James Franco is planning to contact dead playwright Tennessee Williams through a Ouija board

The ’127 Hours’ actor will try and connect with the spirit of the ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ writer, who died in 1983, as part of a piece of performance art in New York on Sunday. James will use the Ouija board – decorated with numbers and letters and traditionally used to contact the dead – [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/james-franco-is-planning-to-contact-dead-playwright-tennessee-williams-through-a-ouija-board/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=james-franco-is-planning-to-contact-dead-playwright-tennessee-williams-through-a-ouija-board

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'Snow White And The Huntsman': What We Know So Far

We take a look back at how this Kristen Stewart/ Charlize Theron fractured fairy tale came to be.
By Kevin P. Sullivan


Kristen Stewart in "Snow White and the Huntsman"
Photo: Universal Pictures

After what has seemed like a very long wait, we finally have the first trailer for "Snow White and the Huntsman." The trailer's insane visuals won over movie fans when it premiered Thursday, and anticipation for the June 1 release is higher than ever before.

But it's important to remember how we got to this point. "Snow White and the Huntsman" traveled a long road filled with casting rumors, on-set injuries and rival productions, and as we celebrate the release of the trailer, let's take a look back at everything that's happened up until this point:

Casting Calls
For a long time, "Snow White and the Huntsman" was centered on the casting of Charlize Theron as Ravenna and Viggo Mortensen as the Huntsman, but even before then, talk had involved Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Negotiations to get Mortensen into the picture eventually broke down. Kristen Stewart joined the equation soon afterward. Eventually, Chris Hemsworth got the nod, giving us the cast we see today.

Rival Projects
You've most likely heard by now, but we are in the midst of a full-out Snow White war. Two productions based on the classic fairy tale are slated to hit theaters next year, within three months of each other, nonetheless. Though the recently titled "Mirror, Mirror," starring Lily Collins and Julia Roberts, will be aimed at a much younger audience, according to director Tarsem Singh, such closely related projects are bound to draw comparisons. Earlier in development, the struggle came down to which movie would make it out of the gate first, the win ultimately going to "Mirror, Mirror," which hits in March. We'll just have to see which Snow White is the fairest of them all.

The Injury
A single tweet from "SWATH" co-star Max Manganello set off a wave of panic among Kristen Stewart fans. "It's a wrap for today. Kristen has hurt herself ... nothing scary. We shoot on Friday," the tweet read, but that was enough to set the Internet abuzz with rumors about the injury. In the end, it came out that Stewart had torn a ligament during a fight scene with the dwarves. Luckily, Stewart recovered, and filming wrapped without incident.

Check out everything we've got on "Snow White and the Huntsman."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674223/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-trailer.jhtml

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Hunger Games' Trailer To Debut On 'Good Morning America

In MTV News' inaugural Hobnobbing column, we list the things we don't want to see in the new clip on Monday.
By Amy Wilkinson


Photo: Murray Close/ Lionsgate Entertainment

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!"

OK, I'm still perfecting my Effie Trinket impression, but consider this your official welcome to Hobnobbing, MTV News' brand-new column dedicated to all things perfectly Panem. Each week, we'll dissect the latest "Hunger Games" news, fangirl over Katniss Everdeen or simply share our surefire recipe for Peeta bread. This is one arena we're sure you won't mind entering.

Today the talk of the tributes is clearly the premiere of the full-length "Hunger Games" trailer, set to debut on "Good Morning America" on Monday, November 14. Following the MTV Video Music Awards sneak peek of Katniss hurtling herself through a fire-washed forest, we compiled a list of the five things we wanted to see in an extended clip (which included, among other things, the reaping, Peeta and the Capitol). So in this week's Hobnobbing, we're turning that idea on its head and listing the three things we don't want to see in the trailer.

Let me explain. Trailers of late have garnered a bit of criticism for giving away too much (plot, punch lines, etc.), and I don't disagree. Let's leave a little mystery, studios! While I'll be lining up for "The Hunger Games" regardless, there are a few moments that I think would be best served by a silver-screen reveal. Here they are:

1. Katniss' Girl on Fire costume
In my original wish list, I asked for a scene featuring Katniss expertly styled by Cinna and hinted at the possibility of her enflamed entrance into the arena. But on second thought, I've decided this moment deserves a similarly grand introduction — on a 70-foot movie screen. (Though I'll still take Katniss done up for Caesar Flickerman's talk show ... )

2. The muttations
Though "The Hunger Games" obviously isn't a monster movie, the arena's rife with its own unholy terrors, chief of which are the genetically engineered wolves spliced with fallen tribute DNA. (I shudder just thinking about this.) The best scary-movie trailers leave the bogeyman out of sight, creating heightened suspense, and these lupine nightmares deserve the same sort of treatment.

3. Any character deaths
Author Suzanne Collins does not pull any punches killing off the tributes of the 74th Hunger Games, and while we're curious to see how this violence translates in the movie adaptation, a 2-3 minute trailer is not the place for these grisly finales. (Especially if the trailer is to be suitable for all audiences.)

Do you agree, "Hunger Games" fans? What do you not want to see in the trailer? Sound off in the comments below and tweet us at @HollywoodCrush with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674119/hunger-games-trailer.jhtml

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Conrad Murray Documentary To Air Friday

'Michael Jackson and the Doctor' will premiere on MSNBC.
By Gil Kaufman


Dr. Conrad Murray
Photo: Al Seib/ Getty Images

Just five days after his conviction on a felony count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, a documentary about Dr. Conrad Murray will air on MSNBC.

The special, "Michael Jackson and the Doctor," will include footage of Murray insisting that Jackson "begged and pleaded" for the surgical anesthetic propofol. It will hit the airwaves a few days after Murray settled into Los Angeles County Jail, where he is awaiting a November 29 sentencing hearing following his conviction.

"He asked me, 'Please, please, Dr. Conrad ... I need some milk [propofol] so that I can sleep," Murray says in the special, according to MSNBC. "If I don't get any sleep today, I cannot perform, I cannot do anything."

After nearly 10 hours of deliberation, the jury in the Murray case came back with a unanimous guilty verdict, agreeing the doctor acted in a fashion that caused Jackson's death. The seven-man, five-woman jury made the decision after 49 witnesses and some bruising testimony from prosecution experts lashing Murray, a cardiologist with clinics in Texas and Las Vegas who was recruited in 2009 by Jackson to help the then-50-year-old star stay healthy in the run-up to his planned 50-date comeback tour, This Is It.

The prosecution brought a long list of medical experts and emergency-room doctors to the stand to testify that Murray had not followed proper procedure in dealing with Jackson when the singer was in distress on the morning of June 25, 2009. They also presented evidence that the care Murray provided for Jackson in the weeks and months leading up to that fateful morning were substandard or outside the bounds of legal and ethical requirements. The witnesses concluded that Murray lacked the proper monitoring equipment to administer the surgical anesthetic propofol to Jackson, an off-label use of the intravenously delivered drug that was reportedly employed to help chronic insomniac Jackson get to sleep.

According to TMZ, Murray signed on for the documentary back in 2009 just after MJ's death, and it will feature scenes of infighting among his defense team.

The MSNBC special will chronicle the trial from the perspective of Murray — who did not take the stand in the trial — and his defense team, including an interview with the doctor about the day Jackson died, in which he shares details about his relationship with the pop star.

In one segment, Murray describes Jackson's appearance the morning he died, saying the singer looked "hysterical" and was so distraught he resembled his ghoulish alter-ego from the iconic 1982 "Thriller" video. Cameras have followed Murray and his defense team for two years in compiling the film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie's distributor also acquired the rights to an exclusive interview Murray gave to British broadcaster Steve Hewlett on October 30, which is reportedly the only interview Murray plans to give on the trial.

"I think in many ways, there were some mirror images in our lives," Murray says about MJ in the special. "I've seen him cry so many times. He lived a life greater than a hundred years of pain of any human."

The verdict is in on the Conrad Murray trial. Stick with MTV News for continued coverage, updates and analysis on MTVNews.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673973/conrad-murray-documentary.jhtml

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Alexander Skarsgard Raves About Working With Dad In 'Melancholia'

But Stellan is 'such a douche bag' in the Lars von Trier movie, Alexander laughs to MTV News.
By Amy Wilkinson


Alexander and Stellan Skarsgård
Photo: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images

"Melancholia" certainly isn't the first film to contemplate the end of the world as we know it, but the dreamy drama from writer/director Lars von Trier does boast its own noteworthy debut: the teaming of father/son duo Stellan and Alexander Skarsgård.

In the movie, out Friday (November 11) in New York and L.A., Alexander plays mild-mannered Michael, the man who marries Kirsten Dunst's slightly unhinged Justine. Father Stellan plays Justine's boss and Michael's best man, Jack — a role that required the elder Skarsgård to act out some less than savory behavior.

"He's such a douche bag in the movie," Alexander said with a grin.

"Your dad's a douche bag?" Dunst answered, laughing.

"Well, he is," Alexander confirmed. "What I thought was interesting about Michael was that he'd pick this guy as his best man at his wedding. This is not his best friend. It's his wife's boss, and he does it just to kind of help his wife in his career. It says a lot about Michael." (Not to mention the trajectory of their love affair.)

Despite Jack's unpleasant demeanor, working with dad Stellan was an experience Alexander truly cherished.

"It was awesome," he enthused. "We've never worked together before. He's one of my best friends. I love hanging out with him. Being able to hang out for two months - we shot in [our home country of] Sweden, and I thought it was great that he wasn't my dad."

"They're really cute together as father and son," Dunst chimed in. "They're like bros."

"He's pretty rad. He's a cool cat," Alexander said.

Check out everything we've got on "Melancholia."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674276/melancholia-alexander-stellan-skarsgard.jhtml

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Justin Bieber Auctioning Off His Snake For Charity

Fans can bid on Johnson now, with all proceeds going to Pencils of Promise.
By James Montgomery


Justin Bieber
Photo: WireImage

Justin Bieber is auctioning off Johnson, the baby boa constrictor he brought to the 2011 Video Music Awards, with all proceeds going to Pencils of Promise, one of the organizations he's sponsoring through his Believe charity drive.

That means one lucky fan has the chance to win a decidedly unique bit of Bieber memorabilia.

Bidding is now under way over on the Charity Buzz website (Johnson is currently going for $175, FYI) and closes November 29. Of course, only serious bidders need apply, because if you end up winning the auction, you'll be on the hook for the long haul, as a disclaimer on the site cautions:

"Keeping a pet snake is a long-term responsibility. Before making any decision about keeping one, please ensure you have the money, space, knowledge, time, resources and enthusiasm required to properly care for the species you intend to keep, for the duration of its life."

Enthusiasm is key, since boa constrictors can live 20 years or more in captivity, and, as Charity Buzz states, "the welfare of this snake is the sole responsibility of the adopter ... the adopter agrees to give the snake good care, which includes quality premium food, fresh water, sanitation and grooming, clean and secure indoor housing, clean and secure outdoor housing and overall safety." The winning bidder must also guarantee Johnson's veterinary care will be provided for.

Bieber announced the launch of his Believe charity drive earlier this month, with the release of his Under the Mistletoe. He's donating a portion of the sales from the holiday disc — which just debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart — to charity and is encouraging fans to match his donations to seven specific organizations: the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pencils of Promise, Musicians on Call, Project Medishare for Haiti, City of Hope, the Boys & Girls Club of America and the Grammy Foundation.

Will you bid on Justin's snake? Let us know in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674053/justin-bieber-snake-auction-charity-johnson.jhtml

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Audrina Patridge, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert Share Prom Memories

'Me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m.,' Ke$ha tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Audrina Patridge
Photo: MTV News

It's prom season, and that means high schoolers across this great land will be renting tuxes, buying fancy dresses and negotiating the details of their curfews with parents. So, before you take your pictures and get in your limos, we asked some Hollywood A-listers to recall their fondest prom memories.

"I had a great prom," Ne-Yo told MTV News. "I didn't get to go with who I wanted to go with. I got my second choice, but my second choice turned out to be the one I was supposed to be there with, so it turned out good."

Ke$ha, never one to say no to a party, had the best night of all her friends. "I went to prom with my gay best friend, and let me tell you, I had way more fun than anybody else at a prom with their boyfriends," she recalled. "Everybody else was, like, crying and drama and breaking up, and me and my gay best friend just danced until 8 a.m."

"Hellcats" star Aly Michalka doesn't have a favorite prom memory — because she never went to prom. "I was homeschooled, so I don't even think we had a fake prom," she lamented. "Like, maybe we had a home-school prom and I wasn't invited?"

While everything always seems to be in peril on "The Vampire Diaries," star Nina Dobrev had a less tumultuous night: "Having everyone get together and such a final celebration [is what I remember]."

Romeo went big for his prom. "My senior prom, I remember I pulled up in my red Ferrari. I was feeling like James Bond," he said. "And it was one of the best nights of my life."

"My favorite prom memory was probably going shopping for a dress, and our boyfriends at the time dressed up as 'Dumb & Dumber,' " Audrina Patridge laughed. "And so we were like, 'We can't dress up dorky ... we have to look good.' "

Roots drummer ?uestlove made a big decision on the night of his prom: "June 2, 1989, was my very last haircut; prom haircut, totally butchered my hair. He butchered my hair, and I vowed never again to ever get in a barber chair, so I grew that Afro on my prom night."

Adam Lambert said his prom date was a 10, so he definitely had a fun night. "I had a great prom. I had an awesome time," he said. "I went with one of my best friends in high school. Her name was Lauren, and she was really hot. She wore a really hot red dress, so I felt like I had arm candy."

Share your prom memories in the comments below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662981/celebrity-prom-memories.jhtml

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