Val Kilmer

Val Edward Kilmer, (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! (1984), then the cult classic Real Genius (1985), as well as blockbuster action films, including a role in Top Gun and a lead role in Willow.
During the 1990s, Kilmer gained critical respect after a series of films that were also commercially successful, including his roles as Jim Morrison in The Doors, Doc Holliday in 1993's Tombstone, Batman in 1995's Batman Forever, Chris Shiherlis in 1995's Heat and Simon Templar in 1997's The Saint. During the early 2000s, Kilmer appeared in several well-received roles, including The Salton Sea, Spartan, and supporting performances in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Alexander, and as the voice of KITT in Knight Rider.

Early life

Kilmer, the second of three sons, was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Gladys (née Ekstadt) and Eugene Kilmer, an aerospace equipment distributor and real estate developer. Kilmer's grandfather was a gold miner in New Mexico; the poet Joyce Kilmer is a second cousin of Kilmer's. Kilmer grew up in the San Fernando Valley with his two siblings, older brother Mark and younger brother Wesley,but says that even as a child growing up in California he did not like it there. Kilmer, who was raised a Christian Scientist, attended Chatsworth High School—where his classmates included Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham—as well as Hollywood's Professional's School. He also attended Berkeley Hall School, a Christian Science school in Beverly Hills, CA, from nursery school until graduation from the 9th grade. At the age of 17, he was at the time the youngest person to be accepted into Juilliard's drama program. His brother Wesley died as a teenager due to an epileptic seizure in a swimming pool. Kilmer did not think Christian Science treatment was responsible for his brother's death as Wesley was alternated between medical treatments and Christian Science.





Career

1980s
In 1981, Kilmer co-authored and starred in the play How It All Began, which was performed at the Public Theatre at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Kilmer turned down a role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film, The Outsiders, as he had prior theatre commitments.That same year, his first off-stage acting role (excluding television commercials) came in the form of a television short titled One Too Many, which was an educational drama on drinking and driving; it also starred a young Michelle Pfeiffer. His big break came when he received top billing in the spoof comedy Top Secret!, where he played an American rock and roll star. Kilmer sang all the songs in the film and actually released an album under the film character's name, "Nick Rivers".
During a brief hiatus, he backpacked throughout Europe, before going on to play the lead character in the 1985 comedy Real Genius. He turned down roles in Dune and Blue Velvet, before being cast as naval aviator "Iceman" in the big budget action film Top Gun, alongside Tom Cruise. Top Gun grossed a total of $344,700,000 worldwide. Following roles in the television films The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains, Kilmer played "Madmartigan" in the fantasy Willow; he met his future wife, co-star Joanne Whalley, on the film's set. Kilmer published a book of his poems, My Edens After Burns, in 1987, and starred in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival production of Hamlet in 1988. In 1989, Kilmer played the lead in both Kill Me Again, again opposite Whalley, and in TNT's Billy the Kid.




1990s
After several delays, director Oliver Stone finally started production on the film, The Doors, based on the band of the same name. Kilmer memorized the lyrics to all of lead singer Jim Morrison's songs prior to his audition, and sent a video of himself performing some Doors songs to director Stone. Stone was not impressed with the tape, but Paul Rothchild (the original producer of The Doors) said "I was shaken by it" and suggested they record Kilmer in the studio. After Kilmer was cast as Morrison, he prepared for the role by attending Doors tribute concerts and reading Morrison's poetry.He spent close to a year before production dressing in Morrison-like clothes, and spent time at Morrison's old hangouts along the Sunset Strip. His portrayal of Morrison was praised and members of The Doors noted that Kilmer did such a convincing job that they had trouble distinguishing his voice from Morrison's. Paul Rothchild played Val's version of 'The End' for Robby Krieger, and he told him "I'm really glad they got 'The End'. We never got a recording of that live with Jim and now we've got it." However, Doors keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, was less than enthusiastic with how Morrison was portrayed by director Oliver Stone's interpretation.[citation needed] In the early 1990s, Kilmer starred in the mystery thriller Thunderheart, action comedy The Real McCoy and again teamed with Top Gun director Tony Scott to play Elvis in True Romance, which was written by Quentin Tarantino.
In 1993, Kilmer played Doc Holliday in the western Tombstone alongside Kurt Russell, in what some say is one of Kilmer's finest performances.[who?] 1995 saw Kilmer star in Wings of Courage, a 3D IMAX film, and that same year, he starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat, which is now considered one of the best crime/drama films of the 1990s. In 1996, he appeared in a largely unknown film, Dead Girl, and starred alongside Marlon Brando in the poorly receivedThe Island of Dr Moreau. That year, Kilmer starred alongside Michael Douglas in the thriller The Ghost and the Darkness. The next year he played Simon Templar in the popular action film, The Saint. In 1998, he lent his voice to the animated film The Prince of Egypt, before starring in the independent film Joe the King (1999) and playing a blind man in the drama/romance At First Sight, which he described as of then, the hardest role he had ever had.



Batman
In December 1993, Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher had seen Tombstone, and was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday. Schumacher felt for him to be perfect for the role of the Caped Crusader, though at the time, the role was still Michael Keaton's. Batman co-creator Bob Kane said he felt Kilmer was the best actor to portray Batman.
In July 1994, Michael Keaton decided not to return for a third Batman film after 1992's Batman Returns,due to "creative differences." William Baldwin (who previously worked with Schumacher on Flatliners) was reported to be a top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast. Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script.Kilmer first learned that he was offered the role of Batman while he was literally in a bat cave in Africa, doing research for The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). Released in June 1995, Batman Forever was a success at the box office,despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.
In February 1996, Kilmer decided not to return for a sequel (1997's Batman & Robin, in which George Clooney replaced Kilmer), feeling that Batman was being marginalized in favor of the villains. Kilmer went on to do The Saint with a salary of $6 million.When asked why he did not return for a fourth installment, Kilmer said he liked the characterization of Simon Templar better than Bruce Wayne. Kilmer commented "Simon is a literary character who uses his wit, and not violence. Batman is a real screwed-up guy who has hustled an entire city, and now he's running around in a cape. What's it all about?"



2000s
Kilmer's first role in 2000 was in the big budget Warner Bros. box office disaster[26] Red Planet. That same year, he had a supporting role in the film Pollock and hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time. In 2002, he starred in the thriller The Salton Sea, which was generally well-reviewed, but received only a limited release. The same year, he teamed with his True Romance co-star, Christian Slater, and the two starred in the low budget film, Hard Cash, also known as Run for the Money.
In 2003, Kilmer starred alongside Kate Bosworth in the drama/thriller Wonderland, as well as appearing in The Missing, where he again worked with Willow director Ron Howard. The next year, he starred in Spartan, where he played a United States government secret agent who is assigned the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter of the President. He received Delta Force-like training in preparation for the role. Subsequently, he had a role in the drama, Stateside, and starred (again with Slater) in the thriller Mindhunters, which was filmed in 2003 but not released until 2005. Kilmer next appeared in the big budget Oliver Stone production, Alexander, which received poor reviews. Also in 2004, Kilmer returned to the theatre to play Moses in a Los Angeles musical production of The Ten Commandments: The Musical, produced by BCBG founder Max Azria. The production played at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Kilmer had previously played Moses in the animated film The Prince of Egypt. Finally in 2004, Kilmer appeared in an episode of Entourage where he played a tripped-out Sherpa shaman whose primary source of income was the growing, harvesting and distributing high-quality marijuana all under a guise of hippy-dippy metaphysical insights.
Kilmer was in negotiations with Richard Dutcher (a leading director of Mormon-related films) to play the lead role in a film entitled Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith, although the project never materialized. Kilmer performed in The Postman Always Rings Twice on the London stage from June to September 2005. In 2005, he co-starred with Robert Downey, Jr in the action-comedy film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. His performance was praised and the film was well reviewed, but the film received only a limited release.It later won the award as "Overlooked Film of the Year" from the Phoenix Film Critics Society. In 2006, he reunited with director Tony Scott a third time for a supporting role opposite Denzel Washington in the box-office hit Déjà Vu. In 2007, he guest-starred in hit TV series Numb3rs episode "Trust Metric" as torture expert Mason Lancer. In 2008, Kilmer starred alongside Stephen Dorff in the Sony and Stage 6 film Felon. The film was given only a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles in 2008, but it developed into a success secondary to positive word of mouth.
He next starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the Werner Herzog film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, and alongside Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson in Streets of Blood. Both were released in 2009. He appeared as the main antagonist "Mongoose" in a live TV series adaptation of the comic/video game of XIII on NBC in 2009.
As of 2010, Kilmer was working on writing the movie about the life of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science church. He is currently working on a possible sequel to 1985's Real Genius[citation needed]. He stars in a 2010 thriller from Michael Oblowitz called Mr. Nobody, wherein he portrays a Police Officer.



Knight Rider revival
He was the voice of KITT for the 2008 Knight Rider TV pilot movie and the following television series. He replaced Will Arnett, who had to step down from the role due to contractual conflict with General Motors.
In keeping with tradition established by the original Knight Rider series and original KITT actor William Daniels, Kilmer was uncredited for the role on-screen.



Personal life

Kilmer was married to Joanne Whalley, an actress, from March 1988 to February 1996. The two met while working together on the film Willow. They have two children, daughter Mercedes, born in 1991, and son Jack, born in 1995.
He dated supermodel Cindy Crawford in the 1990s. A noted incident in their dating life involved Crawford's advertising for a bar of which Kilmer did not approve. He admitted being unreasonable.
Warwick Davis, Kilmer's co-star from the 1988 fantasy Willow, in his audio commentary for the film described Kilmer as a very funny man and a hard working, dedicated actor. Kilmer is also an avid musician, and released a CD in the fall of 2007, proceeds of which went to his charity interests.
Other actors have noted that he prepares for his roles extensively and meticulously. Kevin Jarre, the original director of Tombstone, said that Kilmer once told him, "I have a reputation for being difficult. But only with stupid people."[36] Irwin Winkler (director of At First Sight) talked about his decision to hire Kilmer. "I'd heard the stories, so I checked him out. I called Bob DeNiro and Michael Mann, who'd worked with him on Heat, and they both gave him raves... I had a wonderful experience in spite of all the naysayers." Jeffrey Katzenberg (director of Prince of Egypt) talks about the actor. "Val was one of the first people cast in The Prince of Egypt. He was there every step of the way; patient, understanding, and phenomenally generous with his time."
Following their appearance together in Top Gun, Kilmer and co-star Tom Cruise reportedly had taken their onscreen conflict offscreen. Reports classified the two as holding a vitriolic hatred of one another. Kilmer even refused to participate in a charity beach volleyball game with Cruise on the grounds that he was, quote, "dangerous", although Kilmer is noted to have knocked out Cruise when a fistfight between the two developed during the filming of Top Gun.
Kilmer owns a ranch in New Mexico, where he tracks, hikes, fishes, and raises buffalo. Kilmer is also involved with The Wildlife Center of New Mexico and assists in rescuing animals and releasing them on his ranch.
In 2009, Kilmer listed Pecos River Ranch for sale for $33,000,000 with conservation real estate firm Orvis/Cushman & Wakefield.
He briefly flirted with running for Governor of New Mexico in 2010, but in the end declined to run. He made a donation to Ralph Nader's 2008 presidential campaign. On January 30, 2009, Kilmer was chosen to be the King of Bacchus, a parading Krewe in New Orleans, who in 1969, began the tradition of having celebrities ride in their parade as King.



Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1984 Top Secret! Nick Rivers Film debut
1985 Real Genius Chris Knight
1986 Top Gun Lt. Tom 'Iceman' Kazanski
The Murders in the Rue Morgue Phillipe Huron TV film
1987 The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains Robert Eliot Burns/Eliot Roberts TV film
CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
1988 Willow Madmartigan
1989 Billy the Kid William Bonney
Kill Me Again Jack Andrews
1991 The Doors Jim Morrison Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Performance - Male
1992 Thunderheart Ray Levoi
1993 The Real McCoy J.T. Barker
Tombstone Doc Holliday Based on a true story
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Performance - Male
True Romance Mentor
1995 Batman Forever Bruce Wayne/Batman Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male also for Heat
Heat Chris Shiherlis Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male also for Batman Forever
Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
Wings of Courage Jean Mermoz IMAX Film
1996 The Island of Dr Moreau Montgomery
The Ghost and the Darkness Col. John Henry Patterson Based on a true story
Dead Girl Dr. Dark
1997 The Saint Simon Templar
1998 The Prince of Egypt Moses/God Voice-over
1999 At First Sight Virgil 'Virg' Adamson
Joe the King Bob Henry
2000 Pollock Willem de Kooning
Red Planet Robby Gallagher
2002 The Salton Sea Danny Parker / Tom Van Allen Limited release
Prism Award for Best Performance in a Theatrical Feature Film
Hard Cash FBI Agent Mark C. Cornell a.k.a. Run for the Money
2003 Wonderland John Holmes Based on the Wonderland Murders
The Missing Lt. Jim Ducharme
Blind Horizon Frank Kavanaugh
Masked and Anonymous Animal Wrangler
2004 Entourage The Sherpa Episode: "The Script and the Sherpa"
Spartan Robert Scott
Stateside Staff Sergeant Skeer
Alexander Philip
George and the Dragon El Cabillo uncredited
2005 Mindhunters Jake Harris
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Perry Van Shrike/"Gay Perry" Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Nominated– Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
2006 Summer Love The Wanted Man a.k.a. Dead Man's Bounty
Moscow Zero Andrey
10th & Wolf Murtha
Played Dillon
Déjà Vu Agent Andrew Pryzwarra
The Ten Commandments: The Musical Moses
2007 Have Dreams, Will Travel Henderson
Numb3rs Mason Lancer Episode: "Trust Metric"
2008 Comanche Moon Inish Scull TV mini-series based on the book
Knight Rider voice of KITT TV film based on 1980s TV series
Conspiracy MacPherson direct-to-video
Felon John Smith
Delgo Bogardus voice only
2:22 Maz
Columbus Day John
XIII Mongoose based on Belgian comic book XIII
2008–2009 Knight Rider voice of KITT TV series based on the 2008 TV film
2009 The Chaos Experiment James Pettis a.k.a. The Steam Experiment
Streets of Blood Detective Andy Devereaux
American Cowslip Todd Inglebrink
The Thaw Dr. David Kruipen
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Stevie Pruit
Hardwired Virgil
2010 Fake Identity also known as Double Identity Nick
Mr. Nobody The Stranger post-production
Provinces of Night Warren Bloodworth post-production
The Irishman Joe Manditski post-production
MacGruber Dieter Von Cunth post-production
Georgia Dutch Journalist post-production
Tales of an Ancient Empire Rollo filming
Source:wikipedia

Monica Bellucci

Monica Anna Maria Bellucci, (born 30 September 1964)[1] is an Italian actress and fashion model.

Personal life

Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy,the daughter of Maria Gustinelli, a painter, and Luigi Bellucci, who owned a trucking company.Bellucci started modelling at 16, when she was attending the Liceo classico. Initially pursuing a career as a lawyer, Bellucci modeled to pay her tuition at the University of Perugia,but the lifestyle tempted her away from her law studies. She speaks Italian, French, and English fluently, Spanish semi-fluently, and she has had speaking roles in each of these languages as well as in Aramaic for her part as Mary Magdalene in The Passion of the Christ.
Bellucci was married to fashion photographer Claudio Carlos Basso in 1990. She is currently married to fellow actor Vincent Cassel, with whom she has appeared in several films, and has a daughter named Deva (born 12 September 2004). The couple are expecting their second child in the spring of 2010. In 2004, while pregnant with her daughter, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair Magazine in protest against Italian laws that prevent the use of donor sperm.She posed pregnant and semi-nude again for the april 2010 issue of Italian vanity fair.
In a documentary movie The Big Question about the film The Passion of the Christ, she stated: "I am an agnostic, even though I respect and am interested in all religions. If there's something I believe in, it's a mysterious energy; the one that fills the oceans during tides, the one that unites nature and beings."



Career

Modeling


At the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.


At the 2009 Women's World Award.
In 1988, Bellucci moved to one of Europe's fashion centers, Milan, where she signed with Elite Model Management. By 1989, she was becoming prominent as a fashion model in Paris and across the Atlantic, in New York City. She posed for Dolce & Gabbana and French Elle, among others. In that year, Bellucci made the transition to acting and began taking acting classes. The February 2001 Esquire's feature on Desire featured Ms. Bellucci on the cover and in an article on the five senses. In 2003, she was featured in Maxim. In 2004, she topped AskMen's 100 Most Beautiful Women in the World annual list. Bellucci's modelling career is managed by Elite+ in New York City. She is considered an Italian sex symbol. She is currently a face of a range of Dior Cosmetics. Bellucci is also signed to Storm Model Management in London.



Film
Bellucci's film career began in the early 1990s. She played some minor roles in La Riffa (1991) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). In 1996 she was nominated for a César Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Lisa in L'Appartement[ and strengthened her position as an actress. She became known and popular with worldwide audiences, following her roles in Malèna (2000), Irréversible (2002) and has played in many films from Europe and Hollywood like Tears of the Sun (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Passion of the Christ (2004), The Brothers Grimm (2005), Le Deuxième souffle (2007), Don't Look Back (2009), etc.
She was supposed to be seen portraying Indian politician Sonia Gandhi in the biopic Sonia, originally planned for release in 2007, but it has been shelved.
Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases of the film Shoot 'Em Up (2007). And she also voiced Kaileena in the video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, and the French voice of Cappy for the French version of the 2005 animated film Robots.



Awards and others
In 2003, Bellucci won the Nastro d'Argento Best Supporting Actress award for her portrayal of Alessia in Remember Me, My Love. In 2006, she served as a judge at 59th Cannes Film Festival. In 2009, she won the World Actress Award in Women's World Award.






Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1990 Vita coi figli (Life With the Sons) Elda
Briganti – Amore e libertà (Bandits – Love and Liberty) Costanza
1991 la riffa Francesca
1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula One of Dracula's brides
ostinato destino Marina/ Angela
1994 I Mitici Deborah
1995 Pala di Neve Melina
Il cielo é sempre piú blu
Joseph Pharaoh's wife
1996 L'Appartement Lisa Nominated - César Award for Best Supporting Actress
Sorellina e il principe del sogno (uncredited) Princess
1997 Stressati
Dobermann Nat the Gypsy
Mauvais genre Camille
Come mi vuoi Nellina
1998 Le plaisir Girl
Compromis Monique
Ultimo capodanno dell'umanità Giulia Giovannini
A los que aman Valeria
1999 Comme un poisson hors de l'eau Myrtille
Mediterranées Marguerite
2000 Under Suspicion Chantal Hearst
Franck Spadone Laura
Malèna Malèna Scordia
2001 Brotherhood of the Wolf Sylvia
2002 Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre Cleopatra
Irréversible Alex
2003 Remember Me, My Love Alessia Nastro d'Argento award for Best Supporting Actress
Tears of the Sun Lena Fiore Kendricks
The Matrix Reloaded Persephone
Enter the Matrix (video game) Persephone
The Matrix Revolutions Persephone
2004 The Passion of the Christ Mary Magdalene
Agents Secrets Barbara / Lisa
She Hate Me Simona Bonasera
2005 The Brothers Grimm The Mirror Queen
How Much Do You Love Me? Daniela
2006 Sheitan La belle vampiresse
N (Io e Napoleone) Baronessa Emilia Speziali
The Stone Council Laura Siprien
2007 Heartango
(short film for Intimissimi) L'inafferrabile/ La passionale /
L'indecisa / La curiosa /
L'aggressiva / La mamma /
La premurosa
Manuale d'amore 2
(Capitoli successivi) Lucia
Shoot 'Em Up Donna Quintano
Le deuxième souffle Manouche
2008 Sanguepazzo Luisa Ferida
L'uomo che ama Alba
2009 Don't Look Back Jeanne
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee Gigi Lee
Baarìa – La porta del vento Bricklayer's girlfriend
Omaggio a Roma Tosca
2010 The Whistleblower Awaiting release
The Sorcerer's Apprentice Veronica Awaiting release
Source:wikipedia

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Kate Hudson, (born September 12, 1981) is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol. She made her film debut in the 2006 film Dreamgirls which won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, an NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
She won a Grammy Award for her eponymous debut album, Jennifer Hudson, which was released in 2008 on Arista Records and was certified gold by the RIAAfor selling over 700,000 copies in the US; sales exceeded 1 million copies worldwide. Additionally it spawned the hit single "Spotlight".
In late 2008, after Hudson's mother, brother, and nephew were killed in a shooting, Hudson stepped out of the limelight for three months. Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009, and has since performed at the Super Bowl XLIII, the Grammy Awards, American Idol, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Hudson has been described as a friend of President Barack Obama, who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills in May 2009.She also recently performed at the White House at the "Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" event.


Early life

Jennifer Hudson was born on September 12, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois. She is the third and youngest child of Darnell Donnerson and Samuel Simpson.She was raised as a Baptist and attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, from which she graduated from in 1999. She cites Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Patti LaBelle as her overall biggest influences and inspiration. At the age of 7, she got her start in performing by singing with the church choir and doing community theater with the help of her late maternal grandmother, Julia.




American Idol

Hudson auditioned for the third season of American Idol, in Atlanta. In her audition she commented that she had been singing on Disney Cruise Lines for the past few months (as one of the Muses from Hercules); and contestant judge Randy Jackson said, "We're expecting more than a cruise ship performance from you." Jennifer delivered and all the judges agreed it was the best voice they had heard so far in the competition. She was a member of the first group of semifinalists in the Semifinals. She was not voted through to the final round, although she was brought back on the wild card round and put through as a "Top 12" finalist by Jackson.
Hudson struggled to gain popularity in the early stages of Idol's live shows, receiving the second-lowest number of votes in two of the first three shows. However, after a change in song choices, she soon became a favorite to win, receiving the highest number of votes in the "Top 9" after her performance of Elton John's "Circle of Life," on April 6, 2004. Among Hudson's worthy performances on the show was her rendition of Whitney Houston's, "I Have Nothing". Judge Simon Cowell commented that Hudson, "finally proved why she was among the 'Top 12,'" and referred to the performance a week later as, "sensational." During the "Top 7" show, Hudson performed Barry Manilow's, "Weekend in New England," which garnered praise from all three judges. Jackson called the song Hudson's best performance to date; and Simon Cowell noted that Hudson's presence made the third season a, "Battle of the Divas," referencing other powerful vocalists Fantasia Barrino and LaToya London. Despite this praise, Hudson was eliminated during this week, which some blamed in part on a power outage in Hudson's hometown of Chicago due to storms and tornadoes in the area. This also led to controversy since the "Battling Divas" were all in the Bottom 3. On April 21, 2004, Hudson became the sixth of the 12 finalists to be voted off the show, finishing the competition in seventh place.





American Idol performances
Theme week Song sung Artist Date sung Status
Audition Share Your Love With Me Aretha Franklin – Advanced
Hollywood [N/A] [N/A] – Advanced
Semifinals Imagine John Lennon February 10, 2004 Eliminated
Wild Card I Believe in You and Me Four Tops
Whitney Houston March 9, 2004 Selected
Top 12
Soul Music Week Baby, I Love You Aretha Franklin March 16, 2004 Bottom 2
Top 11
Country Week No One Else on Earth Wynonna Judd March 23, 2004 Safe
Top 10
Motown Week (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave Martha and the Vandellas March 30, 2004 Bottom 2
Top 9
Songs of Elton John Circle of Life Elton John April 6, 2004 Highest Number of Votes
Top 8
Songs of the Cinema I Have Nothing from The Bodyguard Whitney Houston April 14, 2004 Safe
Top 7
Songs of Barry Manilow Weekend in New England Barry Manilow April 20, 2004 Eliminated



Films

Dreamgirls (2006)
In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the role of Effie White for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, which also starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy. The role, originally created in a Broadway performance by Jennifer Holliday, marked Hudson's debut screen performance. She won the role over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including Raven-Symoné and Fantasia Barrino. Filming of Dreamgirls began on January 9, 2006, and the film went into limited release on December 25, 2006, and national release on January 12, 2007.
Hudson has won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", the signature song of the role, which had earlier been recorded, and had already reached the status of musical standard, because of the definitive performance of Jennifer Holliday. The New York Observer described Hudson's performance of the song as, "five mellifluous, molto vibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted Ms. Hudson... into the position of front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar."[14] Newsweek said that when moviegoers hear Hudson sing the song, she, "is going to raise goose bumps across the land."Variety magazine wrote that Hudson's performance, "calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Bette Midler in The Rose, with a voice like the young Aretha."
Hudson's version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the January 13, 2007, issue. The Dreamgirls track became Hudson's first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart on February 24, 2007. The track has also reached number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while remixes of the song have topped the Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart.
As Effie White, Hudson has garnered 29 awards from film critics as Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performer of 2006. She won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In addition, she has been named Best Supporting Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and also by the Screen Actors Guild. After seeing Hudson's performance in Dreamgirls, Simon Cowell taped a congratulatory message to her, which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show. With the March 2007 issue, Jennifer Hudson became the third African American celebrity, and the first African-American singer, to grace the cover of Vogue magazine.


Hudson performing in 2007
On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. Upon winning the award, Hudson also became one of the very few performers ever to win an Oscar for a debut screen performance. As of 2009, she is also the only person to have gone from participating in a reality television series to becoming an Academy Award winner. During her acceptance speech, Hudson said: "Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn't think I was going to win. [...] If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration." She also concluded her speech by thanking Jennifer Holliday.
Later in 2007, the Mayor of her home town Chicago, Richard M. Daley, declared March 6 as "Jennifer Hudson Day". She also was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 18, along with 115 other individuals for 2007. Entertainment Weekly put her performance on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Sure, Beyoncé's performance was great. And Eddie Murphy's was impressive. But there was really only one reason we all rushed to see 2006's Dreamgirls: Jennifer Hudson's soul-to-the-rafters rendition of the classic "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." When she sang "You're gonna love me," it wasn't just a lyric—it was a fact."



Sex and the City (2008)
In September 2007, Hudson began work on Sex and the City as Louise, Carrie Bradshaw's assistant. Filming finished in December 2007 and the movie was released on May 30, 2008.




The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
In January 2008, she began filming her third film The Secret Life of Bees as Rosaleen, the mother figure of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning). Also starring in the film are fellow Oscar nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo, as well as Alicia Keys. The film opened on October 17, 2008, and grossed over $37 million at the box office. The film won two People's Choice Awards in January 2009 in the categories, Favorite Drama Movie and Favorite Independent Movie. The film also received nine Black Reel Awards nominations including three wins. Hudson was nominated for her performance in the film, but lost to Queen Latifah. The film also received eight nominations at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards, including a nomination for Hudson for her performance.



Fragments (2009)
In 2009, Hudson starred as Kathy Archenault in Fragments, a film based on the novel by Roy Freirich, with Dakota Fanning and Forest Whitaker. The name of the film was changed from "Winged Creatures" to "Fragments". It was released on DVD on August 4, 2009.




Music

In September 2006, Hudson performed the song, "Over It," live on Fox Chicago Morning News. In the interview she stated the song would be included on her debut album, to be released in early 2007 however this was before she signed with Arista.[26] On The Oprah Winfrey Show, Hudson announced plans to enter the studio in March 2007. Hudson said on The Tyra Banks Show, on February 23, 2007, that she just finished the first song for the album. Hudson also recorded a song called, "Stand Up", which was available for preview on her fan website which was produced by Chicago natives Earl Powell and Herman Little III, who arranged the song. The power-ballad is available on the deluxe edition Hudson's self-titled album as a bonus track.
In November 2006, Hudson signed a record deal with Arista Records. She released her debut album and has recently finished recording one song entitled, "Depreciate".
In January 2008 Hudson returned to the studio to record new material for her debut album. Her label was reportedly unhappy with the direction they were sending Hudson musically and decided it would be best to scrap the older songs and instead focus on new ones. Hudson worked with Ryan Tedder and Timbaland on a number of songs.
Her debut single, "Spotlight" was released on June 10, 2008 and became Hudson's first top 40 hit peaking at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a top 20 hit in the UK and Turkey. The second single, "If This Isn't Love" followed it. The second single was to be released in October 2008 and was supposed to be "My Heart". After three of her family members were murdered brutally by her estranged brother-in-law, the single was rescheduled for a January, 2009 release. In January her label decided that the second single would not be "My Heart" and therefore decided the second single would be released in February 2009. After much discussion, her label chose "If This Isn't Love" as the second single. The single eventually peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #37 on the UK Singles Chart. The third single was announced as "Pocketbook" featuring Ludacris in April, 2009, for a June, 2009 release, despite speculation that the third single would be "My Heart" after it was canceled as the second single. In May, 2009, "Pocketbook" was canceled as the third single due to negative reception from fans and critics alike. The third single was then rescheduled as "Giving Myself" and was released on June 2, 2009 to the US.
Her debut album, Jennifer Hudson was released on September 30, 2008 on Arista and was written by Ne-Yo, who co-produced along with Stargate. Additional contributors on the album include Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Robin Thicke, Harvey Mason, Jr., Diane Warren, Earl Powell, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, among others. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with 217,000 copies in the US and opened to positive reviews. As of August 2009, the album has sold 739,000 copies in the US, receiving a Gold certification for surpassing sales of 500,000. She has performed the song, "All Dressed in Love" for the Sex and the City soundtrack, which was released on May 27, 2008. Hudson performed the national anthem at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Her debut album garnered Hudson three nominations at the 2009 Grammy Awards; Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Spotlight", Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "I'm His Only Woman" with Fantasia Barrino, and Best R&B Album for Jennifer Hudson. She won the last of these and performed at the awards.
Hudson sang The Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIII.[31] She toured the United States with Robin Thicke in 2009. Recently, Hudson has suffered through a "throat fatigue" and has had to reschedule her May 16 – 19, 2009 tour dates.She also sang "Will You Be There" at the Michael Jackson memorial service on July 7, 2009.
Hudson has also recorded "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)," originally by Gladys Knight & the Pips, for American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics—the official American Idol album for the third season. She is featured in a duet, "The Future Ain't What It Used to Be," on Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. She also performed the song "Easy to be Hard" on the Actors' Fund benefit recording of the musical Hair; and she is featured on Ne-Yo's second album, Because of You, on the track, "Leaving Tonight". Hudson sang "Dancing a Catchy Rhythm" with Brooke White.
In September 2009, Ne-Yo told E! Online that Hudson was ready to get personnel on her second studio album. When probed for details he said that he might be producing the album. He also said "I'm pretty good at writing personal records…It starts with her idea and her thoughts." She's gone through a lot over the last year, so she has a lot to talk about," he continues. "She's definitely gotten stronger. The things that she's gone through and for her to still be upbeat and happy, it's amazing."
Hudson will be doing a Christmas special on ABC in December 2009 called Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas. She will relive her childhood Christmases with musical performances filmed at her favorite locations in her native Chicago. Hudson will also visit family members, friends and other childhood influences during the broadcast, ABC announced.
On January 22, 2010, Hudson appeared on the telethon "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief", performing the Beatles' "Let it Be". The telecast generated $61 million in donations as of January 26, 2010.
On February 1, 2010 Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie planned to organize a re-recording of "We Are the World" on January 28, 2010 — the 25th anniversary of the original recording of the song. However, due to the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 MW earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, these plans were postponed. The new version was recorded on February 1, 2010 and will feature many artists such as Brandy, Gladys Knight, Toni Braxton and many more.



Personal life

Hudson began dating James Payton in 1999, when she was eighteen. They were both from Chicago. When asked if they had any plans to marry, Hudson declared that, "We are happy with the place we are right now, but perhaps we will tie the knot someday. One thing's for sure, I definitely won't be popping the question!" The couple separated in late 2007.
Hudson met David Otunga (who appeared as "Punk" from I Love New York 2), a Harvard Law graduate. On September 12, 2008, Hudson's 27th birthday, Otunga proposed marriage. Otunga accompanied Hudson throughout Spring and Autumn 2008 on various promotional events for her films, as well as debut album. In November 2008, he started training to become a professional wrestler and went on to wrestle for WWE NXT under his real name. In August 2009, Hudson gave birth to her first child with Otunga; a boy named David Daniel Otunga Jr.
Hudson owns three Pomeranian dogs named Dreamgirl, Oscar and Grammy.




Family murders

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Arrest made in Jennifer Hudson family killings
On October 24, 2008, Hudson's 57-year-old mother, Darnell Donnerson, and the singer's 29-year-old brother, Jason, were found shot to death inside the Chicago home Donnerson shared with Hudson's elder sister, Julia. An AMBER Alert was issued for Hudson's 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, after Hudson's sister, Julia, reported him missing.
Later that day, Chicago police arrested a suspect, William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, but he was not charged with the crime. Balfour was on parole and had spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen vehicle. The Illinois Department of Corrections' records revealed one of Balfour's addresses to be the home where Donnerson and Jason Hudson were murdered.
Three days later, on October 27, 2008, the dead body of a young boy was found inside a 1994 Chevrolet Suburban parked on a street in Chicago's West Side area. The license plate and the vehicle's description matched that given in the AMBER Alert. The FBI confirmed the body was that of Julian King.Autopsy reports released on October 29, 2008 from the Cook County Medical Examiner's office indicated that Julian King's death was due to "multiple gunshot wounds".
A gun found in a West Side vacant lot was confirmed to be the murder weapon by Chicago police Superintendent Jody Weis on October 31, 2008. The gun belonged to Jason Hudson and had been missing for several months.
Funeral services for the three victims were held on November 3, followed by a private service at Chicago's South Side Apostolic Church of God on November 10. Hudson's family announced creation of The Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims, in honor of Hudson's mother, brother and nephew.
Because he had not yet been officially charged with the murders, Balfour appeared without an attorney at a thirty-five minute parole violation hearing on November 10, 2008; the hearing decision was that he was believed to have violated parole and should be held in custody until a December 3 hearing before the full Illinois Prisoner Review Board.


Jennifer Hudson sings National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIII
Balfour became the prime suspect on December 1, 2008, and was transferred into police custody. A police department spokesperson said, "He is awaiting formal charges for three counts of murder. There likely will be a press conference once there are formal charges against him." Balfour was officially charged with three counts of first degree murder, one count of home invasion and was denied bail. Balfour was indicted for the murders on December 30, 2008 and pleaded not guilty in a January 27, 2009 court appearance.
On February 1, 2009, Hudson made her first public appearance since the murders when she sang the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIII.
Other media

As of April 1, 2010, Hudson is the spokesperson for Weight Watchers.
Discography

Jennifer Hudson (2008)


Filmography

Hudson has appeared in the following film releases:
Year Film Role Notes
2006 Dreamgirls Effie White Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Austin Film Critics Association Award for Breakout Artist
African-American Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
BET Award for Best Actress
BET Award for Best New Artist
Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress
Black Reel Award for Breakthrough Performance
Broadcast Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Central Ohio Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Pauline Kael Breakout
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Hollywood Life Award for Breakthrough of the Year
Las Vegas Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
National Board of Review Award for Best Female Breakthrough Performance
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
New York Online Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
New York Online Film Critics Award for Breakthrough Performer
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Breakout Performance
Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Breakthrough Performance
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
ShoWest Female Star of Tomorrow Award
Soul Train Award for Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Drama
Washington, DC Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Washington, DC Film Crtics Association Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated- BET Award for Best Female R&B Artist
Nominated- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated- MTV Movie Award for Best Performance
Nominated- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated- Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress (Breakout)
2008 Sex and the City Louise
The Secret Life of Bees Rosaleen Daise Nominated- BET Award for Best Actress
Nominated- Black Reel Award for Best Actress
Nominated- Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Movie
2009 Fragments Kathy Archenault



Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2006 ShoWest Female Star of Tomorrow – Dreamgirls Won
Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Dreamgirls Won
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Best Female Breakthrough Performance – Dreamgirls Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Nominated
New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
New York Film Critics Online Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Breakthrough Performer – Dreamgirls Won
Hollywood Life Awards Breakthrough of the Year – Dreamgirls Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Washington, DC Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Best Breakthrough Performance – Dreamgirls Won
African-American Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival Breakthrough Performance – Dreamgirls Won
Las Vegas Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Pauline Kael Breakout – Dreamgirls Won
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award Breakout Performance – Dreamgirls Won
2007 The National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Austin Film Critics Association Breakout Artist – Dreamgirls Won
Broadcast Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Dreamgirls Won
Screen Actors Guild Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture – Dreamgirls Nominated
NAACP Image Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Movie – Dreamgirls Won
British Academy of Film and Television Awards Actress in a Supporting Role – Dreamgirls Won
Central Ohio Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Best Breakthrough Performance – Dreamgirls Won
Academy Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Dreamgirls Won
Soul Train Awards Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year – Dreamgirls Won
MTV Movie Awards Best Performance – Dreamgirls Nominated
BET Awards Best Female R&B Artist Nominated
Best Actress – Dreamgirls Won
Best New Artist Won
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actress: Drama – Dreamgirls Won
Choice Movie Actress (Breakout) – Dreamgirls Nominated
2008 Vibe Music Awards VHollywood Award Nominated
Black Reel Awards Best Actress – The Secret Life of Bees Nominated
Best Ensemble – The Secret Life of Bees Nominated
2009 Grammy Awards Best R&B Album – Jennifer Hudson Won
Best R&B Female Vocal Performance – Spotlight Nominated
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals – I'm His Only Woman featuring Fantasia Nominated
Best R&B Song – Spotlight Nominated
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding New Artist Won
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Movie – The Secret Life of Bees Nominated
Outstanding Female Artist Nominated
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration – I'm His Only Woman featuring Fantasia Won
Outstanding Music Video – Spotlight Nominated
Outstanding Song – Spotlight Nominated
Outstanding Album – Jennifer Hudson Won
BET Awards Best Female R&B Artist Nominated
Best Actress – The Secret Life of Bees Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Music: R&B Artist Nominated
Choice Music: R&B Track – If This Isn't Love Nominated
Soul Train Awards Best R&B/Soul Female Artist Nominated
Song of the Year – "Spotlight" Nominated
People's Choice Awards Favorite R&B Artist Nominated
Source:wikipedia

Hayley Tamaddon

Hayley Tamaddon (born 24 January 1977 Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire),[1] is an English actress of Iranian descent, who is most notable for portraying Delilah Dingle in ITV's Emmerdale and winning ITV's Dancing on Ice (Series 5) on 28th March, 2010.

Background

Tamaddon was born to an Persian father and English mother. She attended Montgomery High School Bispham, Blackpool. She trained in dance at Phil Winston's Theatreworks and Laine Theatre Arts.


Professional life

Stage
Tamaddon has appeared in a number of theatre roles including Frenchie in Grease and Diana Morales in A Chorus Line. She has also appeared in Boogie Nights opposite actor/comedian Kev Orkian, Mamma Mia! and Fame. She played Janet in the 2007 United Kingdom tour of The Rocky Horror Show. She has also appeared in pantomime including Aladdin and Snow White. In December 2007 she played the Fairy godmother in Cinderella at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield,and in 2008 performed the title role in Cinderella at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford.



Television
Tamaddon was written out of Emmerdale in the summer of 2007 when series producer, Kathleen Beedles decided not to renew her contract but promised not to kill off the character of Del Dingle – leaving the door open for a possible return at some point in the future. She has also appeared in The Royal, Where The Heart Is and Ghosthunting with the Dingles.
She was a runner-up in ITV's Soapstar Superstar which led to her singing with Michael Ball at the Opera House in Blackpool in March 2007 during his tour. For finishing second she raised £25,000 for Brian House Children's Hospice in Bispham. She has also appeared as Lulu on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes. She has also appeared on Loose Women and This Morning.
In March and April 2007 Tamaddon appeared in Soapstar Superchef on ITV. She and her team-mate Mathew Bose, who co-stars with her as Paul Lambert, in Emmerdale, were crowned winners of the show on 13 April. She has also played the role of a nurse in The Royal Today a daytime soap opera which first aired on 7 January 2008 on ITV.
Tamaddon appeared on week 18 of the BBC children's television show, Hider in the House on 4 May 2008, which was filmed at a family household in Wortley, West Yorkshire. She was busted on challenge seven but said "Personally I think I have been one of the best hiders ever and its been really good fun."
She appeared in Channel 4's Shameless as a lesbian that had a one night stand with Karen Maguire.
Tamaddon has recently been crowned champion of ITV's fifth series of Dancing on Ice, where she skated with professional skater and childhood friend Daniel Whiston. Tammaddon competed against Hollyoaks actor Kieron Richardson who came third, and she and Gary Lucy went on to perform bolero, Torvill and Dean's most acclaimed routine. Lucy took second place, with the public voting Tamaddon as champion after an earlier performance in which she got a perfect score of 30 points.
Other Emmerdale actresses from the Fylde Coast include, Jenna-Louise Coleman who plays Jasmine Thomas, Kelsey-Beth Crossley who plays Scarlett Nicholls and Raine Davison - who played Eve Birch.


Songs performed on Soapstar Superstar
Show 1 - "River Deep Mountain High" (Tina Turner)
Show 2 - "Knock on Wood" (Amii Stewart)
Show 3 - "There You'll Be" (Faith Hill)
Show 4 - "It Must Have Been Love" (Roxette)
Show 5 - "Jump" (Girls Aloud)
Show 6 - 1. "When I Fall in Love" (Nat King Cole)
- 2. Beverley Knight medley: "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Keep This Fire Burning", "Greatest Day"
Show 7 - 1. "On My Own" (from Les Misérables)
- 2. "Son of a Preacher Man" (Dusty Springfield)
Show 8: 1. "Disco Inferno" (The Trammps)
- 2. "Chains" (Tina Arena)
- 3. "Together Again" (Janet Jackson)
Show 9 - 1. "Jump" (Girls Aloud)
- 2. "Feels Like I'm in Love" (Kelly Marie)


Radio
Tamaddon has appeared on 96.3 Radio Aire in Leeds. Her first appearance was on the breakfast show in October 2009, when she presented alongside presenter Paul 'Griffo' Griffiths, who was covering for JK and Joel. She then spent a further week on the show, and in November once again covered with Griffo.


Film
Tamaddon appeared in a short film in June 2008 promoting road safety to young people in Cheshire. The film was made in conjunction with the Cheshire Constabulary and the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership.


Personal life

Tamaddon is engaged to her boyfriend, dancer and choreographer Darren Charles.
Source:wikipedia

Shia LaBeouf

Shia Saide LaBeouf, (pronounced /ˈʃaɪ.ə ləˈbʌf/ SHY--ə lə-BUFF; born June 11, 1986) is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian. LaBeouf began his comedy career when he was 10 years old, and then launched his acting career in 1998 at the age of 12. He became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens, also appearing in three Disney TV movies. In 2003, LaBeouf made his theatrical film debut in Holes, also appearing in the lead role in The Battle of Shaker Heights that same year.
In 2005, LaBeouf made his transition into more mature roles with The Greatest Game Ever Played. In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers, and the following year he appeared in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as Indiana's son. In 2009, LaBeouf reprised his role as Sam Witwicky in the Transformers sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and appeared in New York, I Love You. LaBeouf's upcoming films include the lead roles in The Associate, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Transformers 3. In 2004, LaBeouf made his directorial debut by directing "Lets Love Hate" with Lorenzo Eduardo. He also directed Cage's music video for the single "I Never Knew You".
LaBeouf has been in one long-term relationship, which began in 2004 and lasted three years. He is currently in a relationship with Carey Mulligan; the two began dating in the summer of 2009. In November 2007, LaBeouf was arrested for misdemeanor criminal trespassing in a Chicago Walgreens after refusing to leave; the criminal charges were dropped the following month. In July 2008, LaBeouf was involved in a car accident, which was caused by the other driver. LaBeouf was arrested at the scene of the car accident for misdemeanor drunk driving, and his driver's license was suspended for one year because he refused a breathalyzer examination. As a result of the injuries he sustained from the accident, he has undergone multiple surgeries on his left hand; his hand has permanent damage and scarring.

Early life

LaBeouf was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Shayna (née Saide) and Jeffrey Craig LaBeouf.Shayna is a dancer and ballerina turned visual artist and clothing jewelry designer; before she met LaBeouf's father, she ran a head shop in Brooklyn.[3] LaBeouf's father is a Vietnam War veteran who "drifted" from job to job, working as a mime at a circus, a snow cone salesman, a rodeo clown, a stand-up comedian, and touring with the Doobie Brothers as their opening act. LaBeouf's New York-born mother is Jewish and his father is a Cajun (once described by LaBeouf as a "Ragin' Cajun"). LaBeouf was raised in the Jewish religion and had a Bar Mitzvah, though he was also baptized. The name Shia is Hebrew for "gift from God" (שי-יה), and the surname LaBeouf is a corruption of "le bœuf", the French term for "the ox" or "the beef". LaBeouf has said that he comes from "five generations of performers" and was "acting when [he] came out of the womb."One of LaBeouf's great-grandmothers played piano in gangster Lucky Luciano’s casino. LaBeouf's maternal grandfather, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor who shared his first name, was a comedian who worked in the Borscht Belt of the Catskill Mountains and sidelined as a barber for the Mafia. LaBeouf's alcoholic paternal grandfather was a Green Beret in the military and LaBeouf's paternal grandmother was a Beatnik poet and lesbian who associated with Allen Ginsberg.
LaBeouf has described his parents as "hippies", his father as "tough as nails and a different breed of man", and his upbringing as similar to a "hippy lifestyle", stating that his parents were "pretty weird people, but they loved me and I loved them." LaBeouf's father used to grow cannabis, and the two smoked marijuana together when LaBeouf was ten. LaBeouf has also said he was subjected to verbal and mental abuse by his father, who once pointed a gun at his son during a Vietnam War flashback. LaBeouf says his father was "on drugs" during his childhood and was placed in drug rehabilitation for heroin addiction while LaBeouf's mother was "trying to hold down the fort."His parents eventually divorced, mainly due to financial problems, and LaBeouf had what he has described as a "good childhood", growing up poor with his mother (who worked selling fabrics and brooches) in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. LaBeouf's uncle was going to adopt him at one stage because his parents could not afford to have him anymore and "they had too much pride to go on welfare or food stamps."
LaBeouf attended a predominantly Latino and African American school.Theatrically, LaBeouf attended 32nd Street Visual and Performing Arts Magnet school in Los Angeles (LAUSD)[7] and Alexander Hamilton High School, although he received most of his education from tutors.Following high-school, LaBeouf was accepted to Yale University but declined, later remarking, "[I am] getting the kind of education you don't get at school,"although he would like to attend college.In a May 2009 Parade magazine interview, LaBeouf commented on how his parents' personal struggles, and his childhood, had an influence on him, "My dad and my mom were both artists who never found an audience for their artwork. And so I lived in poverty. Now that I'm not poor, I know that is what it was. Like Hemingway said, you can't write anything if you've never been shot at or been gorged by a bull, you know? So I look back at that stuff and I'm grateful. It's like scars. You become proud of them." In that same interview, LaBeouf explained that part of what he remembers is: in 1988, when he was two, his dad began dressing him up as a clown and putting him to work shilling for the family's pushcart business.LaBeouf recalled, "It was a hustle. We’d walk around the neighborhood in full clown regalia [...] My embarrassment factor didn't exist. I had fun, because I knew that in the middle of a performance my parents couldn't fight. So, for sure, every day, there had to be some peaceful time for us, or we weren't going to make it through the week financially."
Career

Early work, 1996–2006
Prior to his acting career, LaBeouf's career as a comedian originated when he would "create things, story lines and fictitious tales" during his childhood; he practiced stand-up comedy around his neighborhood as an "escape" from a hostile environment. At the age of ten, he began performing stand-up and "talking dirty" at comedy clubs (including The Ice House in Pasadena), describing his appeal as having "disgustingly dirty" material and a "50-year-old mouth on the 10-year-old kid".] LaBeouf, who described himself as an "insult comic", stated that his comic material included talking about his first erection and cursing. LaBeouf commented on his stand-up comedy career, "I just knew that money was a solution to whatever the hell was going on in my household. With money, I and my family would have had more options. So I went after a job that I thought I could make the most money for a 10-year-old or an 11-year-old boy."'LaBeouf subsequently found agent Teresa Dahlquist (who is his agent as of June 2008) through the Yellow Pages. He was taken on after doing his stand-up act for her and pretending to be his own manager, promoting himself in the third person. LaBeouf has said that he initially became an actor because his family was broke, not because he wanted to pursue an acting career. LaBeouf commented, "My humor came from seeing my parents have sex, smoke weed, my mom being naked—just weird hippie stuff, twisted R-rated humor. I’d get up there in my OshKosh B’Gosh outfit and my bowl haircut. I was a little kid with a Lenny Bruce mouth. That was the act. But there’s no money in stand-up comedy, so I went into acting." LaBeouf began acting when he was 12 years old. His acting debut was on Caroline in the City, in the episode "Caroline and the Bar Mitzvah", and he made guest appearances on popular television shows: The X-Files, Touched by an Angel, Jesse, and Suddenly Susan, all in 1999.
LaBeouf became well known among young audiences after playing Louis Stevens on the Disney Channel weekly program Even Stevens, a role for which he was cast three months after being signed by his agent. Even Stevens aired from 2000-2003 for three seasons and 65 episodes. Even Stevens ended with The Even Stevens Movie—a TV movie which premiered June 13, 2003, on the Disney Channel. In 2003, LaBeouf was awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for the role of Louis and has said, "[he] grew up on that show" and his childhood was "kind of lost", although being cast in the show was the "best thing" that has happened to him. His father, having just been released from rehab, served as LaBeouf's on-set parent and the two bonded. Around this time period, LaBeouf pitched an arrangement to Disney inspired by his and his father's residence at motels. Disney bought the rights to the story, but the project, entitled Rent-A-Dad, has never moved out of development—presumably because the material may not have been suited to the family-oriented film studio. In 2001 LaBeouf had a supporting role in the Disney Channel TV movie Hounded, as Ronny Van Dussel, a rival of the main character. The following year he appeared in another Disney Channel TV movie Tru Confessions, where he played a mentally challenged kid with a sister who made a documentary about his disability. Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, described LaBeouf as giving an "unbelievable acting performance", and stated, "to this day I believe [that performance] gave him the leverage and credibility to get a lot of other roles." During this time, LaBeouf also appeared in sketch shows on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In 2003, he appeared in another Disney production, Holes, as Stanley "Caveman" Yelnats IV, opposite Jon Voight. While filming Holes, Voight lent LaBeouf acting books that turned him on to the notion that acting could be about more than just a paycheck. The film was a moderate box office success. Steven Spielberg was a fan of LaBeouf in Holes, saying he reminded him of a young Tom Hanks. The film Holes made over US$67 million worldwide and was well-received by critics, garnering a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That same year, he was heavily featured in the HBO documentary show Project Greenlight, which chronicled the making of the independent film The Battle of Shaker Heights, his first PG-13 film. In the film, LaBeouf played the lead role of troubled teen Kelly Ernswiler. The Battle of Shaker Heights was theatrically released on August 22, 2003, in limited release and had a poor box office performance. LaBeouf also had minor roles in the films, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd.


LaBeouf in November 2006, promoting Bobby.
In 2004, LaBeouf co-wrote and directed the short film Let's Love Hate with Lorenzo Eduardo, which was LaBeouf's directorial debut. Also in 2004, LaBeouf played Farber, a minor role in I, Robot[33] and, the following year, appeared in the action-horror film Constantine as Chas Kramer, a supporting character.[34] LaBeouf made his transition into more mature roles, playing the lead role in the 2005 Disney film The Greatest Game Ever Played, as Francis Ouimet, a real-life golfer from a poor family who won the 1913 U.S. Open Championship. He also voiced the character Asbel in the English dubbed version of the 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a Japanese anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. LaBeouf appeared in the 2006 ensemble drama Bobby as Cooper, a campaign volunteer for Robert F. Kennedy.[36] As part of the cast of Bobby, LaBeouf won a Hollywood Film Award for "Ensemble Of The Year", and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture".[38] Also in 2006, LaBeouf played the younger version of Dito Montiel in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, the older version being played by Robert Downey, Jr. in a semi-autobiographical account of Montiel's upbringing in 1980s Astoria, Queens. In her review for the film, Lisa Schwarzbaum, of Entertainment Weekly, described LaBeouf as being "lavishly talented".
Breakthrough and commercial success, 2007–2008
In 2007, LaBeouf starred in Disturbia, a thriller released on April 13. He played a teenager under house arrest who suspects that his neighbor, played by David Morse, is a serial killer. The film was a sleeper hit and LaBeouf received positive reviews for the role, with The Buffalo News stating, "[LaBeouf] has grown into an appealing, bright young actor who is able to simultaneously pull off [the character's] anger, remorse and intelligence", Kurt Loder of MTV wrote "[LaBeouf] gets his star ticket decisively punched", and the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "[LaBeouf is] fast becoming the best young actor in Hollywood". In comparing the film with Rear Window, The New York Daily News described LaBeouf's appeal as "more John Cusack than James Stewart". On April 14, 2007, LaBeouf hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Avril Lavigne to promote the film. Throughout the show, LaBeouf and Lavigne acted in skits. Also in 2007, LaBeouf voiced Cody Maverick, the narrater, in the animated mockumentary film Surf's Up. That same year, LaBeouf played teenager Sam Witwicky, who becomes involved in the Autobot-Decepticon war on Earth, in Michael Bay's Transformers, released on July 3. Executive producer Steven Spielberg cast him in the role, having been impressed by his performance in Holes. Bay initially considered LaBeouf too old for the part of Sam, having only seen his performance in Constantine, but he was "bowled" over by LaBeouf's enthusiasm. LaBeouf performed his own stunts in the film. LaBeouf received critical acclaim for his role, with Empire's Ian Nathan praising him as "a smart, natural comedian, [who] levels the bluntness of this toy story with an ironic bluster". For his role in Transformers, LaBeouf was nominated for an Empire Award, and a National Movie Award, as well as being named 2007's "star of tomorrow" by the ShoWest convention. For his lead role in the film, LaBeouf was reportedly paid $500,000. In February 2008, LaBeouf was awarded the BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award, which was voted on by the British general public.
In April 2007, it was confirmed that LaBeouf had been cast in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. LaBeouf was Steven Spielberg's first choice for the role, again having been impressed by his performance in Holes. LaBeouf said that he signed on to the film without reading the script and did not know what character he would play. LaBeouf was cast as Mutt Williams, a greaser who is Indiana Jones' son. LaBeouf said, in order to prepare for his role in the film, that he worked out seven days a week for three hours a day and described his diet as being "protein-heavy, carb-heavy"; LaBeouf gained over fifteen pounds of muscle from training. LaBeouf said of the experience, "I have definitely not trained like this for anything in my life. I'm preparing like I'm going into battle." During filming LaBeouf pulled his rotator cuff while filming a fight scene, which was the first injury of his career. The injury got worse throughout filming, and he pulled his groin. The film was theatrically released in May 2008, and grossed over $780 million worldwide. LaBeouf's performance in the film received mixed reviews: Todd Gilchrist of IGN commented in his review for the film, "one can't quite help but wonder what Spielberg saw in the young actor that inspired him to cast LaBeouf"; Stephanie Zackarek of Salon.com noted, "[LaBeouf] sensibly keeps his performance as low-key as possible" and was "appealing enough". To promote the film, LaBeouf, for the second time, hosted Saturday Night Live on May 10, 2008, with musical guest My Morning Jacket. LaBeouf's next, and final, 2008 film was Eagle Eye, a thriller directed by D. J. Caruso, co-produced by Spielberg, and released on September 26. Eagle Eye was LaBeouf's second collaboration with Caruso, and his third with Spielberg. Eagle Eye proved to be another commercially successful film for LaBeouf, making over $177 million worldwide. In December 2008, LaBeouf dropped out of the film Dark Fields due to a hand injury he had acquired in a car crash which would not be fully healed by the time production started.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and beyond, 2009–present


LaBeouf in Paris in June 2009, promoting Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
In February 2009, LaBeouf teamed with rapper Chris "Cage" Palko to direct the music video for "I Never Knew You," the first single off of Cage's third album, Depart From Me. The music video was shot on location in downtown Los Angeles on February 21 and 22. It features cameos by other Definitive Jux artists: El-P, Aesop Rock, Chauncey, F. Sean Martin, Yak Ballz, and Alex Pardee. According to LA Weekly, this video marks the first in a series of collaborations between LaBeouf and Cage and will ultimately result in a film about the rapper's life, starring LaBeouf. When asked what it was like directing the "I Never Knew You" video, LaBeouf said, "I'm 22 and I'm directing my favorite rapper's music video. This shit is better than riding unicorns."] The video premiered on May 18, on MTV2 and MtvU.
LaBeouf reprised the role of Sam Witwicky in the 2009 sequel to Transformers, entitled Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Filming for the movie began in May 2008 and ended in late 2008. Due to LaBeouf's injury from his car accident, Michael Bay and screen writer Roberto Orci had to rewrite the script to protect LaBeouf's hand throughout filming. LaBeouf said production was only delayed two days after his accident because Bay made up for it by filming second unit scenes, and LaBeouf recovered a few weeks earlier than expected, allowing him to return to the set.Near the end of filming, LaBeouf injured his eye when he hit a prop; the injury required seven stitches. LaBeouf resumed filming two hours later. For his lead role in the film, LaBeouf was reportedly paid around $5 million. The film was a commercial success, making over $800 million worldwide, but received negative critical reviews. Joe Neumaier, of New York Daily News, felt the film showed LaBeouf "finally" proved that he's a "viable leading man".
LaBeouf played Jacob in the romantic comedy New York, I Love You, a collection of short stories about finding love in the five boroughs of New York and the sequel to Paris, je t'aime. The film premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008 and was released in October 2009to mixed reviews from critics. In June 2009, it was confirmed that LaBeouf had signed on to star as the lead role in the Oliver Stone directed film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; the film is the sequel to the Academy Award-winning film Wall Street. In the film, LaBeouf will play Jacob "Jake" Moore, an ambitious Wall Street trader who is in a relationship with Gordon Gekko's daughter, Winnie. The film is set to close the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in May 2010. Co-starring Michael Douglas and Carey Mulligan, the film is set to be theatrically released in September 2010.
In an interview with MTV, Neil Gaiman said he is planning to direct a film adaption of the comic book series Death: The High Cost of Living, tentatively titled Death and Me, and showed interest in casting LaBeouf in the film, particularly the lead role. Gaiman commented that while LaBeouf was "one of 'Death’s biggest supporters", a concern for casting him as the lead was due to his age, but added that, "I wouldn’t be surprised if he were in it."It has been confirmed that LaBeouf will reprise his role in the third Transformers film. The film is expected to begin filming in May 2010 and to be released in July of the following year. In early December 2008, LaBeouf signed on to star as the lead role, Kyle McAvoy, in the film adaption of the novel The Associate by John Grisham. The film is currently in pre-production. Grisham, who had reportedly hand-picked LaBeouf for the role, said of his casting, "I think he'll be wonderful! He's a very talented actor." In December 2009, LaBeouf was set to star in the film The Promised Land, but the project was shelved primarily because of financial concerns. LaBeouf's disappointment over the project resulted in him leaving his agents at William Morris Endeavor.After trying to go without an agent, he eventually signed with Creative Artists Agency[78] in January 2010.


Personal life

LaBeouf bought his own two-bedroom house at the age of 18[80] and lives in Burbank, California. LaBeouf is a cigarette smoker, but he stated in June 2009 that he had recently begun trying to quit. LaBeouf drives a Nissan Maxima, and has two bulldogs named Brando and Rex.[80] LaBeouf has said, "sports are so big in my life", and that he is a "film junkie". He enjoys the music of The Shins, CKY, and the hip hop label Definitive Jux. LaBeouf has said that he is a fan of The Transformers television series and the 1986 film, The Transformers: The Movie. LaBeouf is a fan of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.While doing research for his role in Wall Street" Money Never Sleeps, LaBeouf developed an interest in stock market trading, which he described as his "favorite hobby" in April 2010.
LaBeouf has said that he is "very serious" about his career and has made "a calculated effort to stay away from the party scene," believing that "if the industry takes you lightly because you're always partying, then they will take your work lightly as well." Interviewer Jamie Portman of The Vancouver Sun described LaBeouf as seeming to have a "love-hate relationship with the teenage culture that has spawned him. LaBeouf has said that, although he does not devoutly practice Judaism, he has a "personal relationship with God that happens to work within the confines of Judaism". LaBeouf has said that he is not the "All-American Disney role model" and chose to appear in some of his film roles in order to "curse as much as possible" and "age [himself] publicly" after his Disney roles. However, he specifies that Disney is "great and all" and a "nurturing place". He has said that he enjoyed being a child actor and disliked school
LaBeouf has three known tattoos as of May 2009, which are: 1986-2004 on his inner right wrist, a dog paw tattoo on his upper left arm, and a hand with a shackle on it on his left upper side torso. LaBeouf said he got the tattoo on his wrist because, "I’ve been doing this [acting] for 10 years, a lot of people say, ‘Oh, I forgot my childhood or I miss my childhood’ [...] so that’s just precautionary." LaBeouf described the tattoo on his upper side torso, "It’s like an artist drawing his own prison," and continued, "Just life. That’s where I’m at". LaBeouf has cited actors Gary Oldman,Dustin Hoffman, Jodie Foster, Jon Voight, and John Turturro as inspirations, and has also cited director Francis Lawrence as an inspiration, with whom LaBeouf worked on Constantine. LaBeouf described his agent Teresa Dahlquist, who paid for his head shots and rent during his Disney career, as being "one of the few pillars" in his life, adding that "she lifted me up and cared for me."
Despite having a hardship relationship with both his parents during his childhood, LaBeouf remains close to them both. During the winter, LaBeouf's father usually stays with him; during the summers, he lives in a tepee in Montana on a $10,000 plot of land LaBeouf bought him in 2003.LaBeouf bought his mother a house that is a ten-minute drive from his own house, in Tujunga, Los Angeles, California. He commented, "They don't work.  I take care of them, and they get to create art for the rest of their days." When LaBeouf was 19, after a neighbor in his Studio City apartment complex had allegedly insulted his mother and rear-ended her car, LaBeouf brought a knife, and a friend for backup, to the neighbor's apartment, which resulted in LaBeouf being assaulted by the neighbor and six of the neighbor's friends.
LaBeouf confirmed to People that, from 2004 to 2007, he dated model China Brezner, whom he met on the set of The Greatest Game Ever Played. He said of the reason for the break-up, "My focus became so work-related that I couldn't devote any time to a relationship", but, "We were inseparable, she was my best friend and my love". He described the break-up as being like "rebuilding after a tornado."[95] LaBeouf has said he tries to avoid relationships with co-stars saying, "It's really easy to fall for someone on-set, but in the end you know, it's a representative and it's not really them." As of August 2009, LaBeouf is in a relationship with British actress Carey Mulligan, his co-star in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Mulligan and LaBeouf were introduced by the film's director, Oliver Stone, prior to filming and began dating shortly after.


Arrests

LaBeouf in July 2009, promoting Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. An injury LaBeouf sustained in car accident the year before, was written into the film's storyline.
On November 4, 2007, LaBeouf was arrested early in the morning for misdemeanor criminal trespassing in a Chicago Walgreens after refusing to leave when asked by a security guard. The criminal charges were dropped on December 12, 2007. In March 2008, an arrest warrant was issued for LaBeouf after he failed to make a court appearance. The hearing was in relation to a ticket he received for unlawful smoking in Burbank, California, in February 2008. When neither LaBeouf nor a lawyer appeared at the court at 8:30 a.m., a $1000 bench warrant was issued for his arrest. However, the court commissioner in California recalled this warrant on March 19, 2008, after the actor’s attorney arrived a day late to plead not guilty on LaBeouf's behalf, and a pre-trial hearing was set for April 24, 2008. The charge was dismissed after the actor paid a $500 fine.
At approximately 3 A.M. on July 27, 2008, LaBeouf was involved in a car crash at the intersection of La Brea Avenue and Fountain Avenue in Los Angeles. His Ford F1-50 was hit from the side by a vehicle running a red light. LaBeouf had been gripping the top of the windowsill as he drove and, upon impact, the truck rolled onto his exposed left hand, crushing it.While responding to the accident, police officers smelled alcohol on LaBeouf's breath. Because he refused a breathalyzer examanization, authorities arrested LaBeouf at the scene for misdemeanor drunk driving and his driver's license was suspended for one year. Michael Bay stated that LaBeouf had been drinking hours before the car accident and he had felt that, by the time the accident had occurred, the alcohol had worn off. LaBeouf had to undergo one of many hand surgeries immediately after the accident. His passenger, Isabel Lucas, and the driver and passenger in the other car suffered only minor injuries. Due to severe damages from the accident, LaBeouf's truck was totaled; his father keeps the vehicle at his home as a 'memento'.
Two days later, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman announced that LaBeouf was not at fault in the accident as the other driver had ran a red light. LaBeouf returned to the set of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at this time, and shooting resumed In September of that year, LaBeouf described the car accident as being "eye-opening and terrifying." LaBeouf stated that, as a result of the injuries to his left hand, he had screws and plates put in his hand; there is also scarring. One screw was placed in one of his knuckles, and he had a shaved piece of bone from his hip made into a bone for his finger. In April 2009, he stated he had undergone three hand surgeries. He said that he would regain "probably about 80-something percent" usage of his hand and, while he would able to make a fist again, "there’s a knuckle [I will] never be able to move again" and in May 2010, he said that he has "completely" regained movement in his fingers.
Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2003 The Battle of Shaker Heights Kelly Ernswiler main role (limited release)
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Max Petroni minor role
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Lewis minor role
Holes Stanley "Caveman" Yelnats IV main role
2004 I, Robot Farber supporting role
2005 The Greatest Game Ever Played Francis Ouimet main role
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Asbel voice (English version)
Constantine Chas Kramer supporting role
2006 Bobby Cooper minor role
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Young Dito supporting role
2007 Disturbia Kale Brecht main role
Surf's Up Cody Maverick voice
Transformers Sam Witwicky main role
2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Henry "Mutt Williams" Jones III supporting role
Eagle Eye Jerry Shaw/Ethan Shaw main role
2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Sam Witwicky main role
New York, I Love You Jacob minor role
2010 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Jake "Jacob" Moore main role (filming)
2011 Transformers 3 Sam Witwicky main role (pre-production)
2012 The Associate Kyle McAvoy main role (pre-production)
Film Made for Television or Video
Year Title Role Notes
1998 The Christmas Path Cal main role
Monkey Business Wyatt minor role
Breakfast with Einstein Joey supporting role
2001 Hounded Ronny van Dussel supporting role (Disney Channel original movie)
2002 Tru Confessions Eddie Walker supporting role (Disney Channel original movie)
2003 The Even Stevens Movie Louis Stevens main role (Disney Channel original movie)
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1998 Caroline in the City Ethan Episode: ("Caroline and the Bar Mitzvah")
1999 Jesse Moe Episode: ("Momma Was a Rollin' Stone")
1999 Suddenly Susan Ritchie Episode: ("A Day in the Life")
1999 Touched by an Angel Johnny Episode: ("The Occupant")
1999 The X-Files Richie Lupone Episode: ("The Goldberg Variation")
2000 ER Darnel Smith Episode: ("Abby Road")
2000 Freaks and Geeks Herbert the mascot Episode: ("We've Got Spirit")
2000–2003 Even Stevens Louis Stevens main role
2001 The Nightmare Room Dylan Pierce Episode: ("Scareful What You Wish For")
2002 The Proud Family Johnny McBride Episode: ("I Love You Penny Proud") (Voice)
Source:wikipedia

Men in Black III

Men in Black II is a 2002 science fiction film starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn. The film is a sequel to the 1997 film Men in Black, both of which are based on the Malibu comic book series The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham.

Plot

Five years after the events of the earlier film, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) has assumed civilian life as a small town's postmaster while Agent J (Will Smith) continues to work for the Men in Black, the self-funded New York City-based agency that secretly monitors and regulates extraterrestrials' activity on Earth. J is largely without a partner, his former partner Agent L having returned to her former task as a deputy medical examiner and her successors having been expelled from the agency by J himself due to their unsuitability. While investigating a seemingly routine crime, J uncovers a diabolical plot by Serleena, a shapeshifting Kylothian queen who disguises herself as a model (Lara Flynn Boyle), but resembles a Lernean hydra in her own form. To stop her, J must convince K— who has no memory of his time spent with the agency, but is the only person alive who knows what is needed to defeat Serleena— to reunite with the MIB before Earth is destroyed.
A large part of the plot centers on Agent J's relationship with a woman called Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson), a waitress at a SoHo pizzeria who witnesses Serleena's killing of the pizzeria's owner. Rather than erase her memory according to MIB rules, J allows her to retain it. As Laura becomes increasingly involved in the battle between Serleena and the MIB, she comes to view Agent J as her protector, while he simultaneously falls in love with her. While J tries to deneuralyze K, Serleena breaks into MIB resulting in a lockdown; J and K escape after being flushed from the building. J then takes K to Jack Jeebs (Tony Shalhoub), who built an unofficial deneuralyzer. Although K eventually regains his memory, he reveals that he still has no recollection of the "Light of Zartha" but left himself a series of clues in case he needed to remember.
Ultimately, Laura's true identity is revealed as an extraterrestrial princess and power-source styled the "Light of Zartha". This revelation requires her to return to Zartha, her ancestral homeworld. Serleena, who has been seeking all along to find and possess the Light of Zartha, is killed just as Laura is transported away. Agent K is implied to have had a romantic attachment to Laura's mother Lauranna, after whom she is named, who was killed by Serleena twenty-five years before the film's story began. It is left unknown whether K is Laura's father. When Laura has gone, K and Agent Zed (the head of MIB) attempt to console J for his loss, only to have him answer that he needs no consolation, having accepted her departure without much sorrow. Since people all over New York City have witnessed these events, an emergency neuralyzer built into the Statue of Liberty is used to erase everyone's memory.
Two other plot threads relate the interaction of J with Frank the Pug (an extraterrestrial refugee posing as a pug dog, who becomes J's partner early in the film) and the revelation that K keeps a race of minuscule extraterrestrials inside a storage locker at Grand Central Terminal, the locker encasing their whole world. At the end of the film, K kicks open a forbidden door to reveal that a much larger locker located in an enormous alien version of Grand Central Terminal contains the human world.




Cast

Tommy Lee Jones as Kevin Brown/Agent K: A decommissioned senior MIB agent and the only person who knows (or knew) how to stop the latest threat to Earth's safety. He is revealed to be the father of the power source sought by Serleena, although he didn't say out loud.
Will Smith as James Darrell Edwards III/Agent J: Still on active duty with the MIB, he is not satisfied with the partners assigned to him and keeps neuralyzing them.
Rip Torn as Chief Zed: The head of the MIB.
Lara Flynn Boyle as Serleena: A shape-shifting alien who has come to Earth to find a vital power source used by her race's enemies. She serves as the main villain of the film.
Johnny Knoxville as Scrad & Charlie: A humanoid alien (Scrad), with a second small head (Charlie) on a stalk protruding from his neck, who does Serleena's dirty work.
Rosario Dawson as Laura Vasquez: A young woman who turns out to be the power source sought by Serleena. She is also revealed to be the daughter of Zarthan Queen Laurana and Agent K.
Tony Shalhoub as Jack Jeebs: An alien pawn shop owner who uses a home-built machine to "deneuralyze" K and restore his memory.
Patrick Warburton as Agent T: Partnered with J, who neuralyzes him and throws him out of the MIB.
Jack Kehler as Ben
David Cross as Newton
Biz Markie as Beatboxing Alien
Michael Jackson as himself (tries to persuade Chief Zed to make him Agent M)
Tim Blaney as the voice of Frank the Pug



Production

Despite some initial involvement from David Koepp (who left to work on Spider-Man), the script was written by Robert Gordon and later revised by Barry Fanaro (who added pop culture references, something which Gordon had deliberately avoided).Sonnenfeld took issue with the producers' focus on the love story between Will Smith's and Rosario Dawson's characters, saying that "I learned on Wild Wild West that audiences didn't want to see Will as the straight man. And until Tommy comes back into the movie, by definition Will's the straight man." Fanaro condensed the first part of the film and brought Agent K in earlier. The climax of the film was originally to have taken place at New York City's World Trade Center. However, this had to be changed following the destruction of the buildings in the September 11 attacks.The day after September 11, a spokesperson for the studio said that the ending would be refilmed.
Supervising sound editor Skip Lievsay used a Synclavier to recreate and improve the original recording of the neuralyzer sound effect from the first film (which was the sound of a strobe flash as it recycles) by removing some distortion.For some of the scenes with the Serleena creature, the sound crew "took tree branches, put them inside a rubber membrane and pushed that around and added some water."For the special effects scene where the subway train is attacked by Jeff the Worm, a specially designed vice was used to crush a subway car and make it look as if it had been bitten in half.


Release

Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews, gaining a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 50. A. O. Scott of The New York Times said that, "Within the trivial, ingratiating scope of its ambition, though, the sequel is pleasant enough," and, noting the huge array of aliens designed by Rick Baker, said that the film "really belongs to Mr. Baker."[8] A review in The Hindu called the film "worth viewing once."Another review from Digital Media FX magazine praised the spaceships as looking very realistic, but criticized many of the simpler visual effects such as the moving backgrounds composited behind the car windows using blue-screen (which it called a throwback to the special effects of earlier decades). In August 2002, Entertainment Weekly placed the Worm Guys among their list of the best CG characters, and said that the enlarged roles of both Frank the Pug and the Worm Guys in Men in Black II was beneficial for the "tiring franchise".



Box office
Men In Black II was a commercial success, although not to the extent of the original. Released theatrically on July 3, 2002, Men In Black II charted at number one in its opening weekend at the box office with the revenue of $52,148,751. The film held onto the number one two the following week the revenue of $24,410,311, a 53.2% decrease from its opening weekend. In the film's third week of release, it saw a 40.4% decrease with the revenue of $14,552,335, charting at number three. After one month the film remained in the box office chart, at fourth place, with the revenue of $8,477,202. Men In Black II fell out of the top-ten at the box office chart in its sixth week of release. After sixty two days of release in North America, Men In Black II grossed $190,418,803. 43.1% of the film's worldwide revenue of $441,818,803 came from North America. Internationally, Men in Black was commercially successful; the film to date has grossed an estimated $251,400,000, with 56.9% of the films overall revenue coming from foreign territories.


Sequel

Men in Black III will be the third iteration of the film's franchise. It will be released in 3D by Sony Pictures and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two installments. The third was originally based on a script written by Tropic Thunder and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa writer Etan Cohen. Sony confirmed that David Koepp would serve as an additional screenwriter, joining Cohan. Koepp is currently rewriting a new draft of the script, which takes place primarily in the year 1969. It was initially announced that Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith would reprise their roles as Agents Kay and Jay, respectively. Both had previously expressed interest in reprising their roles back in 2008.
While Smith has officially signed on to return as Agent Jay, Jones is in advanced negotiations to return as Agent Kay. Josh Brolin is also in talks to play the younger (1969) version of Kay. Others rumored to have parts in the film include Sacha Baron Cohen and Jemaine Clement. Production of the sequel is tentatively set to begin during the 2010 Fall season and will welcome back producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. Steven Spielberg is also set to return as executive producer. Men in Black III will hit theaters May 25, 2012.
Source:wikipedia