The superstar singer passed away suddenly, her publicist confirms. How tragic.

Whitney Houston has died at age 48, her publicist confirmed on Feb. 11.

Although the cause of death has not been revealed, Jill Fritzo, a publicist of Whitney’s, told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that she had passed away, saying, “unfortunately, true.”

Houston died at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and l employees, tell TMZ .com … Whitney Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her room. As of 1 am  set Feb 12, Houston’s body was still at the hotel, police sources confirmed to Hollywoodlife.com.

Sources say there were no obvious signs of foul play, but BHPD detectives have launched a full investigation. L.A. County Coroner Ed Winter tells HollywoodLife.com that it is too early in the investigation to tell what happened.

Whitney was one of the best-selling pop artists of all time, with over 55 million records sold in the United States alone. Furthermore, she had great success acting, with star-making turns in films such as the smash hit The Bodyguard , and Waiting To Exhale.

She was also known for her tumultuous relationship with her ex-husband Bobby Brown. Upon hearing of Whitney death, Bobby immediately began calling friends and family.

“He wanted to tell everyone about it before it hit the news,” one of his relatives told PEOPLE magazine. “He didn’t want any of us to hear about it on television.”

As Brown spoke to family members, the shock of Houston’s sudden death turned to grief. “He could hardly get the words out when he called me,” says the relative. “He was sobbing, and by the end of the call, I was sobbing too. He’s beside himself right now.”

Brown learned the news about his ex-wife while in Memphis, where he is currently on location for a New Edition concert. He is “shattered and beyond devastated,” says the source.

CNN spoke to Johnny Gill who is in Memphis with Bobby Brown for a New Edition concert. He told them: “Bobby is struggling and devastated” at hearing that Whitney has died. He has apparently spoken to their daughter Bobbi Kristina, 18, who Hollywoodlife.com has learned was with Whitney in Los Angeles and was “not doing well” Brown said.

Houston’s passing was confirmed by her publicist, and Beverly Hills Police Lieut. Mark Rosen said on Saturday, Feb 11,  that the 48-year-old singer “was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. this afternoon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,” following a 3:43 p.m. call from hotel security.

The best-selling pop artist wed soul crooner Bobby Brown in 1992 in a marriage that surprised many, given Brown’s bad-boy reputation. The following year, the couple welcomed a daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

After a tumultuous relationship that included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993, the two divorced in 2007.

Despite their breakup, the couple remained friendly, a relative of Bobby Brown’s tells HollywoodLife.com,  ”They had Bobbi Kristina in common, and were determined to be co-parents to her. They didn’t hate each other. In fact, there was a lot of respect. So this has hit Bobby really hard. He is devastated. He loved her very much. This is a very sad time for him.”

She leaves behind a daughter, Bobbi Kristina.The last time Houston was seen publicly was at a pre-Grammys party, Feb. 9, where she sang , ‘Jesus, Loves You”.

Her professional mentor Clive Davis did not cancel his annual pre-Grammys party  held at the Beverly  Hilton – the same hotel where Whitney died- in Los Angeles tonight although a source tells Hollywoodlife.com that he did not attend. He has said:  ”Whitney had one of the best voices of all time!” But guests at the party told Hollywoodlife.com that it was more like a funeral, than a party.

Several celebrities tweeted about the death shortly after the news went public, including Justin Bieber who wrote, “Just heard the news. so crazy. One of the GREATEST VOICES EVER just passed. RIP Whitney Houston. My prayers go out to her friends and family I am sadden to hear of the passing of Whitney Houston today…”

Miley Cyrus tweeted, “I LOVE Whitney : ( I’m not turning my tv on. just gonna stay @ home & listen 2 her records.
Mariah Carey expressed her condolences over a series of tweets, saying, “Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.”

Her husband, Nick Cannon, wrote, “‘To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord’ RIP to Whitney Houston a true queen.”

The X Factor’s Melanie Amaro tweeted, “I love u sooo much Whitney Houston :’( u will always be in my heart and my mind an my soul your music made me the girl I am today :(”

Aretha Franklin said, “I just can’t talk about it now. It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy (Houston’s mother), her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown).”

Dolly Parton, who wrote “I Will Always Love You,”  Whitney’s greatest hit song, said, “mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, ‘Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.’”

Quincy Jones, said he was “absolutely heartbroken…She was a true original and a talent beyond compare.”

Singer Keri Hilson  wrote, “Watching the news now…it’s true. R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Ugh I hate that I’m even typing this…I’m shocked. She was my hero growing up.”

Actress Nina Dobrev also tweeted, writing, “#iwillalwaysloveyou is one of the most beautiful and iconic songs. It will be remembered forever. Rest in peace Whitney Houston.”

President of the Recording Academy Neil Portnow released a statement saying, “Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world’s greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.”

We will miss Whitney’s talent, which she displayed in amazing songs like “I Will Always Love You.”

Just in…according to TMZ, Beverly Hills police have sealed off the room where Whitney Houston died and will not enter until they obtain a search warrant . The police want to conduct a thorough search of the hotel room, but are exercising caution by getting a warrant. We’re told one thing police are interested in is whether drugs are present in the room.  Although police could seize items in plain view, we’re told they want a top-to-bottom search of the room.

Whitney’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Ray J celebrated Brandy’s (his sister’s) birthday today.  According TMZ, Ray J’s publicist is saying that Whitney’s bodyguard is the person that found Whitney dead.

Whitney Houston sweats profusely and appears dishevelled as she leaves the Tru Hollywood nightclub on Thursday night. She partied with a large group of friends before 'clashing' with security guards, right, then being driven away to her hotel, where she died yesterday afternoon

Kim seen right with actress Jane Fonda and, right, Diana Ross with Berry Gordy

Davis decided to continue with the party, despite his protege's tragic passing

Miss Houston's daughter  Bobbi Kristina, left, and her ex-husband  Bobby Brown get into a car after an evening out at Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills on February 2.

Singer Alicia Keys consoles Miss Houston's long-time mentor Clive Davis, also the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainmen

he singer joins her family after what will have been one of their last nights out together

Looking radiant in a white one-shouldered dress, Houston gives an incomparable performance at the peak of her career when she was one of the world's most popular singers

Bowing out: Miss Houston lowers her head to the crowd during the superstar-quality performance

Houston, pictured in 1965, was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin

Houston sings with Jermaine Jackson during rehearsals for a TV performance in 1984

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with 'The Bodyguard'. The story of a singer guarded by a former Secret Service agent was a success

She was a frequent winnerat the Grammys and other high-profile award ceremonies

Houston collects one of the  manyaccolades she received throughout her career.

South African President Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston smile for photographers in Johannesburg

Houston with Mariah Carey, one of the young singers who followed in her wake

Houston performs with singer Bobby Brown, left. Their turbulent marriage was the subject of tabloid gossip for years

Winfrey and Brown met with Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon on a trip to the Middle Eastern country in 2003

Her emaciated appearance led to rumours she had died the next day. Right, a year later, again in New York, the singer was still struggling with a troubled relationship and cocaine abuse

The I Will Always Love You singer suffers a waldrobe malfunction on the X Factor in 2009 in what was supposed to be the start of her comeback tour. Many of the subsequent shows were later cancelled

A dark and tragic end: The body of Whitney Houston is wheeled out of the suite of the hotel in Los Angeles where she 'drowned in the bath' following two apparent evenings of out-of-control binges

Danni Minogue, left, Simon Cowell, Whitney Houston and Cheryl Cole, right, backstage on the X Factor. Whitney's performance raised concerns for her health with Cowell saying the warning signs were clear

It has been claimed that Ms Houston drowned in a bathtub, similar to this one in a suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton, after accidentally overdosing on a cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol

A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, this morning where Whitney Houston was found dead. She is said to have 'drowned in the bathtub'

The corridor on the fourth floor of the hotel close to the room where Miss Houston died. Right, mourners gather at a makeshift memorial on the corner of Santa Monica and Wiltshire Boulevards

The award-winning R&B singer had taken a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel in LA to get ready for tonight's Grammys

The scene outside the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, California today where Miss Houston was found dead in a suite on the fourth floor

A police van pulls up outside the Hilton after Houston's death. Right, officers gather outside the hotel as an investigation begins into the causes of death

5 hot Nollywood babes to watch in 2012

Discovering new faces that will take after the likes of Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Ini Edo, Tonto Dike, Uche Jombo and many other A-list actresses when they finally stay off the screen over the years has remained a major issue as far as the Nigerian movie industry is concerned.

But today, with productions getting better and the industry gaining global attention, more and more faces are emerging, thus adding colour and freshness to the industry. HVP brings to you some of the new faces in Nollywood that are expected to become forces to reckon with in this new season.

 

Chinwe Isaac

Chinwe Isaac

Light skinned Chinwe Isaac is one fast rising actress that holds a lot of promises for the industry in this new season. Currently accused of taking after one of the most controversial actresses in Nollywood, Tonto Dike, after an extremely sexy role where she stuffed her breasts into an actor’s mouth in the movie titled “One Last Feeling”, the Imo State born actress who joined the industry in 2008, is not resting on her oar in respect of her determination to hit the top.

Industry watchers described Chinwe as one of the most sought after actresses by movie makers because of her daring attitude. Recently she shaved her hair for a new movie role, which she said she decided to play irrespective of the stigma that could come with walking about town on bald head,because she is driven by success and ability to take her craft a notch higher.

Chinwe who has starred in a couple of movies in the last four years made a name for herself in “Destitute”, a trilogy from the stable of Diamond Pictures, where she played her first major role.

A 300 level part time student of LASU, and a holder of a National Diploma in Music from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Chinwe says her future is very bright in the industry. “Feeling fulfilled I’ve spent only three years in the industry, having joined in 2008. And since then, I have been working. I’m sure I’d make my mark soon.”

 

Ruth Kadiri

Ruth Kadiri

Sexy actress Ruth Kadiri is another emerging face to watch out for in Nollywood in this year. She is not only a promising actress but she is a scriptwriter.

An undergraduate of University of Lagos, Ruth last year wowed audience with her work as an actress cum scriptwriter in the movie titled “Ladies Men/ Ladies Gang.” She has been the toast of many fans of Nigerian movies in recent times.

Despite the grave allegation that made headlines last year that she was dumped by a popular producer, Stanley Ebonine for the love of his life, Dorathy Chinasa Agu, Ruth has remained focused and daring in the pursuit of her acting career. She believes that she will hit the tops this new season.

 

Uche Benjamin

Uche Benjamin

Uche Benjamin joined the industry two years ago, and already she has become a force to reckon with when you talk of emerging faces in Nollywood. A graduate of UNIPORT where she studied Biochemistry, Uche is today living her dream as an actress.

Her passion for acting started from childhood, which she has sustained till date. Currently, she is known for her roles in such movies as ‘Ego’, ‘Pains from the Heart’, ‘Adams Desire’, ‘Margaret Thatcher’, with ‘Everlasting Love’ being the movie which gave her, her break in the industry. Uche has what it takes to stand out in the industry as one of the emerging faces in Nollywood.

 

Beverly Naya

Beverly Naya

Ifunnanya Beverly, popularly known as Beverly Naya is described by many of her fans as the rave of the moment. She is currently enjoying a lot of attention as one of the emerging actresses in Nollywood. After relocating home from the UK two years ago, where she lived with her parents for almost 15 years. Beverly has become the darling of many movie bluffs in the country.

This sexy actress who has modeled and acted extensively in the UK and America, took Nollywood by storm after she played the female lead role in Lancelot Imasuen’s award-winning movie “Home In Exile.” She hosted the last ‘Mode Men Awards’ and featured in the star-studded ‘Weekend Getaway’ and “Alan Poza.”

The Ibuzo, Delta State born actress who studied Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy at the Brunel University, London, recently returned from Bayelsa, where she was part of the cast of a new epic movie titled ‘Up Creek Without A Paddle.’ Beverly no doubt is a promising actress to watch out for , in this new season.

 

Amanda Ebeye

Amanda Ebeye

Of all the pretty actresses currently on parade in Nollywood, Amanda Ebeye stands shoulder high among her peers. She is not only proficient and talented, she is equally endowed with brain and beauty. Many industry watchers described her as the “Nollywood star on the bloc.”

A graduate of International Studies and Diplomacy from the Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Amanda is gradually warming her way into the hearts of movie buffs with her impressive performance in movies and soap operas.

Ever since she debuted in the movie, “Weeping Tiger”, the ebony damsel from Agbor, in Delta State, has not looked back. She has delved into acting and has dumped the trade she studied in the university. Her role in the soap, “Clinic Matters” which is currently running on some television stations across the country is still the talk of the town.

Other movies where she featured in inlcuded “Last Weeding’, “Keep My Love” and “Tomorrow Must Wait”, “The Patriot”, More Than a Friend” ElDorado”. She also featured in such soaps as Super Story, Everyday People, City Sisters, Clinic Matters and Images.

Ini Edo and some Nollywood stars bag chieftaincy titles

VETERAN actors Chinwetalu Agu,Patience Ozokwor a.k.a Mama G, Hon Richard Mofe Damijo(RMD) and pretty actress Ini Edo-Ehiagwina,top actor Emeka Ike have been conferred with Chieftancy titles by the traditional ruler of Egbunike, Anambra State. As gathered, these film makers were honored as a result of their excellent interpretation of movie roles that project Igbo traditions to the world.

Wizkid – Lowkey Freestyle

EME Star, Wizkid today shares a leak to his freestyle titled ‘Lowkey’ produced by one of the best producers in Nigeria, I’m talking about Samklef. The guy goes in hard on this freestyle but I must say it has some explicit content. Enjoy, download and share your thoughts.






click play to listen

DOWNLOAD

Drew Barrymore to marry boyfriend Will Kopelman

Drew Barrymore and Will kopelman

Will it be third time lucky for actress Drew Barrymore? The famously unlucky-in-love star is engaged to boyfriend Will Kopelman.

Kopelman, an art consultant, popped the question while the couple vacationed in Sun Valley, Idaho, a source close to the couple told People magazine .

"They are very happy together," the source added.

The 36-year-old actress and Kopelman, whose father is a former CEO of Chanel, began dating last February.

Barrymore, who came to fame in 1982 as a child-star in ET has been married twice before.

Her first marriage to Welsh bar owner Jeremy Thomas lasted from March 20 to April 28, 1994.

She later wed comedian Tom Green on July 7, 2001, but the couple filed for divorce later that year.

Barrymore had also been romantically linked with The Strokes' drummer Fabrizio Moretti and actor Justin Long.

Tom Cruise returns to box office form with "Mission Impossible4"

Tom Cruise arrives for the premiere of his film ''Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol'' in NY

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" easily beat its rivals in the race to No. 1 at box offices over the Christmas holiday weekend, returning action star Tom Cruise to winning form after several recent flops.

"Ghost Protocol," the fourth movie in Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" series, earned an estimated $46 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters in the four days ending on Monday, according to its distributor Paramount Pictures. Its total estimated ticket sales have reached $78.6 million after debuting in Imax and other large-screen theaters last weekend.

At international theaters, the movie dubbed "MI4", which cost around $145 million to make, sold an additional $140 million worth of tickets through Sunday. Paramount noted its audience rating from researcher CinemaScore was an "A-" and Rottentomatoes.com, a website that combines critics' reviews, gave the movie a 94 percent positive rating overall.

"We're pleased with the way we went with the movie, starting with premium pricing on large screens and letting the reviews and word-of-mouth (publicity) get out ahead of the movie," said Don Harris, president of distribution for Paramount.

Important for leading man Cruise, 49, is that after several box office flops in recent years, including dramas "Valkyrie" and "Lions for Lambs," and action-packed "Knight and Day," the success of "Ghost Protocol" has meant a return to the top of box office charts.

Elsewhere, Warner Bros.' "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" took the No. 2 spot with an estimated $31.8 million over the four days, followed by 20th Century Fox family comedy "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" with a $20 million total that barely put it ahead of No. 4, adult thriller "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," at $19.4 million.

Since its midweek debut last week, "Dragon Tattoo" has earned $27.7 million. A Sony spokesman called it "a good start" that should build this coming week and into the new year.

HO HUM 2011, DOWN 4.45 PCT

Indeed, many new movies hit theaters ahead of, and during, the Christmas holiday weekend -- including "Dragon Tattoo," two movies from Steven Spielberg, "War Horse" and "The Adventures of Tintin," and the Cameron Crowe comedy, "We Bought A Zoo."

The studios expect strong demand in the days ahead while many families take time from work and school, but it is unlikely a surge can lead the domestic box office to topple last year's nearly $10.6 billion in annual ticket sales.

In fact, the top 12 movies this past weekend generated $114 million at box offices, down about 15 percent from last year, according to box office watcher Hollywood.com.

Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com now estimates total 2011 annual domestic (U.S. and Canada) box office at $10.1 billion by year's end, down 4.45 percent from 2010. Attendance so far in 2011 is off about 5 percent, while the average ticket price increased to $7.96 from $7.89.

Still, movie demand did pick up for some new titles over the weekend, and among those making a surge was Fox comedy "We Bought a Zoo," starring Matt Damon. It saw ticket sales jump 139 percent from Saturday to Sunday, its distributor 20th Century Fox said, landing it at No. 6 with $15.6 million, just behind family film "Tintin" at No. 5 with $16.1 million.

"I think playability and word-of-mouth is finally getting out" about "Zoo," said Chris Aronson, who heads domestic distribution for Fox. He noted the movie generated an "A" overall from moviegoers polled by CinemaScore.

Spielberg's "War Horse" landed in the No. 7 spot with $15 million, and another newcomer, thriller "The Darkest Hour," opened eighth with $5.5 million over the four days.

Rounding out the top 10 were holdovers "New Year's Eve" at No. 9 with slightly under $5 million and George Clooney drama "The Descendants" in the 10th position with $3.4 million.

Paramount Pictures is a unit of Viacom Inc. Warner Bros. is part of Time Warner Inc.. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" was released by the movie studio division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a unit of Sony Corp. "Chipwrecked" and "Zoo" were both released by film divisions of 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp..

Adele sells most albums in a year since 2004

British singer Adele performs ''Someone Like You'' at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, August 28, 2011.

That Adele's "21" will rank as the year's top-selling album is no surprise - the English singer-songwriter's hits "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" dominated playlists in 2011. What is surprising is that "21," released by independent British label XL Recordings, sold more than 5 million copies.

The last time an album topped the year-end chart with more than 5 million copies sold was in 2004, when Usher's "Confessions" moved 7.9 million, according to Nielsen Soundscan, which supplied all sales data for this story.

Indeed, music sales overall are expected to end 2011 up more than 3 percent from last year. Not coincidentally, the last time overall music sales rose by so much was in 2004 as well.

The resurgence in sales is welcome news for the music industry. A meager 1 percent increase in digital sales last year created widespread panic that the format had already plateaued.

Nielsen analyst David Bakula attributed the rebound to a strong release slate, plus retailers getting more aggressive with pricing and promotions.

For instance, Lady Gaga's album "Born This Way" was priced at 99 cents - less than one-tenth the price of most albums - in a special deal, helping drive sales beyond her core fans, he said. The promotion on Amazon.com angered other retailers who were selling the album at full price, however.

"In 2004, you had one massive album driving sales," said Bakula, senior vice president of entertainment analytics for Nielsen. "This year is similar in that you have one really great story that everyone is talking about."

Digital sales are expected to end 2011 close to 10 percent higher, prompting Bakula to proclaim the sales performance "a great resurgence."

Physical albums still outsell digital albums by a 2:1 margin. But total music sales, which would include digital singles, are now split 50-50 between physical and digital.

TOPPING 5 MILLION

To put Adele's sales figures in context, the more than 3.5 million physical albums she sold this year would have been good enough to take the top spot in each of the last three years without even adding in digital sales. Album sales include LPs, compact discs and digital albums.

Figures for the year's best-selling album declined every year from 2004 to 2008. They hit an all-time low in 2008 when Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" took the top spot with sales of just 2.9 million, the first time an album claimed the best-seller title with sales of less than 3 million.

Since 2008, however, sales of the top-selling album of the year have increased, though not by much. Taylor Swift took the top spot in 2009, selling 3.2 million copies of "Fearless." Eminem's "Recovery" finished 2010 as the year's best-seller with 3.4 million copies.

"Adele's performance this year shows the demand for great original music," Bakula said. "Here's an artist that had moderate success before, but nothing of this magnitude, and she's doing it all on two singles."

Amy Winehouse's death from alcohol poisoning in July also factored into Adele's sales performance. Bakula said the attention Winehouse's death received stoked interest among fans to sample other soulful, jazz-infused female British singer-songwriters, like Adele and Duffy. As a result, in addition to buying "21," consumers dipped into Adele's back catalog, making her prior release, "19," one of the year's top 25 best-sellers.

Still, Adele's sales total is less than half of the more than 11 million copies that "No Strings Attached" from N'Sync sold in 2000. That year marked the last time the top spot featured an album that sold in excess of 10 million, underscoring the dramatic impact that legitimate digital distribution channels like Apple's iTunes and illegal file-sharing sites such as Limewire have had on the music industry.

Thatcher's "Iron Lady" image softened by new movie

Former Prime Minister Lady Thatcher (L) is shown in this 1997 file photo combined with a publicity photo of actress Meryl Streep portraying Thatcher in her new film ''The Iron Lady''

Making a film about an iconic politician like Britain's Margaret Thatcher is akin to walking into a movie minefield, and casting an American -- even one as revered as Meryl Streep -- is asking for more trouble.

Yet the makers of new movie "The Iron Lady," which opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, went one step further.

They chose to depict Thatcher, now 86, as a confused, lonely woman looking back on past glories, and doing so takes the kind of guts once exhibited by the former British prime minister herself.

British director Phyllida Lloyd and screenwriter Abi Morgan said they never set out to make an historical biopic or a film about politics. They wanted to tell the story of a woman of ordinary origins who rose to great power only to fall back again into a normal, elderly life that is much like anyone's.

"It is a Shakespearean story about power and loss, and the cost of a huge life, and letting go," Lloyd told Reuters.

"The Iron Lady" is the first feature film about Thatcher, Britain's only female prime minister who was elected in 1979 and forced, in tears, out of office in 1990 after losing the support of her cabinet.

Thatcher, a Conservative, was revered for uncompromising opposition to the Soviet Union and for putting the "Great" back in Great Britain. But she also was reviled by labor unions and blamed for creating deep divisions in British society.

Lloyd said there has been "astonishingly little backlash" in Britain about casting American Streep to play the British icon. Moreover, the role required portraying a woman in the prime of her life and in decline, and that sort of contrast meant a skilled actress who understood the nuances of both.

"You needed someone of the magnitude of Meryl Streep to take on Margaret Thatcher's size and personality. You needed a superstar to play a superstar," Lloyd said.

The casting appears to have worked. Streep, a master of theatrical manipulation, has received an armful of awards for her performance and is tipped to get her 17th Oscar nomination when Academy Award nominees are announced in January.

MORE THAN A BIOPIC

But Streep and the filmmakers wanted to do more than a movie biography of Thatcher and her politics .

"Meryl said that, for some time, she had been looking for a project that considered the end of things. She didn't see it as a biopic in any way," said Lloyd.

And fitting all the decisions in 11 years of leadership, along with Thatcher's rise from grocer's daughter to the highest echelons of power in a male-dominated world, was "like squeezing a large lady into a too-tight dress," Morgan said.

So Morgan chose to set the movie in the present day, when Thatcher has decided to let go of her dead husband Denis's clothes and is ambushed by selected memories of her past.

That decision meant introducing the fragile mental health of Thatcher, who suffered a series of small strokes after leaving office. In 2008, her daughter Carol revealed that the former titan of British politics suffers from dementia. Thatcher herself has been out of the public eye for 10 years.

"We considered very deeply the morality of discussing this issue about someone who was still alive. But we felt Carol (Thatcher) had given us this cue, that it was something that could be discussed. And we were all confident that Meryl would take care of Lady Thatcher's dignity," said Lloyd.

The filmmakers did not seek the cooperation of Thatcher's family but relied on her published memoirs, input from 1980s politicians, and hours of TV footage and speeches.

Lloyd and Morgan hope their approach will help the movie resonate with people who are less familiar with Thatcher.

"I think international audiences will see it as a very humane study of power and the isolation of power. I don't think they bring the same baggage to the film as British audiences," said Morgan.

With a female director, writer and star, "The Iron Lady" has strong feminist undertones and highlights nuances of the British class system in which Thatcher was viewed as an outsider.

Yet, despite dealing mainly with events 20 years ago, it also has resonance today. "We find ourselves back in a position where there are not many women (in high positions) in parliament," Lloyd said.

"Britain has a government quite dominated by men from very privileged backgrounds. We are in a recession, our government has taken austerity measures, we have riots on the streets and strikes. Does that make Margaret Thatcher just one pendulum swing in history, or the architect of where we are today?"

Holland Taylor offers no apologies for never settling down,

Holland Taylor

Holland Taylor offers no apologies for never settling down, getting married or having children.

The 68-year-old Emmy-winning actress, currently starring in her one-woman show "Ann" at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, simply never had the time.

"I always did think I would be married and settled down by now but maybe I ain't ready," she said, sounding a lot like the over-the-top mother of Jon Cryer she portrays in the CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men." "Then again, maybe I won't ever be ready."

Taylor's career blossomed in her mid-30s and the New Yorker with Pennsylvania roots has been on a dizzying pace ever since, starring on the stage, in television and on film.

Having a family just wasn't in the script.

"I'm very, very happy. I just never was the marrying kind," she said. "I am a serial monogamist. I don't have multiple relationships at once.

"I've had a long life and a lot of relationships and not one of them do I wish -- well, I take that back -- there are a couple I could have done without," she added with a chuckle.

Taylor's current love is "Ann," which is based on the life of quick-witted, sharp-tongued former Texas Gov. Ann Richards.

Seconds after a recent performance at the Kennedy Center, the audience was on its feet, cheering wildly for the show and its star.

While the applause was quick that night, overall it was a long time coming for Taylor. The actress conceived the show nearly six years ago and has been researching it and writing it ever since. She admits to being captivated about the dynamic Richards, who died in 2006 of esophageal cancer.

"I had a lot of creative feelings about her," Taylor told Reuters. "If I had been a painter, it would have been a painting. If I had been a composer, it would have been a piece of music. I had to do something with my feelings about this loss."

Taylor said the idea of taking Richards' story to the stage "came to me very suddenly."

"I was literally driving to work at my television show one day and I had to pull off the highway onto the service road," she recalled. "I had the idea it should be a play because of her liveliness and her contact with the audience.

"She herself said, 'I was good as a candidate over the years only because I connect with people one on one.' I decided right then a play is how it should be done."

NO LOOKING BACK

Taylor has perfected Richards' Southern drawl and eerily looks like the Texas politician whose energizing keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention elevated her to widespread prominence.

The actress insists she brought Richards' story to the stage not because she could play the role but to celebrate the politician's life.

"She was not a person who looked back. Ever," Taylor said. "She did not revisit things. She was rolling along, like a wheel that goes under and then over. Under and over. But always moving forward.

"If she fell, she fell forward. And that is not the way I am. I get very upset. I can get very waylaid. I get blue. I can become chicken little.

"And now when I do, I think, 'What would Ann Richards think of this behavior?'"

During breaks in the show's pre-Broadway tour -- it is playing now through January 15 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -- Taylor will continue her role on "Two and a Half Men." She is glad its former star, Charlie Sheen, survived his firing and public meltdown earlier this year and has moved on.

"It was painful for me to see him in pain and he did something very, very dangerous by first of all, obviously doing drugs to that degree is dangerous, but quitting very violently is very dangerous too," she said.

"And he went through really an amazing thing out in public. I just was terrified for him. I think everybody was. But he got through it alive which is all anybody wanted."

Taylor said she would see his daily rants and described them as "very scary."

"There were a few days there where I would open the paper, and I would be so frightened to see that something really terrible happened," she said. "I'm glad he escaped that."

Holland Taylor is in a good spot these days, healthy, happy and with more job offers than she knows what do with. Just don't expect her to slow down anytime soon.

With a laugh, she said she would "commit an ax murder" before attempting to conceal her age.

"It would seem so silly," she said backstage at the Kennedy Center. "I really, truly genuinely struggled quite hard until I was in my mid-30s. "I personally was at sea.

"But that's long gone. I'm doing OK. I'm better than OK."

Actor Matthew McConaughey proposes to girlfriend

Cast member Matthew McConaughey and his partner Camila Alves

Hollywood leading man Matthew McConaughey has proposed to his longtime girlfriend and the mother of their two children, model Camila Alves, the actor said in a posting on celebrity website Whosay.com

McConaughey, star of such films as "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" and "The Lincoln Lawyer," posted a picture of him and Alves kissing near a Christmas tree on Sunday with the message "just asked camila to marry me, merry Christmas."

WhoSay.com is a website that hosts many celebrity accounts. A spokesman for the actor confirmed that McConaughey posted the message but gave no further details.

McConaughey, 42, and Alves, 28, have been a couple for several years. They have two children, Levi, 3, and Vida, who turns 2 next month.

Condoms for porn actors to be on Los Angeles ballot

A ballot initiative requiring Los Angeles porn actors to wear condoms has qualified to go before city voters in a presidential primary election in June, organizers said on Tuesday.

America's second-largest city is home to the multibillion dollar U.S. porn industry, which health advocates say is riddled with sexually transmitted diseases.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation said the city clerk certified the over 71,000 signatures it helped collect, far more than the 41,000 needed for the ballot initiative.

"There are thousands of STDs in this industry," said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, adding that jurisdictions pass the issue around like a hot potato.

"It's the ick factor. They don't want to deal with this because it's sex, and because it's porn," he said.

Weinstein compared the measure to other public health laws that the city enforces, like those regulating massage parlors and smoking in public.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has issued over $125,000 in fines against porn producers in the past five years for various violations, but some of those citations are on appeal, according to figures from the agency.

Despite facing fines, most major porn companies continue to film without condoms.

"History has shown us that regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults does not work," said Diane Duke, executive director of Free Speech Coalition, the trade association for the adult entertainment industry.

"The proposed regulation would likely diminish existing protocols and force adult companies out of the city, out of state or underground making it ultimately much less safe for performers," she said.

The head of California's Occupational Safety and Health department, Ellen Widess, on December 23 told a Los Angeles deputy city attorney who is disputing the measure in court that the regulatory body has no objection to the measure.

Taylor Lautner 'out and proud' cover fake

Taylor Lautner was "outed" as a homosexual on a mock cover of People magazine leaked online

FOOLED hearts were broken across the globe, when a fake People cover announced Taylor Lautner was "out and proud".

The cyber world was abuzz when the Twilight heartthrob appeared across the web posing on a "leaked" January 7 cover image of the magazine, proclaiming his homosexuality.

But the ladies are still in with a chance after People Magazine confirmed to website Gossip Cop the cover is "absolutely fake".

"The cover in question is 100 percent fake. This began as a ridiculous Twitter joke that went viral," People Magazine spokeswoman Julie Farin said.

Taylor was falsely quoted as saying he was sick and tired of the rumours and coming out made him feel “more liberated, and happier than I have ever been”.

The holiday viral hoax fooled many fans, including Russell Simmons who tweeted saying he was "proud of Taylor Lautner for his bravery and his courage".

Upon finding out about the hoax, he said he was disappointed people would joke about sexuality and to let "Taylor Lautner be whoever he wants to be".

Funny, outrageous and downright weird things the stars told Hit writers in 2011.

Actress Natalie Portman arrives at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards

You have to divorce yourself from any expectations of prestige and just try and make something you'd actually wanna see.
>> Oscar schmoscar. Natalie Portman just wants to play dumb

If I see something sagging, bagging or dragging I'll get it nipped, tucked or sucked.
>> Dolly Parton, plastic surgery advocate since way back

I used to perform sketches for my parents, usually about the Iran-Contra affair.
>> Where Zach Galifianakis's career began

My mother emailed the BBC to say Pete Waterman was speaking out of his a---. Valid point. Thanks, Mum.
>> James Blunt lets his mummy fight his battles

Women do get drunk, they do get sick and they do get food poisoning. It seems to be a bit of a surprise to people that they are seeing it.
>> Kristen Wiig on the biggest movie surprise of the year: Bridesmaids

That's the difference between star and ... SUPERSTAR!
>> Jack Black knows he's lower than Angelina Jolie on the Hollywood chain of command

I base all my characters on hair.
>> With a thatch like Patrick Dempsey's, who wouldn't?

The more complicated the movie, the more complex the budget, the more lonely it gets. There's a point where ... who do you go to, other than prayer and friends?
>> Making blockbusters ain't all it's cracked up to be, says Guillermo del Toro

Nothing is better than the moment you have Michael Bolton dressed as Forrest Gump.
>> The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer

I've had a lot of people asking why Gnarls Barkley changed his name to Cee Lo Green.
>> Forget you, Gnarls Bark... er, Cee Lo Green

We still don't care about anything, but mayube we're not going to swear about it now.
>> The Vines' Craig Nicholls has grown out of the F word

F--- me, this is a big old massive piece of good movie nonsense.
>> James McAvoy sums up the appeal of the movie blockbuster

You get comments like, 'Oi, Elbow, get a job'. That means, 'Congratulations! I admire what you're doing'.
>> Star power counts for nowt Guy Garvey's part of the world

Really, the F word in a song - it should be the least of the worries of parents these days.
>> Enrique Iglesias

It's not so much they won, it's just they lost less. It's a hollow victory at best.
>> Colin Hay on the legal battle over Men At Work's Down Under

When you are playing an egomaniac running a fantastical ship, you don't want him to be too suburban. Naturalism doesn't work on the high seas.
>> Geoffrey Rush

I'm not going to be there anyway.
>> Robert Duvall doesn't care who turns up to his funeral

We all love Spinal Tap, but maybe it did damage.
>> Gunner Duff McKagan is over that whole ‘rock stars are dumb' myth

Some of the most intelligent people I know are actors.
>> Ditto on the ‘actors are dumb' myth, says Maeve Dermody

You're not supposed to be accepting trophies. You're supposed to be in the back being mad that people are getting trophies.
>> Zach Galifianakis prefers laughs to awards

It just takes a pebble to bring down a good man.
>> Ben Harper

I wonder if we can get an AFI Award out of this...
>> Leigh Whannell on his American-made movie Insidious. Well, it did have four Aussies on set

There's a point (where) you are going to be an actress who is judged on her performances and her skills or an actress who is judged on how she looks in her bikini. It's a choice we all make.
>> Guess which way Reese Witherspoon went?

I don't need sparkles to sparkle. I would sparkle in a garbage bag.
>> The Hives' ever humble frontman Pelle

I would like to have a second shot at that wedding dance. Let's just say I didn't really practise very much. Thankfully my husband loves me very much and didn't really mind that I stepped on his toes a little bit.
>> Michelle Monaghan's Aussie fella lets this one slide

It was kind of like a Make a Wish Foundation Thing.
>> Mike D on making rich, privileged movie stars' dreams come true by letting them be in a Beastie Boys video

As soon as I stepped off the plane, I felt very small.
>> Chris Hemsworth, the man who would one day be Thor, on his arrival into Hollywood

You should never try irony or self-effacing humour.
>> Tim Robbins finds the British media can't take a joke

She's getting boobs and everything. I'm freaking out!
>> Paul Walker mortifies his 12 year old daughter. In print.

One of my biggest disappointments is watching the trailer for the second Lord of the Rings film and having Gandalf in it. Why? He died in the first one, why give it away in the trailer just to try and sell 1000 more seats? It’s daft.
>> Nick Frost

I think you're underestimating Ian McKellen's appeal.
>> Simon Pegg

Most people hate that their mum has a Facebook page, but I love that my mum does.
>> Family-friendly Miley Cyrus

Dad, girls don't fall down every time they run.
>> How Wes Craven's daughter convinced her dad that his Scream heroine shouldn't be a helpless girlie girl

That was my idea, a reverse Janet Jackson. Why is it OK for a woman to do that and not a man?
>> Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine on posing nude with his man-bits covered by his girlfriend's hands

It was crushingly disappointing as a fan of The Simpsons to discover that it's just you in a room speaking into a microphone. I thought I was going to become friends with Homer Simpson, but unfortunately none of them are real.
>> Russell Brand

I'm a terrible gauge because I was concerned I wasn't doing well and yet I received so much attention.
>> Oscar nominee, moi? The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg just doesn't get it

Quite a few kids in the street have been, let's just say, reluctant to go anywhere near me.
>> Playing Harry Potter baddie Draco Malfoy isn't all glitz and glamour, says Tom Felton

The only other person in the whole building was Scott who runs the studio. Scott opened up the door and heard us playing Teen Spirit, stopped for a second, looked puzzled and closed the door.
>> Dave Grohl on the closest thing there'll ever be to a Nirvana reunion

I had to run for life from polar bears.
>> Making films in Russia is different, says How I Ended This Summer director Alexei Popogrebsky

Maybe it's because I have too much pride or self-respect, but I thought, `Why does a guy who has thinning hair and who is overweight have to be a loser or a joke?'
>> Paul Giamatti doesn't find it funny

Lady Gaga calls me her Jesus? Well... I wonder what that means.
>> So do we, Grace Jones

It got tot he point where it wasn't a good record unless you literally opened a vein up. Come on, it's just a f---ing record! I mean, it's art, but it's not like you're building homes for the homeless, is it?
>> k.d. lang

If you come expecting to see a girl kick me in the face, that's not going to happen.
>> Well then, we demand a refund, Usher

I had (in my mind's eye) a guy from an aristocratic family, a well-bred chap, Lord Pumpernickel's son. I open my eyes and there's a guy covered in tattoos, with the worst occupation ever: rock star.''
>> Lionel Richie took a while to warm up to daughter Nicole's hubby Joel ``Good Charlotte'' Madden

The sickle training was something else.
>> The things Aussie girl Isabel Lucas has to do for a Hollywood movie!

People say, ‘You wear that even when it's hot?' Yeah, what am I gonna do, save it for a special occasion?
>> Chris Isaak will pull his glitter suit out whenever, wherever

I'm only 14, so the jury's still out on that kind of thing.
>> Abigail Breslin thinks it's too early to commit to being a movie star for life

Really, if you haven't heard of REM yet, you probably never will.
>> Even more so now the band have split, hey Mike Mills?

We're the only ones who mean anything right now.
>> Liam Gallagher on his new band, er, ah, what are they called again?

He asked how my flight was to Paris. I said, `Good' and he said, `This will probably be the last you hear from me'.
>> Owen Wilson on working with Woody Allen

Don't make the show too long. I don't like it when it's too long.
>> Kylie's biggest critic? Her nephew.

My husband, when I was filming the Millennium movies, he asked me, `How far are you going and when are you coming back?'
>> Noomi Rapace went all the way to become the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

When I look back on my life, I don't have regrets about what I didn't do. If I'd become a musician, it could have ruined my life.
>> Clint Eastwood

I think pretty much everyone would. Seriously. Animals do it all the time. That's all we are.
>> 127 Hours director Danny Boyle says you'd cut off your arm, too

Trust me, I did a little research on Demi before I pulled the trigger.
>> If only she'd done a little research on you, Ashton Kutcher

I'll do a musical. An ass-kickin' musical!
>> We'd pay to see that, Dwayne Johnson

I was trying to, but unfortunately I was dodging bottles and bullets because most of the people in my neighbourhood weren't that proud of me ...
>> Mark Wahlberg tried to act cool back in the Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch days

From my perspective, which I'm most familiar with ...
>> Jeff Bridges states the obvious

This is my unemployment look.
>> Christian Bale

There were a couple of days where I thought I might die. I really didn't think I was going to make it, you know, being dramatic as I am.
>> Putting in an Oscar-winning performance for Black Swan was draining for diva Natalie Portman

I don't actually drive trains. I'm an actor.
>> Chris Pine, star of Unstoppable

Diane Keaton and I worked in different branches of the service. She was in the intellectual branch and I on the running, jumping and falling down branch.
>> Harrison Ford

I met him when he was, what would he have been, 12 when I first worked with him? Twelve going on 35!
>> Gary Oldman on his No.1 fanboy, Daniel Radcliffe

What do you mean, bigger things? I don't know if there's bigger than Harry Potter.
>> You've got us there, Daniel Radcliffe

I don't know how they get my number, but at 2am there's screaming girls. I need to change my number.
>> Don't worry, Jack Vidgen. They'll lose interest soon enough

I'm quite good at leaning against a bar.
>> And we'd like to join you, Daniel Craig

I believe in things I can count on, like beer and ESPN and my grandmother's pecan pie.
>> But Justin Timberlake doesn't believe in happily ever after, sorry ladies

I was so close to putting it in the too-hard basket.
>> Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know was almost a song we didn't know

I actually enjoyed changing diapers and I enjoyed swaddling. I don't mind being swaddled either, on occasion.
>> Jason Bateman

Ha. I've got a teenage daughter, you know.
>> Do we take that as a yes, you are a pot-smoking recluse, Sade?

You'll laugh at the comedy of errors that is my life.
>> Poison's Bret Michaels talks up his autobiography

It actually has more gravity to it than I realised when I burned action figures as a child.
>> Neil Patrick Harris has stopped aiming his magnifying glass at The Smurfs

I got to the stage where I started speaking like The Count from Sesame Street before takes just to get it out of the way
>> Betcha Robert Pattinson doesn't have to do that, Colin Farrell

Them gigs were horrible. Worst ever. U2 fans are cardboard cutouts.
>> Kasabian's Tom Meighan won't have received a Christmas card from Bono

The perception of him as brooding and dark and miserable, that is baloney. Kurt Cobain was a funny dude.
>> Nirvana's Krist Novoselic

I have the same remorse over that I have over not being able to see The Wiggles.
>> Steve Carell on missing two of the greats: The Wiggles and The Beatles

Harper's favourite song goes, `Yummy yummy yummy in my tummy tummy tummy'. I could be the next Wiggles!
>> Keep working at it, Natalie Bassingthwaighte

‘Can you arrange that, Grandma?' I told her I'd try.
>> Suzie Quatro is determined to hook the grandkids up with Rihanna

I tried making an album six years ago. It was just horrific. Trust me, it's smashed into smithereens. I paid big money to silence that one.
>> Hugh Jackman swears he'll never be a pop star

I grew out my armpit hair for the summer. It turns out my natural hair colour isn't blonde.
>> Anna Faris

She may have been able to solve family disputes when we were three. I think the time of that authority is long since gone.
>> Noel Gallagher says his mum can't force him to make up with Liam

I know a lot of artists say, `If you want your song on my record, I get 50 per cent' _ I'd like to kick them in the face.
>> Kelly Clarkson won't be letting any old pop singer take credit for one of her songs

One guy literally sent me, `I want you to die' 150 times. That plays on your mind if you read it every day.
>> We imagine it would, Jessie J

I said (to Daniel Jones), ‘You realise I'm always going to be The Guy From Savage Garden'. He said, ‘How do you think I feel? I'm The Other One From Savage Garden!'
>> Darren Hayes

I'm telling you, he's already the whitest person you ever saw ... he turned almost clear!
>> Albert Brooks on threatening director Nicolas Winding Refn to get a job on Drive

My family worry for me because I'm gonna burn in an eternal pit of fire.
>> Brad Pitt doesn't share his family's religious outlook

I guess if you're an extra who gets burned alive it's no fun, but I had a ball!
>> Val Kilmer on being Batman

I'm not one of those artists who refuses to play their hits. I find that ridiculous. Hits are a blessing.
>> Right on, Lenny Kravitz!

I hurt myself doing a fight scene with some dwarves.
>> That's not something you hear every day, Kristen Stewart

I would vote for Johnny Depp. We could use a president that could swashbuckle.
>> George Clooney

Downey dips, 'Sherlock' slips with $40M debut

British dir Guy Ritchie attends the German premiere of 'Sherlock Holmes' in Berlin,

Sherlock Holmes is facing his worst enemy: declining crowds at theatres as this year's domestic movie attendance dips to the lowest in 16 years.

Robert Downey Jr.'s sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" debuted on top with a $40 million weekend, off 36 per cent from the first installment's $62.3 million opening two years ago, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The first movie opened over Christmas weekend, one of the busiest times for movie theatres. Distributor Warner Bros. predicts the "Holmes" sequel, which pits Downey's detective against archrival Professor Moriarty, will make up the lost ground over the holidays.

"The pattern is different," said Dan Fellman, the studio's head of distribution. "What you can put in the bank those nine days before the official Christmas play time, that's the difference between our opening with a bigger number on Christmas day and opening early this time. At the end of the holiday period, we should be in the same place."

After two previous weekends that were Hollywood's worst of the year, overall business was down again, about 12 per cent lower than the same weekend in 2010 as Hollywood struggles to interest audiences in its big year-end releases.

Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com, estimated that the number of tickets sold domestically in 2011 will come in below 1.3 billion.

That would be the lowest attendance since 1995, when admissions totalled 1.26 billion.

"These low-attendance numbers are taking the gas out of the tank," Dergarabedian said. "All the momentum we had kind of came to a dead stop."

The 20th Century Fox family sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" did even worse than "Holmes." "Chipwrecked" opened at No. 2 with $23.5 million, about half the business the first two "Chipmunks" movies did on their debut weekends.

The studio had expected a bigger debut, but with schools shutting down for the holidays, Fox executives hope business will pick up.

"We are battling a marketplace issue right now," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox. "We cannot make light of that. However, we have a very satisfying, playable movie and the only G-rated movie for Christmas. So as kids get out this week, this is going to help position it for a successful run."

Tom Cruise and Paramount had a spot of good news. Their action sequel "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" got off to a healthy start at No. 3 with a $13 million weekend playing exclusively at huge-screen IMAX theatres and some other large-format cinemas.

"Ghost Protocol" goes into general release Wednesday.

With critics praising the movie's spectacular action sequences, "Ghost Protocol" may restore the hitmaker status of Cruise, whose audience became disenchanted with odd antics in the star's personal life five or six years ago.

"I would think any of that is way in the past," said Don Harris, head of distribution at Paramount, which took the unusual step of going early in huge-screen cinemas to build buzz for the general release.

"The plan was always to put the movie out into the best presentation theatres in North America," Harris said. "We hoped that people would recognize how good the movie was and how special it was being treated."

Paramount's comic drama "Young Adult," starring Charlize Theron, had a weak expansion into wider release, finishing at No. 7 with $3.7 million. The film had opened with big numbers a week earlier in a handful of theatres.

At the beginning of 2011, Hollywood's summer and fall lineup looked so strong that studio executives were predicting the industry would break the domestic box-office record of $10.6 billion set in 2009, a mark that was nearly reached again in 2010.

But with less than two weeks left and revenues lagging 4 per cent behind last year's, that record is out of reach. The picture is even bleaker factoring in this year's higher ticket prices, which mean attendance is running 5 per cent below last year's.

Hollywood still can go out with a bang. Along with the new "Mission: Impossible," the holidays bring two more big thrillers -- Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" and David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" -- along with Spielberg's historical epic "War Horse" and Cameron Crowe and Matt Damon's family-friendly comic drama "We Bought a Zoo."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $40 million.

2. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $23.5 million.

3. "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," $13 million.

4. "New Year's Eve," $7.4 million.

5. "The Sitter," $4.4 million.

6. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 1," $4.3 million.

7. "Young Adult," $3.7 million.

8. "Hugo," $3.63 million.

9. "Arthur Christmas," $3.6 million.

10. "The Muppets," $3.5 million.