PR-Inside.com Entertainment News

Jazz legend LOUIS ARMSTRONG is the subject of a bizarre new silent biopic.
Hotel heir-turned-film producer Dan Pritzker has funded, produced and directed Louis, about the trumpeter’s childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The movie even features dialogue cards, not seen since the 1920s when The Jazz Singer became the first ‘talkie’.
Pritzker is the son of late Hyatt magnate Jay Pritzker, and currently the 246th richest man in America.
The filmmaker plans to unveil the movie in 2010 with a six city U.S. tour, accompanied by performances from jazz great Winston Marsalis.
And he will follow it up with a more traditional biopic of horn player Buddy Bolden, who is credited with inspiring the jazz genre, before he was struck down with mental illness.
Oscar winner Forest Whitaker was recently unveiled as the star of another, more conventional Louis Armstrong biopic, which is currently in the pipeline.

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

LINDSAY LOHAN is receiving Hollywood help in the form of Baldwin brothers DANIEL and STEPHEN as she battles to regain her former star power after rehab, according to her father.
An arrest warrant for the Mean Girls star was dismissed by a California judge on Monday (16Mar09) following a legal misunderstanding, but the matter scared the actress’ father Michael into speaking out about his daughter’s recovery.
Lohan is still on probation in relation to a 2007 drink driving conviction, and her father insists she is getting the advice she needs from the Baldwins.
Speaking before the arrest warrant was dismissed, Michael Lohan said, "I am very concerned for my daughter. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - she has to be careful of the people around her. I worry about any of those negative elements in her life.
"I know that Stephen and Danny Baldwin have reached out to her to help." The Baldwins have connections to Michael Lohan - Stephen is a fellow born-again Christian, who is reportedly working on a reality TV project with Lohan. His brother Daniel is a recovering addict.
They’re not the only stars reaching out to help Lohan - Mel Gibson and Warren Beatty have both offered to help the actress if she needs it.

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

KRISTEN STEWART is preparing to play rocker JOAN JETT in a new movie by listening to the icon’s music and partying with the star.
Twilight actress Stewart has landed the role of Jett in a new biopic about her 1970s band The Runaways.
She is due to begin shooting the movie in late 2009/early 2010, in between filming the second and third installments of the vampire franchise.
But the 18-year-old insists she is taking the part seriously and has been immersing herself in Jett’s life and music.
She tells Starpulse.com, "I’m just listening to her music all the time. I spent New Year’s with her. I’m trying to just make myself aware of the time period and what she was going through." Jett has given her blessing to the casting, saying, "Kristen should make a really good me… She has the passion for it." But Stewart admits she’s feeling the pressure that comes with playing a real person onscreen. She adds, "It’s one of the most immense responsibilities to play a real person. Her story’s important. It’s an incredibly triumphant feminist story really.
"She’s the first woman to ever start her own record label. She’s just a good person. She’s got ambition. She’s got conviction. She’s cool. So many people know her as just being like one of the coolest people to ever live. That in itself is one of the most intimidating things that I’ve ever had to confront but she’s so cool too. She’s one of the nicest, most soulful women I’ve ever met. It’s an honour, but it really is."

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

Rap pioneers PUBLIC ENEMY performed their seminal IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK album in its entirety at a New York show celebrating FLAVOR FLAV’s 50th birthday on Sunday (15Feb09).
The group took over the BB Kings in Times Square and played through the 1988 album for the first time.
Rap icons Eric B, Melle Mel and Ice T were among the stars who joined Flavor Flav and Chuck D onstage at the special show.
Melle Mel joined Flav for a rendition of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s The Message, while Ice T joined the fun to rap on Night Of The Living Bassheads.
Flav took the opportunity to thank Ice T for not beating him up after he crashed his Ferrari in the late 1980s.
The colourful rapper also paid tribute to his pregnant wife Liz, who he brought onstage to the cheers of fans and friends.
As WENN went to press, Public Enemy were set to follow their Times Square performance with an appearance on U.S. TV show Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, where they are expected to play Bring the Noise with house band the Roots.

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

ADAM ‘DJ AM’ GOLDSTEIN has joined pal TRAVIS BARKER in suing the company who owned the Learjet which almost became his fiery coffin last year (08).
The two friends were travelling back to Los Angeles from South Carolina when the jet failed to clear a runway, crashed and burst into flames.
They were the only survivors. Four others perished in the blaze.
Both Goldstein and Barker suffered second and third degree burns.
In new legal papers, obtained by TMZ.com, Goldstein is calling for $10 million (£7.1 million) in damages for medical bills, lost earnings and profits and other economic damages. He wants another $10 million for mental and physical pain and suffering.

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

An unknown Seattle, Washington actor will be the latest to play serial killer MICHAEL MYERS in ROB ZOMBIE’s new HALLOWEEN movie.
Chase Wright Vanek has been drafted into H2, which is currently shooting in Georgia, as the young Myers.
He replaces Daeg Faerch, who played Myers in Zombie’s 2007 Halloween remake. A growth spurt cost Faerch the role, according to website Bloody-Disgusting.com.
A source says, "He apparently grew to a height taller than (co-star) Sheri Moon since the last film hit theatres."

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

THE SOPRANOS creator DAVID CHASE is developing a new TV miniseries about the birth of Hollywood.
The TV mogul is the brains behind Ribbon of Dreams, which will track the earliest filmmaking in California, beginning in 1913.
Chase will write and executive produce the miniseries, as well as direct the first episodes. Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Brad Grey, who executive produced The Sopranos, will also serve as executive producer on the new miniseries.
The miniseries will feature actors portraying movie mogul D.W. Griffith, John Ford, John Wayne, Bette Davis and others.
The title of the HBO movie takes its name from movie legend Orson Welles’ description, "A film is a ribbon of dreams."

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

GOSSIP GIRL star LEIGHTON MEESTER is the favourite to land the leading role in a modern retelling of the BEAUTY & THE BEAST story.
Meester is slated to play a high school Belle in TV movie Beastly.
Her monstrous co-star has yet to be found, although Eonline.com reports Zak Efron was initially in negotiations to play the teenager turned into a beast by a jealous castmate.
Sources insist Meester is very keen to star in the modern fairytale: "She really wants to do it." The film will be based on writer Alex Finn’s young-adult supernatural novel of the same name.

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

U.S. wrestler ANDREW MARTIN has been found dead at his Tampa, Florida home.
The 33-year-old tough guy, who fought under the name Test in the World Wrestling Entertainment spectaculars, was pronounced dead on Friday night (13Mar09).
The cause of death has not been released, but local authorities have ruled out foul play.
A neighbour alerted police after seeing Martin lying motionless on the floor of his apartment through a window.
Martin had past problems with substance abuse - at one point WWE officials paid for a rehab stint, even though the wrestler was not part of the organisation at the time.
He was arrested on a drink driving charge in 2008.
The Canadian dated wrestler-turned-reality TV star Stacy Kiebler.

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

Injured stuntman STEVE-O was a no show on U.S. TV series DANCING WITH THE STARS on Monday night (16Mar09), prompting reports he’ll be the new season’s third casualty.
The Jackass star told WENN he was dancing through the pain on the show last week (ends13Mar09) after pinching nerves in his back.
He said, "I’m doing everything I can to let it heal; icing it, taking Advil, drinking water, visiting a chiropractor and continuing to be worked on by the physical therapist." But that wasn’t enough to get him to the show on Monday - host Tom Bergeron revealed Steve-O would not be dancing and his partner Lacey Schwimmer appeared solo to explain the daredevil was in a lot of pain.
As WENN went to press, there was no news as to whether Steve-O would be quitting the show.
Pop star Jewel and U.S. TV presenter Nancy O’Dell have already been replaced after suffering leg injuries and Sex & The City: The Movie hunk Gilles Marini has separated his shoulder in rehearsals and needs regular steroid shots to stay in the competition.
Meanwhile, comedienne Kathy Griffin’s ex-boyfriend Steve Wozniak - who is also a competitor - is dancing with a fractured foot.

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

Former U.S. MTV star CARSON DALY is a dad - his longtime girlfriend gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday night (15Mar09).
The ex-Total Request Live frontman, who now hosts late-night show Last Call, and his partner Siri Pinter have named the child Jackson James Daly.
Daly was once engaged to actress Tara Reid.

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

Supermodel-turned-talk show host TYRA BANKS has pledged to forge ahead with auditions for her reality TV series AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL after a wannabe stampede forced New York police to intervene on Saturday (14Mar09).
Potential contestants were waiting to try out when chaos broke out on the streets outside the Park Central New York hotel in Manhattan. Hundreds of people were caught up in the melee, leaving the street outside the hotel littered with shoes and clothing.
Two women and a man were arrested on charges of inciting to riot and disorderly conduct while two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police were forced to shut down the casting call.
The show’s creator and presenter, Banks, is still mystified about what sparked the trouble, but she’s refusing to halt auditions.
In a statement she says, "To all the Top Model hopefuls who were affected by the New York casting, we are doing everything we can to make sure that all the girls who weren’t seen, get an opportunity to audition."

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

More than half of the young people who took part in a Boston Health Commission survey in Massachusetts feel RIHANNA was to blame for her bust up with CHRIS BROWN, for which the KISS KISS singer faces a five-year jail spell.
The alleged beating on 8 February (09) left Rihanna with a black eye and swelling, and turned Brown into a media target.
But the teenagers and 20-somethings asked for their opinion of what happened in Brown’s rented Lamborghini voted to apportion the blame for the fight on Rihanna.
Reports suggest the singer flew into a rage after coming across a text message from a former lover of her boyfriend.
Brown allegedly punched his girlfriend while driving through Hollywood, threatening to kill the Umbrella hitmaker. The couple has since reconciled.
R&B star Brown has been charged with two felonies - one of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, and one of making criminal threats. He is due in court next month (Apr09).

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

MADONNA will be much more than a face in the crowd when pal BRITNEY SPEARS returns to New York on 23 March (09) - she’s planning to join her onstage.
The Material Girl checked out Spears’ concert at Nassau Coliseum in New York last week (11Mar09), and now she’s making plans to actually perform a medley of the two pop superstars’ hits when the Toxic singer is back in the Big Apple.
And Spears’ stylist David Alexander insists there might be more dates on the pop star’s Circus tour when Madonna will join her pal live.
He tells In Touch magazine, "It’s supposed to be a surprise!" The show is a returned favour from Madonna, who wowed Los Angeles fans when she was joined by Spears onstage at a Dodgers Stadium show in November (08).

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

The psychologist accused of illegally prescribing drugs to ANNA NICOLE SMITH is behind bars.
Dr. Khristine Eroshevich was booked into Van Nuys Jail in California on Monday morning (16Mar09).
The news comes just three days after Smith’s longtime boyfriend and lawyer, Howard K. Stern, was booked on the same charges.
Bail has been set at $20,000 (£14,300) for both co-defendants, according to U.S. news show Access Hollywood.
Smith died from an accidental overdose of prescription medication in 2007.
Another doctor, Sandeep Kapoor, was arrested on Thursday (12Mar09) and accused of "prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict," among other charges.

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

Heavy metal icons IRON MAIDEN have abandoned plans to quit after their next album, insisting they’ll keep rocking well into old age.
Just last year (08), bassist Steve Harris suggested the group was close to disbanding, and that bandmembers would walk away after the next release.
He said, "We’ve always said we’re only going to do 15 albums; we’re coming up to it. There’s going to be an ending point." But guitarist Adrian Smith reveals the group has experienced a shift in opinion as it celebrates its 35th anniversary - and bandmembers have decided to keep on recording and performing.
Smith tells MetalHammer.co.uk, “We’ll carry on. The great thing is that there’s clearly a huge audience out there waiting to hear what we’re going to do right now; and in the real world that’s not a very common situation so you have to appreciate it."

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

Indie rock icons the PIXIES are to regroup for a string of summer (09) European shows.
The Debaser hitmakers will appear at the Isle of Wight festival in Britain in June (09) and they plan to add more dates.
The group, fronted by Frank Black, last split in 2007 and have since sparked reports their hiatus would be permanent. They reunited in 2004 after an 11-year break.
A revealing film chronicling their reunion shows, called loudQuietloud: A Film About the Pixies, suggested the quartet had a series of unresolved issues that would destroy any hope of a permanent comeback.
Black has since revealed he and bandmate Kim Deal had lost interest in the Pixies.

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

Oscar nominee AMY ADAMS was left so traumatised by the style pressures on the red carpet at the Oscars, she has rebelled by drastically cutting her long red hair.
The Doubt star admits she felt she had become some kind of Hollywood fashion puppet in the run up to the Academy Awards in February (09) - and needed to do something to reclaim her independence.
She tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "I think as an actress you feel like you don’t have ownership of your physical being because everyone has something to say. After awards season, you feel really judged.
"I know it sounds really juvenile, but in a way you start to feel like a child, and you rebel. I rebelled by cutting off my hair." But the drastic image makeover wasn’t as irresponsible as it sounds - Adams made sure her haircut was OK with the director of her new movie Leap Year: "I just had to tell Anand Tucker that I did it."

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