Ali Fedotowsky, you can calm down now . With rumors circulating over Roberto Martinez being cast as the next Bachelor, and with a $500,000 paycheck reportedly sitting on the table if he were to accept, sources tell Star Magazine the reality star has turned down ABC’s generous offer. And he did it for love. Martinez is dating a 26-year old model named Kara Ramos and insiders tell the tabloid the two “really like each other.” Ramos has even confirmed the dalliance to Star and added that she told Roberto he had to make a choice: The Bachelor or their relationship. Martinez then “decided that even a half million dollars wasn’t enough incentive to go back in the spotlight to find love on TV, especially with the promise of his new romance with a wonderful girl like Kara,” a friend tells the publication, adding: “Roberto already knows what it takes to have a love relationship played out on national television, and he’d rather have his privacy now with a girl he’s really crazy about.” Awww, that’s very sweet. So everyone wins in the end. Except Ali. The Bachelorette season finale airs on Sunday, meanwhile. Who do you think Emily will choose: Ari or Jef?
Let’s be clear, I’m not saying with a hundred percent certainty that Hayden Panettiere went out and got herself some new boobs, although that would explain her absence from the spotlight, but it certainly looks that way to me. Here she is on the red carpet for something last night looking all glamorous and what not, with some very large breasts busting out of her fancy dress. Not large large, but large compared to her height and weight of course. She’s tiny remember. Just for the record…. I whole heartedly approve. Now let’s see them in a bikini.
Like the world of male stripping it inhabits, Steven Soderbergh ‘s Magic Mike is naughty in gaudy but sanctioned and unthreatening ways. It teases with the promise of outrageousness, but underneath the G-string it’s a practically minded coming-of-age story about a young man reaching the end of a years-long spiritual spring break. Choreographed stripteases and celebrity cast aside, the film has a lot in common with the director’s 2009 The Girlfriend Experience — both are set in corners of the sex industry, share an undercurrent of economic instability and deal with how their protagonists’ professions, the perception and the performative aspect of them, clank up against their personal lives. And both keep to a low-key, realistic tone that’s deliberately at odds with their subject matter, one that in Magic Mike makes the film feel curiously rudderless, its off-stage journey pale and enervated in contrast with the cheesy, ebullient dance numbers it makes room for. Like the call girl Christine/Chelsea, the main character in the earlier film played by Sasha Grey, Mike ( Channing Tatum ) is aware of himself as a commodity and is constantly hustling, struggling for more control over the business in which he’s being offered — “I want to own something,” he says, and there seems to be more passion in those words than in his long, flirty pursuit of his tough-minded love interest Brooke (Cody Horn). Mike doesn’t make nearly as much money as Chelsea does, but he has side benefits that wouldn’t interest her: Occasional clients who stick around to sleep with him after the show, camaraderie with his fellow dancers and the swagger that comes with publicly embracing his place as, in the words of manager/MC Dallas (Matthew McConaughey), one of the “cock-rocking Kings of Tampa.” Mike’s a great stripper, but it’s not what he wants to do with his life. He also runs small roofing, event and car-detailing businesses that amount to a series of odd jobs. He’s saving up to pursue his dream of starting his own custom furniture business, with dedication if no particular urgency — he speaks of waiting for the market to reach its sweet spot and being able to get a good bank loan rate in ways that sound abstract, though we later see he’s actually put work into his ideas and is deeply frustrated by the obstacles he’s encountered. He is, in short, looking for the next step that will likely provide a way out, though when we see him grinding on stage at Club Xquisite we can see why he’s not in a hurry: He sparks to life in front of a crowd — he belongs there, and his audience adores him, showering him with bills (alas, mostly ones). Magic Mike is set over a summer in which Mike meets aimless, muscly 19-year-old Adam (Alex Pettyfer), whom he nicknames “The Kid,” and Horn’s Brooke, the sister on whose couch Adam is crashing. The two push Mike to reconsider his life — in Adam he sees enough promise (and reminders of his younger himself) to recruit him as Xquisite’s newest performer, and in Brooke there’s the potential for something serious, though she pushes him away whenever he saunters too close. As critical as these two relationships are for the film, they’re unfortunately lackluster — Adam is a slack-jawed, half-formed stand-in for the unthinking pleasure-seeker Mike used to be, and beefcakeyness-aside, Pettyfer can’t bring out anything in the character that could show us what Mike glimpses in him. Horn, with her strong jawline and tomboyish air, is an enjoyably off-beat pick for a romantic lead, but Brooke’s forceful pragmatism gets expressed primarily through glowering. Rather than reflect a sense of mutual attraction, her interactions with Mike projects only genuine distrust of him as her kid brother’s sleazy pal, to the point where it’s a struggle to believe that her opinion could possibly be important to him. Speaking as someone who’s slowly come around to Tatum’s meatlike leading-man qualities, I’d say this represents a step forward for the actor. He may not have the most expressive of faces, but his bro-ish friendships with the other dancers (who include Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash and Adam Rodriguez, all magnificently ripply) have a comfort and ease to them. His relationship with Dallas, his former mentor, is more compellingly complicated still. McConaughey plays the character like he’s Dazed and Confused ‘s David Wooderson all grown up and wearing a leather harness (complete with drawled “all right, all right”s), but he’s calculating underneath the preening, outsized showman persona. Dallas is setting himself up to be the business owner, and while he appreciates Mike’s ambition, he’d still rather have him as an employee than a partner — their maneuverings over a planned expansion and move to Miami grow steadily edgier under the familiar banter. And when Tatum’s on stage, he seems like a different performer entirely — one who’s startlingly physical. Magic Mike slyly offers up a look at the actor nude from behind in an early scene, as he gets out of bed with his ongoing casual hookup Joanna (Olivia Munn). But its not actually (just) the chance to gawp at his impeccable musculature that makes Tatum such an impressive spectacle in the film — it’s his dancing, the way he goes from hulking screen presence to a fluidly athletic being, aware in his movements. Before he launched his acting career, Tatum did work as a stripper for a few months, an experience that informed the film (Reid Carolin wrote the screenplay), and he has danced in a non-exotic fashion on-screen in music videos and in the 2006 Step Up . The divide between Tatum as performer and Tatum as actor gives the film an interesting unsteadiness. Set in a strip mall-filled Tampa that Soderbergh, who also served as cinematographer, tints a smoggy yellow, the movie carries the underlying message that it’s time for Mike to grow up and figure out what’s next. But that doesn’t quite line up with the grinding normalcy with which the film depicts “responsible” living. How’s that really suppose to compare with being up there in the spotlight, rolling around in money, adored? Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Most Successful Celebrity Entourages Most record execs work to build a label full of artists that will stand the test of time and bring in the big bucks . In today’s music industry, however, the company you keep seems to be just as important as what you bring to the table individually. Adding to or becoming a part of an entourage doesn’t always increase your chances for success , but in the case of these money makin’ multitudes full of artists, athletes, reality stars and a host of other A-list affiliates, it most certainly keeps them in the spotlight, on the airwaves, and at the top of the food chain. Hit the flip to check out these entourages full of celebs that are runnin’ the game right now. Which one would you say is holdin’ it down the heaviest in Hollyweird? Images via Wenn
In her new clip, Katy mixes the fantastical with the autobiographical, and MTV News is here to break down the most important moments. By James Montgomery Katy Perry in her “Wide Awake” music video Photo: Katy Perry closes the book on the Teenage Dream era with her new “Wide Awake” video, a classically creepy (yet slightly candy-colored), Lewis-Carroll indebted fairy tale that doesn’t shy away from mixing the fantastical with the autobiographical. Which means it’s a treat for both fans and armchair analysts alike. And while you could spend an afternoon sifting through various scenes to understand their deeper significance (minotaur hospital attendants = critics who hated “The Smurfs”?), we figured it would be easier to just highlight a few key moments for you right now. So, for your perusal, here are five important moments form Katy’s “Wide Awake” video, each rife with psychological meaning. Or, you know, cool imagery. Same diff. Katy Pushes Back : After literally going through the looking glass, Katy arrives in an eerie labyrinth, one we’re pretty sure represents the constraints of celebrity. Tellingly, as soon as she enters, the walls begin closing in on her — only, rather than be crushed, Katy draws on her Samson-like inner-strength (and summons the same kind of pyrotechnics we saw in her “Firework” video) and sends the walls reeling. The message seems clear: Nobody puts Katy in a corner. Katy Meets Her Former Self : Early in her journey, Katy comes face to face with a young girl who clearly represents her former innocence (just in case it wasn’t clear, we later see the same girl get on a bike with a vanity plate that reads “KATHERYN”). With the trappings of fame comes the longing for simpler times, and Lil Katy helps guide her grown-up self through her perilous voyage — and even helps save her. Clearly, nostalgia is a powerful thing. Katy’s World Crumbles : After being hounded by pesky paparazzi, Katy’s entire fantasy world begins to fall apart. It’s a testament to the fact that, no matter how amazing a celeb’s life may seem from the outside, the constant glare of the spotlight is enough to bring even the most famous down. After the encounter, Perry is left debilitated, confined to a wheelchair and unable to defend herself. Luckily for her, Lil Katy is there to protect her. Katy Makes Her Escape : She powers past those naysayers and finally makes it to the exit of the labyrinth. Clearly, this is meant to show that no matter how tough things get, Katy is tougher, and, with her former self in tow, she bolts for the door — out of the madness and into (presumably) greener pastures. Katy Punches Prince Charming : It’s the scene everyone’s talking about, and it’s pretty clear who the disingenuous prince is meant to represent (here’s a hint: it rhymes with “Bussell Rand”). At first, she’s smitten, but, as her suitor goes in for a kiss, Katy spies him crossing his fingers behind his back — and responds with a pretty nifty right cross of her own. The impact is made even better by the “Oh damn! ” expression that crosses Lil Katy’s face. And with that, our fairy tale reaches its happy ending, with Katy surviving unscathed and ready for whatever comes next. What did you think of Katy’s latest video? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Katy Perry
Brandy Covers Hype Hair Magazine Making her promo rounds for her upcoming “Two Eleven” album to be released this month, Brandy graces the cover of Hype Hair Magazine’s June issue and talks style, singing and staying grounded. Though she’s been no stranger to the spotlight between her Dancing with the Stars stint, recurring role on BET’s “The Game” sitcom, and even a short-lived family reality show, Brandy hasn’t put out a full length studio album since 2006. Brandy says she felt “Two-Eleven” was the perfect title for her highly anticipated comeback album as it reflects both her birthdate and the passing date of her idol and close friend, Whitney Houston. Check out some of Brandy’s many hairstyles she’s rocked in recent years.
Beware. Signs Of A Looming Celebrity Meltdown Celebrities are constantly under a lot of pressure. From the way they dress, to the things they say, to the people they associate with to their everyday lifestyles. Every aspect of a celebrity’s existence is in the spotlight and under intense scrutiny every second of everyday. While those who choose a life of fame and fortune should and probably do know that this pressure comes with the territory, sometimes it can prove to be too much. After all, they’re still human. And just like everyday people, when about to reach a breaking point, they start to do some strange things. Here are a list of warning signs that your favorite celeb just might be about to crack. Images via Wenn
Is AnnaLyne McCord’s crappy 90210 remake still on the air? Don’t answer that, I don’t give a crap, I’m more interested in the fact that I need this hottie to stay somewhat in the spotlight so that I can keep getting pictures like this. Here’s the skinny hottie working her bikini body on the beach yesterday. Does it get any better than a hot chick in a bikini sucking on an ice lolly at the beach? seriously. Even my erection has an erection.
‘Hunger Games’ sequel reportedly eyeing Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch and Garrett Hedlund for the role; let’s take a closer look. By Fallon Prinzivalli Armie Hammer Photo: Getty Images Fans have been rallying behind their favorite actors to star in “The Hunger Games” since the books were released. The most popular character to speculate about is Finnick Odair, who makes his debut in the franchise’s second novel, “Catching Fire.” With the movie set to begin filming in the fall, rumors have been flying surrounding who will land the role of the dreamy District 4 victor. Most recently, Robert Pattinson was linked to the part , and even though fans supported him, he quickly denied those rumors. With countless actors’ names tossed into the casting hat, there’s speculation that the film may be down to its final three choices for Finnick. E! Online reports a source who revealed the top guys in the running are “Battleship” star Taylor Kitsch , “The Social Network” actor Armie Hammer and “TRON: Legacy” star Garrett Hedlund . When MTV News reached out to Lionsgate for confirmation, we received this statement: “Like the first film, Lionsgate won’t be commenting on any of the rumors until we officially announce.” Alongside “Bridesmaids,” “The Hunger Games” is the most-nominated film at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards landing eight nods including Best Kiss, Best Cast and the coveted Movie of the Year. Jennifer Lawrence is nominated for Best Actress, Josh Hutcherson is up for Best Actor and Liam Hemsworth has a shot at Breakthrough Performance. There’s still time to vote for your favorite stars before the awards air this Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. ET by heading over to MovieAwards.MTV.com . So while we wait to see which film is your favorite and which leading man is joining this incredible cast of stars, we thought we’d take a look at the good and bad of each actor landing the role of Finnick. Taylor Kitsch The Good : If you’ve seen “Friday Night Lights,” you know Kitsch’s ability to play a self-assured character. As womanizer Tim Riggins, he certainly knows how to gaze at a lady until she swoons. Finnick exudes the same arrogant charm — though he’s more of a one-woman man. At one point in “Catching Fire,” he reads a poem to the citizens of the Capitol dedicated to his one true love, and many of the audience members faint, believing it’s about them. Kitsch certainly has that same charisma to capture viewers’ attention. The Bad : Kitsch’s huge roles aren’t gaining him any box-office success. After Disney shelled out $250 million on the epic “John Carter,” it raked in only $30.6 million domestically its first weekend in theaters. Similarly, he headed up Peter Berg’s “Battleship,” which was released in theaters May 18 and currently has a 34 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While he’d be a supporting character to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss, he may need the success of the franchise more than the franchise needs him. Armie Hammer The Good : Like Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, Hammer played a vital role in a film nominated for Best Picture at the 83rd annual Academy Awards. With “The Social Network” under his belt, he’d fit right in with Lawrence, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in “Winter’s Bone,” and Hutcherson, whose film “The Kids Are All Right” was also nominated for Original Screenplay. He can hold his own in the spotlight and already understands the fame that comes with a wildly popular film. If the casting directors continue on their award-winning path, choosing Hammer is a no-brainer. The Bad : His tight schedule may conflict with “The Hunger Games” when it begins filming. He’s currently working on “The Lone Ranger” with Johnny Depp and is already linked to three other films with tentative 2013-14 release dates: “By Virtue Fall,” “Cut Bank” and “2:22.” Since this role is so important to fans, they won’t want an actor who may not be able to devote 100 percent to the project. Garrett Hedlund The Good : Hedlund recently made his way to the Cannes Film Festival, where he debuted his film “On the Road” alongside “Twilight” star Kristen Stewart. While the film itself received mixed reviews , Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly singled out Hedlund’s acting, writing, “The best thing in the movie is Garrett Hedlund’s performance as Dean Moriarty. … [He] is as hunky as the young Brad Pitt, and like Pitt, he’s a wily, change-up actor. He gives Dean eyes that glitter with a seductive enthusiasm that borders on being a little cracked.” Did that last sentence also instantly remind you of Finnick, “Hunger Games” fans? The Bad : While he’s been fairly successful in films like “Country Strong” and “Four Brothers,” he hasn’t had enough roles allowing him to prove his abilities to take on such a large project. The role of Finnick may shock him a bit, especially considering the fame that’s sure to come along with it. But then again, he could always ask Stewart for advice. While we wait to hear who will officially be taking on the role of Finnick, catch your favorite “Hunger Games” actors at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards. Head over to MovieAwards.MTV.com to vote for your favorite flicks now! The 21st annual MTV Movie Awards air live this Sunday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Hunger Games’
Also in Monday morning’s brief roundup, the American Black Film Festival will celebrate Think Like a Man , Moonrise Kingdom and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel reign in the specialty box office, while The Avengers passes a new milestone. And the team behind 21 Jump Street take on resuscitating a floundering project. American Black Film Festival to Fete Think Like a Man Think Like a Man opened to $33.6 million on just over 2,000 screens and became Screen Gems’ highest opener ever targeting African-American audiences. On Friday, June 22, the 16th Annual American Black Festival in Miami Beach, FL, ABFF will celebrate the success of the hit film in an event that will include the film’s producer Will Packer, his business partner Rob Hardy, the film’s director, Tim Story as well as select cast members. Around the ‘net… Specialty Box Office: Moonrise Kingdom and Marigold Hotel Shine as Newcomers Fizzle Among specialty releases, holdovers held the spotlight the first weekend of June. Memorial Day weekend’s record-breaking opener Moonrise Kingdom retained its crown atop the box office in the specialty arena, averaging just over $53K per theater in 16 locations, Deadline reports . Carousel of Hope to Throw George Clooney Bash The group which fights childhood diabetes will host an October gala featuring George Clooney. The biennial fundraiser is the “glitziest, most elaborate event on Hollywood’s charity calendar.” The 26th Carousel of Hope ball, set for Oct. 20 at the Beverly Hilton, Variety reports . The Avengers No. 3 Film of All Time Disney said its latest superhero blockbuster is now the third largest grossing film domestically, surpassing The Dark Knight ‘s $533M. The Avengers passed $538.1M domestically and over $793M internationally making its total over $1.3 billion, Deadline reports . Michael Mann to Lead Venice Jury The director/producer will serve as the leader of the main jury at the 69th Venice Film Festival taking place August 29 – September 8. Also a TV producer ( Miami Vice he directed Manhunter, Heat and Collateral, among others, Variety reports . 21 Jump Street Directors in Negotiations for Carter Beats the Devil Phil Lord and Chris Miller are trying to get Carter Beats the Devil off the ground. Based on the historical mystery novel revolving around magician Charles Carter and written by Glen David Gold, the project has been on Hollywood’s hit list since it was published back in 2001, but it has nevertheless floundered despite heavy-hitters efforts, THR reports .
