Two of the slickest superstars on the planet are pitted against each other in this Fashion Face-Off. First, we have LL Cool J, the host of the 2012 Grammy Awards, who had the unenviable task last night of MCing an event over which a pall had been cast, due to Whitney Houston’s tragic death. But the actor/rapper kicked off the ceremony with a prayer and handled his duties as well as could be expected. His competition? Bruno Mars, producer/performer extraordinaire, and possibly the most talented man in the music business today. Compare. Contrast. And vote between these icons below:
‘It’s a huge responsibility for me to be in that suit and to take on the mantle from a fantastic actor,’ Andrew Garfield tell MTV News. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Andrew Garfield in “The Amazing Spider-Man” Photo: Sony Pictures The upcoming reboot “The Amazing Spider-Man” is a prime example of the pressure filmmakers and studios are under to deliver the best adaptation possible. Anyone who’s familiar with comic book movies and the corresponding hoopla that surrounds them is more than accustomed to the demands of their fervent fan communities. If that movie is good, it wins support for life. If it’s bad, fans have various ways of expressing their disappointment and are not afraid to do so. Perhaps no one is feeling that pressure at the moment more than the movie’s star himself, Andrew Garfield . When MTV News caught up with Garfield recently before a screening event for the film, we asked him if his level of stress and anxiety is higher now that the release date is approaching or back when he was first cast in the role. “It’s always the same. It’s always a [level] 10 inside. It’s just a question of whether you acknowledge it or try to ignore it or try to suppress it, or try to pretend like it’s not there or act like you don’t care,” he said. “I’m at a 10 constantly.” Garfield went on to emphasize how much being a true fan informed his performance, in both positive and negative ways. “It’s a huge responsibility for me to be in that suit and to take on the mantle from a fantastic actor previously and from fantastic artists and writers and ultimately Stan Lee. That’s where it came from,” he said. “I feel lucky and unlucky that I’m a fan first. That’s what I am, I’m a Spider-Man fan at my core. I feel lucky in the sense that I feel like I know Peter Parker, because I grew up with him. I feel unlucky in the sense of how disappointed I am that I’m playing him. “I don’t’ mean that in a self-deprecating [way],” he added. “No actor could ever live up to the character for me, and that’s weird to say because I’m the actor playing this particular incarnation, I can’t wait for another actor to take it on so I can judge.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Amazing Spider-Man.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Andrew Garfield
Despite the Consider Uggie campaign ‘s global impact on social media , auteur awards strategies and the ever-sensitive dynamics of poster giveaways , many adversaries would just as soon see the Artist wonder dog shot into space, Laika-style , never to be seen or heard from again. I hesitate to acknowledge or dignify their numbers, but since this is news we can both use, let’s all rally round one of the best Uggie-specific developments to date: Uggie is now a cookie. Eleni’s , the New York-based bakery renowned for its Oscar-season confections, this week announced its 2012 collection of Best Picture , Best Actress and Best Actor cookies. Among the Best Picture assortment — which annually transforms one or two key story elements from each nominee into an edible treat — we find a Hawaiian shirt from The Descendants , a clock from Hugo , a bloated, dripping hunk of Oscar bait for The Daldry , and a cheerful Jack Russell terrier representing Michel Hazanavicius’s Oscar front-runner: True, the tree representing The Tree of Life seems a little underimagined, but it’s not like you want to be devouring the goddamned baby’s foot we’ve seen for the last year-plus. Anyway. Uggie! Is a cookie! As an avowed devotee of this particular awards tradition for years (nothing — and I mean nothing — will ever beat the airgun cookie from No Country For Old Men , but hey), I can’t overstate my pride in this milestone. I also can’t stop you from hungrily snapping the head off the little guy in punitive glee, followed by the tambourine from The Daldry just to add to the puppy cookie’s prolonged gastric suffering. The possibilities are endless. Or endless-ish. Whatever. The Best Picture set is available now for $75 at Elenis.com . Enjoy!
No mom wants her 5-year-old daughter being called a “prosti-tot” or other such things. Even if she’s partially or wholly responsible for that happening. According to Susanna Barrett and her lawyer, the bad reputation that her daughter, Isabella Barrett, has gotten since a video of her singing along to LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” and Rihanna’s “We Found Love” is why she’s suing for $30 million. Barrett’s problem isn’t that TMZ posted the video. She gave them the footage, in fact. It’s that she was under the impression TMZ was going to write a “fluff story,” but ended up making a “brazen attempt to sexualize” her child. Allegedly. First off, Barrett says, her daughter was not performing in a nightclub, as reported, but rather in an impromptu sing-along at a pet-charity dinner. “It was kind of a spontaneous thing,” the elder Barrett recalls. “You can see other people had their camera and cell phones out. You know Isabella is on a reality show so it’s not uncommon for people to be taking pictures of her.” “There was a red carpet there, so we were taking pictures, as well.” As for the songs, Barrett maintains that Isabella was only in the spotlight for about 30 seconds of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” before Rihanna kicked in. “She didn’t know all the words, and the sensationalism of it was actually more exciting then actually what you’re watching – that’s where the problem lies.”
Taylor Armstrong has released a memoir that she claims is all about helping victims of abuse , not profiting from the August 2011 suicide of husband Russell. Of course, organizations that help victims of abuse are still waiting for their proceeds from sales of “Hiding from Reality.” New excerpts from this book have now hit the Internet, so you may read them for yourself and judge Taylor accordingly: On her sex life with Russell : He would make comments when we were sexual… about my weight. No woman needs to be criticized in that moment – criticisms about having sex with me is like ‘having sex with a skeleton.’ On still loving Russell : I love him to this day and miss him terribly. I got out way too late. I hope by others hearing the story they may get out sooner. When I wrote Hiding From Reality, I wanted it real and honest. Some of it was difficult to write. On the lasting scars of abuse : I think you can see my eye has healed, but these things are going to stick with me a long time and sometimes, the emotional can hurt worse than the physical almost. What do you think of Taylor Armstrong releasing a memoir?
The Bachelor star Ben Flajnik is blogging all about the events of this week’s episode, which saw tensions rise on the dreaded two-on-one date and beyond. Flajnik sure had a lot on his plate Monday, with a nude Courtney Robertson, a bawling Blakeley Shea and a two-timing Casey Shteamer , among other issues: Excerpts from his take on the episode below: On Kacie B. : “I sometimes worried that we would run out of things to talk about, but we were able to “survive” on an island together while keeping a smile on our faces, then learn more meaningful things about one another.” “I really appreciated Kacie opening up the way she did. It takes guts to tell someone the things you’re not proud of, and I respect her even more for turning it into a positive.” On Courtney : “Group dates have always been difficult for me, but they’ve gotten harder as time goes on and as feelings have developed. It’s not easy balancing relationships while trying to make everyone feel special.” That’s why I was drawn to [ Courtney Robertson ] during the daytime portion of the group date – she made it a point to spend time with me. I always knew how she felt and she made sure to let me know that she was thinking of me.” “I will admit though, I wasn’t pleased when she got in the pool during my time with Jamie. I know she was just trying to let me know that she’s interested, but Jamie has a tough time opening up and having Courtney there wasn’t helping.” On Blakeley : “I actually had a great time that afternoon and it wasn’t until the dinner when things got really hard. Blakeley had been an open book since day one and I experienced more growth with her than I did with almost any of the women.” “She never ceased to amaze me with her openness. I knew I had to decide whether or not I saw her as my wife. I could’ve easily dated Blakeley for another few weeks but I knew in my heart it wasn’t forever so I decided to let her go. ” On Casey S. : “Watching it now I realize I could’ve been more sympathetic to her. She was clearly involved with a guy that wasn’t appreciating her but all I could hear was that she was still in love with someone else.” “I had just sent Blakeley home, and I kept thinking, ‘How could you let yourself be here still if you’re not that into me?’ I can’t change the way I reacted but I do hope Casey S. finds a man that appreciates her like she deserves.” On Jaime’s kissing lesson : “Having Jamie walk me through one was sexy in theory, but it was so awkward in the moment! I wanted to make her feel comfortable and I know she was really working hard to put herself out there.” “Still, I felt like I was taking advantage of her in some way. I knew there wasn’t enough time left to get to a place with Jamie that we needed to so I had to let her go.” “She is one of the sweetest, most sincere women I’ve met and I hope she finds a man that is ready to go from 0 to 60 with her.”
Ladies and gentlemen, we present… Cofron ? Onlookers spotted Zac Efron and Lily Collins dining together at Los Angeles eatery STK on Saturday, with one witness telling People they arrived together ” holding hands .” On the scene for a birthday party in honor of one of Zac’s friends, Efron and Collins “had a drink at the bar together and then joined the birthday crew on the patio,” the insider adds, while sources say the actor then continued his evening at Lexington Social House. Efron most famously dated Vanessa Hudgens for many years, while Collins was linked to Abduction co-star Taylor Lautner throughout most of 2011. She’ll next be seen opposite Julia Roberts in Mirror Mirror . [Photos: WENN.com]
You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to spot the excitement in the following story: Robert Downey Jr. is a new father! The actor’s wife, Susan, gave birth to Exton Elias Downey at 7:24 a.m. today in Los Angeles, with the star’s rep confirming to People : “Everyone is healthy and they couldn’t be happier.”
Rathbone tells Us Weekly he is ‘thrilled and excited’ to have a child with girlfriend Sheila Hafsadi. By Kara Warner Jackson Rathbone Photo: Mark Sullivan/ WireImage/ Getty Images “Twilight” star Jackson Rathbone has been a very busy man over the last few years, juggling his rising career as an actor, as well as working to establish himself as a musician with his band 100 Monkeys. It turns out that the 27-year-old is going to be even busier in the coming months when he and burlesque dancer girlfriend Sheila Hafsadi welcome a child into the world. That’s right, Jackson Rathbone is going to be a dad. According to Us Weekly , the couple will become first-time parents later this year. Rathbone’s rep told the magazine that he and Hafsadi are “thrilled and excited to be expecting their first child.” Rathbone and Hafsadi, 24, who is said to be five months pregnant, reportedly met at one of his band’s performances and have already been busy preparing for the baby. A source told the magazine that the actor/musician recently traded in not one, but two of his vehicles for a hybrid SUV in order to have more room for a growing family. In addition to the anticipation and excitement that surrounds the arrival of a new baby, Rathbone will have a jam-packed 2012 with the release of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” in November, along with the potential release of several diverse film projects: “Cowgirls ‘N Angels,” “Zombie Hamlet,” the dramedy musical “DaZe: Vol. Too – NonSeNse” and “Live At The Foxes Den.” Speaking of what fans still have to look forward to from his character Jasper Cullen in “Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” Rathbone told MTV News there is a particularly poignant moment in the final film that he can’t wait to see on the big screen. “There’s a very fulfilling moment for myself as an actor and as a fan of the books and of the film series that you get to see, in the end, really how much these characters love one another and how much they function as a family,” Rathbone said of the franchise’s final film. “Even though they are kind of an odd family of vampires. Vegetarian vampires, at that. They’re an odd bunch.” Send your well-wishes for Rathbone in the comments below! Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Breaking Dawn – Part 1’
Found-footage film earns $22 million, beating out Daniel Radcliffe’s ‘Woman in Black.’ By Ryan J. Downey Dane DeHaan in “Chronicle” Photo: Alan Markfield/ 20th Century Fox The Super Bowl couldn’t stop another found-footage flick from topping the box office. Box-office receipts were up more than 30 percent from last year’s Super Bowl weekend as “Chronicle” took the #1 spot with Daniel Radcliffe’s first post-“Potter” flick, “The Woman in Black,” close behind at #2. “Chronicle” took in $22 million while “Woman in Black” earned $21 million, according to studio estimates. The feel-good Alaskan whale story “Big Miracle,” starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski (“The Office”), debuted at #4 with $8.5 million. Meanwhile, Super Bowl halftime performer Madonna saw her “W.E.” open with a ho-hum $45,000 in four theaters. Despite the film’s director earning a Golden Globe for her song from the movie, “W.E.” has suffered from mostly negative reviews. While it didn’t open as strongly as the “Paranormal Activity” movies, “Cloverfield” or last month’s found-footage flick, “The Devil Inside,” teen superhero-centered “Chronicle” enjoyed the fourth highest Super Bowl debut ever and took the #1 spot internationally. Considering the movie’s estimated production budget of $12 million, the found-footage phenomenon will undoubtedly continue. The modest success of “The Woman in Black” was good news for Radcliffe, who had yet to top-line a movie in a role as anyone other than “Harry Potter.” Its numbers were comparable with the 2006 remake of “When a Stranger Calls,” which was also a horror flick directed at teens that opened on Super Bowl weekend. Both Radcliffe’s ghost story and “Chronicle” earned mostly positive reviews. Last weekend’s #1 movie, “The Grey,” dropped to #3 with $9.5 million. The Liam Neeson vehicle, which, like “Big Miracle,” takes places in Alaska, has made $34.7 million thus far. “Underworld: Awakening” rounded out the top five with $5.6 million for a $53.4 million total. Awards season favorite “The Artist” and “The Iron Lady” (which has earned Meryl Streep another Oscar nomination) both passed the $20 million mark over the weekend. Each movie is playing at roughly 1,000 locations; “Chronicle,” by comparison, opened in 2,907. This weekend’s new releases include “The Vow,” which sees Rachel McAdams returning to source material from “The Notebook” author Nicholas Sparks, opposite Channing Tatum; Denzel Washington’s “Safe House”; “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which is already doing solid business overseas; and the 3-D re-release of “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” which is the first in a series of planned “Star Wars” 3-D re-releases over the next few years. Woody Harrelson’s corrupt cop drama “Rampart,” which reunites the actor with “The Messenger” writer/ director Oren Moverman, will open in limited release. Check out everything we’ve got on “Chronicle.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Talk Nerdy MTV Rough Cut: Daniel Radcliffe
