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The Oscar-nominated first-time director of THE MESSENGER is in talks to b= ring KURT COBAIN’s life to the big screen in a much-delayed biopic.
Oren Moverman has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Brothers screen= writer David Benioff as the director of the project, based on Charles R. = Cross’ 2001 biography Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain.
Benioff has already completed work on his script for the film, based in= part on Cross’ book and from interviews the screenwriter carried out wit= h Cobain sources.
Moverman, who also penned the script for quirky Bob Dylan tribute I’m N= ot There, and The Messenger co-writer Alessandro Camon have scored Oscar = nominations for their original screenplay.

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CHERYL COLE’s home was targeted by burglars after the pop star left the U= ..K. to fly to Los Angeles - the thieves woke her soccer player husband wh= o was asleep in bed, according to a U.K. report.
Sports star Ashley Cole awoke after hearing someone trying to get throu= gh a window at his lavish mansion in Surrey, England in the early hours o= f Thursday morning (18Feb10), according to Britain’s The Sun.
Cole called cops from his bed, but the suspects had fled by the time of= ficers arrived, reports the publication.
It is not known if anything was stolen.
A police source tells the newspaper they believe the burglars targeted = the house following reports the couple was out of the country.
The source tells the newspaper, "It cannot be a coincidence that people= attempt to break into the family home when both of them are due to be ou= t of the U.K." Police were seen leaving the property on Thursday, while security perso= nnel were spotted checking the house’s alarm system.
Cole flew out to L.A. after her performance at Tuesday’s (16Feb10) BRIT= Awards following reports her marriage to the soccer star is in trouble. =

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SIMON COWELL’s mother has spoken of her joy over her son’s engagement - e= ven though a representative for the AMERICAN IDOL judge dismissed the rep= orts.
The music mogul sparked speculation he had proposed to Mezhgan Hussainy= after she was snapped sporting a diamond band on her ring finger followi= ng an intimate Valentine’s Day date with Cowell last Sunday (14Feb10).
The Brit’s longtime publicist Max Clifford later insisted the stories w= ere false - claiming he had spoken to Cowell and the star had denied aski= ng for Hussainy’s hand in marriage.
However, Cowell’s mum, Julie, has thrown the denial into doubt after te= lling reporters she is "thrilled" about her 50 year old son’s plans to ma= rry.
She allegedly tells Britain’s The Sun newspaper, "I’m delighted that he= ’s finally settled down. I feel as a mother, and like all parents do, tha= t when their sons get to a certain age, particularly 50, we want to see t= hem settled with a good woman. I could never really see Simon being commi= tted like he is now.
"I’m so, so happy that Simon is getting married. I’m absolutely thrille= d. He’s very contented with her. She’s a lovely woman and I’m delighted t= hat he’s so happy. I thought I would have departed from this world before= Simon got married. I’m so happy he’s committed to this girl. I think tur= ning 50 made him realise it was time to get married and start a family. S= he’s perfect for him. She’s very beautiful and she’s got a lovely persona= lity."

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A leading British gay rights group has slammed the U.K.’s media watchdog = for refusing to take action against a newspaper columnist who wrote a sca= thing article about BOYZONE star STEPHEN GATELY following his death last = October (09).
The Daily Mail’s Jan Moir caused uproar when she published an opinion p= iece the day before the Irish singer’s funeral, claiming there was "nothi= ng natural about his death." She went on to allege the circumstances of his passing ruined the "happ= y ever after myth" of gay marriages.
The article prompted a record 25,000 people to contact Britain’s Press = Complaints Commission, but following an investigation, executives decided= not to uphold a complaint against Moir and the publication on Wednesday = (18Feb10) over fears it would lead to "a slide towards censorship" in the= British press.
And gay rights advocates Stonewall are furious - branding the decision = a "sad outcome".
The group said in a statement, "(It’s a) sad outcome. Jan Moir’s articl= e on the tragic death of Stephen Gately was deeply offensive, deliberatel= y timed to coincide with Stephen’s funeral.
"Not only did Stephen’s partner find the article incredibly distressing= , but a record number of people were moved to complain too, some 25,000. = Stonewall would hesitate to send any lesbian or gay person towards the PC= C with any confidence they would uphold their complaint.
"If Jan Moir had made similar comments about a black or Jewish person, = and disparaged their race and community, the PCC would have ruled against= her. She may well have been arrested and charged with inciting racial ha= tred. Why is the PCC adopting double standards on homophobia?" Gately passed away at his home in Majorca, Spain from a build-up of flu= id in his lungs. A coroner ruled he died from natural causes.

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DAME JUDI DENCH has joined a campaign to stop plans to erect a huge scree= n in London’s Regent’s Park during the soccer World Cup this summer (10).
Officials at the Greater London Authority plan to set up a giant screen= in the famous park so up to 20,000 soccer fans can watch the games takin= g place in South Africa in June (10).
The move has drawn criticism from local residents as well as bosses at = the nearby Open Air Theatre, who insist the move will disrupt summer show= s at the venue.
And Dench, who has previously performed at the theatre, has added her n= ame to the petition against the screens.
The legendary actress has fired off a letter to London’s mayor Boris Jo= hnson to voice her concerns, according to Britain’s The Independent newsp= aper.

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Actress LISA RINNA has apologised to HEIDI MONTAG after insisting she wou= ldn’t allow her young daughters to look at images of the cosmetically ove= rhauled THE HILLS star.
Montag shocked fans after unveiling a completely new look following a s= tring of surgical procedures, including work on her nose, chin, ears, eye= brows, cheeks and breasts.
When former Melrose Place actress Rinna was asked her opinion on the re= ality TV star’s transformation, she admitted ripping up Montag’s People m= agazine cover because she didn’t want her daughters to see it.
She told FanCast.com, "We have two girls. I don’t think it is something= you want to bring in the house and say, ‘Oh, look.’" But the 46 year old, who has undergone surgery herself, has cleared up = her comments with a post on Twitter.com.
She writes, "I apologise to Miss Montag if my words were taken and used= against her in the press. I did not slam her or her surgeries for the re= cord."

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TIGER WOODS’ press conference on Friday (19Feb10) has been dealt a major = blow - the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) is boycotting the j= unket over a ban on reporters’ questions.
Earlier this week (beg15Feb10) the embattled golfer announced he will f= ace the press for the first time since his sex scandal hit the headlines = last November (09).
However, representatives for Woods will choose which media outlets will= be allowed to attend the conference, and they have insisted that no ques= tions will be allowed.
The move has infuriated bosses at the GWAA, who have decided to keep th= eir reporters away from the event following a vote by its board.
A statement from GWAA president Vartan Kupelian reads, "I cannot stress= how strongly our board felt that this should be open to all media and al= so for the opportunity to question Woods.
"The position, simply put, is all or none. This is a major story of int= ernational scope. To limit the ability of journalists to attend, listen, = see and question Woods goes against the grain of everything we believe." Meanwhile, during a media briefing on Thursday (18Feb10) PGA Tour Commi= ssioner Tim Finchem confirmed reports the star has spent time in a rehab = centre He told reporters, "I don’t know what his (Woods’) plans are in terms o= f what he’s going to say. I don’t know what he’s going to do after he fin= ishes his rehab, you know, I think all of that is TBD (to be determined).= " Finchem later added that Woods had completed his time in rehab, and tha= t he would discuss the issue at the conference, according to TMZ.com. (MJ=

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THE HURT LOCKER filmmaker KATHRYN BIGELOW has continued to dominate the f= ilm industry awards season - she was named Director Of The Year at the Lo= ndon Film Critics’ Circle Awards on Thursday (18Feb10).
Bigelow’s war film is nominated for a host of trophies at next month’s = (Mar10) Oscars, and after winning a string of awards at several recent ce= remonies, she picked up another honour from the British capital’s critics= ..
Gritty U.K. movie Fish Tank was also a big winner on the night - the fi= lm picked up four of the event’s major prizes, including Best British Dir= ector for Andrea Arnold, The Attenborough Award for British Film Of The Y= ear, Best Supporting Actor for Michael Fassbender and Young British Perfo= rmer Of The Year for newcomer Katie Jarvis.
A Prophet was named the Film of the Year.
Oscar-nominated Brit Carey Mulligan was named Best British Actress for = An Education, while fellow Academy Award hopeful Colin Firth took home Be= st British Actor for A Single Man.
In the international acting categories, Mo=E2=80=99Nique was voted Best= Actress for Precious, while Christoph Waltz was the Best Actor winner fo= r Inglourious Basterds. Speaking at the ceremony, Waltz told WENN, "Londo= n critics giving me this? It’s not too late, thank you." Anne-Marie Duff won the Best Supporting Actress honour for her role as = John Lennon’s mother in Nowhere Boy.
David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones was presented with the Breakthrough Brit= ish Filmmaker honour for his directorial debut Moon.
Meanwhile, Quentin Tarantino received a special prize for filmmaking, w= inning the Dilys Powell Award For Excellence In Cinema.
Tarantino was shocked to be handed the prize, because he feels too youn= g to receive such a title when he is only half way through his career.
Speaking at the event, he tells WENN, "I was reading the pack for the c= eremony and it (showed previous Dilys Powell winners) John Mills and Rich= ard Harris and I was like, ‘F**k me, I am way too young to get this award= ‘. I actually really like that. I actually like the idea of giving this a= ward to somebody in the middle of their career… It’s pretty gratifying.= It’s just wonderful to get an award and an honour in your name." (MJ/WN/=

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MORGAN FREEMAN is still unable to move his left hand after damaging nerve= s in a 2008 car crash.
The actor broke his arm and shoulder and suffered nerve damage in the a= ccident, which happened near his home in Mississippi in August 2008.
Freeman was wearing a supportive glove during a red carpet appearance i= n Los Angeles on Wednesday (17Feb10), and the 72 year old admits he’s yet= to fully recover from the accident.
He tells People.com, "I suffered nerve damage and it hasn’t gotten bett= er. I can’t move it. If you don’t move your hand, it will swell up. Do yo= u know you move your hand about a million times a day?" In November (09), Freeman settled a lawsuit filed by Demaris Meyer, the= woman he was travelling with when he crashed. She sued him, alleging he = was driving under the influence of alcohol.

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PAMELA ANDERSON is set to show off her dancing skills on U.S. TV.
The former Baywatch babe has reportedly singed up for the new season of= hit show Dancing With The Stars.
Joining her on the 10th season of the celebrity contest will be astrona= ut Buzz Aldrin, according to U.S. news show Access Hollywood. The full ca= st will officially be announced on 1 March (10).

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Celebrity couple KEITH URBAN and NICOLE KIDMAN are funding a new school i= n earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
The pair is following in the charitable footsteps of lovers Penelope Cr= uz and Javier Bardem, who have pledged to donate $50,000 (=C2=A331,250)-a= -year until 2015 to a fund aimed at setting up new educational facilities= for young Haitians.
Country music star Urban and his Oscar-winning wife will also plough fu= nds into a project in the nation’s capital, Port-Au-Prince, for the next = five years, ensuring that kids have regular meals and medical check-ups.
He says, "We’re actually going to be funding a school down there for th= e next five years… The kids will have one hot meal a day. They’ll have = all their medical (needs) taken care of by the school, and clothing, as w= ell." Colombian hitmaker Shakira has also agreed to aid Haiti’s educational n= eeds through her Barefoot Foundation, which has teamed up with the Archit= ecture for Humanity charity to build a separate school.

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ELTON JOHN has sparked a storm of internet protest after suggesting JESUS= CHRIST was gay in a new online interview.
The Rocket Man has been targeted by outraged bloggers and ‘tweeters’ ov= er comments he made to Parade.com as part of an article which will appear= in the website’s sister weekend magazine.
In the article, the Brit says, "I think Jesus was a compassionate, supe= r-intelligent gay man who understood human problems.
"On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us= to be loving and forgiving. I don’t know what makes people so cruel." His remarks have led to a wave of attacks from online critics.
One writes, "John is now the authority on Christ? Jesus Christ was as g= ay as Saddam Hussein is alive." And blogger rhardin tells Fox News’ 411 blog, "I will never listen to t= his man’s music again. How dare he speak of my Lord in such a disgraceful= way. He should not speak on things he knows nothing about. I hope and pr= ay that all Christians will take a stand on this one. Elton John’s lifest= yle speaks for itself." Meanwhile, bobj72 tells TheDailyBeast.com, "While I have had some appre= ciation for Elton John’s music… he could not be further from the truth = on this matter regarding Jesus. It is clearly stated in Leviticus 18:22, = 23; that Christ sees homosexuality as an abomination." (KL/LAFR&WN&WNWC/M=

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Creditors’ claims against MICHAEL JACKSON’s estate keep piling up - even = the late star’s money managers want cash.
An accountant who dealt with the superstar’s taxes claims she is owed $= 60,000 (GBP37,500) for unpaid work.
In the latest claim for the King of Pop’s cash, Diane Williams insists = she packaged the Thriller singer’s taxes in 2006 - but was never paid.
Her legal documents include emails she insists will prove Jackson offer= ed to pay her in 2008, but the promise was never fulfilled, according to = TMZ.com.
The claims against the tragic King of Pop’s estate now exceed $22 milli= on (GBP13.75 million).

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LEONARDO DiCAPRIO has distanced himself from reports he’s set to portray = FRANK SINATRA in director MARTIN SCORSESE’s upcoming biopic of the late e= ntertainer.
The Raging Bull filmmaker is set to bring Ol’ Blue Eyes’ life story to = the big screen in forthcoming film Sinatra - and DiCaprio, who has been S= corsese’s leading man four times to date, was rumoured to be stepping int= o the My Way singer’s shoes.
But the Titanic hunk is baffled by the reports - because he has not bee= n approached to star in the film.
He tells New York Magazine, "There are no plans to do that (portray Sin= atra) as of yet." Scorsese admits the movie has been stalled as screenwriters work on the= script, but he insists whoever ends up playing the Rat Pack legend on th= e big screen will not be showing off their vocal talents - because the si= nger’s hits are classics.
The director tells the Hollywood Reporter’s columnist Roger Friedman, "= With those records, Frank will do the singing. But we’re waiting for a fi= nished script." Sinatra is expected to hit movie theatres in 2011. (MT/WNWCHR&WNWCDN/MJ=

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Rockers BLACK LABEL SOCIETY have recruited EVANESCENCE and STATIC-X drumm= er WILL HUNT to replace CRAIG NUNENMACHER on their upcoming tour.
Nunenmacher announced his plans to quit the group after 10 years earlie= r this month (Feb10), with his departure being confirmed by BLS frontman = Zakk Wylde last week (ends12Feb10).
Hunt will join Wylde and his band for an upcoming album and tour. (KL/W=

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Fallen country music star MINDY MCCREADY refuses to watch her seizure epi= sode on U.S. reality TV show CELEBRITY REHAB - because she can’t stand th= e idea of seeing herself in so much pain.
The singer sparked a medical emergency when she suffered convulsions on= the show, filmed at the Pasadena Recovery Center last year (09).
The graphic episode aired earlier this year (10), but McCready - who ha= s no memory of the seizure - still hasn’t seen the footage.
She says, "I can’t watch it."

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BEYONCE has landed another major accolade - she has been named the most s= uccessful musician of the new century’s first decade in America.
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) bosses have released t= heir decade list of the bestselling artists and Grammy Award record break= er Beyonce tops both the albums and video certifications and ringtone cer= tifications countdown.
She landed 64 gold and platinum certifications for sales of albums and = videos and a further 19 for ringtones.
The Eagles topped all other groups in total gold and platinum awards wi= th 48, while the late Michael Jackson led male solo artists with 44, acco= rding to The Hollywood Reporter.
Three albums tied for the decades highest certification at 11-times pla= tinum: ‘N Sync’s No Strings Attached, Shania Twain’s Up! and Outkast’s 20= 03 double Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
Gold awards are presented for sales of 500,000 albums, digital songs or= ringtones, and platinums are handed out to artists who pass the one mill= ion mark. Each multi-platinum award is counted as a separate certificatio= n. A music video goes gold at 25,000 units, platinum at 50,000 and multi-= platinum for every 50,000 units after that.

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Folk icon GORDON LIGHTFOOT has become the latest celebrity forced to deny= reports about his own death.
The Canadian singer/songwriter’s alleged passing was reported online on= Thursday (18Feb10) after a prankster hacked into a Twitter.com account o= wned by Lightfoot’s pal Ronnie Hawkins.
The death was even reported on several Canadian newspaper websites, but= was taken down as soon as it became clear the If You Could Read My Mind = singer was very much alive.
Lightfoot’s publicist, Bernie Fielder, has confirmed the bogus news cam= e via "a Twitter coming out of Ottawa".
The singer himself called radio network 680 News in Toronto to dismiss = the story again.
He said, "I’m fine, I’m in great health," before joking that the hoax i= s great for his career.
He added, "All of a sudden my music is in heavy rotation!"

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