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.

Happy New Year to all our blog visitors

Along with the entire team of Entertainment Talks, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year, filled with love, light, peace, joy and good health for 2012!

It's a been a tough past year once again for many, but no matter what, you guys are still visitng our blog, and if you haven't visited us yet, we're hoping you want to. That's why we Entertainment Talks will be positing update news in Entertain World. So don't worry: Even if you can't get Entertainment World just yet, we'll keep bringing Entertainment World to you.





I'd also like to take this opportunity to extend a very special thanks to all of our writers, contributors, and partners.


We appreciate the continued support we get from all of our readers and look forward to a great 2012 with you!


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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."

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.

Guy Ritchie "demanded" a lot of stunt work

Guy Ritchie "demanded" a lot of stunt work from the stars of 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'.

The British director admits Jude Law, Noomi Rapace and Robert Downey Jr. -- who all appear in sleuth sequel -- were required to do a lot of hard work for the action-heavy movie and admits their individual exercise routines were gruelling.

He said: "Some of these action scenes would last for two weeks and these guys had to work eight or 10 hours a day repeating the same stunt. No one asks a professional athlete to do that amount of work and consequently Jude, Robert and Noomi were constantly on a diet, constantly on an exercising routine. The whole warm up would go on for an hour, cool down goes on for an hour and then they have 10 hours in between.

"That went on week after week. It is almost impossible to appreciate you want out of them physically. Never mind the other aspect, the physical aspect was very, very demanding."

However Jude -- who plays Dr. John Watson in the movie -- admits everyone returning from the 2009 movie was keen to do more stunts.

He told BANG Showbiz: "I think it's true to say though that the physical aspect of this film was another important element we wanted to push further. We were pushing the dialogue, we were pushing the banter, but we did all I think noticeably step up and say, 'Let's really elevate the physicality.'"

I tried to date every girl in High School - Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper attends the Cinema Society screening of 'The Hangover Part II' on Monday

Bradley Cooper used to try and date every girl in high school.

The Hollywood heartthrob says he was never part of any group when he was growing up and just used from one gang to another as it helped him romance as many girls as possible.

He said: "I was like most kids. You're trying to figure out who you want to be, who you are pretending to be, who you are, but I was never in one group. I never really had a home, a clique. I was freelance and tried to date women in every group."

Bradley -- who was recently linked to Jennifer Lopez and has previously dated Renee Zellweger and Jennifer Aniston -- is still a hit with the ladies but admits his habit of chewing tobacco can put them off.

He told Reveal magazine: "My favourite habit is chewing tobacco. I quit it, but for some reason, no matter how many women tells me it's disgusting, deep down I still think, 'You love it. You want a real man.'"

List of nominees for the Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Film nominees for the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards, announced Thursday in Beverly Hills, Calif.:
MOTION PICTURES

— Picture, Drama: "The Descendants," "The Help," "Hugo," "The Ides of March," "Moneyball," "War Horse."

— Picture, Musical or Comedy: "50/50," "The Artist," "Bridesmaids," "Midnight in Paris," "My Week with Marilyn."

— Actor, Drama: George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Leonard DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"; Michael Fassbender, "Shame"; Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball."

— Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

— Director: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"; Martin Scorsese, "Hugo."

— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "50/50"; Ryan Gosling, "Crazy, Stupid, Love"; Owen Wilson, "Midnight in Paris."

— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Jodie Foster, "Carnage"; Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"; Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids"; Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"; Kate Winslet, "Carnage."

— Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"; Albert Brooks, "Drive"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"; Viggo Mortensen, "A Dangerous Method"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners."

— Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help"; Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants."

— Foreign Language: "The Flowers of War," "In the Land of Blood and Honey," "The Kid with a Bike," "A Separation," "The Skin I Live In."

— Animated Film: "The Adventures of Tintin," "Arthur Christmas," "Cars 2," "Puss in Boots," "Rango."

— Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; George Clooney, Grand Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"; Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, Nat Faxwon, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, "Moneyball."

— Original Score: Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"; Abel Korzeniowski, "W.E."; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Howard Shore, "Hugo"; John Williams, "War Horse."

— Original Song: "Hello Hello" (music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin), "Gnomeo & Juliet"; "The Keeper" (music and lyrics by Chris Cornell), "Machine Gun Preacher"; "Lay Your Head Down" (music by Brian Byrne, lyrics by Glenn Close), "Albert Nobbs"; "The Living Proof" (music by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas), "The Help"; "Masterpiece" (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), "W.E."

"The Artist" leads Golden Globe nominees

Silent movie "The Artist" painted a pretty picture at the Golden Globe nominations on Thursday, leading all movies with six nods overall including best film comedy or musical.

Following "The Artist" among top nominees for the Hollywood awards were "The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a man struggling to keep his family together, and civil rights movie "The Help" with five nods each, including both in the key category of best film drama.

Joining "Descendants" and "The Help" among the films vying for top drama were director Martin Scorsese's 3D "Hugo" and Steven Spielberg's "War Horse," baseball movie "Moneyball" and Clooney's political film "The Ides of March."

The Golden Globe Awards, which are given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are among the most widely-watched honors programs leading up to the Oscars in February.

But unlike the Oscars, Golden Globes movie nominations are grouped into two categories, dramas and musicals or comedies, where "The Artist" faces competition from director Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," cancer comedy "50/50," box office hit "Bridesmaids" and "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams in the role of screen siren Marilyn Monroe.

Actresses vying for best work in a drama are Meryl Streep portraying Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," Glenn Close playing a woman masquerading as a male butler in "Albert Nobbs," Viola Davis as a black maid in "The Help," newcomer Rooney Mara for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and Tilda Swinton for "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

Best dramatic actor nominees include Clooney in "The Descendants," Leonardo DiCaprio as FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover in "J. Edgar," Michael Fassbender portraying a sex addict in "Shame," Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" and Ryan Gosling for "The Ides of March."

The Golden Globe Awards will be given out in a gala ceremony on January 15, hosted by British comedian Ricky Gervais and telecast live on the NBC network.

Liz Taylor couture soars to $2.6 million at auction

One of actress Elizabeth Taylor's Dior evening gowns sold for $362,500, boosting the total for the auction of her haute couture to $2.6 million at Christie's.

The silver encrusted brocade gown from 1968, with matching bag, had been estimated at about $5,000, but a protracted bidding war among several determined would-be buyers drove the price to about 70 times that, including commission.

The Wednesday sale, the third in a weeks' worth of auctions of Taylor's storied jewels, clothes, memorabilia and other items, was not marked by the freewheeling frenzy that prevailed on Tuesday, when her finest jewelry took in $116 million.

But the $2.6 million was still about 10 times the pre-sale estimate, owing to the Taylor cachet and also driven by competitive online bidding from around the globe.

Christie's said the sale set a record for a couture auction, although the evening's top lot was actually an Andy Warhol lithograph of Taylor which fetched $662,500.

"The couture was an extremely successful auction," said Andrea Fiuczynski, president of Christie's Los Angeles, who served as auctioneer.

The results, she said, were a testament to Taylor's iconic status, which she said is unmatched today.

"There isn't any celebrity now who does everything she did," Fiuczynski told Reuters, speaking to Taylor's work as an actress, activist, humanitarian, savvy businesswoman and style icon.

Taylor died of congestive heart failure in March at age 79.

Two other offerings soared past $100,000 - a Chanel ball gown and cape with shoes and matching bag, which fetched $134,500; and a Versace beaded bolero jacket emblazoned with images of Taylor in her film roles, which sold for $128,500.

A few pieces of jewelry included in the sale also commanded strong prices, notably a fish charm necklace estimated at $500 which sold for $30,000 and a pair of rock crystal and gold Gucci ear pendants, which went for $74,500 against an estimate of $1,500.

The Taylor auctions continue on Thursday with a memorabilia and fine arts sale. Online auctions of some 1,000 lower-priced items from Taylor's estate are running concurrently.

Lindsay Lohan makes good progress on probation

Lindsay Lohan

Actress Lindsay Lohan, who is on probation for drunk driving and theft convictions, pleased a judge for a change on Wednesday by completing her court-ordered community service and therapy sessions on time.

"Miss Lohan, you have actually done your work, and not only done it, but done it early," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner told the actress in court.

Lohan, 25, dressed conservatively in a cream-colored cardigan and trousers, and she smiled and joked with the judge after her progress report came back positive.

The "Mean Girls" actress was in court to review the first month of a court-ordered, five-month community service sentence at the Los Angeles County morgue, where she is required to work at least 12 days a month. She also must complete four therapy sessions. She adequately completed both for Wednesday's progress hearing.

Lohan rose to fame as a likable child star of Disney movies such as "The Parent Trap," but has been in and out of trouble -- spending time in rehab and in jail -- since 2007 when she was convicted on drunk driving and drug possession charges.

Earlier this year, the actress pleaded no contest, which is the equivalent of guilty, to stealing a gold necklace from a jewelry story and was sentenced to 480 hours community service at a L.A. women's detention center and the county morgue.

But Lohan failed to adequately perform that sentence, and in October, Sautner angrily revoked her probation and sent her to jail. At the time, the judge called Lohan's previous sentence a "gift" and said, "there's something called looking a gift horse in the mouth."

Lohan served just over four hours in an LA county jail in November due to overcrowding and for the rest of her sentence was assigned to community service at the county morgue and psychological counseling.

Sautner on Wednesday also addressed confusion over Lohan's permission leave California, clarifying that the actress could leave only for work purposes, unless she had completed her assigned 12 days of service and four therapy sessions a month. If finished, she is free to travel at will, the judge said.

Sautner's clarification on vacation came after Lohan took a trip to Hawaii this week to celebrate her sister's birthday, then missed her return flight to Los Angeles on Tuesday for her scheduled interview with chat show host Ellen DeGeneres to promote her upcoming Playboy magazine feature spread.

The missed flight caused numerous celebrity media to speculate that Lohan might again have made a misstep, but she made it to Sautner's court on time. Her next progress hearing is scheduled for January 17, 2012.

Kim Kardashian’s Husband Seeks Annulment

NBA player Kris Humphries has filed in a request, asking a judge to annul his 10-week, highly publicized marriage to Kim Kardashian stating that it was ‘fraudulent’.

The follows Kim K’s October 31 divorce filing after the celebrity model cited irreconcilable differences between herself and Humphries.

Humphries’ request however does not furnish any proof to support his argument that the marriage was a fraud. A judge would have to establish a case and decide if it’s true for the marriage to be completely annulled.

Both Kardashian and Humphries are asking a judge to prevent either side from receiving spousal support but Kardashian wants her husband to pay his own attorney’s fees.

The couple had tied knot on August 20, 2011 in Montecito, California in an elaborate wedding that cost about $20M (Twenty Million Dollars).

Kim, 31, had apologized to her fans saying ‘she ‘never meant to hurt anyone’ by ending her 72-day old marriage.

Humphries and Kim had both suffered failed marriages before meeting in October 2010.

Celebrity Birthdays - November 29, 2011

Happy Birthday to:

Actress Anna Faris (1976)

Welsh TV star Imogen Thomas (1982)

Actor Lucas Black (1982)

Jackass Ehren McGhehey (1976)

Actor Brian Baumgartner (1972)

Baywatch babe Gena Lee Nolin (1971)

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera (1969)

Saturday Night Live alum Ellen Cleghorne (1965)

Actor Tom Sizemore (1964)

Hotel Rwanda star Don Cheadle (1964)

Brat packer Andrew McCarthy (1963)

Actress Kim Delaney (1961)

Actress Cathy Moriarty (1960)

Canadian comedian Howie Mandel (1955)

Director Joel Coen (1954)

Comedian/actor Garry Shandling (1949)

American trumpeter Chuck Mangione (1940)

British bluesman John Mayall (1933)

Actress Diane Ladd (1932)

Human Centipede 2' Banned Down Under

The gruesome Human Centipede  sequel has been banned in Australia due to its graphic content.

Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence, which was banned in Britain this year before film bosses agreed to re-edit it, was premiered at the Brisbane International Film Festival in early November and was initially given a restrictive adults only R18-plus rating.

However, on Monday, officials at Australia's Classification Board refused to give the horror movie a rating due to its "gratuitous, exploitative or offensive depictions of violence," meaning the film cannot be shown in Australian cinemas.

The decision has been welcomed by campaigners of Christian group FamilyVoice Australia, who previously urged the film board to ban the movie.

FamilyVoice Australia spokeswoman Ros Phillips tells the Brisbane Times, "Earlier this year we were shocked to learn that the uncut version of this horrific film had been passed by Australia's Classification Board as R18-plus - but had been banned by the British Board of Film Classification."

"On behalf of Australian families, we thank the Board for its unanimous agreement. Pornography based on human torture has no place on Australian screens."

The follow-up to Tom Six's 2009 movie tells the story of a film fan who becomes so obsessed with the first installment, he copies the premise of sewing humans together to form a "centipede".

Lindsay Lohan Killin' It at Morgue Duty

Maybe structure is exactly what Lindsay Lohan needed -- because ET has learned she's not only on pace to complete her court-ordered stints at the morgue ... she's WAY ahead of schedule.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Lohan has already completed 10 of her 12 required morgue duty shifts -- impressive considering she still has another THREE WEEKS to spare.

In fact, we're told Lindsay doesn't just plan to knock out the remaining two shifts by the Dec. 14 deadline -- but she also wants to get a head start on the hours she has to complete by her 2nd status hearing.

Law enforcement tell us ... Lindsay has a pretty damn good reputation at the morgue -- polite, hard-working and never complains about the work.

Judge Sautner had said her sentence essentially put the keys to Lindsay's freedom in her own hands -- and at this point, it looks like she's making the most of her opportunity to stay out of the clink.

Ryan Reynolds Definitely, Maybe Set Off His Own House Alarm

Cops showed up at the home of Ryan Reynolds earlier this month after his silent alarm went off -- but law enforcement sources tell ET all they discovered was the former Sexiest Man Alive ... with no clue why they were there.

According to our sources, Ryan didn't notice he'd set off the alarm -- which is the type that when you set it, you have a certain amount of time to exit the home.

We're told Ryan was super nice to the cops and even apologized for them being called out over nothing.

He should have thrown in an apology for "Green Lantern" while he was at it.

Calls to Reynolds' rep were not returned.

Michael Lohan Complications Push Back Heart Surgery

Michael Lohan

Michael Lohan did not have surgery as planned yesterday, TMZ has learned, because doctors discovered additional blood clots in his lung which required treatment before they could operate.

As previously reported, Lohan was rushed to the hospital on Thursday after complaining of chest pains and doctors determined he needed surgery.

According to our sources, doctors discovered blood clots in one of his lungs in their original examination ... but discovered more yesterday. So, we're told, they put him on medication to break down the clots and rescheduled the surgery for Monday.

Certainly he will outlive us all.

'Survivor' Contestant Charged with DUI

Semhar Tadesse -- the first person booted from this season of "Survivor" -- has been charged with DUI ... a month after she was popped in L.A. on suspicion of drunk driving.

ET broke the story ... Semhar was pulled over on October 27 after allegedly running a red light. Cops administered a field sobriety test and Semhar allegedly blew a .14 ... nearly twice the legal limit in California.

Semhar was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI last week -- one for driving under the influence, and one for driving with blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

Her arraignment's scheduled for December 16.