Perpetual bottom-dweller Hollie Cavanagh lives to see another day. By Adam Graham Skylar Laine and Ryan Seacrest on “American Idol” Photo: Fox Skylar Laine is headed back to Brandon, Mississippi. The 18-year-old country spitfire was sent home on Thursday’s (May 3) “American Idol” results episode, after receiving the fewest number of votes following Wednesday’s performance episode . Nearly 60 million votes were cast, host Ryan Seacrest reported during the show. Laine found herself in the bottom two alongside Hollie Cavanagh. Now that the field is down to five singers, there was no bottom three. When the news was delivered to Laine, she hugged Cavanagh tight at the center of the stage. After composing herself, she sang Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder & Lead” as the show closed. Just one night prior, Jennifer Lopez told Laine she had victory in her grasp. “You wanna win, don’t you?” Lopez asked Laine after she sang Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me,” which followed her earlier performance of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” Laine replied affirmatively, to which Lopez said, “I can tell. And you just might with performances like that.” In his assessment of her Wednesday performances, mentor Jimmy Iovine called Laine “a fighter” and praised her for suiting up and showing up “every night.” He said he thought she did well, though he said her take on the Dusty Springfield song lacked the “darkness” of the original. “She doesn’t deserve to go home because of that,” Iovine said, “but it was less than what I know she’s capable of.” In Iovine’s estimation, Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez should have landed in the bottom two. He said Phillips has been “coasting” and described his two performances as “very bland.” As for Sanchez, Iovine called her performance of Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” a “travesty” and said he should have talked her out of singing it when he had the chance. He said her outfit during the song was “too mature” and “too racy” and said the “Idol” wardrobe department was “torpedoing” her. Coldplay also appeared and performed two songs, “Paradise” and “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall,” and fourth-season “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood stopped by and performed “Blown Away,” the title track from her latest album, which hit stores this week. What did you think of “Idol” on Thursday? Let us know in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Performances
With two small films in the works, the heartthrob proves he’s planning a future beyond the franchise that made him, experts tell MTV News. By John Mitchell Robert Pattinson and Tom Cruise Photo: Getty Images Robert Pattinson knows that the shelf life of a Hollywood heartthrob is short. Teen dreams have a tendency to come and go with shocking regularity, which is why the actor is intent to do everything he can to break out of the mold. The success of the “The Twilight Saga” has alternately put Pattinson in the best and worst position an actor can have in the business. He’s become a superstar on the back of a franchise, but since he was a relative unknown when cast, it also defines his career up to this point. We know him for that role — and not much else. Of course, Pattinson is aiming to change that with a series of upcoming roles, including the just-announced “Mission: Blacklist,” a “gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller” about a military interrogator that played a key role in the 2003 capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. On Thursday (May 3), Deadline also reported that Pattinson has been added to “The Rover.” As Reynolds in the David Michod film, he’ll pursue the men responsible for stealing his car all across “the rough Australian outback.” “What Robert Pattinson is doing isn’t new in the slightest,” Greg Ellwood of HitFix told MTV News. “Ever since the American indie scene exploded in the early ’90s, actors such as John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christian Bale, Ewan McGregor and John Cusack, among others, have jumped between indie and studio-produced films.” Indeed, it’s a well-tread path, and the actor is following it closely with several films in the can that he hopes will establish him as a leading man outside of the “Twilight” franchise. In “Bel Ami,” RPattz plays a young man navigating the tricky social hierarchy of late-19th-century Paris by manipulating the city’s most influential and wealthy women. And as “ER” star Clooney did with Steven Soderbergh (“Out of Sight,” “Ocean’s 11”), when he was trying to break away from his TV persona, Pattinson has smartly aligned himself with an acclaimed filmmaker, David Cronenberg (“Eastern Promises,” “A History of Violence”), for the futuristic indie thriller “Cosmopolis,” which will make its world premiere in competition later this month at the Cannes Film Festival. All of these roles are a major departure from Edward Cullen, and while that’s a risk, the films have relatively low budgets, letting producers and financers gradually test whether Pattinson is a bankable movie star — and a strong leading actor — outside of the franchise that has defined his career to this point. Pattinson isn’t, as they say, putting all his eggs in one basket. “What makes Pattinson different is his huge core fanbase so early in his career,” Ellwood continued. “Yet, he’s still not a household name outside of the ‘Twilight’ fanbase or movie fans under the age of 30.” Contrast that with Jennifer Lawrence, who already had an Oscar nomination for “Winter’s Bone” and a box-office hit in “X Men: First Class” under her belt before conquering screens as Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games.” The role has made Lawrence a household name , but unlike Pattinson, her abilities as an actress and future as a performer were not really in question before she entered the arena. Indeed, many critics noted the film was made all the better by having a proven actress in the lead role. As Pattinson transitions from “Twilight,” he has something to prove. So far, he has wisely steered clear of big-budget fare, a mistake his “Twilight” co-star Taylor Lautner made only to see his first star vehicle, “Abduction,” misfire at the box office, calling into question whether the teen star can carry a movie. Pattinson has so far headlined two non-“Twilight” features: “Remember Me” and “Water for Elephants.” And while “Remember Me” grossed only $19 million domestically, it cost only $16 million to make, so once international grosses ($37 million) were accounted for, it was easily in the black (if not the hit he was likely hoping for). “Water for Elephants” fared better, but co-star Reese Witherspoon also gets credit for its $117 million combined worldwide gross. “Starring in films like ‘Water for Elephants’ opposite Reese Witherspoon helps, but he’s going to need to mix up another big hit or two outside of ‘Twilight’ to reach the [Leonardo] DiCaprio or [Brad] Pitt level,” Ellwood says. “You could argue that Kristen Stewart is further down that road. Especially after the expected blockbuster ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ opens in June.” Pattinson’s post-“Twilight” choices show a performer who wants to be taken seriously as a versatile actor without risking a major financial failure. He seems keen to line up as much quality work as he can before the franchise ends and he jumps off the proverbial cliff and into the unknown. Whether he can pull it off remains to be seen, but his choices at least prove that he’s interested in being more than a movie star. Like all those other stars who took the indie-film leap in the ’90s, Pattinson wants you to think of him as an actor first and a global celebrity second. How do you think RPattz will do in roles beyond Edward Cullen? Tell us in the comments! For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
Sylvester Stallone and his team return to fight an unexpected threat in this action-packed trailer. By Fallon Prinzivalli Sylvester Stallone in “The Expendables 2” Photo: Lionsgate After teasing the film with exclusive posters and movie stills , the first full-length trailer for “The Expendables 2” finally dropped Thursday (May 3). IGN premiered the preview to the action-packed film with an intro from Sylvester Stallone himself. “If you thought the first movie kicked some serious ass,” Sly says, “you haven’t seen anything yet.” With an A-List cast including Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme and newcomers Liam Hemsworth and Chuck Norris, we don’t doubt the “Rocky” actor’s words. The film follows the return of Barney Ross (Stallone) and his team as Mr. Church (Willis) enlists the Expendables for a job that seems like easy money. When one of their crew is murdered, however, the revenge they seek leaves them stranded in enemy territory having to combat an unexpected threat. Check out the five key scenes from the action-packed trailer: Swinging Into Action The trailer opens with sirens blaring and the crew propelling down a zip-line into the middle of a forest. As you’d expect, the firing begins immediately as sparks start flying and a truck flips over — and we’re only 30 seconds in. Just when you think Barney Ross and his team are the ones doing the ass-kicking, they’re surrounded by the enemy. Lee Christmas (Statham) looks over Barney and asks, “That loaded?” Barney replies, “I hope so,” and begins taking their captors down one by one with a hidden gun in his hand — or did he? The shot then cuts to newcomer Bill “The Kid” Timmons (Hemsworth), who is hiding in the trees with a smoking gun. Time to Reload The team loads their weapons as Barney tells the Kid, “Somebody’s hooked.” Protecting the world by taking out the bad guys with some heavy artillery — who wouldn’t be? The next scene shows Lee in priest robes saying, “I now pronounce you man and knife,” and cuts away before we catch a glimpse of who he inevitably stabs. The next clips show various members of the team speeding off on motorcycles, engaging in hand to hand combat, taking down helicopters and setting off explosion after explosion. The Threat Our villain comes in the form of Jean-Claude Van Damme (aptly named Jean Vilain) who’s planning on using a very powerful chemical to change the balance of the world. World dominance, that’s what every bad guy is after, right? As we see his team gathering, the tagline flashes across the screen, “When the threat is this great, everyone is expendable.” If everyone’s expendable, Barney is going to need a lot more men to get through this one. Cue Chuck Norris and Arnold Schwarzenegger Like clockwork the invincible Chuck Norris (Booker) approaches the camera walking away from cars engulfed in flames and smoke. (Cool guys don’t look at explosions, remember?) Next is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (Trench) turn to get in a version of his classic tagline: “I’m back.” As he says it, he leans out of a window wearing a band of bullets around his chest and casually smoking a cigar. Killing a few bad guys? Been there, done that. The Plan When Lee asks the plan of attack to stop the enemy, Barney says, “Track ’em, find ’em, kill ’em.” And you guessed it, more explosions, more knife fights, and bullets, bullets, bullets. If you’re looking for an action film, you will not be disappointed. One clip that stood out was Church pulling up in a tiny car and telling Trench to get in. He rips the door off the automobile as he climbs in and says, “My shoe is bigger than this car.” It hints at the inevitable comedy involved in a film with an all-star cast. In the final sequence, Barney drives a plane into a tunnel and Lee says, “You’re going to need a new plane.” The two laugh as the screen fades to black. “The Expendables 2” will explode into theaters August 17. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Expendables 2.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos The Expendables 2 Related Photos ‘The Expendables 2’ Trailer: Five Key Scenes
‘Twilight’ actor will play a thief in the Australian outback. By Fallon Prinzivalli Robert Pattinson Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images Robert Pattinson is on a roll, Twilighters. It was just announced that the beloved actor has joined director David Michod’s “The Rover,” also starring Guy Pearce. While there is little known about the project, Deadline Hollywood reports the film takes place in the near future and follows a man (Pearce) who ruthlessly hunts a group of thieves through the rough Australian outback after they steal his car. Pattinson will play a thief named Reynolds. According to Variety, Michod will pen the script based on an original idea from “Animal Kingdom” star Joel Edgerton and himself. David Linde and Liz Watts are set to produce under Lava Bear Films and Porchlight Films. The news immediately follows the announcement that Pattinson signed on for “Mission: Blacklist,” the movie adaptation of Eric Maddox’s book “Mission: Blacklist #1: The Inside Story of the Search for Saddam Hussein — As Told by the Soldier Who Masterminded His Capture.” The actor will star as the man who led the hunt. Both “Rover” and “Mission” are still in development, but Pattinson has a busy year ahead of him. He travels to the Cannes Film Festival to promote David Cronenberg’s mind-tripping “Cosmopolis” and closes out “The Twilight Saga” as Edward Cullen one last time in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” Also available on VOD beginning Friday is the titillating drama “Bel Ami,” which opens in Los Angeles, New York and select cities June 8. For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
‘Twilight’ actor will play a thief in the Australian outback. By Fallon Prinzivalli Robert Pattinson Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images Robert Pattinson is on a roll, Twilighters. It was just announced that the beloved actor has joined director David Michod’s “The Rover,” also starring Guy Pearce. While there is little known about the project, Deadline Hollywood reports the film takes place in the near future and follows a man (Pearce) who ruthlessly hunts a group of thieves through the rough Australian outback after they steal his car. Pattinson will play a thief named Reynolds. According to Variety, Michod will pen the script based on an original idea from “Animal Kingdom” star Joel Edgerton and himself. David Linde and Liz Watts are set to produce under Lava Bear Films and Porchlight Films. The news immediately follows the announcement that Pattinson signed on for “Mission: Blacklist,” the movie adaptation of Eric Maddox’s book “Mission: Blacklist #1: The Inside Story of the Search for Saddam Hussein — As Told by the Soldier Who Masterminded His Capture.” The actor will star as the man who led the hunt. Both “Rover” and “Mission” are still in development, but Pattinson has a busy year ahead of him. He travels to the Cannes Film Festival to promote David Cronenberg’s mind-tripping “Cosmopolis” and closes out “The Twilight Saga” as Edward Cullen one last time in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” Also available on VOD beginning Friday is the titillating drama “Bel Ami,” which opens in Los Angeles, New York and select cities June 8. For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
‘It’s extremely lyrical. The music is next level,’ Ross says of his record, out July 31. By Rahman Dukes Sway and Rick Ross Photo: MTV News Rick Ross predicts his upcoming album God Forgives, I Don’t will take fans on a thrilling journey riddled with bone-chilling rap tales never experienced on his previous efforts. “This is my best project yet,” Ross declared, draped in all black and sparkling diamonds while sitting at his MMG press conference , reminiscent of a boss giving orders before his capos. ” God Forgives, I Don’t is a very dark story.” After a number of setbacks, Ross stamped a July 31 release date on the album he’s touting as hip-hop’s “most anticipated album of the year.” “It’s extremely lyrical. The music is next level,” Ross said. “I’m expecting nothing but the biggest results. The collaborations is gonna surprise a few of you guys.” “Surprising” is one way to describe these past months for MTV’s Hottest MC in the Game . Rozay triumphantly rose to the occasion earlier this year when he released the highly successful Rich Forever mixtape just a month after he was stricken with multiple seizures . Now, with all signs pointing toward GFID, Ross is looking to deliver on the hype of the album. “I think the stories being told on this record is going to make it stand apart from all the other albums I’ve ever done,” says Ross. “By the time you get to track two, you gonna understand this is a completely different body of work.” The rapper/entrepreneur’s stock has ballooned with every major album release, and God Forgives, I Don’t should fair no different, possibly even catapulting him into the upper echelon of galactic hip-hop MCs like Jay-Z and Nas. “This was the missing part of my legacy,” Ross stated. “This is what’s going to put me over the top right there.” Related Videos Rick Ross, Meek Mill, N.O.R.E. And More On ‘RapFix Live’ Related Artists Rick Ross
Director X opens up about the singer’s new video, premiering tonight on MTV at 7:50 p.m.! By Jocelyn Vena Justin Bieber in his video for “Boyfriend” Photo: Island/Def Jam Justin Bieber will show off an even swaggier side of himself tonight when he premieres his “Boyfriend” video on MTV. Before the premiere, Bieber gave fans a sneak peek of the sunny party clip. The teaser features Bieber snuggling with a very pretty young lady, surrounded by muscle cars and his pals. It was that straightforward concept that intrigued the pop star and his team. “It was just cars and the simplicity that they liked. Cars, girls, just young people hanging out, having fun, that kind of thing. When I heard it, I thought that’s what it should be,” Director X , who helmed the clip, told MTV News. “From what they wanted to do with Justin and the song and who he is and his age now, I thought that was it. They should expect the Justin they know, just a little more grown-up.” While he had never worked with the singer before, he admits that, like everyone else in the world, he was fully aware of who Bieber is. “I’ve seen him. I mean, he’s Justin Bieber. There’s no way you don’t know who the kid is, but I’ve never worked with him before or met him before. So my exposure to him is the way any other TV watcher, Internet watcher would know him,” he said, adding that he left the April video shoot a fan. “He’s a good kid. He comes to work, gets the job done, dedicated to the gig. I mean, I like him.” Want more behind-the-scenes scoop from Bieber himself? The singer will sit down with MTV News’ Sway Calloway tonight to premiere his “Boyfriend” music video during “MTV First: Justin Bieber” live at 7:50 p.m. ET on MTV. After the video premieres on air, Bieber will chat with Sway for 30 minutes on MTV.com, opening up about the clip as well as his June 19 album release, Believe. But that’s not all: If you have a burning question for Bieber, you can get in on the fun by commenting below or tweeting @MTVNews with the hashtag #MTVFirst or #AskBieber. Immediately following the premiere, the “Boyfriend” video will be available on MTV.com, so Beliebers can watch it over and over and over again. Don’t miss the “Boyfriend” video premiere tonight at 7:50 p.m. ET/PT on MTV during “MTV First: Justin Bieber,” followed by a live Q&A with Justin himself on MTV.com! Related Videos Justin Bieber Set To Unveil ‘Boyfriend’ MTV News Extended Play: Justin Bieber Related Photos The Evolution Of: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber
Actress sees Widow’s relationship with Hawkeye as ‘another movie.’ By Kara Warner Scarlett Johansson in “The Avengers” Photo: Disney/ Marvel There are only a few more days left to wait until “Marvel’s The Avengers” is unleashed upon the masses and moviegoers everywhere get to revel in the superheroic feat of director Joss Whedon in fully fleshing out so many characters in one giant movie. Two of those characters who get significantly more screen time than they’ve had in previous Marvel outings are Black Widow/ Natasha Romanoff (played by Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye/ Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner). Although we don’t see their backstory in the film, the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents have obviously spent a considerable amount of time working together and share a deep connection and mutual respect. When MTV News caught up with Johansson recently, we asked for her thoughts on what direction their relationship might take in future Marvel movies. “I see that as another movie,” Johansson’s co-star Mark Ruffalo answered first. “They do work very well together,” Johansson admitted. “And I do know that Marvel is invested in the S.H.I.E.L.D. world. I do think you need a bit of the fantasy to keep it alive unless you go really dark with it. I’m hoping that if the fans give the nod of approval that there will be a future for Hawkeye and Widow somewhere in that S.H.I.E.L.D. world. Although I’d like to take the Widow story way back,” Johansson added. “To the origins?” Ruffalo asked. “Yeah, it would be fun to do an origin story,” she said. No matter where Black Widow ends up, Johansson has said she’s just happy to have survived the filming of “Avengers.” “We all took a pretty big beating,” she said. “The stunt sequence that I’ve been the most proud of is probably my fight with … ” Johansson stopped abruptly. “Actually, I don’t know if I can say! All I can say is that I had to fight someone else in this film, and they beat the crap out of me in stunt rehearsals. I have to say I could not believe it,” she recalled. “I was like, ‘Can you hold it back, OK? You know, I’m trying to work it out here. I’ve got smaller muscles than you.’ I was dragged across the [floor]. When we finally finished [filming] that scene, I was just happy to be alive.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Marvel’s The Avengers.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Avengers’ Related Photos ‘Avengers’
‘We’re all looking forward to this next chapter,’ Nick Jonas says of the shakeup. By Jocelyn Vena Jonas Brothers Photo: El Universal The Jonas Brothers have been tweeting with the hashtag #JB2012 lately. And it seems that it now has a whole new meaning as the brothers enter the next chapter of their careers. Nick, Joe and Kevin have confirmed they are leaving Hollywood Records, the Disney-owned label they’ve been with since 2007. In addition to parting ways with Hollywood, the band of brothers has confirmed that they also bought the rights to their master recordings, merchandising and publishing. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter , Nick opened up about the decision to push forward with their music career without the assistance of the label backing them. “This was a decision that we made as a group,” he said. “Naturally, as with any partnership, when you do part ways, there is emotion tied to it. We’ve been blessed to have a lot of success with Hollywood and with Disney, but speaking on behalf of my brothers and our team, we’re all looking forward to this next chapter. We’re ready for that next step as a group, and being able to take our work with us was so important.” As of now, the band is label-less, their manager Johnny Wright confirmed. He added that the guys, who are currently working on their next album, will seek a different type of deal if or when they sign with another company. Their next deal, he added, will give them more control. “This will allow them to chart their own destiny,” he said, adding that given their relationship with Disney had pretty much come to the end of the road, this decision came at the perfect time. “The industry and distribution channels are changing so rapidly, we don’t even know what it means anymore to put out a record,” he explained. “If we wanted to take another deal with a major, it would be different than what we entered into when we signed with Hollywood. We don’t have to become just an artist to the label, we could be a partner or do it ourselves and then come back later on. There’s no plan here — the plan is whatever we decide to make it.” The guys are now focused on the future, which as a group includes their next album . Individually, Nick will wrap up his run in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” on Broadway this July , and Kevin, with his wife Danielle, will premiere their E! reality show this August . Joe is coming off of a solo album he dropped last year. “In these past three years, my brothers and I have not released a record, but we’ve really come into our own as men,” Nick explained. “And we’ve also lived life, which is an important part to making a record. … I’ve got a studio set-up in my apartment in New York where we can all put down our ideas. It’s a really liberating feeling to just be able to create and write whatever is on our hearts.” The newly free agents’ next album, the follow-up to 2009’s Lines, Vines and Trying Times, should drop by the end of 2012 or early 2013 . Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Nick Jonas Related Artists Jonas Brothers
