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American actress ALISON BRIE relied on London-born EMILY BLUNT to be her "unofficial vocal coach" while filming THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT - because she wanted to sound exactly like the Brit.
The Community star struggled to play an English woman while starring as Blunt’s sister in the upcoming romantic comedy, so she repeatedly turned to her onscreen sibling for accent advice.
She tells The Insider, "I think it went well, I’m nervous to see it. I had a great vocal coach here in L.A. for a few weeks but when I got out there, Emily became my unofficial vocal coach. It was more important that we sound alike than me studying a super proper British accent.
"The hardest part was that there was so much improv (improvisation) in the movie that the biggest challenge became thinking of an idea and process (sic) it through the accent quickly."

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SAOIRSE RONAN has thrown herself into piano lessons to portray a vampire musician in upcoming movie BYZANTIUM.
The teenage actress stunned director Neil Jordan after mastering a complicated piano piece in just 12 weeks.
Jordan had planned to film Ronan miming a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 3 but the determined star began practising two hours a day to learn the classical work in its entirety.
Ronan explains, "There’s this scene in the film where my vampire character sits down to play an old piano and entrances everyone with her playing. My vampire Eleanor is 200 years old in the film and had been playing piano that long, so there was a bit of pressure but I wanted it to look real." The 17 year old’s music teacher Yvonne Collier is amazed with her progress and hopes she will continue to study the piano.
Collier tells the Irish Independent, "I started teaching Saoirse the piano with little exercises so she could learn the notes. Then we did lots of Lady Gaga pieces before moving on to Beethoven. Since her very first piano lesson it is truly remarkable what Saoirse can now do on the piano.
"The E minor middle section of the piece involves the left hand crossing over the right; a technique very difficult to master even with years of experience but one that Saoirse has mastered within a few weeks. She can master anything she puts her mind to."

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French officials have decided not to press charges against director LARS VON TRIER for remarks he made about Nazis at the Cannes Film Festival in May (11).
Public prosecutor Jean-Michel Cailleau confirms the case has been officially closed after the Danish filmmaker was charged in August (11) with "justifying war crimes" by joking about his German ancestry at the event.
Von Trier faced a maximum five-year jail sentence, but Cailleau has made his recommendation to the French Ministry of Justice that the charges should be dropped.
Cailleau tells the Hollywood Reporter, "There was no intention on the part of Mr. Von Trier to commit the act of ‘justifying war crimes’. He expressed himself in a language that wasn’t his own and also under very stressful circumstances." Von Trier was declared persona non grata at the festival, where he was promoting his latest movie Melancholia.
He told reporters, "I found out I was actually a Nazi. My family was German… which gave me some pleasure. I understand Hitler. He certainly did some wrong things, but I can imagine him sitting in his bunker toward the end… Now how can I get out of this sentence. OK, I’m a Nazi."

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Actor ALEC BALDWIN has thrown his support behind President BARACK OBAMA’s 2012 election campaign as the U.S. leader seeks a second term in office.
The 30 Rock star was listening closely to the Democrat’s speech to the nation in Kansas on Tuesday (06Dec11) and he is more than impressed with the politician’s approach to new economic policies aimed at limiting the powers of the nation’s biggest banks and helping Americans struggling through tough times.
In a series of posts on his Twitter.com blog, Baldwin writes, "As you watch Obama speaking in Kansas, you realize why he was elected. Thoughtful, sincere, realistic." The actor also takes aim at Republican Party candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, before officially endorsing Obama.
He adds, "Gingrich is a cranky history professor. Romney is better suited for country club president. Obama sees what govt’s (government’s) priorities should be. Obama…. 2012." And Baldwin will be hoping Obama returns the favour when the actor runs for public office - the star has often hinted he’ll be looking to get into politics when his run on 30 Rock ends.

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WU-TANG CLAN star RZA has released his own line of headphones and launched his own smart phone application.
The rapper/producer has teamed up with Swedish company WeSC for the Chambers by RZA audio accessories, following in the footsteps of Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Ludacris, who have all entered the headphone market in recent years.
But RZA is going one step further - he’s also entering the world of cell phone software too with the release of RZA’s World App.
The programme features news about the hip-hop star, a merchandise store, a chess forum, and life advice from the rap icon.

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Singer MICHAEL BUBLE has a secret acting past - he once appeared on an episode of THE X-FILES.
The Canadian crooner admits he jumped at the chance to earn a little cash when he was asked to play a sea-faring extra.
He tells Parade magazine, "It was a very small part. I was a sailor. I just needed the money. My singing career was non-existent at that point." And he didn’t have to dig too deep to find his sea legs - before his music career took off, Buble used to take to the sea with his fisherman father off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia.

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RADIOHEAD star JONNY GREENWOOD has signed on to score PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN and AMY ADAMS’ new movie THE MASTER.
The guitarist, who composed the soundtracks for 2007’s There Will Be Blood, We Need To Talk About Kevin and Norwegian Wood, will work with jazz group Zed U on the project.
The film, set in the 1950s, will be directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the man behind There Will Be Blood.
Greenwood has also previously provided music for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Children of Men.

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Country singer MINDY MCCREADY was all smiles as she left an Arkansas court room on Monday (05Dec11) after kidnapping charges against her were dropped during a closed-door session.
The Ten Thousand Angels singer took her five-year-old son Zander from his father’s home in Florida last week (ends02Dec11) and refused to return him by a court-issued deadline.
Pregnant McCready, who does not have custody of the boy, took him to her home in Tennessee. She was found hiding with her son in a closet in an Arkansas home on Friday (02Dec11).
Leaving court on Monday, she told reporters, "I can’t talk about it, but I tell y’all I’m a happy girl."

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Charitable ADELE insists special guests at her concerts donate cash to her favourite cause in return for complimentary tickets.
The Someone Like You singer helps raise funds for Sands, an organisation dedicated to supporting parents coping with the death of an infant, by demanding that everyone who scores a free pass to her shows hand over at least $20 (£12.50) to charity.
And she’s so particular about her fundraising efforts, Adele has even made it a fixed request on her backstage rider, which has recently been obtained by website TheSmokingGun.com.
The singer also forbids "tomatoes, vinegar, chilli or citrus fruit" on her sandwiches in an effort to make sure her voice is in top form.
The rider also includes one pack of Marlboro Light cigarettes, two bottles of the "very best quality red wine" and a "selection of bottles of the best quality European lager".

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U.S. evangelist BILLY GRAHAM has been released from hospital after undergoing treatment for pneumonia.
Graham has returned to his home in Montreat, North Carolina following a six-day stint at Mission Hospital in nearby Asheville.
The 93 year old suffered breathing difficulties and was admitted last Wednesday (30Nov11).
His publicist says, "He will be home for the holidays! Upon discharge from Mission Hospital, Billy Graham expressed gratitude for thoughts and prayers from around the world."

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STAR TREK actor ZACHARY QUINTO is appealing to his Twitter.com fans to help find an adopted puppy a new home.
The star has taken in a little white Jack Russell he’s calling Rizzo - but he is searching for another animal lover to look after the pooch on a more longterm basis, and he’s encouraging any interested fans to contact him via his production company.
In a series of posts on Twitter.com, Quinto writes, "zq (Zachary Quinto) adopted me and will foster me. but who wants to give me a proper home? …i’m a lover.
"no joke. you know you want her. staff@beforethedoor.com is the email address. this stunning lady is the subject. let’s call her rizzo. for now."

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DEXTER actor MICHAEL C. HALL is a single man again after his divorce from co-star JENNIFER CARPENTER was finalised in Los Angeles last week (begs28Nov11).
The couple wed in 2008 but actress Carpenter filed for divorce from Hall last summer (10), citing irreconcilable differences.
And now the pair’s marriage is officially over - Superior Court Judge John Sandoz made the duo’s split official on Friday (02Dec11).
But although the two are no longer legally married, Carpenter insists she and her ex-husband will forever remain friends, especially since they continue to star in the same show.
During a recent E! News interview, she said, "He is and always will be one of my best friends in the world. And just because the marriage ended doesn’t mean the love isn’t still there. We take very good care of each other and our cast - we always have - and I’m just really lucky."

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Moviemaker DAVID FINCHER has waded into an argument between the producers of his new film THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and a New York critic who ignored an embargo to review the movie.
Sony bosses have sent a stern warning to all movie writers and bloggers demanding they don’t follow The New Yorker critic David Denby’s example and publish reviews of the much-anticipated thriller before a 13 December (11) embargo.
In the missive, they state, "We have punished Denby, and he is a big-deal film critic. Don’t think we won’t do the same." The warning note led to an email battle between the film’s producer Scott Rudin and The New Yorker’s editors, and Fincher has now offered his thoughts on the war of words, insisting, if it was up to him, he wouldn’t let critics see him films until the day before release.
In an interview with The Miami Herald, the director says, "As silly as this may all look from the outside - privileged people bickering - I think it’s important. Film critics are part of the business of getting movies made. You swim in the same water we swim in. And there is a business to letting people know your movie is coming out. It is not a charity business. It is a business-business.
"(But) if it were up to me, I wouldn’t show movies to anybody before they were released. I wouldn’t give clips to talk shows. I would do one trailer and three television spots and let the chips fall where they may. That’s how far in the other direction I am.
"If I had my way, the New York Film Critics Circle would not have seen this movie and then we would not be in this situation. I would be opening this movie on Wednesday December 21st and I would have three screenings on Tuesday December 20th - and that would be it."

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KATY PERRY, CHRISTINA AGUILERA and STEVEN TYLER are raising money for homeless gay youngsters by donating prizes to CYNDI LAUPER’s winter charity auction.
Perry has handed over an autographed Baby Taylor acoustic guitar, Aguilera is offering up two tickets to a taping of The Voice in April (12), and Tyler is inviting a fan to meet him on the set of American Idol.
Money raised from the Charity Buzz auctions will benefit Lauper’s True Colors Fund, which helps young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people suffering tough times.
Lauper, a longtime advocate for gay rights, has also donated an evening of her time - she’s promised to take her winning bidder bowling in New York City.

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DAVID HASSELHOFF has proposed to his girlfriend HAYLEY ROBERTS five times since they began dating earlier this year (11) - but he’s adamant his romantic moments are pranks.
The former Baywatch star met the blonde in her native Cardiff, Wales while he was in the city filming for Britain’s Got Talent in April (11).
Hasselhoff has since engineered a series of bizarre proposals, including popping the question during a bungee jump and while the couple swam in shark-infested waters - but he insists he was joking every time.
Hasselhoff tells Britain’s Hello! magazine, "If she had said yes I would probably have choked. It started off as a bit of fun between us, but I put something on Twitter and it went all over the world, so it’s become a bit of a joke." Roberts adds, "I honestly believe he would go into shock if I said yes because I don’t think his proposals have been serious. If he was genuine about it, he’d plan something really romantic and get me a ring, not do it in a crazy way."

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AMY WINEHOUSE’s father Mitch has told of his pride after the singer’s posthumous album raised $224,000 (£140,000) for charity in its first day on sale.
Lioness: Hidden Treasures, a new collection of Winehouse’s music, was released on Monday (05Dec11), just months after her shock death in July (11).
A portion of the proceeds from the release is being handed to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was set up in the singer’s memory - and her dad Mitch is delighted to learn of the album’s first day sales success.
In a series of posts on his Twitter.com page, he writes, "Just been told. Amy at number 1. 140,000 sold £140,000 to (the) foundation in one day. Well done baby. My heart is sad but bursting with pride."

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DAME HELEN MIRREN is donating her iconic red bikini to raise money to keep Britain’s elderly warm this winter.
The veteran British actress made a splash when she was photographed in the two-piece while on vacation in 2008 and the pictures were published around the world.
Now The Queen star has handed over her beloved swimsuit to raise cash for Age UK’s Spread the Warmth campaign, which provides thousands of older people with food packages, blankets and heaters.
She tells U.K. morning show Daybreak, "I’m saying farewell to it a little bit regretfully but hopefully it will go to someone who will fill it with as much aplomb as maybe I did… It happens to be one of the best bikinis in the world because it fits! The minute I bought it I loved it because it’s so hard to find a bikini that fits if you’ve got bosoms like I have.
"I would love it to raise money for an organisation that I support called Age UK. I love the idea of this little flimsy summer thing going towards helping old people stay warm and comfortable and toasty in the wintertime. Age UK is a wonderful organisation so I’m hoping that they can raise money with it." Fans can enter a prize draw to win the bikini by making a donation to Age UK via ITV.com/Daybreak.

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French DJ DAVID GUETTA has become the first musician to be inducted into a new hall of fame in Hollywood.
The producer left his mark in cement on Saturday (03Dec11) for the music-themed Handprint Homage at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
Speaking at the event, he says, "That’s really crazy - thank you very much for this honour, (it’s) great to see this DJ culture coming to America." He then performed a 90-minute set in the Grauman’s Ballroom, where his imprint will be mounted.

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