James Franco drops out of making Broadway debut (AP)

NEW YORK – James Franco can't make time for Broadway.

Publicist Robin Baum confirmed Tuesday that the workaholic actor has dropped out of a planned production of the steamy Tennessee Williams play "Sweet Bird of Youth."

It was to mark Franco's Broadway debut and would have created one of the hottest tickets of the season because he was to be paired with Nicole Kidman, who is still on board.

The play tells the story of an aging actress and the gigolo paramour who uses her as he tries to help her get back into movies. David Cromer is scheduled to direct.

Franco, last seen in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "Your Highness," is shooting the film "Oz," appearing on "General Hospital" and earning a doctorate in English at Yale.

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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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Michelle Williams in "Marilyn" film gets NY debut (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "My Week with Marilyn," starring Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams as 1950s sex symbol Marilyn Monroe, will see its world premiere at the New York Film Festival in October, organizers said on Thursday.

Directed by Simon Curtis, the film is based on a week that British writer Colin Clark worked as an assistant with Monroe while she was filming "The Prince and the Showgirl" in the United Kingdom in the early summer of 1956.

That film featured Monroe working opposite Sir Laurence Oliver and was shot when Monroe was on a honeymoon with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller. When he left England, Clark was assigned to introduce Monroe to British life.

"My Week with Marilyn" is based on a diary Clark kept, excerpts of which were published in two books in 1995 and 2000. Along with Williams, the movie also stars Kenneth Branagh as Olivier, Dougray Scott as Miller and Dame Judi Dench.

"After seeing Marilyn Monroe so often portrayed in films as a caricature, it is a pleasure to see this complex personality and unique on-screen presence portrayed so well by such a talented actress as Michelle Williams," said Richard Pena, program director for The Film Society of Lincoln Center, which backs the festival.

The film, which will look to compete in Hollywood's Oscar race this upcoming season, will get its New York Film Festival premiere on October 9 and be released in theaters on November 4.

Williams has been nominated twice for Oscars for her work in "Brokeback Mountain" and "Blue Valentine," but she has never won the world's top film honor.

The New York Film Festival, which takes place September30 through October 16, will also feature a special screening of the digitally-restored version of William Wyler's "Ben-Hur." It also will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Japan's Nikkatsu Films with screenings of many of that studios films, including Kon Ickhkawaa's "The Burmese Harp" and Masahiro Makinoa's "Singing Love Birds."

(Reporting and writing by Carly Mayberry; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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George Harrison documentary to get Oct debut on HBO (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A new George Harrison documentary featuring home movies, interviews and never before seen material will make its debut in October on HBO, the cable channel said on Wednesday.

Produced by Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese and Harrison's widow Olivia, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World", traces the life of the late Beatle from his musical beginnings in Liverpool to his fame with the Fab Four in the 1960s as well as his work as a philanthropist and filmmaker.

Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001 in Los Angeles at the age of 58. Although often referred to as the quiet Beatle, he wrote hit songs like "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something" for The Beatles before playing with the 1980s supergroup, Traveling Wilburys.

The 3-1/2 hour documentary includes interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as Eric Clapton, Yoko Ono, Phil Spector and record producer George Martin, among others. It will air in two parts on HBO on October 5 and 6, and be released in Britain on October 10 on DVD and Blu-Ray through Lionsgate, Lionsgate UK said.

Scorsese, whose music projects include "The Last Waltz" in 1978 about the final concert of The Band, and the Rolling Stones documentary "Shine a light", said he had long been a fan of Harrison.

"So when I was offered the chance to make this picture, I jumped at it. Spending time with Olivia (Harrison), interviewing so many of George's closest friends, reviewing all that footage, some of it never seen before, and listening to all of that magnificent music -- it was a joy, and an experience I'll always treasure," Scorsese said in a statement.

A book accompanying the documentary will be published in late September featuring photos, letters, diaries and other memorabilia from the personal archives of Olivia and George Harrison.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Kate makes stellar debut as Princess Catherine (AFP)

OTTAWA (AFP) – Princess Catherine on Friday will celebrate Canada's national holiday on her international debut with Prince William as crowds throng to catch a glimpse of Britain's newest royal couple.

Packed with pomp and pageantry, the North American tour comes just two months after a radiant Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in a fairytale royal wedding watched by an estimated two billion people worldwide.

The couple were to cap off their visit to the capital by joining tens of thousands of revellers outside parliament for musical performances and fireworks to celebrate Canada's national holiday.

Canadians turned out en masse for a glimpse or a handshake as Middleton, now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrived in Ottawa on Thursday wearing a navy lace dress by Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralioglu.

"Welcome to Canada, honeymoon capital of the Commonwealth," said Governor General David Johnston.

The couple's arrival at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa triggered excited screams from an estimated 10,000-strong crowd -- several of the women wearing fascinators, the hair accessory of choice for the duchess.

"There he is. There's our future king," Pat Snair shouted from the fringes of the crowd as the 29-year-old newlyweds stepped from the cortege to place a bouquet of flowers before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

While Prince William, second in line to the British throne, has plenty of experience at royal duties, Kate is a relative rookie. But it was clearly the elegant woman from Berkshire, southeast England that many in the crowd had come to see.

She represents the future of the monarchy, she's "excitement and youth," said Denise, in her 60s.

"William is OK, but Kate is fascinating," added two teenage girls.

The princess was cool under fire and showed no outward signs of nerves on her first overseas walkabout, smiling broadly and exchanging polite banter as she shook hands with the crowd for longer than the intended hour.

"I'm hoping to find romance like theirs," said one wildly-impressed teenage girl.

From the war memorial unveiled in 1939 by William's great-grandparents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who established a tradition with the first royal walkabout, the show then moved on to the official residence of the governor general, the vice-regal representative of Queen Elizabeth II.

"Catherine and I are so delighted to be here in Canada," William said.

"We have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Quite separately, before we were married, we had both had a longing to come here, instilled in us by our parents and grandparents."

He spoke in both of Canada's official languages, French and English, and to laughs vowed his French would improve over the course of this trip.

"The geography of this country is world-renowned, as is the hospitality of its peoples," William said.

Support for the monarchy hovers above 50 percent in Canada and has risen from last year when Queen Elizabeth II visited, although there is still a vocal anti-monarchist minority planning to protest in Quebec City on Sunday.

In addition to official and military ceremonies, the royal schedule has lighter moments planned, such as a cooking class, an aboriginal sports event and a rodeo.

Later Thursday, the royals attended a barbecue with 120 young Canadians at the residence of the governor general, where they are spending the night. A downpour, however, forced the event indoors.

William, in a buttoned down shirt slightly open at the collar, khakis and brown loafers, put his arm around the princess's waist to guide her around the room, chatting with guests.

Kate changed into a black and white dress by Issa for dinner, where a gourmet menu included Quebec cheeses, New Brunswick oysters, Qikiqtarjuaq sea urchins, musk ox prosciutto and potato-crusted Alberta yak tartar.

On Saturday they will embark on a countrywide tour, taking a cooking class in Montreal before travelling on to Quebec City, Charlottetown, Yellowknife and Calgary.

Prior to their final stop in Canada, the newlyweds are expected to sneak away on a romantic getaway to a secluded and undisclosed location in the Rocky Mountains.

After wrapping up their Canadian tour, they will travel to California for a three-day visit on July 8-10 whose highlight will be a black-tie celebrity reception for British filmmakers in Los Angeles.

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Alicia Keys celebrates 10th anniversary of debut (AP)

NEW YORK – Music critics are invited to see burgeoning singer-songwriters almost every day. But when a request came across this writer's desk to see a young singer-songwriter at an intimate showcase 10 years ago, it carried with it high expectations.

Backed by music mogul Clive Davis, Alicia Keys was billed as a cross between Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston — a gritty, cornrow-wearing R&B singer who was a brilliant, classically trained pianist with both a stunning voice and beauty. She was going to be big. Bigger than big. Grammy Awards and multiplatinum sales were more than hoped for, they were expected.

Keys delivered on the all hype when her debut, "Songs in A Minor," was released in 2001. The album established the 20-year-old as one of the most influential artists of her generation. But looking back, Keys says she didn't expect the album would make her a superstar.

"This had been a lot of years of me struggling to put out any music, and there had been multiple times where we were like, `Oh, it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen,' and it didn't. So in a lot of ways in my mind, I think maybe I was protecting myself," she recalled.

Now, the 30-year-old Keys can celebrate. The album is being rereleased this week with special editions that include previously unreleased tracks and video footage. Keys, who married music producer Swizz Beatz and gave birth to a son last year, will also perform songs from the album at a concert at New York's Beacon Theatre on Thursday.

"There are certain things you have to celebrate, like certain birthdays are more special than the others, just because they kind of represent a growth, so for me, that's what this is," she said in a phone interview last week. She talked about that milestone album and how she's evolved over the decade.

The Associated Press: Had you been thinking about the anniversary?

Keys: I didn't even really realize it, somebody else kind of brought it up to me. ... (But) as I started thinking of it, and we started talking about it, I knew there were tons of songs from that time that I didn't put out. I didn't do anything with (them) because it wasn't right for the time, but I thought, `How crazy would it be to go back and listen to them and figure out which were ones that I'd love people to hear.' There are songs that I did when I was 16, 17. It's really, really cool.

AP: In the video that accompanies the rerelease, you talk about how you weren't the refined girl people expected. What were the adjustments that you had to make over the years, and how have you changed?

Keys: I was straight off the streets of Harlem and Hell's Kitchen. ... I'm a real New York girl. So I think that was kind of a bit of a shock for people, especially back then, to see a real New York girl, and here I was doing all of these interviews. ... When I look back at them, I'm like, `Damn, Alicia, you could have been a little gentler.' I just had a certain kind of roughness to me. That was just because that's the way I associated with people at the time, that's the way that I spoke. ... I remember reading a couple of things where they literally kind of criticized the way that I used my hands, or the way that I spoke, or say that I was whatever because I spoke a certain way. There were a lot of judgments, I think, that definitely made me conscious about how to start to maybe be a little bit more aware of how I was coming off ... but I'm still the same me.

AP: How have you musically evolved?

Keys: (What) I really learned about music is that you don't understand it. That's the part about it. There really is no formula ... it's all about a gift, it's like a moment, and you don't know when that moment is going to come. ... (Also) I've been able to be more experimental and just more open and more driven to do things that are new and different from me, because as an artist, you just always want to do things that are like unique and new and fresh. You don't ever want someone to say, `Oh yeah, that's that same thing that she does.' For me, I want it to always be new.

AP: How has marriage and motherhood changed you?

Keys: It's made me so much stronger, it's made me so much more powerful. First of all, I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my whole life. I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life. And I also realize more the importance of time, and I realize the importance of really, really making sure that you dedicate certain times to the people that you love. Back when I was younger, I was so focused on doing whatever it takes to get noticed, or getting a chance to have my music be heard by people, I didn't recognize how much time was valuable. ... It helps me make more clear and concise choices.

AP: Do you miss your cornrows? That was your signature look.

Keys: I do miss my braids so much. ... Sometimes I'm like, `I'm gonna throw them back in!'

____

Online:

http://www.aliciakeys.com/

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Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the music editor for The Associated Press. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi

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Reynolds' 'Lantern' has low-beam debut of $52.7M (AP)

LOS ANGELES – Ryan Reynolds is the latest superhero to rule the weekend box office.

Reynolds' "Green Lantern" debuted at No. 1 with $52.7 million domestically, a fair but unremarkable opening stacked up against other comic-book adaptations. The movie added $17 million in a handful of overseas markets where it has opened, including Great Britain and Russia.

Released by Warner Bros., "Green Lantern" brought up the rear among superhero movies to open so far this summer, behind the $65.7 million debut of "Thor" and the $55.1 million launch of "X-Men: First Class."

The previous weekend's top flick, Paramount Pictures' sci-fi adventure "Super 8," slipped to No. 2 with $21.3 million. Its domestic total rose to $72.8 million.

Jim Carrey's family comedy "Mr. Popper's Penguins" had a frosty start as the 20th Century Fox release came in at No. 3 with $18.2 million.

Overall business cooled for the second-straight weekend. Hollywood revenues totaled $149 million, down a steep 25 percent from the same weekend last year, when Disney's Pixar Animation blockbuster "Toy Story 3" debuted with $110.3 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Receipts this summer season still are ahead of last year's, with revenue climbing to $1.56 billion since the first weekend in May, up 7 percent from 2010's pace.

Another Pixar animated sequel, "Cars 2," could steer Hollywood upward again this coming weekend.

"We're fine. We're still ahead of last summer, and Pixar is going to have a chance to get us back in the mix next weekend," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Adapted from the DC Comics series, "Green Lantern" stars Reynolds as a cocky test pilot who gains superpowers after he becomes the first human recruit of a galactic police force.

The movie was trashed by critics, and after a solid $21.6 million haul on opening day Friday, "Green Lantern" trailed off sharply as revenues dropped 22 percent Saturday. That's often a sign that a movie lacks staying power, since revenues for new releases typically rise on Saturday.

With school letting out for the summer, Warner Bros. executives hope the movie will draw teenagers in on the weekdays.

"The mid-weeks are going to tell the tale of the movie," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner. If "Green Lantern" does good business come Monday, "then all bets are off and we're back in the game."

Likewise, 20th Century Fox is counting on good holdover business for "Mr. Popper's Penguins," a children's book adaptation that stars Carrey as a neglectful dad who learns the value of family ties after he inherits half a dozen pesky penguins.

"It's a heartwarming PG comedy that everybody can go see," said Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston. "There's humor for adults in there, and it's got penguins. People love penguins."

In narrower release, Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts' teen romance "The Art of Getting By" flopped with a debut of just $700,000.

Released by Fox Searchlight, "The Art of Getting By" played in 610 theaters and averaged a dismal $1,148 a cinema.

That compared to a $13,806 average in 3,816 theaters for "Green Lantern" and $5,451 in 3,339 cinemas for "Mr. Popper's Penguins."

The Warner Bros. sequel "The Hangover Part II" pulled in $9.6 million domestically and $21.4 million overseas to raise its worldwide total to $488 million. That topped the $468 million global haul of 2009's "The Hangover."

Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" padded its lead as the biggest worldwide box-office draw released this year. The movie took in $6.2 million domestically and $25.9 million internationally to lift its total to $952.2 million.

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

1. "Green Lantern," $52.7 million ($17 million international).

2. "Super 8," $21.3 million.

3. "Mr. Popper's Penguins," $18.2 million.

4. "X-Men: First Class," $11.5 million.

5. "The Hangover Part II," $9.6 million ($21.4 million international).

6. "Kung Fu Panda 2," $8.7 million ($52.5 million).

7. "Bridesmaids," $7.5 million ($7.3 million international).

8. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," $6.2 million ($25.9 million international).

9. "Midnight in Paris," $5.2 million.

10. "Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer," $2.2 million.

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Online:

http://www.hollywood.com/boxoffice

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

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Bruno Mars scores longest-reigning debut single (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) – With a 20th week at No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" becomes the longest-reigning debut single in the list's almost 50-year history.

The song beats the career-opening commands of Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly" (2008) and Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" (2006), each of which spent 19 weeks at No. 1.

"Way" marks Mars' debut song as a lead artist and his first to reach the AC chart. He previously charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as a featured vocalist on B.o.B's "Nothin' on You" (No. 1, two weeks) and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" (No. 4) last year.

What has helped fuel the AC domination of "Way?" Before it reached the chart's summit the week of February 5, the track led Hot 100 Airplay (seven weeks), Adult Top 40 (five), the Hot 100 (four), Mainstream Top 40 (three) and Hot Digital Songs (two).

Mars' debut album, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," bowed on the Billboard 200 at No. 3 the week of October 23, 2010, and has spent its first 36 weeks in the chart's top 40. The set has sold 1.1 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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Adele leads singles chart as "Idol" stars debut (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" scored a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart Thursday, while this year's "American Idol" champion and runner-up roared in with top 20 debuts.

Scotty McCreery's victory ballad "I Love You This Big" came in at No. 11 after selling 171,000 downloads. By contrast, 2010 champion Lee DeWyze's cover of U2's "Beautiful Day" bowed at No. 24 with 95,000 downloads after he won the talent show. This season's "Idol" runner-up, Lauren Alaina, debuted at No. 20 with "Like My Mother Does," which sold 121,000 downloads.

Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," featuring Ne-Yo, AfroJack and Nayer, rose one place to No. 2 on the Hot 100, swapping places with Katy Perry's former chart-topper "E.T.," featuring Kanye West.

Jennifer Lopez's "On the Floor," featuring Pitbull, was up one to No. 4, trading spots with the Black Eyed Peas' "Just Can't Get Enough."

Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song" and Britney Spears' "Till the World Ends" held at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively.

As Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" blasted in at No. 1 on the album chart with the biggest sales week since 2005, new single "The Edge of Glory" rebounded 11 places to No. 8. Two other tracks from "Born This Way" debuted on the Hot 100: "You and I" (No. 37) and "Marry the Night" (No. 79).

LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, slipped one place to No. 9, while DJ Khaled's "I'm on One," featuring Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, rocketed 68 places to No. 10.

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Greyson Chance's debut album set for August release (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Greyson Chance -- the teen singer/songwriter who just over a year ago became a YouTube sensation with a cover of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" -- has announced that his debut album, "Hold On 'Til the Night," will be released on August 2 through Ellen DeGeneres' eleveneleven imprint, in tandem with Maverick/Geffen.

Chance stopped by "Ellen" on Monday to announce the release date and perform his new single, "Unfriend You," and he tells Billboard.com that he counts Snow Patrol and Coldplay as his main influences on the album, which will feature soul, rock and pop stylings. He also says that a handful of songs, including "Unfriend You," will focus on heartbreak and overcoming personal struggles -- a pair of subjects he's all too familiar with, even at 13.

"When all this first started ... they started putting me in the studio and I was cutting records, and it was a mixture of being excited and being very nervous," says Chance. "I didn't really know who I was at this moment, so I took this record to evolve into myself and put myself in my music. And also, I was going through a heartbreak at the time, and that's where most of the lyrics come from. This record really helped me gain courage and strength, and for the fans, I hope they gain courage and strength from it as well."

Chance recently wrapped a co-headlining tour with fellow teen star Cody Simpson, and recently shot a music video for "Unfriend You" that he says will include "an artistic piano scene" as well as a lot of silly string. Chance says that he has a few things left to tweak on the full-length, and will return to Los Angeles next month to finish it up with producers The Matrix (Jason Mraz, Avril Lavigne) and Ron Fair (Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas).

"I'm gonna' be yelling at the producers going, 'Noo, turn that drum up, turn that drum down!' and they're gonna be going, 'No, you're 13, shut up!'" he says with a laugh. "It's all in good fun ... we have so much fun in the studio and they really respect what I'm trying to do with my music, and I respect them as well."

(Editing by Chris Michaud)

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Alley has lost 38 inches since `Dancing' debut (AP)

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen, Ap Entertainment Writer – Tue May 24, 10:54 am ET

LOS ANGELES – When Kirstie Alley performs on the "Dancing With the Stars" season finale, she'll do it in a much smaller dress than the one she wore on the season premiere.

The costume Alley wore for her "Dancing" debut had to be taken in 38 inches for her to wear it again Tuesday for the show's closing episode. Alley will reprise her opening-night dance, the cha-cha, in her original costume.

The 60-year-old actress has been noticeably shrinking week after week, but she was coy when asked after performing in a skin-tight bodysuit Monday how much weight she has lost during her two and a half months on the show.

"There will be some reveal of that at some point, but I really didn't care," she said. "As long as I kept changing and changing and changing, I really didn't care. It was like, keep whittling, whittling, whittling. And the other thing that's really more significant to me — I mean, I love the whittling, I like being skinny — I'm really strong and really agile and it gave me a new life."

Alley's costumes have gotten progressively smaller and skimpier as she has continued on the show.

"We are constantly taking in and altering Kirstie's costumes," said designer Randall Christensen. "Isn't she looking incredible?!"

The one-time "Fat Actress" wowed in a body-hugging catsuit during her freestyle dance Monday. After the performance, Judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Alley that she has become "the new poster child for life as it should be lived at 60 years old."

A new "Dancing" champ will be named Tuesday. Alley is up against actress Chelsea Kane and football star Hines Ward.

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Alley has lost 38 inches since `Dancing' debut (AP)

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen, Ap Entertainment Writer – Tue May 24, 10:54 am ET

LOS ANGELES – When Kirstie Alley performs on the "Dancing With the Stars" season finale, she'll do it in a much smaller dress than the one she wore on the season premiere.

The costume Alley wore for her "Dancing" debut had to be taken in 38 inches for her to wear it again Tuesday for the show's closing episode. Alley will reprise her opening-night dance, the cha-cha, in her original costume.

The 60-year-old actress has been noticeably shrinking week after week, but she was coy when asked after performing in a skin-tight bodysuit Monday how much weight she has lost during her two and a half months on the show.

"There will be some reveal of that at some point, but I really didn't care," she said. "As long as I kept changing and changing and changing, I really didn't care. It was like, keep whittling, whittling, whittling. And the other thing that's really more significant to me — I mean, I love the whittling, I like being skinny — I'm really strong and really agile and it gave me a new life."

Alley's costumes have gotten progressively smaller and skimpier as she has continued on the show.

"We are constantly taking in and altering Kirstie's costumes," said designer Randall Christensen. "Isn't she looking incredible?!"

The one-time "Fat Actress" wowed in a body-hugging catsuit during her freestyle dance Monday. After the performance, Judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Alley that she has become "the new poster child for life as it should be lived at 60 years old."

A new "Dancing" champ will be named Tuesday. Alley is up against actress Chelsea Kane and football star Hines Ward.

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Blood, fuel power Gosling debut at Cannes festival (Reuters)

CANNES, France (Reuters) – Hollywood darling Ryan Gosling gets spattered in blood and fuel in Danish film noir "Drive," delighting Cannes critics who whooped at the film's odd blend of Hollywood dazzle and deadpan Nordic humour.

The Canadian actor, known for his roles in "The Notebook" and "Lars and the Real Girl," plays a single-minded stunt car driver who falls in love with a neighbor and gets embroiled in a gory killing fest to protect her from mafia tormentors.

Almost entirely silent throughout the film, Gosling never varies in his devotion to his love interest -- played by British actress Carey Mulligan -- or loses his sang-froid when racing down Los Angeles freeways to a pumping 1980s synth-pop score.

Highly stylized and peppered with profanity, "Drive" rolls out scene upon scene of comic gore, prompting an audience to laugh and clap as Gosling's character stomps a villain's head to a messy pulp in an elevator seconds after a passionate kiss with Mulligan in the same confined space.

The result is a bizarre concoction, with eerie aspects reminiscent of David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," moments that recall Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" and angst-laden love scenes that would not be out of place in a Scandinavian drama.

"The movie is about a man who drives around Los Angeles at night listening to pop music," Gosling told a press conference. "We also got the idea that the driver shouldn't be talking."

Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, 40, known for genre movies like the crime trilogy "Pusher," said inspiration came from literature -- a 2005 book of the same name by James Sallis -- music, and the scenery of Los Angeles at night.

NO LOVE FOR FELLOW DANE VON TRIER

Refn, who emigrated to the United States from Denmark in 1981, showed little sympathy for his compatriot Lars Von Trier, who was expelled from the festival on Thursday after jokingly saying that he sympathized with Hitler.

"I think what Lars said was very unacceptable and I will not comment on his movie because I haven't seen it," Refn said.

The expulsion of Von Trier, whose film "Melancholia" is still in competition and could technically win the Palme d'Or prize for best movie, cast a shadow over the festival, which is usually a haven for art-house films and provocative directors.

In interviews since his expulsion, Von Trier explained the insensitivity he displayed during his rambling monologue about Jews and Nazis was a consequence of being Danish. Refn echoed Von Trier's reference to blunt Danish culture.

"It just shows that in Denmark we have a very small mentality and sometimes forget that there are other people around us," he said, before responding to another journalist's question with a muttered "What is it with the Danes?"

Refn's film garnered some enthusiastic early reviews from critics at Cannes, with Xan Brooks at Britain's Guardian newspaper giving it four out of five stars with the caveat that it "can't win, won't win" the festival's top prize.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

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Jolie's directing debut on Bosnia opens Dec. 23 (AP)

CANNES, France – Angelina Jolie's directorial debut has picked up a U.S. distributor.

Her Bosnian War film "In the Land of Blood and Honey" will be released Dec. 23 by FilmDistrict, a subsidiary of GK Films. Announcing the acquisition Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival, GK Films founder Graham King said Jolie's debut "signals the arrival of a visceral and compelling storyteller."

The film features a completely local Bosnian cast, most of whom were children during the 1990s war.

Jolie came to the Cannes festival this year to promote "Kung Fu Panda 2" and for romantic partner Brad Pitt's drama "The Tree of Life," which premieres Monday.

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Summary Box: Lady Gaga to debut work in FarmVille (AP)

FAN FARMING: Lady Gaga plans to cultivate her fan base by releasing exclusive tracks of her new album "Born This Way" on FarmVille, a popular Facebook game with about 46 million players a month.

FUTURE OF MUSIC?: "GagaVille" is a sign that artists are going where fans are, and that's on Facebook, Twitter and playing online games. The unusual release comes as the industry is in the midst of a decade-long decline in CD sales.

OTHER PERKS: FarmVille maker Zynga is also giving fans who buy a $25 game card a free album download, while giving away concert tickets and signed CDs in drawings to people who play other games it makes.

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Lady Gaga to debut songs on online game FarmVille (AP)

By RYAN NAKASHIMA and BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Business Writers Ryan Nakashima And Barbara Ortutay, Ap Business Writers – 29 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Lady Gaga is turning to an unusual method to cultivate her fan base: The pop icon is releasing songs from her new album on a section of the popular online game "FarmVille" before they can be heard anywhere else.

The singer, known for her outrageous styles and hits such as "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance," will allow singles from "Born This Way" (due out May 23) to be heard within a specially-created farm, called "GagaVille," in the game. Players will have to complete tasks to hear one exclusive new track per day streamed online from May 17 to 19. Starting on May 20, players will be also able to unlock additional songs that aren't exclusive.

"FarmVille" is one of the most popular games on Facebook, played by about 46 million people worldwide each month. It lets players tend to virtual farms by harvesting crops, tending to livestock and decorating cottages to earn points. Its creator, Zynga, makes money by selling virtual items, such as seeds or cows or farm sheds, in the game.

"GagaVille" will be short-lived. Zynga says it's running the special only until May 26 to celebrate the debut of "Born This Way." The company wouldn't say whether Lady Gaga picked "FarmVille" to debut her songs or if Zynga concocted this unusual promotion, which will feature magical unicorns, sheep on motorcycles and other Gaga-inspired items on "GagaVille."

Zynga spokeswoman Amy Sezak said "FarmVille" has massive appeal, just like Lady Gaga, whose first single from the new CD, also titled "Born This Way," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Many people who play "FarmVille," it turns out, are also fans of Lady Gaga on their Facebook pages.

The parties wouldn't disclose any financial terms, or even comment on whether money was being exchanged. Clear Channel Radio, which is also part of the promotion, will stream the songs in "FarmVille" through its iHeartRadio service, which will pop up once players unlock the special songs.

"GagaVille" is a sign that artists are going where the fans are, and that is on Facebook, Twitter and playing online games. By being part of the Gaga deal, Clear Channel is trying to ensure it won't be left behind. As part of the promotion, the company plans to announce special codes on 148 of its radio stations that will unlock Gaga-inspired virtual items in "FarmVille."

"We know that our listeners are spending a lot of time with social games, and we're going to be wherever our listeners are. So this kind of social, immersive experience is a great way for us to further engage with our listeners," said Bob Pittman, chairman of media and entertainment platforms for Clear Channel.

This is the first time Zynga has received exclusive tracks from artists in a game and the first time it's created a whole farm dedicated to an artist. In December, the company partnered with Dr. Dre to release a track from his album "Detox" in the game "Mafia Wars."

The San Francisco startup is no stranger to Lady Gaga. Earlier this year the artist (along with Dr. Dre and others) helped Zynga raise money to support earthquake relief in Japan and she donated $1.5 million of her own money to add to what players raised.

"Lady Gaga is as passionate about her fans as we are about our players," said Zynga's Raquel DiSabatino, director of entertainment and media, who described the relationship with the pop star as a partnership. "This really was a great meeting of the minds to create an innovative and playful experience for those folks."

Zynga is also giving away a download of the full album to fans who buy $25 game cards through electronics retailer Best Buy Co. Inc. Buyers will also be entered into a drawing to attend Lady Gaga's next video shoot and get a virtual unicorn to decorate their farms.

The company is also offering virtual Lady Gaga goods to players who earn points in its other games, as well as offering a chance to receive concert tickets and signed albums through one of its games.

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Barbara Ortutay reported from New York.

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