Season 11 contestant is a mashup of every male winner in show’s history. By Jim Cantiello Phillip Phillips on American Idol’s season premiere Photo: FOX Last night’s 14-hour “American Idol” premiere presented the usual suspects of hopefuls. To paraphrase judge (and hideous eyewear collector) Randy Jackson at the end of the Savannah, Georgia, trip, “We came, we saw, we mocked immigrants’ accents, we patronized and lusted after hot girls, we competently read off of producers’ notes, we conquered.” Then, just as the expected parade of planted craycrays and daughters of sports athletes wrapped up, “Idol” introduced its eventual season 11 winner, Phillip Phillips. First let’s talk his name. It’s so ridiculous, it’s awesome. You’ll never forget it. Not to get all numerologist on you, but for season 11, a digit comprised of “one” repeated twice, a name like Phillip Phillips is destined to end up on top. At least he is in a pretentious overwritten novel. But Phillip Phillips’ unavoidable victory truly comes into focus once you realize that he’s a tried-and-true mashup of every male winner in the show’s 10-year history. Musically, Phillip 2 is a Dave Matthews worshipper (hi, season nine’s Lee DeWyze!) with the Joe Cocker mannerisms of season five’s Taylor Hicks. His first audition song was a Stevie Wonder classic. (Sophomore class president Ruben Studdard made his first impression with a Stevie song, too.) And just when you thought fellow contestant Colton Dixon had the David Cook fans in his corner by singing the season seven winner’s “Permanent” (and sharing a passion for haircuts tragique), Phillips rocked a “Thriller” of an encore: a white-dude twist on a Michael Jackson fave
Actor talks to MTV News about role as a cop ‘battling for his life in the ultimate extreme.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Sam Worthington in “Man on a Ledge” Photo: Summit When walking into a theater to see a movie called “Man on a Ledge,” it may seem like there isn’t a whole lot of mystery to what the film will be about. But it has to get more complicated from there, right? To find out, MTV News’ Josh Horowitz visited the New York City set and talked to the stars themselves. “The movie is called ‘Man on a Ledge.’ It’s about a guy on a ledge,” said Anthony Mackie , one of the stars of the film. Mackie’s co-star Elizabeth Banks expanded on the plot and revealed more of the mystery. “Really, everything’s in the title,” she said. “It’s about a man on a ledge, and the people around him who are trying to figure out why he’s on the ledge, and how to get him off the ledge before he falls off and dies.” During the visit, Josh Horowitz sat on the ledge to speak with the man himself, Sam Worthington . Worthington explained that obviously there’s more to the movie than the man and his ledge. What makes it worth watching is the story behind the man: A good cop was framed and wrongfully sent to prison, and after a thrilling escape, he takes to the ledge in order to prove his innocence once and for all. “This is his retrial,” Worthington said. “Good action really comes down to the stakes, what’s at stake, whether it’s rescuing the girl, getting the diamonds or whatever,” Worthington said. “He’s battling for his life in the ultimate extreme, just on a ledge. He’s on the edge on the ledge. Because the stakes are so high, I think that’s why we can label it a thriller, an action thriller.” But even with high stakes, a movie taking place primarily on the side of building has a limited amount of space to move within. Banks said that even though Worthington’s character is more or less stuck, there’s still a lot of movement. “He moves around, though, on the ledge, and I think also he’s constantly in danger. We’re really trying to keep him alive, even though he doesn’t want to jump,” Banks said. “There is always a danger that you could slip and fall. You have to unravel an entire scenario that’s happening.” The scenario Banks referred to is the heist going on across the street, the whole reason behind the man on the ledge and his desperate attempt to clear his name. For Worthington, “Man on a Ledge” has provided challenges as an actor he doesn’t face every day. “This one’s been different because I’ve been having to talk. I’m having to act for the first time probably ever,” he said. That might not be what you expect from a movie with such a simple title, but Worthington learned from Mackie that acting is exactly what the movie requires. “Mackie’s done these kinds of movies, and he said to me, ‘Our job is to ground the action,’ ” he said. “That’s always what I’ve been trying to do. If we can get away with it on this one, it’s not just a gimmick movie then.” Are you excited for “Man on a Ledge”? Let us know in the comments section!
Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Afrojack and more set to perform at film festival in Park City, Utah. By Kara Warner The Egyptian theater in Park City, Utah Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images For those unfamiliar with the goings-on at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, the annual star-studded event has morphed from a modest independent film festival into a full-blown showcase for all aspects of the entertainment industry, including film, television and music — not to mention the promotional opportunities for a multitude of consumer goods and lifestyle brands at the festival’s infamous gifting lounges. In regard to the musical element of the festival, this year’s performance and concert lineup features a slew of big names more accustomed to large venues with sell-out crowds than the intimate settings at Sundance’s smaller-scale venues. Park City Live in association with Continuum Entertainment Group will host live performances by LMFAO & House of Party Rock on Saturday, deadmau5 on Sunday, and Drake on Monday at the Memorial Building at 427 Main Street. Microsoft’s Bing Bar, located at the historic former Claim Jumper Hotel on Main Street, will feature Wiz Khalifa and Jason Mraz on Friday, Drake on Saturday, Cobra Starship on Sunday, Theophilus London on Monday, and James Murphy on Tuesday. Their SPIN Music Sessions series will include happy-hour shows by Gary Clark Jr. on Friday, Cool Kids on Saturday, Group Love on Sunday, and Fitz and the Tantrums on Monday. Following Friday’s artist talk with guests Mary J. Blige and Mos Def, celebrating the documentary “Invisible War,” the Sundance Channel is hosting a special afterparty with performances by Estelle and DJ Jesse Marco at Sugar Lounge on Main Street. Other acts to look out for include Afrojack on Thursday (January 19), OneRepublic at Park City Live on Tuesday, and the All-American Rejects on Wednesday as part of Sundance’s ASCAP event. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Drake Related Photos Sundance 2011: MTV Celebrity Photo Booth Related Artists Drake Wiz Khalifa
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth exclusively talk survival skills, accents and most challenging scenes. By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by MTV UK Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate As promised, we are back with more from our exclusive interviews with “Hunger Games” stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth — and all the questions were asked by you, the fans. Last week, Lawrence, Hutcherson and Hemsworth revealed a few of the pranks pulled on set, as well as a preview of what the arena will look like onscreen. This second installment features talk about which actor is most like his or her character, details about the reaping and talk of real-life survival skills. (Minor spoilers ahead for those who haven’t read Suzanne Collins’ brilliant books!) Be sure to check back here next week for part three of our interviews. @RealOrNotReal: Who among the cast is most like their “Hunger Games” character? Jennifer Lawrence : Josh. Josh is Peeta. He’s charming, he’s nice, he’s very real and down to earth, he’s not fake in any way. He just can charm anyone and anything. Josh Hutcherson : Oh, God, this is going to sound so stupid: Me, because I have literally never read a character, book or script or anything that has a character in it I connected with more than Peeta. I feel like so much of who I am is Peeta. It drove me crazy during the audition process, because I was like, “This is so me, it hurts. If I don’t get this, I’m not even good at being me, so now what am I? I have no idea what to do next.” @HGTribute_Manda: What was the most difficult scene to shoot? Liam Hemsworth : The reaping stuff that we shot was pretty hard. I remember turning up to set the first day and looking out at the few hundred extras there — it looked like a prison camp. It looked so rough and really did look how I think it would be, and it was hot. It was some of the hottest weather I’ve ever shot in. We had extras collapsing because it was so hot out there. That was probably the hardest stuff to shoot for sure. Lawrence : I don’t know if I have a most difficult scene. Really, the physical scenes, the running. Katniss doesn’t really stop running throughout the whole movie, so if I’m running up a mountain in a scene, that’s what we shot all day, so by the time we started acting and talking, it was like a vacation. @p1nklov3er: Is it hard to hide your accent? Hemsworth : It gets easier and easier. I work with accent coaches a lot and try to do my best to get the Australian out of there. Australians grow up with a lot of American TV; we watch the same movies you watch, so it’s not as alien for an Australian to do an American accent as it is for an American to do an Australian accent, because you guys don’t grow up hearing our accents. It’s in the back of your mind, but it’s practice, practice, practice. @eringabin: In a postapocalyptic world, what would your most valuable survival skill be? Hutcherson : I think I’d be pretty good at building a fort. I have a lot of experience with that when I was a kid. I built a lot of forts back in the day, so I think my expertise would be in the architecture and design of our shelter. @OttoRivera: Have you met Suzanne Collins? Hemsworth : I haven’t met her, but I’ve spoken to her on the phone a few times, and she’s really, really lovely. She’s obviously tremendously smart, and I love her books, so she’s been a big part of collaborating on the script. … I think everyone involved in the production wanted it to be true to the story, so she’s been involved a lot. @eringabin: Did you get any injuries during filming? Hutcherson : Not anything too crazy in the injury department. There were the classic bumps and bruises from running through the woods and forest, the big fight scene at the end with myself and Katniss and Cato on top of the Cornucopia, which itself lends itself to having more injuries than other times, but it was pretty good all in all, nothing too serious. All month long, the stars of “The Hunger Games” will be answering your Twitter questions, exclusively for MTV News. Check back every Thursday in January for more answers from Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth! 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 . Related Videos The ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Answer Your Burning Twitter Questions
Ashanti, Spike Lee, Irv Gotti and more of Hov’s high-profile friends toast the new dad at renovated NYC club. By Rob Markman Jay-Z at the 40/40 Club Reopening Photo: FilmMagic NEW YORK — Jay-Z has a lot to celebrate. A little over a week ago, he and wife Beyonc
‘Sometimes it seems more important to me than other times,’ Del Rey told MTV News before her ‘Saturday Night Live’ debut. By James Montgomery Lana Del Rey performs “Video Games” on “SNL” on Saturday Photo: NBC Lana Del Rey’s “Saturday Night Live” performance was divisive, to say the very least, as she seemed to battle nerves (and some rather shaky vocal moments), circumstances that only gave more ammunition to her critics. Of course, to be fair, given her rather meteoric rise to the mainstream, Del Rey hasn’t exactly had a ton of time to develop her stage presence, though, as previous television appearances — like this “Later Live … with Jools Holland” performance from October — prove, she’s certainly capable of much more than she showcased on “SNL” (at least vocally). Still, Del Rey will be the first to admit that she’s yet to truly be at ease when it comes to performing on television. In fact, she finds the entire process to be, well, a little off-putting, as she told MTV News last week. “I find it weird … sometimes. [It] depends on the day,” Del Rey said. “You know, like, [it] depends on what’s going on with my family and everyone around me. If I have other things to think about, or I’m trying to get things done for somebody else, and I’m not in my own way, then … I’m like, ‘This doesn’t really matter.’ Sometimes it seems more important to me than other times, I don’t know.” And though, at the time, she couldn’t have predicted how her “SNL” performance would turn out — she said she wasn’t even sure which songs she’d be singing — Del Rey said that, no matter what happened, and despite how weird she may find the entire TV experience, she’s just trying to enjoy the ride. “Things are cool. They always will be, whether the music goes good or not,” she said. “Like, I consider being able to sing a luxury, it doesn’t run my life, it’s not my main focus. I love it, I feel grateful. I’m honored to be on ‘SNL’ I’m happy to be here, but if I didn’t have it, I’d be happy too.” What did you think of Lana Del Rey’s “SNL” debut? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Lana Del Rey Related Artists Lana Del Rey
Director has wanted to bring story of Tuskegee Airmen to big screen for nearly 25 years. By Kevin P. Sullivan Terrence Howard Photo: MTV News George Lucas made a name for himself in the late ’70s and ’80s with “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones,” but for nearly 25 years, the director tried to bring one story to the big screen, a movie he wasn’t able to make until now. After decades in development, “Red Tails,” Lucas’ tale of the Tuskegee Airmen, will finally hit theaters. The story of Lucas’ battle to get “Red Tails” in front of the camera only added to the significance of the story for many of the cast and crew. Terrence Howard plays Col. A.J. Bullard, one of the commanders of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first African-American air regimen. The actor told MTV News that Lucas’ passion set the tone for the entire project. “Well, he has complete control of the Force. As far as I understand it, he invented the Force,” Howard said. “It’s quite a moving inertia associated with it. You believe in him, and when he says something, he follows it all the way through.” According to Howard, having such a strong backing force changed the way the actors approached the film and their roles. “It gives us a great deal of encouragement walking into the roles,” he said. “We know that we’re going to be 100 percent supported.” Like any Lucas project, “Red Tails” comes with the technical wizardry that made the man a legend. “When you look at the final project and you look at these fight scenarios, you can’t believe that it’s not real,” Howard said. “It looks tangible, and it’s wonderful to be able to say ‘George Lucas manned this, created this vessel that Anthony Hemingway was able to direct.’ We become moving parts of this incredible armada.” Do you plan to see ‘Red Tails’ in theaters? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “Red Tails.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Red Tails
‘I’m just happy that I can be a part of a record that’s making so many young, ambitious dancers so much money,’ Wale quips on remix video set. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ricky Louis Wale, Fabolous and Tyga on the set of “Rack City” Photo: MTV News Radio, music videos, mixtapes and digital presence are all fine gauges of what’s hot in hip-hop, but the set lists at gentlemen’s clubs should never be overlooked. At the moment, Tyga ‘s “Rack City” seems to be the current strip-club crown holder, and now with the remix video featuring Wale and Fabolous coming, the record doesn’t appear to be losing steam any time soon. “I’m just happy that I can be a part of a record that’s influencing and making so many young, ambitious dancers so much money,” Wale playfully told MTV News from the set of Tyga’s remix video in Miami. This past Friday, Tyga gathered Wale and Fab to shoot their portion of the “Rack City” video. On set, the trio joked about how the track keeps strip clubs open for business. “I think it’s important that we continue to make songs like this, because it’s keeping the whole game of … ,” Wale started before completely losing his train of thought. “The cycle of the economy,” Loso chimed in. “It’s very beneficial to so many young women across the country,” Wale picked back up. “The strip clubs are stress relief. Welcome to Rack City!” Tyga just nodded in agreement. “Everything they said,” he added with a laugh. The DJ Mustard-produced track is slated to appear on Tyga’s upcoming Young Money debut Careless World. The song’s original was adapted from the “Grand Theft Auto” series of video games. In the clip, which weaves a campy crime tale with performance shots, Tyga plays an out-of-luck bandit who steals from the fictional Rack City’s underworld boss, Mr. Rose. What are you expecting from the “Rack City” remix video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Wale Fabolous Tyga
‘Bishop didn’t make Tupac; Tupac made Bishop,’ Treach tells ‘RapFix Live’ 20 years after film’s release. By Rob Markman, with additional reporting credit by Sway Calloway “Juice” Photo: Paramount When “Juice” was released 20 years ago on January 17, 1992, the performance of noted rapper but first-time actor Tupac Shakur took critics by surprise. The socially aware, politically driven MC lit up the screen as fiery, gun-crazed thug Bishop. It was a departure from the rapper hip-hop had come to know through more positive songs like “Brenda’s Got a Baby.” A year after “Juice” premiered, ‘Pac went on to release his second album, Strictly 4 My N.-.-.-.A.Z., before experiencing legal trouble, then a serious rap beef with the Notorious B.I.G. a few years after that and, of course, his murder in 1996. Some believe that after “Juice,” Tupac took on the persona of the fictional and troublesome Bishop, and as a result, his life experienced a downward spiral. Not the case, said ‘Pac’s friend, “Juice” co-star and Naughty by Nature rapper Treach. “I would definitely disagree with it,” Treach said without reservation when he appeared on Wednesday’s (January 18) episode of “RapFix Live.” “Bishop didn’t make Tupac; Tupac made Bishop.” Treach — who appeared in the film and, along with Naughty by Nature, contributed the ’90s rap hit “Uptown Anthem” to the movie’s soundtrack — revealed that he originally read for the role of Bishop. Things didn’t go so well, however, and when Shakur auditioned immediately after him, Treach knew his buddy would get the film’s starring role. Tupac’s mother and father were both members of the Black Panther Party, and Treach believes that ‘Pac’s exposure to the progressive and militant movement helped prep him for the role.”He grew up a soldier; he grew up learning different lessons on the streets that not even I had known about,” he said. “He knew different stuff from different facets of life,” Treach added. “That’s what made him be able to get into that character like that and make that character seem so real, because he had his own life experiences that made him phenomenal at bringing that out through the music and through the film.” What do you think of ‘Pac’s performance in “Juice”? Let us know in the comments. Check out everything we’ve got on “Juice.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Celebrating 20 Years Of ‘Juice’ With Treach Related Artists Tupac Naughty By Nature
‘I rep this tribe of Judah till the very end,’ Po tells MTV News of converting to Judaism. By Rob Markman Shyne Photo: MTV News The Shyne we see today is a far cry from the troubled rap youth that we saw in 2000 walking in and out of court, donning a suit and oversize baseball cap. During his almost-nine-year prison stint for assault and gun possession, Shyne became closer to his Jewish faith. Now we see him with long side curls and traditional Orthodox garb, bearing the Star of David. It’s nothing new, Shyne says. “This ain’t no ‘Shyne got out and went to Jerusalem and became religious.’ God and man is a never-ending struggle. We’re in the struggle to do what’s right,” Shyne told MTV News of his faith. “I’ve been on this journey.” The rapper is less concerned about the latest trends in rap than he is about working on strengthening his relationship with God. “This is how King David wore his hair,” Shyne said of his payos. “That’s who I want to be. I don’t really want to be like anybody else. I don’t want to be like one of these big fools. I don’t want to be like none of these guys on TV. I don’t want to be like — definitely none of these rappers. “I want to be like King David so that’s how I wear my hair. I rep this tribe of Judah till the very end and that’s what it’s hitting for,” he said, tugging on his robe. Shyne continues to release new music. On January 13, he dropped an elongated version of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV “Outro” and on Tuesday revealed that he and Diddy have made amends . Can a musical collaboration be next? “As far as Puff is concerned, that’s been a long time coming,” Shyne exclusively told MTV News of the conversation he and the Bad Boy CEO had earlier this month. “He had reached out to me twice while I was in the pen, but I just wasn’t ready for it.” The rapper wouldn’t speak on the details of his and Comb’s conversation, but he did say that the two plan to meet face to face in Paris in the coming weeks. Related Artists Shyne
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