‘I’ve professed my love for her pretty much,’ Banks tells MTV News of Suzanne Collins. By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Capitol Couture Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth — all names you’ll want to stand up and applaud for when the credits roll on “The Hunger Games,” no doubt. But if there’s one person you’ll really want to tip your hat to, it’s Suzanne Collins. Like J.K. Rowling with the “Harry Potter” series and Stephenie Meyer of “Twilight” fame, Collins is the novelist who dreamed Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne into existence. Without her, you wouldn’t have a tribute to fight for. Without her, you wouldn’t be on the cusp of what’s sure to be 2012’s biggest blockbuster so far. Certainly, actress Elizabeth Banks identifies Collins as the great hero of the “Hunger Games” franchise. In fact, “hero” isn’t a strong enough description — to Banks, Collins is a full-fledged rock star. “To me, the biggest star here is Suzanne Collins,” the actress and hard-core “Hunger Games” fan told MTV News about her feelings on the novel’s author. “She created this entire world, all of this pandemonium, all these characters. She birthed this whole situation. She couldn’t be a nicer lady. She’s the loveliest lady, and I’m a total geek around her. To me, she’s a total rock star.” Just as many fans would kill for the chance to spend time with the “Hunger Games” cast, so too did Banks swoon over getting one-on-one time in with Collins. “I’ve professed my love for her pretty much,” Banks laughed. “The books are done, and they’re the books, so she doesn’t need me to dissect them with her, but I’m very happy that she’s happy with the film. So to me, it was always about, ‘Let’s make director Gary Ross happy with the film, let’s make Suzanne happy. Everyone else, who cares.’ ” Of course, Banks cares very much about the fans, a group she described as “unbelievable.” “The passion of everyone here is crazy. It’s very exciting,” said Banks. “I’m very excited to see this movie with an audience. I saw it in a small room with two other people, so the energy in the room is going to be ballistically bananas. I brought tissues. It’s very emotional, this movie! I cried making it; It’s very emotional for me.” If Banks is already emotional over “Hunger Games,” she’ll want to bring plenty of tissues with her for “Catching Fire,” the planned sequel to the Collins-inspired movie. Though Banks wouldn’t confirm a start date for “Catching Fire,” she did tease a fashion item that she might end up wearing in the sequel. “In the books, Effie appears at the Reaping in a green dress,” she teased. “I did not wear the green dress in the movie. But we have it. It exists. So I think we’ll break that one out in ‘Catching Fire.’ ” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Live From ‘The Hunger Games’ Red Carpet Premiere Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ World Premiere Red Carpet
Evanescence and the Black Keys also grab #1 seeds in MMM 2012. Vote for your favorites now! By James Montgomery Photo: MTV News It’s back! MTV’s third annual Musical March Madness tips off today (March 12), pitting the 64 bands that matter most against each other in a bracket-battle to the death (OK, no one actually dies, but we’re rolling here). And like in previous years, your votes determine who advances on — and who will ultimately hoist the big gold trophy when the tournament ends April 3. Can Green Day repeat as MMM champs? Will perennial powerhouses My Chemical Romance, 30 Seconds to Mars and Paramore finally make it to the top of the mountain? Or will 2012 bring us another unheralded winner, a la Coheed and Cambria in 2010 ? All of these questions — and more — will be answered in the coming weeks, as the drama and majesty that is Musical March Madness plays out before our very eyes. But enough hyperbole — let’s get to the action! Voting in all first-round matchups is now live in our interactive bracket, and runs until midnight ET Sunday. You can help your favorite band advance by downloading one of our MMM badges below (they look smashing on any social profile), or by spreading the word via Twitter, using the hashtag #MMM . Who will reign supreme? Well, it’s up to you. But let’s take a look at the 64 bands that will compete for the 2012 MMM title! The #1 Seeds The Black Keys: Riding high thanks to back-to-back breakout albums and a sold-out U.S. arena tour, the Keys nab the top seed in the always-competitive Midwest region. Will playing close to their spiritual home of Akron, Ohio, be enough to guide the dynamic duo all the way to the Final Four? They’ll have their work cut out for them, but with their bruising inside-out game and rebound-grabbing prowess (Carney’s height advantage makes him a beast on the boards), they’re poised for a deep tournament run. The Foo Fighters: They grabbed a #1 last year, based on the power and prowl of their Wasting Light album, but were upset in the second round by Disturbed. Now they’re back, with an armload of Grammys and a desire for revenge. Can the Foos run the table in the very dangerous West region? We wouldn’t bet against them, especially given the veteran leadership of floor general Dave Grohl, the man who makes it all happen. He’s like Tyshawn Taylor, only with facial hair. Mumford & Sons: Newcomers to the MMM tourney, Mumford grab the #1 seed in the erudite East region, thanks to the continued success of their Sigh No More album (2011’s best-selling rock album, btw). Sure, they might not be battle-tested, but their combination of speed and strength — and bluegrass leanings — remind us a lot of the Kentucky Wildcats, which could mean they’re bound for greatness this year. As an added bonus, a MMM championship would make for the first time the name “Country Winston Marshall” has ever been engraved on a trophy of any sort. Evanescence: They roared back from a lengthy hiatus with a chart-topping album and a worldwide tour, both of which earn them the top spot in the South region. They’ve shaken off the rust and appear primed for MMM dominance — especially since their global fanbase will be able to vote. Amy Lee is always a threat from behind the arch, but the band’s true strength might lie in man-mountain Terry Balsamo, who can take anybody to the hole. The rare band to combine power and finesse, Evanescence might very well be the team to beat in 2012. Vote for your favorite band, discuss and share on Facebook and Twitter in the MTV Musical March Madness interactive bracket! Midwest The meaty Midwest gets a bracket brimming with meat-and-potatoes rock, topped by the aforementioned Black Keys and bolstered by the likes of #6 Kid Rock, #8 Nickelback, #11 Chevelle and #14 Five Finger Death Punch. The pride of Wisconsin, Bon Iver, is in as the #2, though he faces a tough opening-round opponent in 15th-seeded Sum 41, who shocked the world with their run to the Elite 8 last year. And speaking of previous tourneys, My Chemical Romance — the only band to make the Final Four twice — are in as the #5, and based on their past successes, they might be the team to beat. Also, the Metallica/Guns N’ Roses first-round tilt is sure to be one for the ages. Here’s a look at the opening matchups: (Click the artist name to download their official MMM badge.) (1) Black Keys vs. (16) AWOLNATION (2) Bon Iver vs. (15) Sum 41 (3) Pearl Jam vs. (14) Five Finger Death Punch (4) U2 vs. (13) Modest Mouse (5) My Chemical Romance vs. (12) Death Cab For Cutie (6) Kid Rock vs. (11) Chevelle (7) Metallica vs. (10) Guns N’ Roses (8) Nickelback vs. (9) Rise Against! West For the third year running, the West is most definitely the best — bracket, that is. The Foos sit atop a positively loaded field, with established acts like last year’s champs, Green Day, #2 Red Hot Chili Peppers, #3 Blink-182 and #4 Maroon 5, and a host of hotly tipped newcomers, including #6 Foster the People, #8 Best Coast and #13 Lana Del Rey. Plus Van Halen and No Doubt. We wouldn’t discount 15th-seeded Panic! at the Disco (Elite 8 the two previous years) or tourney-tested Adam Lambert, either. If you’re looking for a dark-horse pick, our money’s on Skrillex, who might not technically rock, but used to front From First to Last, and based on his thunderous live sets, definitely knows how to move folks. The first-round matchups are: (Click the artist name to download their official MMM badge.) (1) Foo Fighters vs. (16) James Durbin (2) Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. (15) Panic! at the Disco (3) Blink-182 vs. (14) Korn (4) Maroon 5 vs. (13) Lana Del Rey (5) Green Day vs. (12) the Decemberists (6) Foster the People vs. (11) Adam Lambert (7) Van Halen vs. (10) No Doubt (8) Best Coast vs. (9) Skrillex East Once again home to both beard-scratchers and fist-pumpers, the East is truly up for grabs. Like we said, Mumford are MMM virgins, and #2 Coldplay have made the tourney twice before, but never got past the second round. The same can be said for perennial MMM underachievers Arcade Fire, who nab a #5 seed, but seem destined for a first-round exit at the hands of tourney powerhouse Tokio Hotel. Also wading into the chaos are #3 Florence and the Machine, #4 Muse and #8 Radiohead, who will battle #9 Bruce Springsteen in the first round. This one might come down to an Elite 8 showdown between Tokio and 2010 champs Coheed and Cambria — then again, we wouldn’t discount the power of Lady Gaga’s Little Monsters, who might help carry Semi Precious Weapons to victory. This region is anyone’s guess, really. The opening matchups are: (Click the artist name to download their official MMM badge.) (1) Mumford & Sons vs. (16) F–ked Up (2) Coldplay vs. (15) Arctic Monkeys (3) Florence and the Machine vs. (14) Refused (4) Muse vs. (13) Gym Class Heroes (5) Arcade Fire vs. (12) Tokio Hotel (6) Fun. vs. (11) Semi Precious Weapons (7) The Shins vs. (10) Coheed and Cambria (8) Radiohead vs. (9) Bruce Springsteen South There’s plenty of home-grown talent on display in the always-treacherous South, topped by Evanescence, #2 Paramore (last year’s MMM runners up) and the third-seeded Kings of Leon. For the second time in three years, My Morning Jacket and the Dave Matthews Band will go head-to-head in the opening round, in what’s sure to be a Birkenstock-burner. Fourth-seeded Jack White draws a tough opponent in #13 Shinedown, and we genuinely have no idea who wins the 7-10 Cage the Elephant/Ke$ha tilt. Also showing up in the South are powerhouses 30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park, both of whom are looking to finally make good on previous tournament promises. Will 2012 be their year? Here’s a breakdown of round one: (Click the artist name to download their official MMM badge.) (1) Evanescence vs. (16) Alabama Shakes (2) Paramore vs. (15) Gotye (3) Kings of Leon vs. (14) Phoenix (4) Jack White vs. (13) Shinedown (5) Linkin Park vs. (12) At The Drive In (6) 30 Seconds To Mars vs. (11) Sleigh Bells (7) Cage The Elephant vs. (10) Ke$ha (8) My Morning Jacket vs. (9) Dave Matthews Band MTV’s 2012 Musical March Madness Tournament is underway! Voting in the first round runs until midnight ET on Sunday, March 18, and winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite act made the cut, it’ll be up to you to guide them to glory. You can rally the troops on Twitter using the hashtag #MMM or by downloading one of our custom badges — but get ready, it’s gonna be a war. Related Videos Get Ready For Musical March Madness! Related Photos MTV’s Musical March Madness 2012
We bet Pilar is not too happy about this… Via TMZ: Deion Sanders is re-joining the ranks of reality TV stars — but TMZ has learned Prime’s new project will center around his other new project … a charter school in Texas. Sources close to Sanders tell TMZ the legendary NFL star is working on a show that will focus on Deion and his work coaching the football team at Prime Academy, the school Deion is opening later this year. We’re told the show will also show Deion off the field … as a single father raising his kids. Our sources say Deion does not want the show to slant negative or bash anyone … such as his ex-wife Pilar. According to our sources, the show will be executive produced by Tracey Edmonds, the ex of Babyface and Eddie Murphy, who was recently dragged into Deion’s divorce and has produced several shows and movies. Sources close to Deion tell us he first approached Tracey about the show after he filed for divorce. Our sources says Deion and Tracey are working with a major television studio and the show will be officially announced in the next few weeks. Will you be watching??? WENN More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
Hopefully this one will work out for Halle: French actor and heartthrob Olivier Martinez is in town to promote his new restaurant, Villa Azur, which opened last night on South Beach. While Halle Berry may or may not be on hand for the opening, Martinez finally confirmed their engagement rumors once and for all with a simple “Yes, of course it’s true.” But there is another rumor he’s not so keen on. “There is a jeweler taking credit for doing the ring and it’s a lie! They have nothing to do with this,” he said. Indeed he was most displeased with not only the quality of this line itself, but their attempt to falsely capitalize on the couple’s engagement. For those yearning to know, the ring was actually designed by Robert Mazlo, a jeweler from the actor’s chic Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood in Paris. According to Martinez, Mazlo is “a real artist,” whose family has been designing jewelry for “kings and queens for many centuries.” Source WENN More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
UC Berkeley on Saturday was once again the crucible of the free speech debate. The birthplace of the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s hosted another iconoclast from the era, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose speeches and writings have been denounced by critics for decades as bigoted, homophobic and anti-Semitic. Farrakhan was invited as a speaker for the ninth annual Afrikan Black Coalition Conference organized by the Black Student Union, and his appearance was denounced by other student groups and the subject of an online petition “opposing his hateful words and character” that garnered about 350 signatories. At least two opinion pieces authored by student leaders denouncing Farrakhan’s appearance were published in the campus newspaper, the Daily Californian, including one by Shawn Lewis, president of the Berkeley College Republicans, who wondered where was Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s condemnation of Farrakhan after the chancellor and others were quick to denounce as racist the college Republicans “Increase Diversity Bake Sale” last September to protest affirmative action-type policies. Even UC President Mark Yudof weighed in on the Farrakhan appearance, writing in an open letter that “we cannot as a society allow what we regard as vile speech to lead us to abandon the cherished value of free speech.” But that only required that people “condemn these merchants of hatred when they come into our community,” Yudof wrote. There were no protesters outside Wheeler Auditorium before Farrakhan’s speech, and only one after. That was Noah Ickowitz, a student senator who said Farrakhan had every right to appear on campus, and Ickowitz had every right to protest a speech he said advocated black empowerment at the expense of other groups. The Nation of Islam leader seemed to relish the controversy, telling the young crowd in the nearly full 700-seat auditorium that opposition to him addressing them was simply a sign of decades of slave-master mentality by white America. “To those who dare, who arrogantly thought that they could frighten this generation as they used to frighten our parents … so I ask you, ‘What are you afraid of?’ ” Farrakhan said. “What is it I might say to your students, or your slaves?” It was a theme he returned to on several occasions in a wandering speech that lasted about two hours and ran from foreign policy to the failings of an education system he said was designed to prevent young African Americans from becoming a threat to white dominance. Sadalia King, a 23-year-old UC Davis student, said she had come to hear the 78-year-old Farrakhan to witness someone she has studied. “Knowing he’s a controversial figure, I knew he was going to say something,” said King, adding that she sympathized with those who opposed his appearance. “I think there’s a generation gap … Just like your grandparents. You know they might say something a little crazy, but you’re still going to love and respect and appreciate them.” Source More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
When God said “Let there be light” we don’t think THIS is what he was talking about The Rev. Pat Robertson says America should legalize marijuana. Would Jesus agree? Msnbc.com put that question to a few theologians and religion experts, and the answer is … decidedly hazy. Robertson, the outspoken Christian evangelist and host of “The 700 Club,” made national headlines this week when he told The New York Times that pot should be decriminalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs has failed miserably and is costing taxpayers billions of dollars. “I’ve never used marijuana and I don’t intend to, but it’s just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn’t succeeded,” he told the newspaper. Scholars disagree on whether the Bible lays down the law on use of mind-altering drugs such as marijuana, also known as cannabis. “It’s not so simple that you can just go to the Scriptures and say, ‘Hey, that (passage) says marijuana should be illegal,’ or ‘that says marijuana should be legal.’ There is no such passage,” says Father Thomas Reese, S.J., senior fellow at Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. Some pro-pot Christians refer to Genesis 1:29 and interpret it to mean God does not frown on ingesting plants such as marijuana: And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, which has seed in its fruit; to you it shall be for food. Does the good Reverend have a valid join-, er, point? Image via WENN Source More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen are currently running a tight and contentious campaign for Virginia’s open seat in the U.S. Senate. They’re both political heavyweights, but right on their collective tail is an insurgent, third-party candidate who’s surging in grassroots support. That candidate is Hank the Cat. Bow down, bitches! The official site of the Hank Senate campaign claimed in a press release Friday that the 9-year-old Maine Coon (52 in human years) has pulled ahead of Kaine. In Facebook fans, anyway. Despite entering the race just two months ago, Hank’s Facebook page boasts 14,141 “likes” whereas Kaine, the state’s former governor, has 13,913. Kaine also hasn’t converted to Timeline yet, BTW. Way to stay in touch with the people. Campaign manager Matthew O’Leary said Hank initially ran to expose “the farce that is our political system,” until the movement took on a life of its own. “I do think, however, that Hank can be a serious contender in the race for the Senate seat in November, all comedy aside,” O’Leary said earlier today. “Take note of how many people are willing to support a cat over seasoned veterans. We have no doubts we will also surpass George Allen in good time!” Allen’s Facebook page has more than 43,000 “likes,” so Hank has work to do, but a lot can happen between now and November. Count him out at your peril. No word if Hank’s political platform includes tough stances on FDA pet food regulations or illegal immigration of rodents from outside America’s borders.
‘A lot of people on college campuses right now are over it,’ Jonnie Penn tells MTV News. By Uptin Saiidi Jonnie Penn, Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn and Dave Lingwood of “The Buried Life” Photo: MTV News When they’re not checking off items on their bucket list , the four guys that make up “The Buried Life” have been busy touring the country to speak at colleges and universities. The MTV stars currently have a new show in development and a book due out later this month called “What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?” which they hope makes it onto the New York Times Best Sellers list — it’s #19 on their bucket list. They recently stopped by MTV News while in New York to speak at St. John’s College, where they weighed in on themes of the presidential election as they relate to young people. “A lot of people on college campuses right now are over it. They kind of want to move on, they want to work, they want to apply themselves and they’re just sick of all this kind of … chatter,” Jonnie Penn said. “So are we. All this chatter kind of buries you. You just want to push all that stuff away.” Disinterest among young people is already showing at the polls. On Super Tuesday, MTV News had teams dispatched in three states. In Massachusetts, correspondent Jacob Soboroff reported on the record-low turnout at Boston University — the state’s largest university. Meanwhile, students in Ohio offered various reasons for not voting, from having plans to “paint” to just not caring. When asked what the solution was to raising political awareness among college-age students, Ben Nemtin perked up. “If you have an inkling in what you feel you want to do, but you haven’t done it yet, find people around that you can collaborate with. That’s how this thing started. We weren’t best friends growing up or anything — we came together to start ‘Buried Life.’ ” One solution Jonnie ultimately offered was to actually do less talking. “Some advice someone gave me that I took to heart was, listening to the people you don’t agree with, take in the positions … learn from the people you don’t agree with. “See why they feel that way and then it will help you understand why you feel the way you do, and it will also help you say, ‘Well, maybe we can compromise to do this.’ Because if you don’t listen, you’re just adding to the chatter.” Related Videos Super Tuesday: MTV News Is On The Ground!
Are You El Lee!!! Ja Rule’s birthday only comes once every four years (he was born on Leap Day) so it’s important for him to celebrate it. One problem, some of his activities may land him in big doody. For this birthday, Ja was in jail and he had to follow certain rules. Those rules include not doing press while locked away. Ja, though, violated this rule by giving two radio interviews to help promote his wildly successful (*cough*) new album release Pain Is Love II that came out on his bday. Now, he’s apparently got some issues on his record and it may hurt some of his “good behavior” hopes. Damn…all of that just to promote an album that sold 3,000 copies? Probably wasn’t worth it. Pic via WENN More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
These guys were trying to relive Weekend at Bernie’s eh??? Two Colorado men who drove a friend’s corpse around town and used the dead man’s credit cards to buy drinks at bars and strip clubs have been sentenced to two years’ probation in Denver, KUSA-TV reports. Robert Young, 43, and Mark Rubinson, 25, had both entered into plea agreements after being accused of using 43-year-old Jeffrey Jarrett’s credit card and driving him around Aug. 27, 2011, in a real-life Weekend at Bernie’s case. Young pleaded to a felony charge of identity theft and the misdemeanor charge of abuse of a corpse. If Young stays out of trouble for the next two years, his felony charge will be dropped. Rubinson pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse but could go back to jail for a year if he violates his probation. The two used Jarrett’s credit card at several bars, including the Shotgun Willie’s strip club, while Jarrett’s body was in the car. Jarrett had cocaine, Xanax, Subutex and trace amounts of alcohol in his system when he died. Subutex is a drug that helps with opioid drug addiction, KUSA reports. Rubinson says he thought Jarrett was just intoxicated. Young claims he didn’t want to believe Jarrett was dead. “A plea bargain is often the best circumstance to allow closure in moving forward instead of living in the past,” prosecutor Kandace Gerdes said Thursday. “I think it is important for closure for everyone.” SMH. Source More On Bossip! Eff A Traveler’s Digest: 10 Countries With Beautiful BLACK Women Action! Stars That Were Offered Large Sums Of Money To Make Adult Movies…Did They Take It?! TwitterFiles: Tisha Campbell Says People Need To Leave Her Husband Out Of Will And Jada’s “Divorce” Crazy In Love: Women That Went A Little Cuckoo For The Men They Loved
