heartless at numbers two and three respectively.
Eminem scores the week’s highest debut at 78 with his latest Dr. Dre collaboration, Crack A Bottle.
Meanwhile, Beyonce’s Single Ladies claims a 10th week at the top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon lands a seventh week at the top of America’s Modern Rock chart.

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Learjet bosses have denied responsibility for the September (08) airplane crash, which almost killed TRAVIS BARKER and ADAM ‘DJ AM’ GOLDSTEIN.
Barker, Goldstein and the widow of Barker’s assistant Chris Baker, who was among the four people killed in the wreckage, are all suing a string of companies involved in the accident.
But Learjet executives insist the private jet firm should not be held responsible.
Papers filed in Los Angeles on 16 January (09) read, "Learjet alleges that any and all conditions (of the aircraft)… were solely a result of the failure to properly maintain and service the aircraft." They add that injuries suffered by passengers were "either excessive, exaggerated, unreasonable, speculative, inflated or otherwise unnecessary and/or unrelated to the alleged incident." Barker’s lawyer Walter J. Lack has hit back, telling People.com, "Learjet’s lawyers get paid by the hour to regurgitate stock paragraphs from word processing programs in every case they’re involved in. This case is no exception." Barker and Goldstein, the only two survivors of the tragedy, were both treated for second and third-degree burns and other injuries following the crash in South Carolina.

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MILEY CYRUS re-connected with ex-boyfriend NICK JONAS at a kids’ concert to celebrate BARACK OBAMA’s inagurations on Monday (19Jan09) and has confessed she still "loves" the JONAS BROTHERS heartthrob.
More than a year after ending their teen romance, the pair joined forces to perform for the new U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama, and her daughters at the Kids’ Inaugural Concert in Washington D.C. bash this week (19Jan09), taking took time out to chat and pose for pictures together.
And in a new post on her blog, Cyrus, who is now dating model Justin Gaston, confesses she still has feeling for her ex.
She writes, "I know you guys saw me, I was hanging out with the Jonas Brothers at the inaugural (concert). That was really good. And we are friends … I love the JoBros.
"I love Nicky. I do love him… I love all the boys."

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Pop icon MORRISSEY has launched a blistering attack on his fellow British celebrities VICTORIA BECKHAM and JAMIE OLIVER, and insists he wants to "kick" the TV chef "in the eye".
The former The Smiths frontman is grilled in a new magazine interview about his ‘last day on earth’ and when he’s asked who he would most like to "kick in the eye" before he dies, vegetarian Morrissey lashes out at Oliver, saying, "That meat-fed horror Jamie ‘Orrible’ Oliver. If he’s a master chef, then I’m Miss Brazil 1970." He went on to insult Beckham, adding, "It will be worth being dead just to get away from Victoria Beckham." And when asked about how he’d choose to die, Morrissey insisted, "Concussed by a coconut."

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Officials at a U.S. family group have lashed out at radio networks for playing BRITNEY SPEARS’ new tune despite it’s "indecent content".
Parents Television Council bosses are upset that the pop stars’ naughty If U Seek Amy song is getting airplay in America, despite warnings the tune is obscene.
They claim it’s clear that Spears sings "F-*-*-K me" repeatedly in the song’s chorus - because that’s what the title breaks down as.
The song has already upset family groups in Australia, who called for a widespread radio ban on the tune, and now the PTC bosses have followed suit.
The PTC officials want radio stations to stop playing the song between the hours of 6am and 10pm, because it "violates the broadcast indecency law".
PTC president Tim Winter says, "There is no misinterpreting the lyrics to this song, and it’s certainly not about a girl named Amy.
"It’s one thing for a song with these lyrics to be included on a CD so that fans who wish to hear it can do so, but it’s an entirely different matter when this song is played over the publicly owned airwaves, especially at a time when children are likely to be in the listening audience." Meanwhile, Spears’ record label, Jive, has issued an edited version of the track to radio networks. The new tune excises the "k" from "Seek".

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Fans of Seventies rockers THE FACES will have to wait a while for a reunion tour - because frontman ROD STEWART insists reports of a comeback are bogus.
Guitarist Ron Wood reportedly told Rolling Stone magazine that he and Stewart had spent Christmas (08) working on new material and making plans to tour in 2009, with Red Hot Chili Peppers star Flea filling in for the late Ronnie Laine.
But now the Baby Jane singer has dismissed the reports.
Stewart’s spokesperson tells Billboard.com, "There are no plans for a Faces reunion tour this year." And Flea’s publicist adds to the confusion, stating the bass player "knows nothing" of a possible Faces tour.
Rumours of a full Faces reunion started late last year after Stewart, Wood, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones reportedly rehearsed together, but a report in the New York Post suggested the old bandmates didn’t get along.
But Wood told Rolling Stone, "We just have to sort out when and where (we’ll tour) and drop all of the management egos and just do what we can… It’s just a matter of getting everyone’s availability." Last November (08), eager Stewart revealed the group would hit the road this summer (09), stating, "It will be next summer and I am looking forward to it.
It’ll be great."

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British pop star LILY ALLEN has spoken candidly about her past sexual exploits - detailing a steamy lesbian kiss with twin girls.
The Smile hitmaker, who recently split from 45-year-old art dealer Jay Jopling, locked lips with the sisters after sharing a saucy dance with them during a party at a friend’s home.
The singer insists it was her only same-sex clinch to date - although she frequently fantasises about women.
She tells The Gay Times, "I did once snog (kiss) these identical twins in San Diego. I was on the sofa and I had them both. I was dancing and shoving my a**e on one of them and one on my front bottom.
"That’s the only time, but I have lesbian dreams a lot."

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A plot to extort money from JOHN TRAVOLTA following the death of his son JETT has been branded as "despicable" by a member of the Bahamian Parliament.
Reports on Thursday (22Jan09) claimed a photograph of the Pulp Fiction star’s 16-year-old son as he lay dying in an ambulance was at the centre of the blackmail plan.
According to TMZ.com, Bahamian police are investigating an alleged extortion plot against Travolta - but it does not involve pictures of his son, who passed away after suffering a seizure at the family’s Bahamas retreat on 2 January (09).
The Web site reports the investigation stems from the circumstances surrounding Jett’s death, adding it was the actor’s representatives who contacted cops to file the complaint.
Obie Wilchcombe, a member of the country’s parliament, tells Usmagazine.com, "I thought it was a despicable act. One person should not destroy the character of the country." Two men, believed to be a local politician from Grand Bahama and a man thought to be connected to the ambulance service, were reportedly being questioned by police over the incident.
But Wilchcombe has denied a politician is behind the plot and confirmed that only one person is involved in the incident: "The lawyer who brought the situation to my attention is a politician." Wilchcombe reveals he was approached about the alleged plot early last week (12Jan09) and passed along the information he received to Travolta’s lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott.
News of the alleged blackmail attempt emerged on the same day Travolta and wife Kelly Preston published a letter thanking the people of the Bahamas for their support as they dealt with the death of their son.
Wilchcombe adds, "The irony was that the Travolta family just sent a letter of gratitude - it happened that afternoon."

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Australian actress CATE BLANCHETT is delighted to be included in her country’s national day celebrations - the star will see her face printed on a set of postage stamps.
The Oscar winner, along with fellow Aussies Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Geoffrey Rush, will all have their international stardom and their roots down under commemorated for Australia Day on 26 January (09).
And Blanchett is overwhelmed by the tribute.
She says, "I am utterly, deeply, humbled and chuffed by the fact that I’m a stamp. I’m going to be licked by millions of Australians and I can’t wait. It is also recognising the value of the arts in Australia. It brings it into general consumption and if I’m part of that, I feel intensely proud."

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Actress KATE WINSLET is delighted with her nod for Best Actress at next month’s (Feb09) Academy Awards and has praised THE READER’s production team for finally making Oscar glory a possibility for her.
The British beauty was nominated on Thursday (22Jan09) for her role in the post-war drama, with the film also competing in the Best Picture category.
The Titanic star, who has failed to pick up a single Oscar in her career despite being shortlisted five times, is ecstatic to have been recognised for her portrayal of a former Nazi concentration camp guard.
She tells OK! magazine, "I’m extremely happy to have been nominated. And very fortunate. Playing Hanna Schmitz will always remain one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever been blessed with." The movie was also nominated in the Achievement In Directing, Adapted Screenplay and Achievement In Cinematography - and Winslet has nothing but praise for the people who had a hand in making it.
She adds, "I’m genuinely thrilled not just for myself but for the wonderful Stephen Daldry (director) and David Hare (screenwriter). These nominations are a testament to their unwavering commitment to this film. And I’m also very happy for all the people in Germany whose hard work on The Reader has been rewarded by these nominations." And Winslet also pays a moving tribute to two filmmakers who helped produce the movie but passed away during its creation: "Surely Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack are smiling down on us today!" It tops an extraordinary month for the star; she walked away with two gongs, for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, at the Golden Globes on 11 January (09) and received two nominations in the Best Actress category at the upcoming British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs).

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BRAD PITT’s THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON co-star TARAJI P. HENSON has dedicated her Oscar nomination to her late dad, who died just before she started making the movie.
Henson won a Best Supporting Actress nod on Thursday (22Jan09) for her portrayal of Pitt’s mother in the film, and reveals her dearly departed dad always told her she’d be considered for an Oscar one day.
She says, "I’m still in shock. I haven’t had a moment really to let it all sink in… This is an incredible year in film in general.
"My dad passed away a year before we started filming the movie and he always said this was going to happen… He didn’t get to see it. But come Oscar night, he’ll have the best seat in the house. This is for my dad."

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SCRUBS star SARAH CHALKE is so accident prone, she had her fiance’s phone number inscribed on her engagement ring, in case she loses it.
The actress has already lost one ring since lawyer Jamie Afifi popped the question back in December 2006 - and she’s determined not to go through the trauma again.
She reveals, "I’m on my second engagement ring, with the same person I lost my first one to.
"Now his cellphone number’s on the inside."

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