Olivia Culpo may have earned the title of Miss USA last night – and will go on to represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant later this year – but Internet users are the true winners here. That’s because the bikini-clad women who took to the stage this weekend are the latest to participate in a “Call Me Maybe” lip dub, moving and shaking and pretending to sing to Carly Rae Jepsen’s catchy hit. And, yes, Donald Trump even gets into the act around the 40-second mark. Watch now: Miss USA Contestants Lip Sync to “Call Me Maybe” Last week, a video was released that summed up a number of similar lip dubs, from those featuring Katy Perry to James Franco to the Harvard baseball team. Check out their ” Call Me Maybe ” versions now!
Actor plays title role in Sam Raimi’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ prequel, which also stars Mila Kunis, Zach Braff. By Fallon Prinzivalli, with reporting by Josh Horowitz James Franco Photo: Neilson Barnard/ Getty Images At this point, we’re pretty sure there’s nothing that James Franco can’t do. He’s an Academy Award-nominated actor. He’s the author of a collection of short stories called “Palo Alto.” He directs, produces and writes his own films. He’s cast in project after project, including Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers” and the new Nick at Nite series “Hollywood Heights.” He’s even directing a documentary based on the world of pornography, all the while attending school in some fashion, as either a student or a teacher. We can hardly keep up! One of the most anticipated projects on his plate is the Disney film “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” in which Franco plays the title role alongside Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Zach Braff. When MTV News caught up with the ever-talented actor, he told us that he enjoys being attached to a multitude of ventures, especially something as legendary as “Oz.” “I do like to do a lot of different things, and I think there is something really nice about being part of a bunch of institutions by being in this film,” he explained. “Disney is a place that’s been a big part of my life, and a lot of people’s lives, since I was a kid. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ has also been a huge part of my life. The [L. Frank] Baum books were some of the first books I read on my own, so I like being attached to something as iconic as this.” The film, directed by Sam Raimi , is a prequel to “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” that explains how the wizard came to power in the land. And while the cast is tight-lipped about their roles in the movie, Mila Kunis offered up a tiny explanation about her character, Theodora, to MTV News’ Josh Horowitz. “She’s a good person who gets her heart broken,” the actress explained. “What happens to young ladies when their heart gets broken?” “They turn into horrible, evil witches,” Horowitz answered. With a smile, Kunis replied, “You said it, not me.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
The troubling disappearance of Nick Stahl into the missing-persons netherworld has a happy-ish ending: After contacting friends with news of his condition (read: alive), the actor checked himself into a rehab facility Saturday. His wife took her relief to Twitter , naturally: “Healing! Love for all. I am in recovery. But in no way do I or even should I represent recovery. I’m far to [sic] fallible. But again, I do hope that there is a silver lining to this event and I have been truly inspired to keep on keepin on. I have no more comments.” Anyway! This happened. [ E! ]
Also in Monday morning’s mostly Cannes news briefs: Samuel Goldwyn picks up Un Certain Regard debut for U.S., James Franco’s collaborator heads to premiere documentary festival, Thomas Vinterberg resurfaces in Cannes with his latest, and for those lamenting a “No-Cannes-Do” this year, the weather has been pretty abysmal. Sean Penn’s Haiti Charity Raises $2M in Cannes The weekend’s “Haiti: Carnival in Cannes” event raised over $2 million for Sean Penn’s J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO), Paul Haggis’ Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) and Petra Nemcova’s Happy Heart’s Fund (HHF). Guests included Gerard Butler, Diane Kruger, Jessica Chastain, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Ewan McGregor, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tom Hardy, Robert De Niro, Sean Combs, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez, Harvey Weinstein, Lyle Lovett (who performed 3 songs) and more. Items up for auction included a meet and greet with Bono and lunch with a Victoria’s Secret “angel.” Jim Sturgess and Susan Sarandon Tapped for The Big Shoe The Big Shoe is described as “a sexy comedic drama” directed by Steven Shainberg ( Secretary ), from a script by Shainberg and Mickey Birnbaum. The film will star Sturgess and Sarandon, who can next be seen together in Cloud Atlas . AngelWorld Entertainment (AWE), which on Saturday in Cannes announced the launch of its $150m equity fund, will finance and produce. Samuel Goldwyn Films Confirms Renoir Pick Up Directed by Gilles Bourdos, the film will have its world premiere as the closing night film of the Cannes Un Certain Regard this Friday, May 25. Based on a true story, Renoir is a love story about the famed painter, his son Jean (the famed director) and their muse. The film will be released in the U.S. in spring 2013. Content Gets Complicit The film, which will debut on Britain’s Channel 4 followed by a worldwide theatrical release, explores the moral compromises and dilemmas that underpin the war on terror, as an (British secret services) MI5 agent becomes embroiled in the torture of a suspected terrorist in order to prevent a major attack in the UK. James Franco Collaborator Douglas Gordon Set for Denmark Fest Award-winning contemporary film and video artist Douglas Gordon, who most recently featured work in James Franco’s Rebel exhibition at MOCA’s new L.A based venue, will be curating a special film series at the doc festival CPH:DOX from November 1-11 in Copenhagen. Around the ‘net… A Very Wet Scene in Cannes Thrashing wind and rain have been streaming steadily all day today after an on-and-off couple of days that haven’t been much better. And if forecasts are to be believed, there’s no sign the deluge will end before Thursday, Deadline reports . Cannes Welcomes Back Thomas Vinterberg After 14 years, Cannes has welcomed back its lost son with Jagten ( The Hunt ), which explores the territory of child sexual abuse and with its story of an innocent man almost destroyed when he is falsely accused by a small child. The Guardian reports . Palme d’Or Likely to Go to a ‘Bookworm’ It is a bookworm’s Cannes, with directors as likely to have had their noses buried in novels as dreaming up original ideas. All eyes are on Walter Salles’s adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s modern classic On the Road , which premieres Wednesday. Meanwhile, David Cronenberg’s version of Cosmopolis , based on Don DeLillo’s 2003 novel, is also one of the festival’s eagerly anticipated films, The Guardian reports .
With model-turned-actress in two movies opening the same day, we look back at (and forward to) other stars’ box-office twofers. By Amy Wilkinson Brooklyn Decker in “Battleship” Photo: Universal Pictures If you have a thing for busty blondes, we suggest you pencil a double feature into your weekend plans, seeing as model-turned-actress Brooklyn Decker stars in not one, but two movies opening Friday: the blow-’em-up action flick ” Battleship ” and the pregnancy rom-com ” What to Expect When You’re Expecting .” In the Decker vs. Decker showdown, box-office analysts seem to agree that “Battleship” will sink “What to Expect,” though it’s unlikely either will unseat reigning superheroes of the cinema, “The Avengers,” who are eyeing their third first-place weekend. Nonetheless, having two films open on a single day is a neat distinction for the 25-year-old actress, though one that’s not as rare as you might think. Here are a cluster of stars who have pulled theatrical double-duty (or are set to): James Franco Nowadays, you can’t shake a stick at pop culture without James Franco fetching it, but back in the early aughts — following the cancellation of the beloved “Freaks and Geeks” — Franco wasn’t nearly so ubiquitous. Yet he still managed to star in two films opening May 3, 2002: “Spider-Man” and “Deuces Wild.” We probably don’t need to tell you which one snagged all the dollars at the box office that weekend. Christian Kane Big-name stars aren’t the only ones holding a pair. You may recognize Christian Kane from the TNT heist series “Leverage,” or you may know him from a duo of 2004 film roles. On October 8 of that year, he appeared in the film version of “Friday Night Lights” and the Queen Latifah/ Jimmy Fallon comedy “Taxi.” Dakota Fanning No one saw Dakota Fanning in two films opening February 6, 2009, technically speaking, but that’s only because one was animated. The pint-size actress flexed her supernatural skills in the action flick “Push,” while letting her vocals do all the work as the titular heroine of “Coraline.” David Koechner Another actor dabbling in both animation and live-action on a single release date is David Koechner. The “Anchorman” actor hit the pit crew in Will Ferrell’s “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and channeled his inner-animal as the voice of a coyote in the animated “Barnyard,” all on August 4, 2006. Samuel L. Jackson The most recent two-for-one special comes courtesy of the prolific Samuel L. Jackson, whose “Avengers” continues to hammer the competition. But did you know his crime drama “Meeting Evil” (based on the novel by Thomas Berger) also opened May 4? Yeah, we didn’t think so. Channing Tatum Maybe it’s a sign of the apocalypse (or, at the very least, a trend) that four actors had or will have two movies opening on the same day in 2012. Like Decker, Tatum is hitting nearly every demographic with his titillating twofer. On June 29, the 32-year-old will suit up as Duke for “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” and strip down as an exotic dancer for “Magic Mike.” Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo DiCaprio’s Christmas present to America this year is himself. Twice over. The actor stars in two films opening December 25: “The Great Gatsby” and “Django Unchained.” Which one will egg-nog-fueled audiences choose to unwrap? Only Santa knows for sure. Check out everything we’ve got on “Battleship” and “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Battleship’ MTV First: Battleship Related Photos ‘Battleship’
Some folks out there may have enjoyed Billy Crystal ‘s ninth outing as host of the Academy Awards last night, but his turn was as tepid as James Franco’s 2011 “performance” was bizarre. Crystal’s Oscars -themed song and dance routine? Dated. The weak banter and soft barbs at Hollywood’s gathered illuminati? Snoozeville. Given that the previously and frequently great Crystal was upstaged by the night’s random moments ( Angelina Jolie’s leg, J. Lo’s boob, those Cirque du Soleil acrobats ) and young, actually funny presenters (the Bridesmaids crew and Emma Stone) it’s time to start anew and refresh what’s already known as the fussiest night in the film calendar. In other words: Who would make the ultimate, charismatic, hilarious, non-sucky Oscar host? Let’s start by taking anyone who already hosted the Oscars off the board, for freshness’ sake; that includes 2005 host Chris Rock , who provided last night’s telecast with a much-needed jolt of real talk hilarity as he presented Best Animated Feature. Or, say, Ellen Degeneres , Emmy-nominated for her 2006 turn, who was nonetheless all over the tube Oscar night in those movie-themed JC Penney ads. The tradition of hiring comedians to host is a longstanding one that paid off in spades in the days of Bob Hope (who hosted a record 18 shows). But these days even the most daring, subversive stand-ups (read: the funny ones) run up against the stifling sense of decorum perpetuated by the older-skewing Academy; it seems you either get an “edgier” host who dares to push the envelope and draw in the coveted younger demographic — Bieber alone can’t cut it, even if the ill-advised blackface gets press — or you hire a safe host who won’t go too far and bore everyone to death. In fairness to Crystal, he was saddled with an awfully boring script. The few sparks of life only came in the odd ad-lib or when he roasted celebs in the audience, but even that devolved into easy mean jokes. (Leave Nick Nolte alone!) Another past Oscar trend was to cast a slew of famous actors to host the night — charismatic personalities who split hosting duties and draw in diverse viewers. In 1974 it was the eclectic mix of John Huston, Burt Reynolds, David Niven, Diana Ross; a year later the Academy tapped Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Shirley MacLaine. Why not get the modern day equivalent of an A-lister superteam to host? I’m not talking Anne Hathaway and James Franco, but George Clooney ! Robert Downey Jr.! Sandra Bullock! Cute little Emma Stone, for goodness sake! Then again, maybe there are celebrities out there who could reinvigorate the Oscars solo: Oprah, for one? The talk show titan was batted around last year as a potential Oscar host before then-telecast co-producer Brett Ratner hired Eddie Murphy (who would also probably be great, if he were to come back). I’d watch an entire telecast hosted by Zach Galifianakis, even if it was a three-hour parade of weirdness on par with his and Will Ferrell’s crash cymbals gag. If the Academy’s older membership and demographic knew who the hell he was, Louis C.K. would be fantastically entertaining. And then there’s Sacha Baron Cohen… I’ll turn it over to you, Movieliners — who would make the perfect audience-grabbing, attention-holding non-snoozeworthy Oscar host… and would the Academy ever bite?
From Bob Hope to Chris Rock, MTV News looks back on the most memorable Academy Awards emcees. By Kevin P. Sullivan Anne Hathaway and James Franco at the 2011 Academy Awards Photo: Getty Images Every year, almost as important as the Best Picture winner is the host of the Academy Awards . Both grab headlines the next day, and both are sure to endure their fair share of criticism. With almost every host having to face the black-and-white judgments of “good host or bad host,” who ranks among the best and the worst? Here’s our take on the Oscar hosts worth awarding and the one’s that should have been snubbed. Best Billy Crystal If someone hosts the show nine times, there’s probably a good reason. Crystal carved out a niche for himself as the host of the big show starting in 1990 by keeping it light and throwing in a good song-and-dance routine for good measure. Johnny Carson The king of late night hosted the Academy Awards five times, the third most of any host. His overwhelming popularity from “The Tonight Show” carried over into his stints as host and made him one of the most consistently successful hosts. His familiarity with celebrities and experience with off-the-cuff comedy led to one of the Oscar’s most memorable lines: “I see a lot of news faces, especially on the old faces.” Bob Hope If repeat jobs as host are a measure of success, Bob Hope takes the top prize after hosting the ceremony a record 19 times. Famously calling attention to his lack of nominations, Hope’s self-deprecating humor made him an Oscar legend and a rightful spot as the show’s most frequent host. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin As the first paired hosts since Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan in 1987, Martin and Baldwin played off each other well enough to earn them the title of “best in recent years.” Though Martin had solo hosting duties in 2001 and 2003, it wasn’t until he joined forces with Baldwin that he earned his highest praise. Jon Stewart The host of “The Daily Show” faced a good deal of criticism after his first stint as host in 2006. He didn’t shy away from controversy, calling out the liberal politics of Hollywood and Scientology, but a positive audience response brought Stewart back for a second go two years later. Worst David Letterman The late-night host’s name often leads the pack when recalling the worst hosts in the history of the Oscars. His “Oprah, Uma” gag and the negative reaction it got precedes most talk of how Letterman actually did. Letterman never returned to host after his one appearance in 1995. Anne Hathaway and James Franco The most notorious hosts in recent years, Hathaway and Franco were supposed to welcome a younger audience and make the Oscars cool again. What resulted was an odd and scattered show that was neither very funny nor cool. Many complained the Franco had phoned it in, while others found Hathaway cloying. Chris Rock Rock’s greatest offense as host of the Academy Awards may have just been doing his normal routine, but the audience (and Sean Penn, in particular) didn’t take too kindly to the comedian poking fun at some of the faces in the crowd. Chevy Chase Chase hosted the show a total a two times, but only once by himself. The year after his solo gig, no one hosted, which is all you need to know about that. Jerry Lewis It may be hard to believe with today’s bloated ceremony, but in 1959, the ceremony wrapped up 20 minutes before it was scheduled to. To kill the leftover time, Lewis vamped on stage and forced some of the night’s winners to continue singing and dancing on stage. NBC eventually ended the show early, but the dead, ad-libbed airtime remains an infamous part of the Oscar legacy. Who else should make the lists of best and worst Oscar hosts? Leave your comment below! The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and on Sunday, February 26, tune into MTV.com at 5 p.m. ET for our two-and-a-half-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night’s big winners. To join the live conversation, tweet @MTVNews with the hashtag #Oscars. Related Videos Oscars 2012: And The Nominees Are…
Lorelei Lee’s g ot the porn world all tied up, and now she’s out to make Hollywood her bitch! Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyway, Lorelei (left, presumably reading her story notes) is one of the most popular BDSM models on the ‘net, and after receiving a Master’s in Creative Writing from NYU, she’s branching out with Cherry , a new movie based on her original screenplay. And she’s been quite successful so far, netting big-name stars like Heather Graham and James Franco to star in the film, which premieres this weekend at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival . Cherry stars nudecomer Ashley Hinsaw as Angelina, a vulnerable young woman who escapes her abusive parents and finds personal and sexual empowerment in the world of porn. Guiding Angelina on her road to flesh-flick fulfillment are her sleazy lawyer beau (Franco), a lipstick-lesbian XXX director (Graham), and her sexually repressed best friend ( Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire fame). Cherry has received mixed reviews from critics, but The Hollywood Reporter cites ” fierce lesbian breakup sex ” between Heather and her girlfriend and “enough skin to net a Cinemax sale” from Ashley…and that’s enough Cherry to make Mr. Skin pop! See more from Lorelei Lee and Heather Graham right here at MrSkin.com
Lorelei Lee’s g ot the porn world all tied up, and now she’s out to make Hollywood her bitch! Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyway, Lorelei (left, presumably reading her story notes) is one of the most popular BDSM models on the ‘net, and after receiving a Master’s in Creative Writing from NYU, she’s branching out with Cherry , a new movie based on her original screenplay. And she’s been quite successful so far, netting big-name stars like Heather Graham and James Franco to star in the film, which premieres this weekend at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival . Cherry stars nudecomer Ashley Hinsaw as Angelina, a vulnerable young woman who escapes her abusive parents and finds personal and sexual empowerment in the world of porn. Guiding Angelina on her road to flesh-flick fulfillment are her sleazy lawyer beau (Franco), a lipstick-lesbian XXX director (Graham), and her sexually repressed best friend ( Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire fame). Cherry has received mixed reviews from critics, but The Hollywood Reporter cites ” fierce lesbian breakup sex ” between Heather and her girlfriend and “enough skin to net a Cinemax sale” from Ashley…and that’s enough Cherry to make Mr. Skin pop! See more from Lorelei Lee and Heather Graham right here at MrSkin.com
It’s no secret that Matt Bomer is gay. The White Collar star has been with partner Simon Halls for years and the couple even has three sons together. But it was still noteworthy Saturday night when the actor took to the stage at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards to accept the New Generation Arts and Activism Award for his work in the fight against HIV/AIDS and publicly thanked acknowledged Halls for the first time, saying: “I’d really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry. Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment.” Matt Bomer Thanks Boyfriend, Sons
