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Actor/director JOHN TURTURRO is embracing his Italian roots, by making a new movie about the Naples music scene.
The star, who is of Italian ancestry, wants the project to shine a light on the city in the same way 1999 film Buena Vista Social Club introduced the music of Havana, Cuba to the world.
The movie will explore classical songs to have come out of Naples - including O Sole Mio and Volare - and how local musicians have fused jazz, blues, rock and rap, as well as African and American music.
Turturro says, "I want to do in Naples what Wim Wenders did in Cuba with Buena Vista." It’s not the only Neapolitan project Turturro has in the pipeline - he’s also making a movie adaptation of the play Souls of Naples, which he starred in off Broadway.

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Reality TV star ALEX MURREL has been questioned by authorities after they found her Peruvian boyfriend with a stash of drugs in her California home.
Murrel, a former castmember on MTV series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, watched as her house was raided by police last week (begs16Mar09) at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The team was investigating whether her partner, Renzo Gamboa, has been living in the U.S. illegally.
Police found cocaine, which Gamboa subsequently admitted to owning; he was then arrested for felony possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
Murrel was questioned as a witness but is expected to escape charges.
Sergeant Jason Kravetz of the Laguna Beach Police Department tells E! News, "The immigration people came down and asked us for assistance. They found him at the girlfriend’s house and we assisted them, but we had a new charge to add on because of the cocaine in the house, which was his. We arrested him and booked him on felony charge of possession for sales." Gamboa is currently being detained on an immigration hold.

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JOELY RICHARDSON is attempting to recover from the tragic loss of her older sister NATASHA by returning to the set of her next project, TV movie THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.
Joely, her actress mother Vanessa Redgrave and Natasha’s widower Liam Neeson laid the star’s body to rest at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Millbrook, New York on Sunday (22Mar09).
And on Thursday (26Mar09), Joely, 44, was back in London filming the production, a two-part sci-fi drama based on the novel by John Wyndham.
Richardson plays the lead role opposite Dougray Scott in the series, which also stars her mother Redgrave, who had already completed filming her role before Natasha’s accident, according to People.com.
Natasha Richardson passed away on 18 March (09) after suffering a traumatic brain injury on the slopes of Mont Tremblant in Montreal, Canada.

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Hollywood screenwriter SHANE BLACK is fighting back against his ex-girlfriend’s accusations of drug-fuelled abuse, insisting she made up the allegations and sued him after he refused to hand over a $1.5 million (£1.02 million) bribe.
Sonya Popovich filed suit against Black, who wrote films such as Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, in February (09), claiming the writer repeatedly kicked, punched and choked her while they were dating back in 2006.
She further alleges that on one occasion, a cocaine-fuelled Black placed a gun in his mouth and threatened to commit suicide - before pointing it in her direction and shooting the wall.
But Black has blasted the allegations and is countersuing Popovich, claiming she is the one with the cocaine addiction and violent temper.
In legal papers filed in a Los Angeles court in March (09), Black accuses Popovich of smashing a glass vase against his head in one drug-fuelled rage, while hitting and scratching him on other occasions.
He also claims his former lover once got so high on cocaine, she lay "on the floor and began cutting her own arms and legs with broken glass." And Black insists the legal action is her attempt to scam money from him after her lawyers sent a draft of the lawsuit to the star, "demanding that Black pay $1,500,000 to Popovich if Black wanted to avoid a ’sordid public trial," reports TMZ.com.

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Actor CHRISTIAN SLATER has reportedly parted ways with his girlfriend TAMARA MELLON.
The True Romance star began dating Mellon, president of designer shoe brand Jimmy Choo, while he was acting in a stage show in London’s West End in 2007.
Tabloid gossips previously reported that Mellon, who lives in London with her daughter Minty, was planning to move to Los Angeles to be closer to Slater.
And last month (Feb09) internet rumours circulated suggesting the couple could be on the verge of marriage.
But now the pair is said to have called off their relationship - after struggling to maintain their long-distance relationship.
A source tells Britain’s Daily Mail, "We all thought Tamara and Christian were made for each other, but the pressures of their respective careers meant they were spending too much time apart." "Tamara always puts her daughter first and with two businesses - her shoe brand Jimmy Choo and American fashion label Halston - to run as well, it’s all been too difficult. Tamara speaks very fondly of Christian and I’m sure they will stay good friends."

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MADONNA’s lawyer has confirmed the singer will file adoption papers in a Malawi court next week (begs30Mar09) - amid reports the toddler she tried to adopt last year (08) has been removed from an orphanage to await collection by the star.
The singer will arrive in the African nation on Saturday (28Mar09) to begin her bid to bring a second Malawian child into her family, following the finalisation of David Banda’s adoption last year (08) after two years of legal wrangling.
She will then file official documents to begin the adoption process in a courthouse in the capital city of Lilongwe on Monday (30Mar09), according to her attorney Alan Chinula.
Chinula says, "We are expected to be in court on Monday to file papers for a possible adoption." Meanwhile, four-year-old Mercy James was reportedly removed from her orphanage near Blantyre, Malawi earlier this week (begs23Mon09) and subsequently placed under a nanny’s care at Kumbali Lodge, outside Lilongwe, where the singer has stayed on previous visits.
A source tells Britain’s Daily Mail, "Mercy has been handed over to Madonna’s people, who are already at the lodge, and is being cared for by a nanny.
"They are waiting for Madonna to arrive so mother and daughter can be united and then Madonna is expected to take Mercy with her when she leaves." Madonna was alleged to have signed paperwork to adopt Mercy last year (08), but the reports never came to fruition - despite the little girl’s grandfather telling a U.S. tabloid, "It breaks our hearts to know she will leave us, but adoption is best for her." Madonna is already mum to adopted David Banda, three, Rocco, eight, from her marriage to Guy Ritchie and Lourdes, 12, whose father is Carlos Leon.

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British rockers CRADLE OF FILTH have disappointed fans in Germany by scrapping an appearance at a music festival in the country.
The band was due to play at the upcoming Tomahawk Festival in Hamm, Germany on Saturday (28Mar09) but pulled out of the gig at the last minute.
The group has apologised to fans who were looking forward to see them - but have failed to offer a reason for the cancellation.
A statement on Cradle of Filth’s MySpace.com website reads, "Due to circumstances beyond our control we have been prevented from performing at the Tomahawk Festival. Anyone who has already bought tickets and is unhappy about this should contact the promoter of the event. We are very sad if we have disappointed anyone as would never have wished to do that.
"Please accept our sincere apologies and we shall see you on our European tour."

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Welsh soul star DUFFY has vowed never to sign up for another product endorsement - weeks after her TV commercial for Diet Coke was criticised by U.K. campaigners over road safety fears.
The singer is currently promoting the low-calorie beverage in a European advertising campaign, in which she is seen riding a bicycle through dark streets without a helmet or reflective gear.
Duffy came under fire for the promo after it debuted last month (Feb09), with officials at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents remarking: "Unfortunately, advertisers do forget sometimes to make sure they are showing safe and legal behaviour when someone is using the road in an advert." And now the star has pledged not to market any other brands, claiming she wants to focus solely on her music instead.
She says, "I have only got 100 per cent to give and all of that goes towards being creative, so I can’t really open the doors to all the other things.
"I have so many desires creatively, but I have to tread carefully that I also don’t sell myself out personally.
"What you see with me is what you get. I just put my whole energy into the creative side."

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Country singer MARTINA MCBRIDE has signed up to front a U.S. campaign to help teenage victims of violent relationships.
McBride has teamed up with the charity to launch a new telephone helpline, called My Time To Shine, a 24-hour resource teens and young adults in abusive relationships can call for advice.
And as a mother of three daughters, she is passionate about offering support to young people in troubled partnerships.
She says, "Young people today have more opportunities to make decisions about their lives, and it places a lot of pressure on them early. If we can help them to form healthy relationships at an earlier age in life, they will make better choices for life partners, and as a mom, I want to be part of that."

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Rockers COLDPLAY are contemplating a career break once they finish their current world tour - so their fans don’t grow sick of their music.
The band, led by frontman Chris Martin, want to revamp their sound before heading back into the studio to record the follow-up to their 2008 album Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends.
And guitarist Johnny Buckland hopes the hiatus will keep their fanbase from tiring of them.
Buckland says, "We ended up doing much more touring than we originally planned so there’s no time to do proper justice to a new project. And anyway people may need a bit of a break from us.
"We’re taking a little break and let’s see where we get after that. We’ve got a lot of ideas but we want to find a new way to go and that may take some time."

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Late star DUSTY SPRINGFIELD was so desperate for a baby, she once asked a friend to father a child with her, according to a new biography.
Former The Searchers guitarist, Frank Allen, has opened up about his encounters with the singer in his new book - and claims Springfield always hoped to start a family.
Springfield, who died in 1999 aged 59, failed to maintain any longterm relationships throughout her life, prompting persistent rumours about her sexuality.
But Allen insists the star did have an interest in men - and once asked him to have a baby with her.
He writes in new book The Searchers and Me, "She talked about her body clock ticking away and how she longed to have a child before it was too late. She suggested that if we had a child together it would be a beautiful baby and that she’d take all the responsibility for looking after it.
"The thought of fathering a child in my mid-twenties was a frightening one. To my absolute astonishment she placed one of her hands slap bang in my groin. I have often wondered, had I called her bluff, what the results and consequences would have been. But it was all too sudden and unexpected."

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Rapper METHOD MAN has denied his finances are in disarray, blaming the recent repossession of his car on forgetfulness caused by his marijuana habit.
The rapper was left stunned last week (18Mar09) when New York state tax collectors seized his 2008 Lincoln Navigator from his Staten Island home, amid reports he owes over $50,000 (£34,670) to the government in back taxes.
But the Wu-Tang star - real name Clifford Smith - fully intends to pay the U.S. Department of Taxation what he owes, insisting he has plenty of money in the bank.
He tells the New York Daily News, "I knew why they (the repossession officers) were there. It wasn’t like ‘Oh my God! Noo!! Don’t take it!’ I was half-dressed, and it was so early that I just said, ‘Okay, you’re taking the truck.’" And the hip-hop artist claims it’s his addiction to marijuana that causes him to forget about his responsibilities.
He adds: "Myself, I’m a pothead. It’s no secret. Everyone knows that. I go on the road and forget everything else. Sure, (the tax department) sent letters to my house saying, ‘We need this money.’ They started sending them in 2002. Here it is, 2009, and I never paid this s**t, because I don’t think like that! "I could have easily just written them a cheque for whatever amount, but no - I waited until they knocked on this door and were like, ‘We got your truck and we outta here!’" "Now I’m thinking we’ve gotta get our truck back, which means I have to get all my paperwork together. That means days of going through mail, ’cause I got mail like woah (a lot of letters). I’ve found checks from 2005 that have never been opened yet. And we’re talking a significant amount of money! But I never opened (the tax department’s) letters - so this is how the tax man came to Meth’s house and took his truck. Not because I was broke! I got plenty of money!"

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Former U.S. sitcom star WILLIE AAMES is attempting to raise money and turn his life around following a suicide attempt last year (08) - by selling off his personal belongings to neighbours.
The cash-strapped Charles In Charge actor held a garage sale on Thursday (26Mar09) at his home in Olathe, Kansas - even signing autographs while haggling with bargain-hunters.
TV camera crews were there to film the sale, where Aames sold a variety of items including antiques, artwork, a piano, mounted deer heads and TV and movie memorabilia.
Aames attempted to take his own life last November (08) by ingesting a cocktail of alcohol and pills and slashing his throat after suffering a breakdown in Los Angeles.
The star fell into a spiral of depression after his wife of 22 years, Maylo, asked for a divorce the same month he was declared bankrupt.

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Filmmaker SPIKE JONZE is hoping his forthcoming movie WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is a box office hit - because he hasn’t been paid for the four years he spent labouring over the project.
The director is currently putting the finishing touches to the film, a big screen adaptation of the popular children’s book by Maurice Sendak.
And Jonze is hoping audiences will love the movie and flock to see it in droves when it is released in October (09) - so he can finally earn a paycheque for his efforts.
He says, "I’ve been working on the same movie for four years and basically haven’t been paid anyway. When you break down how much you’re making (over that time), yeah, it’s kind of crazy." "But yeah, this year I should probably get back to work on other stuff, and start making money again. I haven’t made money in a long time."

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GREY’S ANATOMY actress AASHA DAVIS has launched an appeal for help in finding her sister, who has been missing for seven weeks.
Leslie Herring, 45, who lives in Los Angeles, has not been seen since 8 February (09) and was reported missing by the actress two days later when she failed to turn up to work.
Her famous sister, 35, has joined forced with the police in a bid to uncover clues to her sibling’s whereabouts.
Davis, who has also appeared in TV series Friday Night Lights, held a press conference in California on Tuesday (24Mar09), asking for the public’s help in finding Herring.
Davis tells U.S. TV programme the Early Show, "I think something terrible might have happened to her, just because I know that my sister would be in contact with us. She would want us to know where she was. She would know that we would worry about her so much.
"But my hope is that she’s okay and that she just needs to know that we want her home soon and that we miss her and love her and that she’s safe to come home."

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DANE COOK’s half-brother has pleaded not guilty to accusations he embezzled millions of dollars from the U.S. comedian.
Darryl McCauley, who worked as the funnyman’s business manager, was arrested in Massachusetts in December (08), accused of siphoning off funds from the stand-up and movie star.
He allegedly transferred Cook’s money into his own personal accounts without permission, and is also accused of forging a $3 million (£2 million) cheque to himself.
At his arraignment in Massachusetts’ Middlesex Superior Court on Thursday (26Mar09) McCauley pleaded not guilty to eight counts of larceny over $250 (£170), forgery and larceny by continuous scheme.
He was held on $1 million (£700,000) bail - which McCauley was unable to make after officials froze his assets.
McCauley is scheduled to appear in court again next month (16Apr09) for a pre-trial hearing.

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British thespian KENNETH BRANAGH has been honoured at the U.K.’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards (BPG) - beating DOCTOR WHO star DAVID TENNANT to take the coveted Best Actor prize.
The star was handed the trophy for his role in BBC drama Wallander, ahead of Tennant and Brideshead Revisited star Ben Whishaw.
The honour - voted for by British journalists - is the major TV acting award in Branagh’s native country. Previous winners include Sir Alec Guinness, Michael Gambon and Colin Firth.
Sir David Frost received the Harvey Lee Outstanding Achievement Award for his accomplishments both on and off the screen.
The awards were presented at a ceremony in London on Friday (27Mar09).

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TWO LOVERS director JAMES GRAY has hit out at the film’s star JOAQUIN PHOENIX - insisting the actor is "making a fool of himself" by launching a rap career.
Phoenix recently announced he has quit acting in order to become a hip-hop-star and has since made a string of bizarre public appearances.
Last month (Feb09) the actor sported a scraggly beard, hid behind sunglasses, chewed gum and gave brief answers as he promoted Two Lovers on Late Show With David Letterman.
And Gray is furious with Phoenix for failing to cooperate with the TV host - because his strange actions drew public attention away from the film.
He says, "It’s like, Letterman was trying to get the movie out there, but the only thing that’s out there now is a crazy person with a beard making a fool of himself!" Internet gossips have speculated that Phoenix’s turn as a rapper is a hoax, and the rumours were fuelled when it was revealed the star’s brother-in-law, Casey Affleck, is filming his musical efforts for a documentary.
But Gray fears the Oscar nominee is taking his new project seriously.
He adds, "I’ve seen him in his house, and he has his own recording studio that he built right there. So if this is a hoax, then it’s the most elaborate thing that I have ever seen.
"If it is shown to be a hoax, then that’s great, because Joaquin will come back to acting. And he is something special. But if it isn’t, you know, I think he needs, well, help."

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