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THANDIE NEWTON has mixed feelings about starting her acting career so young, insisting she should have been protected from the troubled relationship she began with director JOHN DUIGAN when she was a teen.
The actress was just 16 years old when she flew to Australia to film her debut movie, 1991’s Flirting, and began a turbulent six-year romance with the director, who was then 39.
After recently working with schoolgirls at Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy in South Africa, Newton was reminded of how young she was when she started her love affair with Duigan.
And the Crash star still wonders how the filmmaker could have dated someone so "vulnerable".
She says, "I was 16. I didn’t tell my parents about it (the relationship) but really young people who are vulnerable have to be looked out for. I’ve just been out to South Africa to Oprah’s Leadership Academy. It educates girls from impoverished backgrounds and I was taking part in an arts week.
"I looked at the 16-year-old girls there. How can it possibly be right to start a serious relationship with someone that age when you are so much older? I’ve been through a lot of therapy so I sort of know why people do things now."

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Producers working on QUEEN LATIFAH’s new movie JUST WRIGHT have been tangled in a police investigation after gun shots rang out near the New York film set, injuring an unidentified man.
According to police, film workers were preparing for a scene at a housing block in Manhattan’s Chelsea district on Sunday (16Aug09) ahead of Monday’s (17Aug09) scheduled shoot, when gunfire erupted from a nearby housing project.
The bullets hit one man twice in the torso and once in the leg.
The shooting took place after the unidentified victim parked his car in front of the building and became embroiled in a heated argument with two men on the street, reports the New York Daily News.
The victim was in stable condition at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan on Sunday.
No arrests have been made in the case.

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BRAD PITT and funnyman WILL FERRELL have stepped in to rescue superhero movie OOBERMIND after ROBERT DOWNEY JR. quit the project.
The Iron Man actor had signed up to extend his comic book credentials with a turn as an animated supervillain who wipes out his archenemy, only to find life quite boring without an adversary to battle.
Downey Jr. recently walked out on the film due to "scheduling conflicts", leaving the project in jeopardy.
But the movie, directed by Tom McGrath, has been given a new lease of life after producers signed up Pitt and Ferrell to provide the voices for the main characters.
Comedic actor Jonah Hill has also joined Oobermind, according to Moviehole.net.
The film is slated for release in December 2010.

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Police in New York have reportedly stepped up security at a schoolyard in Queens ahead of a secret 50 CENT concert there, amid fears of violence.
The rapper is set to take the stage for a "surprise" performance in the New York City borough on Family Day, 30 August (09).
The event is expected to draw around 10,000 local residents to the Jamaica neighbourhood, where 50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, grew up and was nearly fatally shot in 2000.
But the planned appearance has sparked concerns from local authorities, who have recruited an "army of cops" to shut down the area, fearing violence will break out if a shooter takes aim at Jackson, reports the New York Post.
The publication alleges "hundreds" of cops - including officers from special gang units - will be present.
Community Board 12 manager Yvonne Reddick says, "The concern is the (lack of) manpower. That’s a lot of people. The park is surrounded by a residential community." One law-enforcement source tells the newspaper, "We can’t control the area. (It’s) an outdoor event - people could walk in from anywhere." Another insider adds, "Someone’s gonna try to make a name for themselves. They’re gonna take a shot at him and they’re either gonna hit him or they’re gonna miss him and hit some poor, innocent kid or grandmother." Jackson’s publicist Keesha Johnson has confirmed he will make an appearance, but organisers remain adamant he will not perform.

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JESSICA SIMPSON has waged war with a U.S. tabloid - sending in her lawyers to tackle a string of untrue stories about her love life.
American magazine Star recently reported that Simpson is planning a tell-all book about her life, suggesting she might reveal intimate details about her previous romances, including her marriage to singer Nick Lachey.
But reps for the Dukes Of Hazzard star have insisted the story is not true and her lawyers have issued a warning letter to the publication - urging editors to issue a retraction and an apology.
In documents obtained by GossipCop.com, the star’s legal team called the stories "unseemly and scandalous" and ordered the magazine to "cease and desist from publishing any further false and misleading allegations concerning Miss Simpson".
Simpson previously threatened legal action against U.S. magazine OK! in early 2008, relating to a false article about her relationship with now ex-boyfriend Tony Romo.

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LILY ALLEN broke down in tears at a concert in Finland on Sunday night (16Aug09) as she struggled to sing through the pain of a back injury.
The Smile hitmaker fell and hurt herself over the weekend (15-16Aug) but refused to let the accident stop her ongoing European tour.
Allen was given a pain-killing injection prior to her performance at the Flow Festival in Helsinki, Finland, but the medication did little to cure her aching back.
The star burst into tears halfway through her set, and was seen dabbing her eyes with a towel and telling the crowd, "I feel a bit emotional tonight and if I cry it’s not because of you but because of me." Before going on stage, Allen told fans of her agony in a post on her Twitter.com page: "(I) fell over badly last night and I’ve really f**ked my back up. Just had an injection in my bum. How am I gonna get through tonight’s gig?"

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MICHAEL JACKSON will be laid to rest on his birthday, according to the singer’s father.
Tabloid reports surfacing this month (Aug09) claimed the Jackson family secretly interred the superstar in a mausoleum owned by his close friend, Motown mogul Berry Gordy.
Jackson clan patriarch Joe put an end to the speculation on Wednesday (12Aug09), insisting the family had yet to decide on a place to bury the Thriller icon.
But now the 80 year old has spoken out about their final choice, telling the New York Daily News his son will be laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills.
The elder Jackson confirmed the family recently decided to bury their beloved Michael on 29 August (09) - the day he would have turned 51 - nine weeks after he passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest.

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BRUCE WILLIS and DEMI MOORE’s eldest daughter RUMER WILLIS turned 21 on Saturday (15Aug09) with a spectacular party in Las Vegas.
The young actress, whose parents split when she was just 12, toasted the landmark age at celebrity hangout Tao at the Venetian Hotel in the gambling Mecca.
Willis was joined by her whole family, including her famous father and his new wife Emma Heming, mother Moore and her husband Ashton Kutcher, her younger sisters Tallulah and Scout, as well as her boyfriend, Micah Alberti, The Hills star Audrina Patridge and other cast members of her upcoming movie, Sorority Row.
Willis was handed two birthday cakes and the guests were treated to a performance from a troupe of Sin City showgirls, an Elvis look-a-like and a Madonna impersonator.

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QUEEN rocker BRIAN MAY had mixed emotions after hearing about the death of LES PAUL - because he failed to impress the guitar great when they met.
May went online after news of Paul’s passing broke last week (13Aug09), and found a clip of himself performing with the star in New York.
The 62-year-old axeman remembered meeting Paul and taking the stage with him at Fat Tuesday’s nightclub in the 1990s - but recalls the guitar innovator wasn’t impressed with him.
He says, "I only discovered yesterday that there is a clip on (video sharing website) YouTube of me playing with Les. I had no idea. If you watch it - it’s only a fragment - you’ll see that I’m mostly singing, not playing, like most guitarists did when they were guests at his Fat Tuesday’s club. The reason was I didn’t feel worthy of competing! "It was my only time of meeting with the venerable Mr. Paul. I don’t think he was particularly impressed with me, except for the fact that I too had invented a guitar… but I don’t think he welcomed that thought with much pleasure either." Paul died on Thursday (13Aug09) at the age of 94 following a battle with pneumonia.

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Former CATATONIA frontwoman CERYS MATTHEWS is pregnant with her third child at the age of 40.
The Welsh singer already has two kids with ex-husband Seth Riddle, who she split from in 2007 after four years of marriage.
She began a romance with her long-term manager Steve Abbott, 49, in February (09) and the couple is now expecting their first child together.
A source tells WalesOnline, "Cerys and Steve are delighted - they could not be happier. They wanted to keep the situation under wraps until they were certain everything was going smoothly." Matthews is mum to Glenys Pearl, five, and Johnny Jones, three.

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Rockers AEROSMITH are facing a court battle with disappointed fans in Hawaii after they were forced to axe the rest of their summer tour to allow frontman STEVEN TYLER time to recover from a recent stage fall.
Thousands of furious fans first sued the band in 2007 after they pulled out of a sold-out gig in Maui to play a larger concert in Chicago, Illinois.
As part of their court settlement, the Dream On hitmakers agreed to perform on the Hawaiian island in September or October (10) after wrapping up their North America tour.
But, while the rockers have axed the rest of their live dates to let Tyler recuperate, a lawyer representing the would-be concertgoers is determined to make sure the group follows through with its promise.
Attorney Brandee Faria says, "Part of their court settlement was to do a performance in Hawaii at the conclusion of this tour and under the terms of the settlement, Aerosmith is committed to come here." And if Tyler and his bandmates are unable to perform, Faria insists, "The band’s defence counsel will have to come to court to explain and plead their case." Tyler, 61, broke his left shoulder and needed 20 stitches in the back of his head after taking a nasty tumble while performing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota on 5 August (09).

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British reality TV star KERRY KATONA is planning legal action after she found herself at the centre of another scandal - she is "consulting lawyers" after a tabloid obtained video footage allegedly showing the former singer snorting a white powder.
The News of the World newspaper has published the film, which purports to show the star rolling up a bank note and sniffing an unknown substance from a table.
The former Atomic Kitten singer, who now has her own MTV reality show, has admitted battling illegal substance abuse in the past, but insists she is now free of her addictions.
The paper alleges the film was recorded last Wednesday (12Aug09).
And now an agent for Katona has confirmed the star is considering legal action over the footage, telling The Sun newspaper, "We will be consulting with lawyers." She previously threatened legal action against the News of the World in March (09) after the publication printed allegations linking her to drugs.
Katona has faced a turbulent year - she was reportedly made bankrupt in 2008 and recently announced she plans to divorce her husband Mark Croft, although the pair has since thought to have reconciled.
Katona has two daughters with her ex-husband, former Westlife singer Brian McFadden, and two younger children with Croft.

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MEGAN FOX and AMANDA SEYFRIED dreaded their onscreen kiss in upcoming movie JENNIFER’S BODY - because they feared the ensuing media attention would be overwhelming.
Fox plays a sexy cheerleader-turned-man-eater in the dark comedy, which sees her share a passionate scene with Seyfried, who plays her geeky best friend.
But neither actress was excited by the idea, dreading the endless publicity the same-sex smooch would drum up.
Seyfried says, "We knew that it was going to play a really big role in publicising the movie. We kind of rolled our eyes at the idea of having to make out." And the 23 year old admits it was a relief to play the bookish student opposite Fox’s vampy femme fatale.
She adds, "Being a lead (like Megan), you have that weird pressure of feeling like you have to look attractive. In this movie, I didn’t worry about any of that s**t. I don’t want to play the one that everybody is supposed to want to have sex with."

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Teen star MILEY CYRUS has dismissed rumours she has signed up for a role in the upcoming SEX AND THE CITY sequel.
The Hannah Montana actress/singer recently wrapped filming of her new movie, The Last Song, in Savannah, Georgia, and internet gossips were already speculating about her next project.
Cyrus was rumoured to have been offered a part in the Sex sequel in a bid to introduce her to a more adult audience.
But a representative for the 17 year old has laughed off the claims, insisting Cyrus has not been approached about the film and telling Gossip Cop the stories are "not true".
The Sex and the City follow-up is due to begin filming later this year (09).

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ROBERT PATTINSON has blamed social networking site Twitter.com for ruining his life - because it lets obsessive fans know where he is constantly.
The Twilight heart-throb has urged his admirers to keep their distance after he was recently struck by a taxi while trying to escape a group of over-excited devotees on a New York movie shoot.
He has admitted he’s often scared to go outside because of the number of screaming girls who follow his every move.
And now he has taken aim at the internet and social networking sites because he can’t stay in one place for very long for fear his fans will be able to find him.
He says, "I canâ��t remember what my normal life is like. Because of internet stuff and Twitter, there will be a crowd if you are in a place for more than half an hour… Iâ��ve learned never to stay in the same place for more than 20 minutes.
"The biggest challenge is coping with the crowds. I am a quiet, private person. It�s strange. You have to change a little bit. Walking down the street comes with screaming.�

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PARIS HILTON’s on/off boyfriend DOUG REINHARDT is spending big money to secure their reconciliation, treating the hotel heiress to a luxury holiday and expensive jewellery.
The high-profile couple split at the beginning of the summer (09), but are rumoured to be courting again after The Hills star Reinhardt made a number of posts on Twitter.com about his love life.
Britain’s Daily Mail reports that Reinhardt has treated the socialite to a five-star holiday on the private Wadigi Island in Fiji, costing $96,000 (£60,000), and a black pearl necklace priced at $80,000 (£50,000).
Hilton says, "I am having the time of my life. Doug has taken me on the most romantic vacation. He is my best friend."

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BRAD PITT has come to GUY RITCHIE’s rescue by agreeing to film additional scenes for his troubled movie SHERLOCK HOLMES, according to reports.
Studio executives were said to have been disappointed with a rough cut of the upcoming film, ordering the director to re-work it to include the famed sleuth’s arch rival, Professor James Moriarty.
Ritchie then turned to his pal Pitt, the star of his 2000 movie Snatch, who reportedly agreed to step in at the last minute to play Holmes’ evil nemesis.
The film’s release has now been pushed back to the end of this year (09) and Pitt is due to start shooting this week (beg17Aug09), according to Britain’s Daily Mirror.
A source tells the newspaper, "It’s a huge coup to have Brad joining the cast. He has worked for Guy before and said if he could, he would do anything to help out. It was an oversight in the film not to make a bigger deal about Moriarty. He is mentioned as Holmes’ arch enemy, but the bosses wanted Guy to make more of him.
"Jude Law (who plays Dr Watson) and Robert Downey Jr (Holmes) have already shot their scenes. But now that 10 extra days have been added to shoot the new ones, they may be called back for a day or two.
"Brad is expected to be filming all over London. Cliveden House has been earmarked as a location for Moriarty’s home… It’s going to be a full-on couple of days, but now the release date has been pushed back they might just do it in time."

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Music producer JIM DICKINSON, who worked with THE ROLLING STONES and BOB DYLAN, has died at the age of 67.
The musician passed away at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday (15Aug09), following a three-month battle with heart problems and intestinal bleeding.
Dickinson, whose sons Luther and Cody formed Grammy-nominated group the North Mississippi Allstars, helped shape the Memphis sound in a career that spanned four decades.
He produced for acts including Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Big Star and the Rolling Stones.
The singer recently underwent heart bypass surgery and was recovering in the Memphis-based Methodist University Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, and two sons, Luther and Cody Dickinson.

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