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TMZ Live: Oksana, Willie Nelson, and Leslie Nielsen

Filed under: Oksana Grigorieva , Mel Gibson , Faith Evans , Leslie Nielsen , TMZ Live , Willie Nelson , James Franco , Anne Hathaway We took your questions on everything today — including Oksana Grigorieva ‘s emails to Mel Gibson , Willie Nelson busted for weed, and Leslie Nielsen ‘s death. Plus: James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosting the Oscars! Read more

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TMZ Live: Oksana, Willie Nelson, and Leslie Nielsen

VIDEO: Kurt Russell, Sarah Silverman and Dozens More Sing ‘We Are the World’ for Funny or Die

Considering we’re only about four weeks away from Christmas — insert prerequisite “where did the year go?!” quip here — it’s about that time for celebrities to remember the less fortunate among us. With that in mind, here’s Comedy Death-Ray and Funny or Die presenting “We Are the World 25.75,” an almost anniversary celebration of the Quincy Jones supersong in support of the LA Regional Foodbank. Before you get too excited though, heed the words of Kurt Russell: “I want to stress that these are not good singers. This does not sound good at all.”

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VIDEO: Kurt Russell, Sarah Silverman and Dozens More Sing ‘We Are the World’ for Funny or Die

Why Irvin Kershner Mattered

Irvin Kershner has died at the age of 87. He leaves behind some recognizable films ( The Flim Flam Man with George C. Scott; Eyes of Laura Mars with Faye Dunaway) and several sequels of various prominence ( The Return of a Man Called Horse , Robocop II and the renegade James Bond film Never Say Never Again ), never afraid to explore and extend the story of someone else’s work. So, really, it’s not a huge surprise in hindsight that he accepted the challenge of The Empire Strikes Back , the 1980 effort continuing the story that George Lucas started three years earlier with Star Wars . But could anybody have expected Kershner to knock this particular sequel out of the f*cking park?

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Why Irvin Kershner Mattered

20 Rejected Combinations that Were Considered to Host the Oscars in 2011

By now you’ve had a few hours to digest the news that James Franco and Anne Hathaway will host the Academy Awards next year , something that is likely a dream come true for Twentieth Century Fox (perhaps Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis can do an interpretive dance to commemorate the ten Best Picture nominees, too!). But who else was considered? Ahead, Movieline imagines 20 rejected Oscar-host pairings based on the selection of Franco and Hathaway.

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20 Rejected Combinations that Were Considered to Host the Oscars in 2011

James Franco, Anne Hathaway May Host The Oscars

Actors reportedly have been asked to host and it ‘looks like’ both have accepted. By Eric Ditzian James Franco and Anne Hathaway Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ Jim Spellman/ FilmMagic/ WireImage In an unexpected Oscar turn two years ago, Anne Hathaway joined host Hugh Jackman onstage for a parody of “Frost/Nixon.” And James Franco ‘s entire career, from starring in “General Hospital” to appearing as a pillow-humping version of himself in “30 Rock,” can be filed under the category of “What will that dude do next?” Well, as unexpected as it may be, next up for both Franco and Hathaway might be jobs co-hosting the 83rd Annual Academy Awards next year. Deadline Hollywood reports that the actors have been offered the gig and it “looks like” both have accepted. MTV News’ requests for comment from the Academy and Franco and Hathaway’s reps were not returned as of press time. Whether or not Franco hosts the show, he figures to play a prominent part in the ceremony. The 32-year-old is considered a lock for a best-actor nomination for his turn as a trapped hiker in “127 Hours,” the Danny Boyle-directed drama that’s also expected to nab a Best Picture nod. Hathaway, 28, meanwhile, remains a long-shot in the best-actress category for “Love & Other Drugs,” a film that received mixed reviews and reeled in just $14 million over the extended Thanksgiving holiday. Hiring Franco and Hathaway as hosts would certainly mark a strategic turn by the Academy, which has long been accused of being out-of-touch with the young pop-culture mainstream. A quick scan of the last two decades of Oscar history shows that not one host has even been as young as in his or her 30s when emceeing the show. Most recently, 64-year-old Steve Martin and 51-year-old Alec Baldwin assumed hosting duties, notching the show’s best ratings in five years.

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James Franco, Anne Hathaway May Host The Oscars

James Franco — Mass Rejection at ‘Actors Studio’

Filed under: James Franco James Franco just made history on ” Inside the Actors Studio ” — sources at the show tell TMZ tickets to see J.F. were in such high demand, the staff literally rejected a record number of people. We’re told hundreds of “industry professionals” tried to… Read more

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James Franco — Mass Rejection at ‘Actors Studio’

James Franco Is ‘Fascinated’ By ‘Twilight’

‘The go-to guys, Taylor and Rob, are in the tent [and] it’s almost like a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ scene,’ he tells MTV News of ‘Eclipse.’ By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz James Franco Photo: MTV News James Franco is becoming not only an actor-of-all-trades, what with his stints in dramas, comedies and soap operas, but also a bit of a Renaissance man, having gone back to school for a master’s degree, filming a documentary, etc. So it should come as no surprise that he has some very insightful thoughts on the phenomenon that is “Twilight.” When we caught up with Franco at the Toronto International Film Festival recently, where he was alongside director Danny Boyle promoting their buzzy “127 Hours,” we asked him his thoughts on the series. “I haven’t read the last one! I kind of know what happens … some very strange birth, right?” he asked rhetorically about Stephenie Meyer’s fourth book in the series, “Breaking Dawn.” “I read a part of it. I think I got to the sex scene, but it was so brief, I didn’t even know if it was the actual sex scene,” he admitted. “It was kind of a letdown after all that buildup.” But did he enjoy the three novels he has read? “I wouldn’t say I enjoy them, but I’m fascinated with them. I’m interested in the metaphor of the vampire placed in the high school setting and how a relationship with a vampire can stand in for general feelings that people have as teenagers,” he said. “And the obsession people have with that is also fascinating to me.” Franco also revealed that he has seen the three “Twilight” movies, enough to call out series superstars Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner by first names and cite the infamous “tent scene” in the process. “The movies are interesting also because they’ve really become part of the whole ‘Twilight’ phenomenon, and it’s really hard to extricate those actors from the reading experience or just the phenomenon of ‘Twilight’ now. They’ve become a part of it to the point that the movies are almost commenting on themselves,” Franco said. “There will be a scene where the go-to guys, Taylor and Rob, are in the tent, it’s almost like a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ scene, where the two guys are talking in a tent and the girl is asleep, and they’re having, like, this romantic moment almost through her, in a way. One of them says, ‘Well, I’m hotter than you,’ and it’s almost like they’re winking at the fans, like to the Team Jacob or the Team Edwards.” Perhaps we should enlist Mr. Franco for further “Twilight” analysis … What do you think of Franco’s “Twilight” enthusiasm? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .

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James Franco Is ‘Fascinated’ By ‘Twilight’

‘Fright Night’ Remake Has ‘Changed A Lot,’ Dave Franco Says

‘That movie would not work today,’ actor tells MTV News of 1985 original. By Kara Warner Dave Franco Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic Aside from casting announcements and filming locations, the buzz surrounding the “Fright Night” remake has been relatively quiet of late. Not that the stellar lineup isn’t excitement enough, which includes Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, Toni Collette and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. MTV News recently caught up with newly announced castmember Dave Franco (“Scrubs”) to get insider info on his character, as well as his take on the remake of Tom Holland’s 1985 campy horror classic. “I play the a–hole,” Franco said of his character. “It’s fun, but I just keep getting cast as the a–hole, which I don’t know how to take. … I promise, I’m a really nice guy,” he insisted, adding that his character is basically the school bully. “He has no redeeming qualities, so you’re just going to hate me throughout this whole thing and be praying for my death.” Subtle foreshadowing perhaps, Dave? Regarding the new version of the ’85 slasher, Franco said director Craig Gillespie has put his own spin on it. “The original is very campy, very ’80s in an awesome way. … It’s a cult classic. That movie would not work today,” Franco said. “It’s obviously the same concept, but a lot has changed to make everything make sense now. For example, my character wasn’t even in the original, so they’ve changed a lot and added a lot of school elements, just let it build a little more.” Franco went on to say that the one element that will remain unchanged is the gore factor. “I’ve seen some footage of the bloodier scenes, and I personally am a huge horror fan. What I like about this movie is that they’re really going for it,” he said of the film’s hard-R rating. “It is disgusting, but not in, like, a ‘Saw’-type way, where it’s overly horror-porn that’s almost unnecessary. This one, they’re definitely going for it. It’s a hard R.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Fright Night.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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‘Fright Night’ Remake Has ‘Changed A Lot,’ Dave Franco Says

Daniel Radcliffe Talks ‘Harry Potter,’ Gay Rights In Out

Actor says he’s been ‘running around chasing girls’ but speaks out against homophobia. By Eric Ditzian Daniel Radcliffe on the cover of Out Photo: Here Media Inc. Earlier this year, MTV News witnessed firsthand Daniel Radcliffe’s commitment to gay rights, when we hung out while the “Harry Potter” star taped a public service announcement for the Trevor Project, an LGBT support group. That dedication to working for the issue was not a one-time thing, as Radcliffe makes clear in a cover story in the new issue Out magazine. The 21-year-old was interviewed by transgendered musician Our Lady J. — an artist whose friendship with the actor raised eyebrows in the tabloids last year — and their talk ranged from gay rights to Broadway to movies to Radcliffe’s dating life. “I was in a relationship with somebody for just about three years, and we broke up just shortly before we hit that mark,” he said. “But [the breakup] was very amicable. At the moment, I’m just being single and running around chasing girls. I’m not getting too many responses, but, yes, I’m having a go.” When it comes to other people’s love lives, Radcliffe is hoping the rest of the world soon adopts a more inclusive philosophy. He realizes, though, that acceptance of differing sexualities is going to take time. “I think that with every generation, people become more open to those ideas and more aware and more educated,” he said. “But it’s a really, really slow process. If you take any family with parents who are bringing their kids up in a narrow-minded way that includes homophobia, it will take a very profound moment of realization to change those deep-seated views.” Out conducted the interview shortly after the final “Harry Potter” film wrapped production, and Radcliffe confessed that he kept a few souvenirs from the set. “I’ve got two pairs [of glasses] from the seventh film and the pair I wore in the very, very first movie — which are really tiny on my head now!” he said. As he leaves Hogwarts behind, the actor is gearing up to head to New York, where he’ll perform on Broadway in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” “I love the city as a whole, absolutely, but I love Broadway,” he said. “[T]he community is amazing, and if you get involved with all those events, and you show how much you love and appreciate being there, you really get nothing but generosity and kindness back.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .

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Daniel Radcliffe Talks ‘Harry Potter,’ Gay Rights In Out

Is James Franco Joining The ‘Twilight’ Cast?

Actor shows up for Esquire interview holding Stephenie Meyer book, saying, ‘It’s for a project.’ By Eric Ditzian James Franco Photo: Getty Images What’s fun about James Franco is that you never know what to expect from him. He might pop up in some self-deprecating Funny or Die videos, or play a pillow-obsessed weirdo on “30 Rock,” or appear as a serial killer on “General Hospital.” Heck, the guy is starring in the latest reworking of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise . He keeps you guessing. So what are we to make of this new Esquire interview, in which Franco hints he’s getting involved with “Twilight”? When the interviewer first meets the 32-year-old actor, he’s cradling a paperback that he reluctantly admits is the first volume in Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, saying, “It’s for a project.” Does that mean he could be joining the cast of “Breaking Dawn,” which is set to begin filming in the fall? Or is this mysterious project just about vampires or teenage drama? A rep for Franco did not return MTV News’ request for comment by press time. All we can say for certain, at this point, is that Franco is a fan of the book. “It’s crazy how much sexual tension there is,” he said. “It just builds and builds. I mean it never stops. It’s sort of explosive by the end. Crazy. Like they’ll blow up with it. And of course, they don’t. Which is the point too, I guess.” Franco did say that the project was “way, way off” and only “something I’m thinking about,” so Twi-hards should proceed with their Franco dreams with caution. Whether or not he joins the “Twilight” cast, it’s funny to note that his brother, Dave, actually auditioned for the role of Edward Cullen. And he’s not sorry he lost out on the part to Robert Pattinson. “I don’t want that kind of fame,” the younger Franco said. “Hell no. I don’t like the idea of losing my anonymity and not having a personal life.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .

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Is James Franco Joining The ‘Twilight’ Cast?