Lindsey Buckingham talks solo work, Fleetwood Mac (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Though Fleetwood Mac rose to fame in the swinging 1970s, guitarist-singer Lindsey Buckingham says he's having the time of his life right now.

The 61-year-old musician is at a creative and personal peak, and one supports the other. He thanks his happy home life with wife Kristen and their three young children for enabling him to enjoy the recent reunion tour with Fleetwood Mac and to create some of his best work yet, which he released this week as his sixth solo album, "Seeds We Sow."

He took time out of his preparations for his upcoming national solo tour to talk about the new album, Fleetwood Mac and what the future might hold.

AP: What inspired this album?

Buckingham: It wasn't any one thing that inspired it. Normally there's kind of a calling. ... In the case of this one, Fleetwood Mac had just come off the road and I thought we'd do some more dates. There was no agenda to make an album, no agenda to express anything in particular, but the time opened up as a surprise, and I thought I guess I better fill it.

AP: Why do you say this may be some of your best musical work?

Buckingham: When I'm working with Fleetwood Mac, it's more like moviemaking. It's collaborative, and you have to bring in something like a full-on song, which would be like the analogy of the script. It's a more political process. When you work alone, it's more like painting. You go down to the studio and you've got this sort of one-on-one with the canvas. You've got the freedom of not necessarily having a full-on song. You can have a rough idea and you make a start. It's like a painter throwing colors on the canvas — at some point, they'll paint over some part but the work starts to take on a life of its own and lead you in a direction you might not have expected to go. There are many more surprises that happen when I'm doing solo work.

AP: You wrote, played, mixed and engineered the entire album. What are the challenges there?

Buckingham: Basically, you kind of grow into all that. ... It's all my own sense of how to do things. It always has been — how to teach myself how to play guitar, how to teach myself to write or sing, how to teach myself to record. Because I don't really know music. I mean I do, from a certain center, but not from an academic point. I think a lot of people who get taught try to get back to the place I'm at, but I think of myself as kind of a refined primitive.

AP: What was it like touring with Fleetwood Mac again in 2009 after being apart all those years?

Buckingham: I keep feeling like the Fleetwood Mac experience ... seems like it keeps getting better for me. That's just a reflection of how things have gotten better for me personally as a solo artist and just in my personal life, and I can bring all that back and appreciate all the nuances of Fleetwood Mac and add to the mix in a very communal and supportive way.

AP: The band's biggest album, "Rumours," was partially about your breakup with Stevie Nicks. What is your relationship like now?

Buckingham: I've known (Stevie) since high school. I spent some time with her when she was finishing up her solo album and mine was already done. We worked on some stuff together and had some real quality time. And all these years later, that there's still some chapters to unfold with the two of us seems just to be the sweetest thing.

AP: You'll be on your solo tour through November. Then what?

Buckingham: There's a certain amount of, I wouldn't say chaos, but a certain amount of the unknown that you've got to allow for if you're going back and forth from one to the other (solo work to Fleetwood Mac). There's been a lot of talk about a Fleetwood Mac tour next year, possibly even a Fleetwood Mac album. I think it would be fun to maybe find a producer other than myself, just to make it easier for me and someone who could overview the situation in a healthy way so we could enjoy each other as band mates a little more. So I've heard a lot of rumblings about that, but nothing's been written. There's nothing on the books for Fleetwood Mac next year, but I would be shocked if that didn't happen at some point.

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http://lindseybuckingham.com/

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Sandy Cohen is an entertainment writer for The Associated Press. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/apsandy

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Steven Soderbergh talks "Contagion" and retirement (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters)LOS ANGELES, September 5 (Reuters) – Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh explores how a lethal virus is transmitted from one person to another, until the entire world is affected in "Contagion."

The film, which debuted over the weekend at the Venice film festival and hits theaters Friday, features an all star cast that includes Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne and Jude Law among others.

Soderbergh, known for directing such movies as the "Ocean's" trilogy, "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic," sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, what he learned about viruses and why he's decided to "retire" from moviemaking.

Q: "Contagion" is about a virus that kills people with no cure in sight. With real-life scares like SARS, N1H1 and the bird flu, this is a fear anyone can relate to.

A: "Yes (the virus) doesn't speak and it doesn't have a brain, but it is alive and it wants to stay alive and propagate itself. I really felt like this was great movie material because you cannot construct a life for yourself in which you're not around germs."

Q: Once someone gets the virus, death is imminent so it's like a zombie movie without the zombies.

A: "Matt (Damon) wanted a zombie. He kept asking for one. He kept saying we'd make a lot more money if we had zombies. I said, 'Call Gwyneth! Let's see if she's up for it.'"

Q: This is your sixth film with Matt. What is it about him that made you want him form "Contagion?"

A: "He's one of the few people that can play both ends of the spectrum -- he can be everyman, and he can be Jason Bourne. In 'Contagion' his character needed to be resolutely middle class. Matt's great at that because he's not one of those actors that comes in like, 'I wanna win this scene.' He's so completely lacking in vanity. He'll submit to the larger story and not worry about how he is coming across moment to moment."

Q: You worked with a lot of consultants to get the scientific aspect of film correct. Most audiences wouldn't know the difference. Why was that important to you?

A: "As a moviegoer, the more detailed and convincing the world of the film is, the happier I am. You go to the movies to be transported, to go on a ride, and this happens to be a ride you can't just forget the minute the lights come up because you have to touch the armrest in order to stand."

Q: Working with those consultants, what did you personally learn about protecting yourself against viruses?

A: "I'm washing my hands a little more. The hand sanitizer, according to the consultants we worked with, lasts about three minutes. The touching of the face is really bad. They said during flu season if you can manage not to touch yourself above the neck, you've got a better chance of not getting sick."

Q: You've got some scenes with monkeys in a lab that are being used as test subjects for the virus cure. Do you think that might cause an uproar within the animal rights community?

A: "It might. It should. That's a legitimately volatile subject. I can tell you that just in the brief scenes in which we had Rhesus monkeys in cages, it was really disturbing to film because they know what's going on. They know they're in a cage and that you've put them in there and that it is not cool. There was one that we were shooting with -- he had the lock in his hand and he was turning it and trying to figure out how to undo it. Then he looks at you. He knows. It's disturbing."

RETIREMENT, 'OCEAN'S' AND BERNIE MAC

Q: You've talked about retiring, but you still have three more movies to do. That could take a few more years, right?

A: "Nah. 18 months. In a few weeks, I start shooting a male stripper movie with Channing Tatum. We worked together on (the upcoming) 'Haywire.' Then I'm going to do 'Man From U.N.C.L.E' in February and 'Liberace' in June."

Q: So after that you're truly retiring from filmmaking?

A: "Call it whatever you want -- hiatus, sabbatical. I'm just gonna disappear for a while."

Q: Is it permanent?

A: "I don't know. Maybe. It depends."

Q: Why do you want to disappear?

A: "It's not that I want to. I need to. I've been running really fast for quite a while. It's been non-stop since 'Out of Sight.' That's a lot of work."

Q: What do you plan on doing during your sabbatical?

A: "I don't know. Interview people. I've done it a couple of times and I really enjoy it. I did a book of interviews with a filmmaker and it was really great to walk him through things and ask 'How was this done?' 'How was this accomplished?' I love process. I'm a process person. I like talking about how things were done as opposed to what they mean."

Q: If you choose to come back to movies in the future, could there be another "Ocean's" still in you somewhere?

A: "Not without Bernie Mac. It was a really unique group and we can't do it without him. We really hit the jackpot with those movies. (The cast) all liked each other, they enjoyed being together. Losing Bernie was a horrible tragedy. It was upsetting. He was such a doll and so much fun to be around."

Q: The "Ocean" movies were also your most successful. Do you pay attention to your box office track record?

A: "For me, all of the pleasure is in the making of the film. Once they're done and delivered, I've moved on. If you start thinking about results, it affects your ability to make things in the moment. You never want to lose the enthusiasm and the attitude of the amateur. You always want to be making creative decisions based on the same criteria you used when you were 15 years-old. What's important is the experience itself."

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Keanu Reeves in financing talks for directorial debut (Reuters)

By Joshua L. Weinstein Joshua L. Weinstein – Tue Aug 9, 8:59 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Keanu Reeves is in negotiations with China Film Group and Village Roadshow Pictures to get funding for "Man of Tai Chi," a Mandarin-and-English-language movie that Reeves will star in and direct, individuals familiar with the project told TheWrap.

Reeves also wrote the martial arts film, which, if it goes forward, will mark his directorial debut.

"Tai Chi" also stars Tiger Chen, a member of the kung fu team in "The Matrix."

The "Speed" star plays the villain in the movie, which includes some serious fighting scenes.

Reeves showed off his martial arts chops in "The Matrix" films and recently finished filming "47 Ronin," Universal's adaptation of the Japanese martial arts picture.

Representatives for Reeves and Village Roadshow declined comment. Representatives for China Film Group could not be reached.

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Fox stays mum on Jennifer Lopez, "Idol" talks (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Jennifer Lopez's future as a judge with "American Idol" is still up in the air, after Fox television on Friday declined to confirm or deny reports that she had signed on for a second season.

Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly told a meeting of TV critics he had no headline-making announcements -- "maybe like confirm Jennifer Lopez or something. No luck there."

The return of Lopez for the upcoming 11th season of "American Idol" has been in doubt after the singer said earlier this summer that she was undecided about doing a second year.

Several news reports, all citing unnamed sources, have reported that Lopez is ready to sign up, and this week, showbiz website TheWrap.com said a deal had been finalized that would pay Lopez just over $20 million.

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and veteran record producer Randy Jackson are already confirmed as judges when the talent contest resumes on Fox in January.

Lopez and Tyler joined the judging panel this past season, helping to boost flagging viewership for the aging "American Idol" and maintain its status as the most-watched show on U.S.

TV.

The show has also been good for Lopez. She topped People magazine's "most beautiful" list earlier this year and had a top 10 hit with her dance single "On the Floor."

However, Lopez announced in July that she was divorcing her husband of seven years, Latin singer Marc Anthony, with whom she had twins in 2008.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Jennifer Lopez talks about split from Marc Anthony (AP)

NEW YORK – Jennifer Lopez tells Vanity Fair magazine that she still believes in love despite her split from her husband of seven years, Marc Anthony.

The singer and actress gave the publication her first interview since announcing her divorce earlier this month.

Lopez says she is an "eternal optimist" and describes love as her "biggest dream."

The 42-year-old, who has had a string of high-profile relationships, says she's learned to walk away from something when it isn't right.

One thing Lopez says she and Anthony do right is work together, saying "together we make magic."

The couple has two children, twins Max and Emme.

The September issue of Vanity Fair goes on sale nationwide Aug. 9.

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Boys II Men singer talks band's early days (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Boys II Men singer and "The Sing-Off" judge Shawn Stockman said his group was brought together more by music than friendship.

"When me and the guys first started singing, we sounded so good, like, we didn't even like each other," he said at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Monday. "Seriously: We were singers before we were friends. But we sounded, to us, so good together that it was addictive. We wanted to sing together all of the time."

Stockman described the early days of his group to make a point about the power of music.

He and fellow judges Ben Folds and Sara Bareilles agreed that the acapella music featured on the show can be less lucrative than other musical forms -- so the people who do it, do it for love of their art.

Stockman said Boys II Men used to sing together in subways for the acoustics -- and turn people down when they tried to give them money.

"The harmonies would go for miles and people would try to give us money and we were like, we don't want it. It wasn't about money," he said.

"The Sing-Off" returns for its third season in the fall.

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"Curb" writer David Mandel talks about show's new season (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap) – David Mandel is one of only a handful of people in Hollywood not named Larry David who can legitimately claim to have written for both "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," the two most influential TV sitcoms of the past 20 years.

With the eighth-season premiere of the HBO comedy arriving Sunday at 10 p.m. ET, the 40-year-old talks about what's in store for Larry David this year, how he's approaching a reboot of the 1985 movie "Fletch," starring Chevy Chase, and whether there'll be a ninth season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Q: This season, the show shifts to New York. Did you need to do this because you were out of ideas, like when "Laverne and Shirley" moved to Los Angeles?

A: Everyone's always gone west. Laverne and Shirley went west. Lucy and Desi went west. No one ever went east, so I think that's where we're really reinventing the wheel here. No, honestly, look -- first of all, it was fun. Also, the thing about the show is, despite the fact that it takes place mostly in a three-block area of the Palisades in Los Angeles, it's a New York show that happens to be set in the Palisades. So, there was an internal logic. Larry is the quintessential New Yorker, even though he hasn't lived in New York in 20 years. It's not like we took "The Dukes of Hazzard" and sent them up north. And the reason Larry goes to New York, I think people will really enjoy it. It's a reason that only Larry David would go to New York for, or because of.

Q: He goes out there to find a perfect marble rye, doesn't he?

A: I don't want to give up the reason! It's going to happen five episodes in. I'll just say that it's an incredibly unique Larry David reason, and only he would do it. I'll leave it at that. Honestly, you would hate me if I actually told you because you will enjoy it that much more. It is not arbitrary. He doesn't win the lottery and go there. He doesn't do it because he loses a bet, or anything of that nature. It is a genuine reason, that only Larry David could have.

Q: Oh, so he go there because of a grudge?

A: It is grudge-related. It's grudge-adjacent. That's all I'm saying! Changing the subject!

Q: You coined the incredibly useful expression "man hands" in the "Seinfeld" episode "The Bizarro Jerry." Is that still the best line you've ever come up with?

A: Boy, it's tough -- I don't even really think like that, is the honest answer.

I mean, it's probably "man hands," or people using the word "bizarro." But I enjoy weird little lines that probably no one cares about. That's what I like. I'm much more happy that there's, like, a James Polk reference in that episode than I am specifically about the catch-phrasiness of "man hands." That's where I'm coming from. Because I personally don't think James Polk gets enough credit for the westward expansion of the United States of America. That's my agenda. Other people have their own -- but that's my agenda.

Q: There's going to be a big Polk reference in your "Fletch" script, isn't there?

A: God willing.

Q: Are you bringing any Larry Davidisms to your revamp of "Fletch"?

A: Look, I love "Fletch." I love "Fletch Lives." There was nothing funnier than Chevy Chase back then. Like any other red-blooded American male, I can quote both movies at will. But because I loved that first movie so much, I devoured all of the books, the entire series, as a younger man and, you know, they definitely made their mark on me. Gregory McDonald wrote such amazing, crisp dialogue.

The differences between the books and the movies are small -- but also huge. In the books, the Fletch character is not above using a fake name, and things like that. But there are perhaps fewer funny wigs and funny teeth. So I think there's an opportunity to go back to the source material. I know, that's very, like, J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek"/"Batman Begins." But they're not bad models, taking things that are very beloved, and putting a new spin on them. In no way saying that the past is bad, but just going, "Here's a new version."

And I do think the Fletch character, in the books, is more of a character. He is more particular and has his own code of morality. I think Larry David has his own code of morality. And I think I have my own code of morality. There are certain things I wouldn't do. There are certain things that I consider to be ultimate betrayals. Whether you think they are or not, I do. And hopefully, I can bring some of that to Fletch, if that makes sense. What I'm basically saying is, the new Fletch is going to be a 50-year-old balding Jewish guy with glasses.

Q: What's the status on season nine of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"?

A: I'm in New York now, working on "The Dictator"...and Larry's sort of at the point of going, "So when are you guys going to be done?" He sort of starting with the "So, when are you guys going to be back in L.A.?" And I'll say "September" and he'll go, "Well, maybe we'll talk then." Which doesn't mean there'll be a season nine, but it also doesn't not mean season nine, if you know what I mean.

Q: Wait -- so Larry doesn't die at the end of season eight? Thanks for the spoiler alert!

A: Oh, maybe he does. You don't know that. He could have meant the Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman spinoff.

Q: Nice cover-up. And I suppose Larry did survive dying at the end of season five.

A: Exactly. I mean, he came back from that. If death can't stop him, what can?

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"Citizen U.S.A." director Pelosi talks immigration (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap) – Alexandra Pelosi traveled the country interviewing new citizens for her documentary, "Citizen: U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip," and found they all shared one trait.

They included Iraqi refugees in Nebraska, Mexicans who crossed illegally into Arizona, a Kentucky paralympian from Nigeria, and a Buddhist monk in Utah. What did they all had in common?

"We like to make the distinction between immigrants we want and immigrants we don't want," said Pelosi, whose film debuts on HBO on the Fourth of July. "They all share one thing, and that's the work ethic. The taxi driver and the Ph.D.s share the love of America and the work ethic."

Pelosi's husband and co-producer, Michiel Vos, became a citizen after their children were born. They were inspired by the event to travel to naturalization ceremonies in all 50 states, interviewing other recent Americans. They found people who were grateful for things many Americans take for granted: free speech, clean water, police who respond when you call 911, the right to drive, gun ownership.

They tried to avoid the divisive issue of immigration, but it found them at an Arizona protest against the state's law requiring, among other things, that immigrants carry their papers at all times and that police question anyone they suspect of being in the U.S. illegally.

Pelosi, who has no plans to follow her mother, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, into politics, has no solution to the dilemma over who should be granted citizenship. "But a lot of people in Washington don't have the answer either, because you see how broken the system is," she says.

She and Vos talked to TheWrap about what it means to become an American.

Q: One of our freedoms as Americans is the right to complain, and we do it a lot. But your movie stresses the good things about the country. Did you decide it's so overwhelmingly good to be American you wanted to leave out the possible negatives?

Pelosi: The reason I left out the negatives in the movie was because I thought it was really contrarian to make a movie that was all positive about America because documentaries are always about things that are wrong with America. So I thought it was funny to make a movie that had nothing negative about America.

Q: You get such the sense in the movie that this is the most free country in the world. But Michiel, you're from Holland. Holland seems pretty free.

Vos: Not as free as here. We can insult the queen, just like you can insult the president here. But here there is a feeling that is more of a reinvention of yourself or doing things you never thought you would be able to do. Several people in the movie refer to that: "I was always told by my teacher or my peers, you can do this, but not that."

In America there's just one playing field, and it's called the market. You can do anything you want, you can reinvent yourself, you can start over. Nobody's waiting here for you, but the gates at the same time are wide open. They welcome you but they also say, "Well, if you don't want to do it there's a Korean, a Chinese - they're all competing with you."

The movie includes a group of Iraqi guys living in Nebraska. Do you they fit in there?

Pelosi: Yeah, because they watch "Friends." Everyone learns how to assimilate through watching television. Everyone thinks America is going to be like Hollywood, and when they get here they keep watching TV to find out how to be.

Vos: You see America for years on television. I'd seen America through the eyes of "The A-Team." Now I know America is not like "The A-Team." You think you know America before you get here.

Q: People outside this country might look at the Arizona immigration law, for example, and think Americans are intolerant.

Pelosi: I was trying to avoid immigration because that's the issue that's tearing this country apart. I wanted to do a film about citizenship. When I went to the ceremony in Arizona, there were protests out front. That same exact building where they do naturalization ceremonies is the exact building where a judge was determining the fate of the controversial immigration law. I was trying to avoid controversy. I was trying to do a purely celebratory Americana film.

Q: You also show people who are making obvious contributions.

Pelosi: Everyone talks about immigrants taking jobs, but there are a lot of jobs that America needs. Engineers. We still go recruiting Ph.D.s from other countries to cure cancer. We don't have a cure for cancer. We have a lot of people that have jobs here but no one's cured cancer. We bring in people that have ideas from other countries.

Vos: Newsweek had foreign-born Americans who are giving jobs, like Sergey Brin at Google.

Pelosi: My husband is a Dutch television correspondent. He's not taking any job away from an American. Because I don't really think there are any Americans that can speak Dutch and explain American politics to a Dutch audience.

"Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip" premieres at 9 p.m. Monday on HBO. A companion book will be released Thursday.

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MySpace owner talks Justin Timberlake's new job (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) – Can MySpace be saved?

That's the question facing the sickly social network's new owner Specific Media. Instead of picking up the site for parts, the Irvine-based online advertising network's CEO Tim Vanderhook says he is serious about relaunching MySpace as a digital entertainment destination.

He's certainly got one big name in his corner who could help make those ambitions more than just a pipe dream.

Shortly after picking up MySpace from News Corp. for $35 million on Wednesday, Specific Media said that it was bringing on popstar and actor Justin Timberlake to serve as the site's creative director.

It was a move that no one saw coming, instantly generating more excitement around MySpace than the site has seen for years. Fresh off his coup, Vanderhook told TheWrap about his vision for MySpace, how Timberlake will be involved, and why the social network fell behind Facebook.

Q: MySpace is seen as a tarnished brand. Will it be difficult to make people care about it again?

A: We still have 70 million people coming to the site that would disagree with that statement. One thing that we love about MySpace is that it's iconic, and when it comes to the online space, iconic brands always have the ability to bounce back.

Q: How did Justin Timberlake come on board? Did you know him before?

A: No, we didn't know him. When it comes to creative ideas, we're not professional content creators. We're not artists or musicians. We wanted to find a multi-faceted person who is all of those things, so we were sitting in a room thinking about who that person would be, and Justin was the name that came up.

We reached out to anyone who could get ahold of him and eventually we got a meeting. We talked about MySpace and told him we wanted to find a partner to guide our creative course, and something about MySpace just struck a cord in him. He's very passionate about helping young artists get discovered and within that meeting he was coming up with hundreds of ideas instantly.

Q: How involved will Justin be in the company's day-to-day operations?

A: Obviously, he has many careers that he has to take care of, so his time is limited, but his passion and involvement are high. He will have an office at MySpace and he will have six people working directly for him, who will be executing on what he wants to do.

Q: Did his role playing Facebook guru Sean Parker in "The Social Network" make him more interested in being involved in MySpace?

A: No, that just happened to be ironic. He was more interested in what we were doing from a strategy perspective.

Q: So you're not worried he's a Facebook plant?

A: Not at all.

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Nicole Kidman in talks to replace Vergara in film (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – "The Paperboy" is running into some delivery issues.

The drama, being directed by Lee Daniels ("Precious"), was to have starred Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Tobey Maguire and Sofia Vergara, with production scheduled to begin later this summer.

But Maguire dropped out of the project last week, forcing the shoot to be pushed back. The delay then intruded on Vergara's "Modern Family" shooting schedule, prompting her to drop out of "Paperboy" on Friday.

But the producers are now in talks with Nicole Kidman to step into Vergara's shoes. McConaughey and Efron are still in at this point.

"The Paperboy" centers on a reporter and his brother who investigate the events surrounding a murder in order to exonerate a man on death row. Kidman, if her deal can be made, will play a woman with a dark side who writes letters to men on death row. She brings the case to the attention of the reporter, developing a relationship with him.

Kidman recently wrapped production on "Hemingway and Gellhorn," HBO Films' romancer in which she plays war correspondent Martha Gellhorn to Clive Owen's Ernest Hemingway.

(To read more about our entertainment news, visit our blog "Fan Fare" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)

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Bono talks of struggles, triumphs of `Spider-Man' (AP)

NEW YORK – With the Broadway premiere of the beleaguered "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" finally in sight, Bono and The Edge, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical, were in a jovial mood as they previewed songs from the accompanying soundtrack.

"It's weird to be a $70 million underdog," U2 frontman Bono joked Thursday night before a performance of the play at Foxwoods Theatre.

The musical — the most expensive in Broadway history — was supposed to open last year. Years in the making, it was one of the most anticipated productions to reach Broadway. But there were injuries, creative problems and scathing early reviews during its seemingly endless preview stage.

The official opening was delayed several times, and Julie Taymor, the show's director and lead visionary, was ousted in March, though her name remains on the credits.

Speaking before a crowd of industry insiders in the theater's lobby, Bono hailed Taymor and called her a "card-carrying genius."

Bono said he and The Edge were privileged to work with Taymor, but he also suggested that she was so involved, perhaps she wasn't able to see some of the play's flaws.

"She's so involved with the details of her work and perhaps she got a little tired. ... She got so close to it perhaps in the last moments she couldn't see it," he said.

Later, Bono said he hoped that with the opening of the musical, people would focus more on the creative part of the production than its problems.

The Edge said working on "Spider-Man" was "an education."

"We're very proud of the songs," he said.

The soundtrack to the musical hits stores Tuesday, the same day as the official Broadway opening.

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Cowell talks Cole's exit at 'X Factor' auditions (AP)

NEWARK, N.J. – At auditions filmed Thursday before a live audience for "The X Factor," Simon Cowell seemed to want people to move on from the shakeup on the show's judges panel replacing British pop singer Cheryl Cole with American counterpart Nicole Scherzinger.

"It wasn't really such a big deal as everybody thought. ... Truth is you've got to move on. It's about the contestants. They've got no interest in us bickering," Cowell said at the auditions in New Jersey.

Earlier in the week, Fox and producers announced Cole was out and Scherzinger, who originally was signed on to co-host the show, would slide over to the judges table alongside Cowell, Paula Abdul and LA Reid.

He said the show will not re-tape episodes already filmed that feature Cole.

"Show it. I mean it's reality TV. There's no point in lying about it," he said. "It is what it is."

Cowell said it was a no brainer to slide Scherzinger over to the judge's table when the position opened up.

"I've worked with Nicole before. I think she would have killed me if I had given the job to someone else. She's very good at this. You know, she knows what she's doing and so it was an easy transition."

Cowell left "American Idol" in May of 2010 after its ninth season. He said the absence from American TV has been good.

"I realized how much I missed working here in America. I really, really love making shows here," he said. But "the gap's been good for me because I appreciate it more now."

It seems as if distance has also been good for Cowell and Abdul's working relationship. Abdul sneaked up behind Cowell as he greeted fans at the Prudential Center and in turn he gave her a hug and a kiss.

"(The honeymoon period) is still going on which is really frightening," Abdul said. "It's kind of weird and awkward ... he's actually, kind of, shall I say nice?"

The U.S. version of "The X Factor" will premiere on Fox in September.

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Cowell still in talks over U.S. "X Factor" judges (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – British music and TV mogul Simon Cowell has been pushing for Cheryl Cole to be chosen as a judge on the upcoming U.S. launch of talent show "The X Factor," despite reports she had been ditched, his publicist said.

Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford told Sky News that talks were ongoing between Cowell, Fox television which will air the show and FremantleMedia, which is producing it along with Cowell's Syco Television.

"He wants her on the show, he put her forward," Clifford said on Sunday in televised remarks. He was not immediately available for further comment on Monday.

"Now people at Fox, people at Fremantle that are obviously a hugely important part of this triangle, are not so sure. So there's discussions going on, negotiations going on."

Last month it was widely reported that Cole, who rose to fame as a member of British girl band Girls Aloud, had been dropped as a judge on the new show just days after being hired.

The move was attributed by some news sites to Cole's northern English accent which producers feared U.S. audiences would struggle to understand, while others said she had failed to hit it off with fellow judge Paula Abdul.

Representatives for Cole, 27, and the show's producers have declined to comment on the reports despite persistent press speculation about what was happening behind the scenes.

"We have no comment to make about Cheryl Cole," her London representatives said on Monday.

Cole's own website was last updated on May 6 when it was announced that she would be joining the U.S. show, and on Monday she still appeared on Fox's website as one of the judges alongside Cowell, Abdul and Antonio "L.A." Reid.

The X Factor is a big title in Britain, where it commands large audiences and is a major earner for broadcaster ITV. Cole raised her profile by appearing on the television singing show, although she is not on the 2011 judging panel in Britain.

In the potentially much bigger U.S. market there is much at stake, particularly for Cowell who faces competition from similar formats like "The Sing-Off," "American Idol" and his own "America's Got Talent."

British media have branded the ongoing uncertainty over Cole's participation as "farcical."

Some said Cole was still undecided over whether she should join the U.S. version of The X Factor after the humiliation of reportedly being dropped. Time was running out, they added, with the next auditions due to begin in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Other commentators pondered whether the row was in fact an elaborate PR stunt to raise the profile of The X Factor and Cole, who is little known in the United States.

"The U.S. TV market is a lot bigger and more chaotic than in the UK," wrote Los Angeles Times television writer Scott Collins in a blog over the weekend.

"And there's a risk that Americans might be turned off by a show that looks like a big, over-orchestrated media con before it even premieres."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

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Nighy in talks for "Total Recall" remake (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Bill Nighy is in negotiations to join the cast of "Total Recall," Columbia's Colin Farrell-led remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie.

The movie, which starts shooting June in Toronto and will be directed by Len Wiseman, also stars Bryan Cranston as the villain, and Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel as the female leads. Ethan Hawke is on board for a cameo.

The movie ditches the Martian storyline from the original film, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, and instead involves nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai, with Douglas Quaid (Farrell), a factory worker in the latter who begins to believe he is a spy -- although he doesn't know for which side.

Nighy will play Quatto, the leader of the resistance. (In the 1990 movie, the character, called Kuato, was played by Marshall Bell with the conceit that the leader was actually a small mutant living off the human.)

Nighy has made a name in the geek community playing a vampire ruler in the "Underworld" movies and Davy Jones in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. He can next be seen on the big screen as Minister Rufus Scrimgeour in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2."

(Editing by Chris Michaud)

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Rob Zombie plots next album, talks next movie (Reuters)

DETROIT (Billboard) – He may not get to it for a while with a new film project looming, but Rob Zombie is starting to hatch plans for his next album.

Zombie told Billboard.com that he and guitarist John5 have already begun talking about the follow-up to last year's "Hellbilly Deluxe 2," with expectations that "it will probably be the best record we've done in a long time. After I broke away from the music for a while and came back when John joined, it's been like this weird rebuilding process.

He continued: "I feel like this year we've really kind of brought the band back to where it needs to be, so I really feel like, even though we haven't done anything yet, the next record is going to be a special one."

Zombie predicted the extended gestation period will benefit the album once the group -- which now includes former Marilyn Manson drummer Ginger Fish -- hits the studio.

"I used to really conceptualize albums far in advance," Zombie explained. "It wasn't like, 'Go write a bunch of songs...' We would really plan things out in advance, and that's sort of what we're doing now. So I'm excited."

Zombie will be spending the first part of the summer on tour, staring with a short California-Nevada run on May 25 in Ventura before going to Europe in June and July and then an 11-date Hell on Earth Tour with Slayer that begins July 20 in Reading, Pa.

After Hell on Earth, Zombie will be focusing on "The Lords of Salem," a horror film he wrote and will direct about 20 innocent people burned as witches during the 18th century that return to Salem to get their revenge.

"I'm very excited about this one," Zombie said of his sixth feature and the follow-up to 2007's "Halloween II" and 2009's animated "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto." "It's a very different film. It's more of a slow, psychological burn as opposed to a physically violent kind of movie."

His special effects crew has already started working on the project, and with casting and location scouting on the horizon, Zombie expects filming and production to last into 2012.

Meanwhile, Zombie has been busy with other directing duties. He recently rode heard on "Tom Papa: Live in New York City" for Comedy Central, which is Papa's first-ever stand-up special, and he directed a TV commercial for Woolite detergent, which was filmed in Vancouver after his recent Australian tour.

"I just wanted the experience of doing something like that," Zombie says of the latter. "I don't know if I'll do more commercials, but I always like to do one of anything so I know what it's about. Anything like that I always find interesting because you always learn something, and you want to have as many skills that you can bring to anything as possible."

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr talks solo music (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Johnny Marr, the former Smiths guitarist and songwriter, expects to start a world tour in October beginning with a show in New York.

Currently he's working on two albums and scoring the second season of David Cross's British TV series, "The Increasingly Poor Decision of Todd Margaret." Marr plans to release music from his new edition of his band the Healers early next year, soon after guitar manufacturer Fender's release in January of a Johnny Marr edition guitar.

"I just want to write more than enough material to avoid ducking back into the studio to record a follow-up album," Marr told Billboard.com. His only previous solo album, "Boomslang," was released in 2003.

Marr has toured with the Healers, Modest Mouse and the Cribs over the past several years. Having recently left the Cribs, he figures that once he starts touring again, there will be no stopping.

"I want to take advantage of this point and when I set sail I want to set sail for awhile," he said.

Marr was nominated for an Academy Award last year for his work with Hans Zimmer on "Inception." His first full-length film score can be heard May 24 when the detective thriller "The Big Bang" -- starring Antonio Banderas, James Van Der Beek and Sam Elliott -- is released on Blu-ray and DVD.

Marr took seven months to write the score last year, which meant working on the film while he was touring.

"The discipline of finishing a few scenes in a day was useful in writing the record that I am now writing," he said just days after celebrating his favorite soccer team, Manchester City, winning the FA Cup. "There was not a lot of time for indulgence or experimentation - and I like to deliver when I say I'm going to deliver."

As for that Fender guitar, based on a 1962 Jaguar, Marr said "the model has to be perfect. You can see I'm spinning a lot of plates."

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Rain talks music and movies, but not military duty (AP)

MACAU – In nine years, Rain has gone from an unknown backup dancer to one of Asia's hottest stars. The South Korean actor-singer also has two Hollywood movies to his credit.

But his thriving entertainment career must be put on hold later this year when he reports for two years of mandatory military duty. It's a topic the 28-year-old performer doesn't want to discuss.

In the southern Chinese gambling enclave Macau for the latest stop of what is likely his final Asian tour before military service, Rain made sure the media couldn't ask him about his imminent break from the entertainment industry.

At a news conference — delayed 2 1/2 hours — before his concert at the Venetian Macao casino-hotel late Saturday, organizers banned questions that were not preapproved by Rain's managers. Instead of discussing how the break would affect his entertainment career, Rain spoke about Macau and fan reaction around Asia.

He talked about his new movie "Living in the Sky," in which he plays a pilot, and said he wanted to make more action films and take on romantic roles in TV dramas.

Few details of his military duty have been disclosed, but he told South Korean media last month that it would start at the end of this year.

All able-bodied South Korean men must join the military for about two years of service sometime between the ages of 18 and 35.

Managers for the South Korean star, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, refused an interview request in Macau from The Associated Press.

In his short career, Rain has released five Korean albums and a Japanese record and launched a film and TV career. He has also crossed over to America, appearing in a "dance-off" against comedian Stephen Colbert and starring in the Hollywood action thrillers "Speed Racer" and "Ninja Assassin."

But Rain thinks his entertainment future lies in Asia.

"Now America is no longer dominant. Now many Asian movies and songs are very popular. The two regions have the same status now," he said.

Rain's fans are confident their idol will emerge from the two-year break unscathed.

Several dozen die-hard fans were camped out outside the concert venue six hours before show time.

"He is a very hardworking person. Serving in the military will improve his determination. It will make him more manly and more mature. His career might take a different direction after his military service, but I think he will keep getting better and better," said 21-year-old university student Zhao Wenwei.

"All his fans think that if he is gone for two years, we will not forget him. We will remember him by watching his movies and other past works," said the Shanghai resident, who shelled out 1,980 Macau patacas ($255) for her ticket.

"The two years of military service will help build his endurance," said Ivy Tang, an 18-year-old university student from the southern Chinese city Guangzhou who traveled to Macau with about 60 fellow members of a Rain discussion group on the Chinese search engine Baidu.

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Rain's website: http://rain-jihoon.com

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Rain talks music and movies, but not military duty (AP)

MACAU – In nine years, Rain has gone from an unknown backup dancer to one of Asia's hottest stars. The South Korean actor-singer also has two Hollywood movies to his credit.

But his thriving entertainment career must be put on hold later this year when he reports for two years of mandatory military duty. It's a topic the 28-year-old performer doesn't want to discuss.

In the southern Chinese gambling enclave Macau for the latest stop of what is likely his final Asian tour before military service, Rain made sure the media couldn't ask him about his imminent break from the entertainment industry.

At a news conference — delayed 2 1/2 hours — before his concert at the Venetian Macao casino-hotel late Saturday, organizers banned questions that were not preapproved by Rain's managers. Instead of discussing how the break would affect his entertainment career, Rain spoke about Macau and fan reaction around Asia.

He talked about his new movie "Living in the Sky," in which he plays a pilot, and said he wanted to make more action films and take on romantic roles in TV dramas.

Few details of his military duty have been disclosed, but he told South Korean media last month that it would start at the end of this year.

All able-bodied South Korean men must join the military for about two years of service sometime between the ages of 18 and 35.

Managers for the South Korean star, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, refused an interview request in Macau from The Associated Press.

In his short career, Rain has released five Korean albums and a Japanese record and launched a film and TV career. He has also crossed over to America, appearing in a "dance-off" against comedian Stephen Colbert and starring in the Hollywood action thrillers "Speed Racer" and "Ninja Assassin."

But Rain thinks his entertainment future lies in Asia.

"Now America is no longer dominant. Now many Asian movies and songs are very popular. The two regions have the same status now," he said.

Rain's fans are confident their idol will emerge from the two-year break unscathed.

Several dozen die-hard fans were camped out outside the concert venue six hours before show time.

"He is a very hardworking person. Serving in the military will improve his determination. It will make him more manly and more mature. His career might take a different direction after his military service, but I think he will keep getting better and better," said 21-year-old university student Zhao Wenwei.

"All his fans think that if he is gone for two years, we will not forget him. We will remember him by watching his movies and other past works," said the Shanghai resident, who shelled out 1,980 Macau patacas ($255) for her ticket.

"The two years of military service will help build his endurance," said Ivy Tang, an 18-year-old university student from the southern Chinese city Guangzhou who traveled to Macau with about 60 fellow members of a Rain discussion group on the Chinese search engine Baidu.

___

Online:

Rain's website: http://rain-jihoon.com

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This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Rain talks music and movies, but not military duty (AP)

MACAU – In nine years, Rain has gone from an unknown backup dancer to one of Asia's hottest stars. The South Korean actor-singer also has two Hollywood movies to his credit.

But his thriving entertainment career must be put on hold later this year when he reports for two years of mandatory military duty. It's a topic the 28-year-old performer doesn't want to discuss.

In the southern Chinese gambling enclave Macau for the latest stop of what is likely his final Asian tour before military service, Rain made sure the media couldn't ask him about his imminent break from the entertainment industry.

At a news conference — delayed 2 1/2 hours — before his concert at the Venetian Macao casino-hotel late Saturday, organizers banned questions that were not preapproved by Rain's managers. Instead of discussing how the break would affect his entertainment career, Rain spoke about Macau and fan reaction around Asia.

He talked about his new movie "Living in the Sky," in which he plays a pilot, and said he wanted to make more action films and take on romantic roles in TV dramas.

Few details of his military duty have been disclosed, but he told South Korean media last month that it would start at the end of this year.

Managers for the the South Korean star, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, refused an interview request in Macau from The Associated Press.

In his short career, Rain has released five Korean albums and a Japanese record and launched a film and TV career. He has also crossed over to America, appearing in a "dance-off" against comedian Stephen Colbert and starring in the Hollywood action thrillers "Speed Racer" and "Ninja Assassin."

But Rain thinks his entertainment future lies in Asia.

"Now America is no longer dominant. Now many Asian movies and songs are very popular. The two regions have the same status now," he said.

Rain's fans are confident their idol will emerge from the two-year break unscathed.

Several dozen die-hard fans were camped out outside the concert venue six hours before show time.

"He is a very hardworking person. Serving in the military will improve his determination. It will make him more manly and more mature. His career might take a different direction after his military service, but I think he will keep getting better and better," said 21-year-old university student Zhao Wenwei.

"All his fans think that if he is gone for two years, we will not forget him. We will remember him by watching his movies and other past works," said the Shanghai resident, who shelled out 1,980 Macau patacas ($255) for her ticket.

"The two years of military service will help build his endurance," said Ivy Tang, an 18-year-old university student from the southern Chinese city Guangzhou who traveled to Macau with about 60 fellow members of a Rain discussion group on the Chinese search engine Baidu.

___

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Rain's website: http://rain-jihoon.com

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"Thor" star in talks to join "Snow White" movie (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, current king of the North American box office with the superhero movie "Thor," is in negotiations to join Kristen Stewart in "Show White and the Huntsman."

The negotiations put Universal's big-budget fairy tale adaptation back on track after it had some trouble hunting down its co-star. Various prospective actors included Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman and Joel Edgerton.

The retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale plays up the Huntsman, a secondary character in the centuries-old tale, who now becomes Snow White's protector and mentor.

The Rupert Sanders-directed project sees Stewart as Snow White, Charlize Theron as the evil queen and Sam Claflin, who appears in the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, as Stewart's love interest, the prince.

"Hunstman" is in a race to the screens with an untitled movie being developed by indie producer Relativity Media. Its version, from director Tarsem Singh, stars Julia Roberts as the evil queen and Lily Collins as Snow White.

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