Tag Archives: braxton-pope

Lady Gaga Confirms Album With ‘Darling’ Jazz Legend Tony Bennett

The Mother Monster hit the stage with her ‘darling’ Bennett for President Obama at a Staff Ball on Tuesday. By Jocelyn Vena Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett Photo: Getty Images

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Lady Gaga Confirms Album With ‘Darling’ Jazz Legend Tony Bennett

Is Lindsay Lohan’s ‘The Canyons’ Too ‘Controversial’ For SXSW?

After the festival reportedly passed on the film, producer Braxton Pope tells MTV News that ‘audiences will decide whether it is successful or not.’ By Jocelyn Vena Lindsay Lohan in “Canyons” Photo: Sodium Fox/ PrettyBird

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Is Lindsay Lohan’s ‘The Canyons’ Too ‘Controversial’ For SXSW?

Britney Spears ‘X Factor’ Rumors Are ‘Nonsense,’ Simon Cowell Says

‘She’s got her confidence up. Once people give her a chance, I think people are really going to get her,’ Cowell says of new judge. By John Mitchell Britney Spears arrives for the first round of “X Factor” auditions in Austin Photo: Simon Cowell is clearly feeling better — after missing “The X Factor” auditions in Kansas City, Missouri, due to a bout of bronchitis — and he’s talking Britney Spears . Cameramen from X17 caught up with Cowell while he was riding in his town car in Beverly Hills, and they found the oft-testy reality-show judge and music executive to be in a particularly good mood. Cowell addressed a variety of tabloid rumors regarding Spears — namely that she’s had some issues on set and that she’s shaping up to be one of the tougher judges. When a cameraman asked whether “Britney’s too unstable” to judge “X Factor,” Cowell responded, “No, she’s not unstable. I’m the one who’s unstable! She’s working out great. All these reports that we’ve fallen out are nonsense. She’s doing a great job.” Cowell’s car then pulls away, but again comes to a stop in traffic, allowing the paparazzi to continue his questioning. Asked whether Spears was his favorite judge, Cowell said, “There’s only two girls,” referring to Demi Lovato, and went on to jokingly admit that he is his own favorite of all time. “Yeah, I’d say Simon Cowell is a great guy,” he quipped. “Very good looking.” Pressed further about Spears, Cowell offered more praise for the pop singer. “Like I said, she’s been amazing. She’s really taking time to learn how to do this,” he continued. “She’s got her confidence up. Once people give her a chance, I think people are really going to get her. It will be a big surprise. She’s a tough judge.” As tough as the famously direct Cowell? “I’m a pussycat,” he said playfully as his car pulled away. We guess all that talk that Spears has been “incredibly tough” on contestants might not be far from the truth. For her part, Spears responded to those rumors herself, taking to Twitter to say, “It’s all tough love … I promise!” Share your thoughts about Britney Spears judging “X Factor” in the comments below! Related Artists Britney Spears

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Britney Spears ‘X Factor’ Rumors Are ‘Nonsense,’ Simon Cowell Says

Lindsay Lohan Has ‘Real Talent,’ ‘Canyons’ Producer Says

‘What’s kind of lost in a lot of the Lindsay discussions is the fact that Lindsay is a very talented actress,’ Braxton Pope tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Lindsay Lohan Photo: Lindsay Lohan is in the midst of filming her Elizabeth Taylor biopic for Lifetime, “Liz & Dick,” and then she’s expected to begin work on her next film, the sexy, L.A.-based drama “The Canyons.” While her casting isn’t set in stone just yet, the film’s producer said it’s certainly on the right track. “She wants to do it. We want her to do it. I would just say we have not worked out the specifics of her deal yet,” Braxton Pope told MTV News. “Her participation in ‘Liz & Dick,’ I would just say we’re very aware of. We told her in the first meeting that we would be in touch with the producer of ‘Liz & Dick’ to see how that shoot was going and to get intel. And she gave us all that information, so she was very comfortable with us reaching out and getting that information, and that was how we decided to proceed.” With production expected to begin early next month, Pope is aware of the outside perceptions of Lohan and he and his team — consisting of screenwriter Bret Easton Ellis and director Paul Schrader — are more focused on her ability as an actor than her tabloid drama. “What’s kind of lost in a lot of the Lindsay discussions is the fact that Lindsay is a very talented actress,” he said. “She’s very charismatic and she has a lot of acting skills. So her lifestyle and some of the things that she’s gone through have tended to kind of overwhelm the fact, but Lindsay has kind of real talent. So for this part, we felt that she was really the right actor for a host of different reasons.” While they had been eyeing Lohan for a different role, she expressed interest in the female lead, and Pope said her enthusiasm for the part “resonated with us. … With Lindsay we felt she was the best actress for that role.” The role will not only remind fans of Lohan’s skills as an actress, but also introduce moviegoers to James Deen, as he transitions out of the world of adult films. “I’ve met with James many times, and I feel like I have a good sense of who and what he is. We mentioned, obviously, James to Lindsay, and that wasn’t an issue for her,” he explained, noting that “we have not put them together yet” and he’s interested to see what their chemistry will be like, since they are not only the film’s leads, but also play lovers. “He’s a very interesting guy. … He’s entering the mainstream, and this is the biggest step in that direction,” Pope added. “So he’s definitely excited, and he is preparing very diligently for the role. And he’s taken it very seriously. We’ve been pleased with everything about his approach to the project, for sure. He’s always very natural, and the guy was extremely prepared. It was very smooth.” According to a poster for the film, the tagline is “It’s not ‘The Hills,’ ” a reference to the popular MTV reality show that followed the glamorous lives of Lauren Conrad and her pals. This is expected to be a grittier take on young people and their struggles in Hollywood. Deen’s Christian is a “trust fund kid, power player and major manipulator, who is a film producer that enjoys filming his own three-way sex sessions.” Meanwhile, Lohan’s ex-model character, Tara, is his girlfriend who “has sold her pride for the material comforts Christian can provide.” Three other roles remain uncast: bartender and wannabe actor Ryan, Ryan’s employee and fellow actor Gina, and former actress/yoga instructor Lindsay, who is carrying on an affair with Christian. Pope said casting decisions for those roles should be made in the next week. Related Photos The Highs And Lows Of Lindsay Lohan Related Artists Lindsay Lohan

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Lindsay Lohan Has ‘Real Talent,’ ‘Canyons’ Producer Says