Tag: British Things (41-50 of 345)

Dec 21 2011 01:00 PM ET

Lunchtime Poll: Which 'Love Actually' couple ended up staying together the longest?

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Image Credit: Everett Collection

Have you ever wondered what happened to all the couples from 2003′s Love Actually? I watch it often enough that I’ve spent way too much time thinking about this. ‘Tis the season to watch Love Actually with your family and have to listen — for the thousandth time — about how much your dad hates that sleazebag secretary Mia for ruining Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson’s marriage!

Let’s think about this for real. David and Natalie (Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon, pictured) made a great couple in that they were so different, but would their relationship crumble in the national spotlight? Uncle Jamie (Colin Firth) and his Portuguese housekeeper-turned-fiancée Aurélia had good chemistry despite that pesky language barrier that prevented them from communicating before their tear-jerking proposal scene. Sometimes things are so transparency. Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet (Keira Knightley) had a pretty good shot — especially if Mark (Andrew Lincoln) never showed up to convert them both into Walking Dead zombies and if she continued to keep him interested by wearing wild and crazy things like white cropped sweaters in late December.

Actor stand-ins John and “Just Judy” probably had the most in common. Little drummer boy Sam and his American sweetheart Joanna were probably destined to fail — but that’s fine, because they were so tiny. Meanwhile, Daniel and Carol (Liam Neeson and Claudia Schiffer) just might beat them all. They’d only just met when the movie ended!

I’ve listed all potential long-term couples below. Vote! READ FULL STORY »

Dec 16 2011 06:09 PM ET

Tom Cruise thinks David Beckham could be an action hero. What other jocks belong on the silver screen?

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Tom-Cruise-Beckham

Image Credit: Charles Sykes/AP

Could David Beckham really be a movie star? His pal, Tom Cruise, thinks so. At a recent premiere of Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, the film’s star was asked if the soccer legend could step into his line of work. “I’d love to do action movies with Beckham,” Cruise said on the red carpet. “He would be great, he could kick ass.”

Of course, Beckham is, in many ways, already bigger than our most famous movie stars. His popularity was so transcendent they titled a whole movie after his extraordinary ability to bend a soccer ball. He’s handsome, he’s stylish, he’s charming. He could be a movie star. In fact, when Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, it was assumed that the lure of Hollywood was a major factor in his decision to play in the less-competitive American soccer league. Only 36 years old, he could still easily make the transition to show business as his days on the pitch wind down.

It’s an interesting parlor game: What celebrity athletes have the looks, and more importantly, the aura, to translate fluidly on the silver screen? READ FULL STORY »

Dec 14 2011 12:35 PM ET

Celebrity PopWatch Confessional: For a big guy, I cry a lot at the movies

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STEPHEN-MERCHANT

Image Credit: Carolyn Djanogly

I confess: I find myself getting more and more emotional during particular movies. Sometimes I’ve even hidden tears: from dates, family members, friends. If I’m watching Star Wars with a male friend and he sees a tear running down my cheek when Han Solo returns at the end to help Luke destroy the Death Star, how am I going to live that down? Like that’s not going to be brought up at every possible occasion. Real men don’t get misty eyed at that stuff. I bet John Wayne never welled up watching Gone With the Wind and had to tell his buddies he had something in his eye.

I was warned that I would get emotional during the beginning of Up and I thought, “I’m going to fight it. I’m not going to be manipulated.” I was welling up within 10 minutes. It happened on a date during Toy Story 3. The boy gave up his toys and that got me. We’d only just sat down. I’d heard it was a dark movie and later, when it looks like all the toys are going to be incinerated, I genuinely thought they were going to get it. I was thinking, “I cannot believe what I’m seeing. They are going to kill off these lovable toys in a Disney movie.” I was gob-smacked. I had to lift up my 3-D glasses so I wouldn’t see the tragedy as clearly when it happened. Then when they were saved, I had to put the glasses back on to mask my tears. That’s one good thing about the movies: at least it’s dark in there. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 6 2011 04:47 PM ET

Queen and Helen Mirren strip down in different ways to help U.K. economy

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Image Credit: Laurie Sparham

File this under: Otherwise Inconsequential News Item That Gains Import Because of Barely Tangentially Related News Item

Queen Elizabeth II is feeling the crunch of the British recession. According to ABC News, she and the crown will have to make do with only $50 million of the tax-payers’ money per year — approximately half the family’s take pre-economic downturn. In fact, the royals are renting out St. James palace to corporate bigwigs during next summer’s Olympics to raise funds, and there are even reports that the Queen would welcome some help in paying her high utility bills.

Fortunately, there are loyal subjects who are willing to contribute more than their share during these difficult times. Take Helen Mirren, for example, who won an Oscar for portraying Her Majesty in The Queen. The sexy 66-year-old actress is auctioning off the famous red bikini that reminded so many of the icon’s timeless bodaciousness to raise money for the needy. “It happens to be one of the best bikinis in the world because it fits!,” Mirren told a British morning show. “The minute I bought it I loved it because it’s so hard to find a bikini that fits if you’ve got bosoms like I have.”

Pause. Breathe. Recover.

“I would love it to raise money for an organisation that I support called Age UK,” she continued. “I love the idea of this little flimsy summer thing is going towards helping old people stay warm and comfortable and toasty in the wintertime.”

One queen forced to pinch pennies at Christmas time; the other, baring sharing her god-given gifts in generosity. O. Henry himself would weep!

Nov 28 2011 12:50 PM ET

Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Chris O' Dowd make BAFTA's longlist for Rising Star Award, but who should win? VOTE

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Jennifer-Lawrence

Image Credit: Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic.com

While it won’t be quite as intense as what Katniss Everdeen will endure to outlast her competitors in Hunger Games, actress Jennifer Lawrence will have to fight to make it to the final list of nominees for BAFTA’s 2012 Orange Rising Star Award. (That said, awards shows would be a lot more interesting if actors and actresses had to battle, Hunger Games-style, to remain nominees, let alone winners.)

But will the odds be ever in Lawrence’s favor? Granted, the 21-year-old is already an Oscar-nominee and snagged the coveted role of the aforementioned Katniss, but the long list for BAFTA’s 2012 Orange Rising Star Award includes the equally impressive likes of ubiquitous Tree of Life star Jessica Chastain, Sundance darling Felicity Jones of Like Crazy, and Bridesmaids heartthrob Chris O’Dowd, who pulled off the unlikely feat of winning the girl in a movie co-starring Jon Hamm. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 25 2011 09:00 AM ET

Poll: Is it quite time to give thanks for awkward 'X Factor' host Steve Jones? [Pause.] Thanksgiving.

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , Reality TV, The X Factor, TV
Steve-Jones

Image Credit: Nino Munoz/Fox

A lot of people seem to dislike this uncomfortable-looking attractive man — whom I’ve been calling Stevecrest — because he’s exceedingly abrupt as he tries and fails to ring around the circus that is the U.S. version of The X Factor. But you guys! I can’t help it. I am beginning to love Steve Jones.

This is a man so endearingly bumbling that he has called 15-year-old Astro “a nice man,” (without sarcasm, but it was a few weeks ago) and Howie Mandel a “top man,” (with just a bit of sarcasm, I believe). One time, after musical guest Rihanna had succeeded in slowly backing away from Steve and finally escaping, he called after her, “You glorious, glorious lady!”

I love that everything he has to come up with on the fly is just so…off. On Tuesday night, faced with the task of getting the judges to stop bickering about Drew, he bellowed, “THIS HAS TO STOP RIGHT NOW, PLEASE.” [Pause.] “THANKSGIVING.” And he bellows EVERYTHING.

As EW.com reader Josh put it, “He’s like a male, Welsh Samantha Harris.” Admittedly, this isn’t the most ringing endorsement I’ve ever read, but I look at it like this: Steve Jones is the only person on The X Factor who consistently makes me giggle. That’s definitely something. (Try harder, Simon Cowell! P.S. I don’t believe anything you ever say.)

If you need a much more convincing reason to give thanks for Steve Jones that might really nail it on the head…. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 22 2011 02:40 PM ET

Bella's 'Breaking Dawn' wedding dress and Pippa's bridesmaids dress go on sale, just in time for your Royal vampire wedding.

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Image Credit: Andrew Cooper

You know, if you think about it, the Kim Kardashian wedding and the Breaking Dawn wedding really aren’t all that different. They were both over-hyped spectacles with wildly inappropriate partnerships in which the groom could technically be considered dead and at some point a werewolf showed up. (Just kidding, Jacob shows up to the reception in human form!) Of course, Bella and Edward’s married life (seen here, looking downright elated to be on their honeymoon together) lasted just a little bit longer than Kim and Kris Humphries’ (eternity > 72 days), and brides still want to wear Mrs. Cullen’s dress. (Sorry Kim, no one wants to take their chances on a cursed dress. Also, it was cuckoo.)

Lucky for them, designer Carolina Herrera, who made the elegant, understated dress worn by Kristen Stewart in Breaking Dawn — Part 1, will be selling the gowns at her CHNY boutiques starting next year, according to Reuters. While there’s no price set for the detailed lace and satin original, for those who simply cannot wait to marry their vampire husbands, Alfredo Angelo has made a replica that’s going for $799. (See below.) READ FULL STORY »

Nov 11 2011 12:21 PM ET

Alan Rickman goes from Hogwarts to Broadway's 'Seminar' -- EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK

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seminar

Image Credit: Jeremy Daniel

Alan Rickman may have hung up his wand as Hogwarts potions professor Severus Snape, but he’s yet to relinquish his fictional teaching degree. For his first major post-Harry Potter outing, the 65-year-old British actor is returning to Broadway as an ornery writing great who hosts a private workshop for fledgling novelists in Theresa Rebeck’s new comedy Seminar. His character, Leonard, is ruthless, brilliant, unorthodox, and prone to giving writing advice like, “I don’t have to go past the first five words because I already know enough and I don’t give a s—.” Leonard is also, if you haven’t already guessed, just as insecure as his young students, who are played by Lily Rabe, Jerry O’Connell, Hettienne Park, and Hamish Linklater.

Seminar, which is currently in previews at the John Golden Theatre, opens on Nov. 20. See more photos below! READ FULL STORY »

Oct 26 2011 07:10 PM ET

Johnny Depp calls out Ricky Gervais in 'Life's Too Short': 'No one makes fun of Tim Allen on my watch and gets away with it!'

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Tags: , , , , , , Golden Globe Awards, TV

No one ever doubted that you would get your comeuppance Ricky Gervais, but kudos for somehow making it happen on your own show, to your own benefit. Brilliant! In case you missed it, Gervais called out, well, pretty much everybody at last winter’s Golden Globes. He had particularly nasty things to say about Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie’s nominated film The Tourist, but Depp has now been given the chance to retaliate via an appearance on Gervais’ upcoming BBC2 comedy series, Life’s Too Short.

The show stars Warwick Davis (Willow!!!) as the head of a talent agency for little people, and Gervais recurrs as himself. In the clip, Depp strolls into the office and passive-agressively vents his Gervaisian frustrations in the form of backhanded compliments. “How great for you,” he deadpans when Gervais says he’s been writing his own films. ”That must be so great.” Ha! It’s childish, and I love it. Watch the clip below:  READ FULL STORY »

Oct 26 2011 06:28 PM ET

'The X Factor': Is it refreshing or is it way too much?

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Tags: , , , , , , , Reality TV, The X Factor, TV
SImon-Cowell-x-Factor

Image Credit: Fox

Last night’s two-and-a-half-hour X Factor — a.k.a. American Idol on Steroids, a.k.a. Simon Cowell Must Think We’re REALLY Stupid — was a big ol’ trainwreck full of flashy lights, over-produced backing tracks, faux-bickering by the judges, rushed eliminations, and the list goes on. Reading over the comments on my recap of the telecast and Adam B. Vary’s hilarious on-the-scene report, it seems people are torn between liking the rawther British, unsentimental, over-the-top gaudiness of the show, and loathing it.

I can see both sides, and in my recap I said that The X Factor‘s quick pace and unsentimental approach was a refreshing change from American Idol. I miss Idol too, but this is a different show. Simon is clearly aiming for pure spectacle here, and if the U.S. X Factor is supposed to be as campy-bordering-on-idiotic as the British version or something like America’s Got Talent, then mission accomplished. But if it’s supposed to be a singing competition, it’s largely a joke. The question is, are we willing to let it be what it is and have some escapist fun, or does Simon’s idea of fun make us want to throw ourselves off a cliff? READ FULL STORY »

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