Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Rihanna's 'Man Down' Producers Tease Her Next Album

'We did two records for her that she really, really loved,' the Jugganauts producer Verse Simmonds tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman


Verse Simmonds
Photo: MTV News

Behind the Beats: Verse Simmonds

After finding success crafting the music for Rihanna's "Man Down," the production duo known as the Jugganauts — Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph and Verse Simmonds — are looking to recapture the magic on the Bajan beauty's upcoming sixth album.

"From what I understand, she is closing the album up now, and we did two records for her that she really, really loved and I'm really excited about them as well," Simmonds told Mixtape Daily. "They are records that we wrote and produced as the Jugganauts."

Simmonds is hoping that he and partner Sak Pase land another track on Rihanna's album. And while he couldn't confirm the Jugganauts' contributions will make the final cut, he said was "99.999 percent" certain for now. For those wondering whether the singer's new tunes will sound anything like the reggae-infused "Man Down," Simmonds says no.

"Nah, definitely not, because we always try to constantly — as producers, as artists — we try to always come with something different, a whole new sound," he said without elaborating on what that new record would sound like.

As far as his chemistry with Sak Pase, with whom he did production work on Jay-Z and Kanye West's upcoming Watch the Throne album, the two seem to have a pretty organic working relationship. "In the studio, it can go one of two ways: Most times I'm writing and he's creating the track, and we produce a lot of records like that," Verse said. "Sometimes it'll flip; he'll be writing and I'll be producing the track so it depends on the vibe, and who comes in there first, who's got an idea or concept."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Rihanna Opens Up About Her 'Battleship' Role

'I didn't know what I was doing,' she says of first foray into acting.
By Jocelyn Vena


Rihanna on the set of "Battleship"
Photo: Splash News

Rihanna certainly knows a thing or two about military couture; anyone who has seen her "Hard" video knows that. But in "Battleship," her fatigues are anything but high-end. In a chat with UGO.com, the singer opens up about her butt-kicking role as Raikes, saying that her character knows nothing about the glamorous things in life, only the dangerous things.

"It's really cool, it's easy. You don't have to think about what you want to put on, or how cute you look," she says of wearing the uniform in the Peter Berg-directed action flick. "She doesn't like boys. She doesn't like girls either. She's just about her weapons and her work."

Rihanna has always had a tough-girl persona, so when it came time to make her film debut, she knew that this girl was the right one to play. And she made sure she did her research. "We worked with real military people, you know, people in the Navy, people who have fought in Iraq before. They pretty much came and drilled me. This one man, Donald, he pretty much drilled me, yelled at me, cursed me, 'Ow!' Made me do pushups. Everything," she recalled. "Like, my best friend was there the second time we worked together, and I said to her, 'OK, I'm about to do acting class, but you're going to want to kill this man, so just stay in the bedroom. Don't listen to anything he's saying to me right now, just don't kill him, Melissa, just stay in the bedroom.'

"And I remember she just kept walking around, and she would just glance at me, 'Are you OK? Did he just say 'f--- you' to you?' But I mean, it really got you in the mentality, that's the things they really go through, you know, when they first sign up," she continued. "It's not a walk in the park."

Her first encounter with Berg was equally jarring — Rihanna describes the sequence of events as "weird." "And [Peter Berg] just walked out and said, 'Hi, come in,' and I'm like, 'Where is Christa, my manager? Where is my manager?' She wasn't there, and I walked in and all I saw were these little alien mock-ups, these little dolls. And he just started saying, 'Yeah, these are the thugs, he's a thug,' " she said of the meeting. "I laughed and then I realized that he wasn't laughing, and I was like, 'This is weird. Why are there pictures of aliens all over this room?'

"And it was just crazy because he was just really super enthusiastic about it, and he was so sure that I could pull it off and I didn't even know that he was the director of the film, I didn't know anything," she added. "I didn't know what I was doing, where I was going, why."

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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VMA 2011: Most Talked About Moments

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'Moulin Rouge' At 10: A Spectacular Spectacular MTV News Event

'Moulin Rouge' At 10: A Spectacular Spectacular MTV News Event

Join the cast and filmmakers of "Moulin Rouge" as they re-visit the groundbreaking, influential movie on its tenth anniversary.

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Lady Gaga's Jo Calderone: LGBT Advocates Weigh In

'I liked that she dove into it and stuck with it throughout the show,' Logo's John Polly tells MTV News of Gaga's VMA performance.
By John Mitchell


Lady gaga accepts the award for Best female Video at the 2011 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Lady Gaga was fully committed to her male alter ego Jo Calderone during this weekend's MTV Video Music Awards. Not only did the pop star perform her latest single, "Yoü and I," in character to open the show, she spent the rest of the night wearing Calderone's black suit and signature sneer.

Gaga is easily one of the most vocal lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates in the pop world. She actively campaigned against the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, has spoken openly and often about the importance of marriage equality and gave a rousing speech in Washington, D.C., last year as part of the National Equality March. So what is the LGBT community saying about Gaga's gender-bending VMA performance?

"I thought it was great," John Polly, editor of Logo's pop culture blog NewNowNext.com, tells MTV News. "Gender issues are often the most challenging for people, so I liked that she dove into it and stuck with it throughout the show."

Murray Hill, a popular drag-king comedian in New York City and host/creator of "Mr. Transman," a female-to-male competition, agreed. "There is barely any visibility for FTM, drag kings and lesbians on television. There is a huge imbalance," he said. "For Lady Gaga, the biggest pop star in the world, to go on TV with millions of people watching in drag as a man and then to actually say 'lesbian and transgender' live is undeniably powerful and creates change. She ups the visibility big time and gets the language into the mainstream."

Polly commented on the integrity with which Gaga has approached her role as a gay-rights advocate and thinks that she might not have intended to make a statement about transgender individuals with her performance at the VMAs, but that it was perhaps perceived that way because of the political role she has adopted in other LGBT struggles. "I think it complements [her advocacy]," he said, "but I don't know that it was even a statement on the LGBT community; it's just a character she wanted to play. But since we don't see [drag kings or female-to-male transgender persons] much, we perceive it that way."

While there has been backlash against Gaga in some sectors of the gay community, particularly among activists who see a disconnect between the pop star's outspoken activism and the fact that she is not gay herself, Hill feels she deserves recognition for being an entirely pro-LGBT voice in the music industry, which sometimes suffers from instances of homophobia.

"Lady Gaga has only spread a positive and accepting message for all kinds of queer people," he said. "She does this through her work, which is entertainment. There is a lot of homophobic hate spewed in the music industry and in the world. I'm grateful she is using her voice to spread the love."

Indeed, Polly told us that most of the reader feedback he's seen on AfterEllen, Logo's lesbian interest website, has been positive and that he personally found the performance to be a "fun challenge" for the "Born This Way" singer.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards have wrapped, but the real action is just getting started! Stick with MTV News for winners, fashion pics, video and behind-the-scenes stories about everything that went down. Visit VMA.MTV.com for the latest.

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Katy Perry - California Gurls

California Gurls

  • Artist: Katy Perry
  • Label: Capitol Records
  • Director: Mathew Cullen

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The Cast Of ?Dancing With The Stars? Season 13 Reportedly Leaks To The Internets [UPDATE]

The cast list announcement for the new season of Dancing with the Stars isn’t supposed to be officially announced until tonight but the full list of season 13 DWTS competitors has reportedly made it’s way to the Internets. The Twitter profile DWTSgossip tweeted the list of stars published below. Wanna find out who will be [...]

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Monday, August 29, 2011

Beyonce's VMA History: From Dazzling Diva To Sasha Fierce

We look back on Queen B's impressive run before she hits the stage on Sunday.
By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Rebecca Thomas


Beyoncé performs at the 2009 VMAs
Photo: Getty Images

Beyoncé is not only up for three Moonmen at the 2011 Video Music Awards, she's also slated to storm the VMA stage live on Sunday night. But she's certainly no stranger to the big show.

The Queen B was still with her Destiny's Child girls — Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams — when she shared a win for Best R&B Video back in 2000. The group would go on to rack up 10 nominations and two statues over the course of their career.

By 2003, though, Beyoncé had gone solo, quickly proving she was a force to be reckoned with. And it was her performance at that year's awards ceremony that helped launch one of the most impressive VMA careers in the show's illustrious history. With just a day to go till B hits the stage, we're looking back on some of her most memorable moments!

Flirt With The Ladies 0f '11 With Our Interactive Time Machine

2003
B released her debut solo album, Dangerously in Love, in June, and she kicked things off with a bang by performing the first two singles from the record. Hitting the VMA stage upside down, B sang her Sean Paul collabo "Baby Boy," before Jay-Z joined her onstage for her breakthrough hit "Crazy in Love."

She went home that night with three out of four possible wins: Best Female Video, Best R&B Video and Best Choreography for her "Crazy in Love" clip. "I have to thank my foundation, Destiny's Child," B said when she accepted one of the Moonmen. "If it wasn't for Kelly and Michelle, I wouldn't be here."

2004
While she didn't perform when the VMAs traveled to Miami for the show's 20th anniversary, Beyoncé once again landed a slew of nominations (five to be exact), including multiple nods for her sultry "Naughty Girl" and one for the dramatic "Me, Myself and I" video. "Naughty Girl" pulled out on top, giving her one VMA that year for Best Female Video.

B had a special date that night too: then-rumored boyfriend Jay-Z got a rare public shout-out from the singer when she closed her BFV acceptance speech by saying, "What up, Jay?"

2006
With sirens blaring, Beyoncé hit the stage wearing a trench coat over a black leather leotard for a frantic performance of "Ring the Alarm." Midway through her set, a group of officers rush the stage, apparently to take her into custody, but B and her trench coat-wearing dancers just kept it moving for a fiercely choreographed breakdown.

Officially released in October, "Ring the Alarm" was the second single from her second solo album, B'Day, and didn't qualify for that year's noms. But she still managed to take home some hardware. "Wow! I wasn't expecting this," she said, accepting the Best R&B Video award for the "Pink Panther"-themed "Check on It," featuring Slim Thug.

2007
The VMAs were all about trying new categories, including Female Artist of the Year, Quadruple Threat of the Year and Most Earth Shattering Collaboration. Beyoncé got nods for the first two categories, and she shared the Earth-Shattering Collaboration Moonman with Shakira for their "Beautiful Liar" duet.

But that wasn't all. Beyoncé competed in two other categories: Best Choreography and Best Editing. And while she was also up for Video of the Year for "Irreplaceable," she lost to Jay-Z and his then up-and-coming protégé Rihanna for "Umbrella."

2009
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" earned Beyoncé nine nods and three wins. Backed by an army of female backup dancers, she performed the massive hit, dancing the Bob Fosse-inspired routine that inspired all those YouTube tribute videos.

Of course, who could forget how she inadvertently got caught up in the Kanye West/ Taylor Swift incident, after Kanye interrupted the teen singer onstage to declare that B's video was more deserving of Best Female Video than Swift's "You Belong With Me."

Beyoncé decided to right that wrong, however, when she accepted her Video of the Year award for "Single Ladies." The star asked Swift to come back to the stage and finish her acceptance speech for Best Female Video. "I remember being 17 years old, up for my first MTV award with Destiny's Child, and it was one of the most exciting moments of my life, so I would like for Taylor to come out and have her moment," B said.

2010
Queen B had done two collabos with Lady Gaga — her own "Video Phone" and Gaga's "Telephone" — and both were up for a number of awards. While B's Hype Williams-directed video nabbed five noms, including Best Female Video, it failed to win any hardware. However, the thrice-nominated "Telephone" grabbed a Moonman for Best Collaboration.

Will Beyoncé take home a few more Moonmen this year? Will she have fans buzzing after yet another eye-popping performance? All will be answered on Sunday when the VMAs kick off at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez Nude Statue Gets New Home

Rep for artist Daniel Edwards says life-size piece will be on display at Dallas-area porn shop.
By Jocelyn Vena


Daniel Edwards' "Justin and Selena as One" sculpture
Photo: Daniel Edwards/ Cory Allen Contemporary Art

Daniel Edwards' headline-making nude statue of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez has found a new home. The life-size statue of the two teen stars will make its way to a Dallas-area porn shop in the very near future, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The shop, New Fine Arts, confirmed to the site that the statue will be on display there. Cory Allen, a rep for Edwards, also told The Reporter that the artist is planning a companion piece inspired by a 1968 cast made of Jimi Hendrix's private parts. The second statue will display Bieber's in the same way, using what he described as a "Warner Bros. cartoon" vibe.

So, why has Edwards decided to focus his attention on the sexualization of Bieber, 17, and Gomez, 19? The artist explained why to MTV News this week.

"I tried to find my entry into making a comment on that very thing that happens time and again to teenage celebrities, where they're kind of exploited early, earlier than what is legal, and the media fuels that as best they can," he said. "I guess I'm making my commentary about that particular thing that happens."

The statue also comments on the "double standard" for males and females in the industry. "It only seems to hit the young ladies a lot worse than the men. It's still there. You see all those beach photos of the two of them. My children are young, but I think I would be freaked out if I saw images of them like that on the Internet."

What do you think of the artist's statue? Let us know in the comments below.

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Paris Hilton?s Reality TV Series Has Reportedly Been Cancelled

I’ve got some bad news for the handful of people (and I do mean handful) who watched the Oxygen reality TV series The World According to Paris … according to new reports out this week, the show has been cancelled and will not return for season 2. Despite the fact that Paris Hilton did EVERYTHING [...]

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Lady Gaga Surpasses Oprah, Beyonce On Forbes' Most Powerful Women List

Pop singer nabs the #11 spot, the highest celebrity placement in the lineup.
By James Dinh


Lady Gaga
Photo: WireImage

Lady Gaga is officially the world's most powerful female celebrity, at least according to Forbes, which released its World's 100 Most Powerful Women list on Thursday (August 25). On a list primarily dominated by politicians and CEOs, Mother Monster grabs the #11 spot on the coveted ranking, besting all other celebrity figures including friends and collaborators Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé Knowles.

While familiar faces like Hillary Clinton (#2) and Michelle Obama (#8) fill up the top 10 tier of the ranking, the Forbes list remains slim on entertainment bigwigs. Former queen of daytime talk Oprah Winfrey appears shortly after Video Music Awards opener Gaga, ranking at #14, followed by Beyoncé at #18.

Other celebrity power runners include: Angelina Jolie (#29), Diane Sawyer (#47), Queen Elizabeth II (#49), Ellen DeGeneres (#55), Gisele Bündchen (#60), Anna Wintour (#69), J.K. Rowling (#61) and Ann Curry (#66).

With her colossal first-week sales for Born This Way, prominent social media presence and avalanche of endorsement deals like her just-announced partnership with Barneys New York, it's hard to deny Gaga's recent reign.

In an interview with Howard Stern earlier this summer, the "You and I" singer opened up to the famed Sirius radio host about her influence in the industry, saying, "Do I feel like a powerful person in show business? Yeah."

Gaga also touched on the financial perks of her hard work, saying, "I really don't give a f--- about money at all. ... The Monster Ball was really expensive and the next show will be really expensive, and I will pay for it."

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Taylor Lautner Chooses Bruno Mars, And More Celeb VMA Picks

Kim Kardashian predicts Katy Perry will win Video of the Year at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
By Kara Warner


Bruno Mars
Photo: MTV

All of the categories for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards are competitive, but none more so than the eclectic group vying for Sunday night's biggest prize: Video of the Year.

The 2011 nominees for Video of the Year are: Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Beastie Boys' "Make Some Noise," Bruno Mars' "Grenade," Katy Perry's "Firework" and Tyler the Creator's "Yonkers." MTV News recently asked some celebrities for their predictions on who will take home the night's most-important Moonman.

"I'm a huge Bruno Mars fan, so maybe I'd give the slight edge there," "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner said diplomatically.

"I'm going to go with Bruno Mars," said Christopher Mintz-Plasse. "That song is really insanely catchy."

And "Harry Potter" star Tom Felton also revealed, "I'm a bit of a Bruno fan."

"I like Katy Perry," Kim Kardashian told us, as her sister Kourtney nodded in agreement.

"Switched at Birth" star Sean Berdy cast his vote via sign language and the help of a translator: "It goes to Katy Perry for 'Firework.' I love her music."

Admitted longtime fan Affion Crockett said, "I gotta be loyal: I'm going to stick with the Beastie Boys." And OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder told us, "I would vote for Beastie Boys."

Allstar Weekend put their vote in for Tyler the Creator's trippy "Yonkers" clip, as did another all-boy band, Honor Society. "We're going for Tyler," Society frontman Michael Bruno revealed.

"Cockroaches, vomiting, the whole thing, it's all there."

"I gotta go with Adele," said "Voice" winner Javier Colon, and "Teen Wolf" star Crystal Reed gushed, "I love Adele. I secretly wish I was her."

So, based on our informal celeb poll (we counted band members as one), Bruno Mars would take home the Video of the Year trophy, having earned three votes. All the other nominees received two.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Sunday, August 28, 2011

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'The Avengers' Assemble, With Other Disney Stars, At D23

We recap all the sneak peeks and news to come out of the Mouse House's movie convention.
By Terri Schwartz, with additional reporting by Kara Warner


Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth
Photo: MTV News

"The Avengers" might not be assembling in theaters until May 4, 2012, but fans who attended Disney's D23 convention in Anaheim, California, over the weekend were lucky enough to catch the cast joining forces in person. MTV News was on the scene too, so stay tuned for our interviews with the stars. In the meantime, here's a little recap of the weekend's highlights:

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Cobie Smulders all showed up to unveil two new clips from the upcoming superhero flick. It was the first time the group has come together publicly since 2010's San Diego Comic-Con, and the first time "How I Met Your Mother" star Smulders has been part of the promotion for the movie.

Both of the clips shown focused on the showdown between the Avengers and "Thor" bad boy Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, AceShowBiz reports. The first showed Loki trapped in a high-tech chamber in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier, chatting with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. It is revealed that the chamber was actually created to hold the Hulk, but will hold Loki because he threatens Earth with war and "a force [he] can't control."

The second scene featured Downey's Tony Stark chatting with Loki in a private bar. "Let's do a head count," Loki says. "Two world class assassins" — the camera cuts to shots of Hawkeye and Black Widow — "a demigod" — cut to Thor — "a living legend who actually lives up to the legend" — a glimpse of Captain America. Stark responds by saying, "And you, big fella, you have managed to piss off every single one of them."

"I have an army," Loki says. Stark strikes back, "We have a Hulk."

When MTV caught up with Downey and Hemsworth after the panel, the two were coy about any scenes other than the ones that have been revealed. Downey joked that his favorite scene in the movie was the one "in which we don't reveal anything about the plot," but Hemsworth admitted that his favorite was already revealed.

"One of our first days was the whole assembly," he said, referring to the scene that was revealed at the end of "Captain America: The First Avenger." "That was pretty crazy. Not only meeting Robert Downey and Scarlett and whatever, but it was meeting Iron Man and Black Widow and the Hulk. It's exciting."

Marvel wasn't the only Disney division doing some heavy lifting at D23, though. Pixar showed up with a slew of announcements, including some news about unannounced upcoming films, ScreenRant recapped.

First on the docket is "Brave," the Scotland-based animated adventure that hits in 2012. In addition to showing some new clips of the movie, Pixar also released a fleshed out plot synopsis that gives "Brave" more context. "Monsters University" received a summer 2013 release date slot, and Pixar also added two yet-untitled animated flicks to its upcoming releases. The first, directed by "Up" helmer Bob Peterson, speculates on what would happen if dinosaurs never became extinct and should hit theaters in fall 2013. The second, directed by "Monsters, Inc." 's Pete Doctor, explores inside the human mind and should be released at some point in 2014.

Also on the animation front, Shock Till You Drop reported on the "Frankenweenie" sizzle reel that was presented at the panel, which included footage from the flick, behind-the-scenes moments and interviews with the cast members. The title card for the movie was also unveiled, as well as the news that Danny Elfman will be composing the flick's score. "Frankenweenie" hits theaters October 5, 2012.

Jason Segel showed up with his "The Muppets" co-stars Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy to present two new clips from the movie, Entertainment Weekly reported. Clip number one featured an inside look at Kermit's house and showed that he's stuck in his '80s heyday, while clip number two showed off Muppets Rolf, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and Dr. Teeth trying to get the old Muppet Theater back in working order.

Not to be outdone, the cast and crew of "John Carter of Mars" presented four new clips from their upcoming sci-fi flick. Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe and Lynn Collins stood with director Andrew Stanton to show off the footage, EW recounted. The unfinished clips featured scenes where the titular Carter first lands on Mars, gets captured by Thark leader Tars Tarkas, has to battle his way out of a gladiatorial arena and tries to convince his lady love not to go through with her arranged marriage. Vulture said the clips had "a distinctly Pixar sense of humor," which can be attributed to Stanton's history with the animation company.

The last big presentation of D23 was for "Oz, the Great and Powerful," and though there was no finished footage, the panel did get to see James Franco's wizard and Michelle Williams' Glinda in costume. AceShowBiz said that a behind-the-scenes sizzle reel, narrated by director Sam Raimi, displayed concept art for the Emerald City, munchkins and the yellow brick road. The movie is currently in production in Detroit and is set to hit theaters on March 8, 2013.

Check out everything we've got on "The Avengers."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Katy Perry, Adele, More: VMA Ladies' Night?

Fellow Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj have also had a massive past 12 months.
By Jocelyn Vena


Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Adele
Photo: Getty Images/ MTV News

Video of the Year might be the top prize at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, but this year, there is some serious competition in another category: Best Female Video.

With pop heavyweights Adele, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj all looking to take home the Moonman, it's a battle between five women who have all had stellar years. Leading up to their showdown, MTV News takes a look back at the divas' massive past 12 months:

Katy Perry
Nominated Video: "Firework"

Her Massive Year: Katy Perry dropped the feel-good clip in October, saying she "believed in people" when she wrote the track. Months later, in January, she announced the dates on her sugar-coated California Dreams Tour. In late June, Perry threw herself a party in her other VMA-nominated video, for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," which director Marc Klasfeld said "is definitely '16 Candles'- and John Hughes-influenced."

In July, it was announced that Katy was the lead nominee for the VMAs, racking up nine nods. To top it all off, weeks before the VMAs, it was announced that Perry had tied with Michael Jackson's record of five #1 singles from the same album.

Check out our "VMA Time Machine" — an interactive timeline celebrating the ladies' epic year!

Beyoncé
Nominated Video: "Run the World (Girls)"

Her Massive Year: In November, just two months after last year's VMAs, Beyoncé started teasing fans about her fourth album. What was her plan? To "make my own genre of music," she declared. B later added that her musical influences on the then-untitled project included Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill.

Fans finally heard and saw what she was talking about when she dropped the VMA-nominated video for "Run the World (Girls)" in May. Her album 4 eventually leaked three weeks early but still managed to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. The year of 4 culminates when Beyoncé hits the VMA stage Sunday.

Lady Gaga
Nominated Video: "Born This Way"

Her Massive Year: Fans were teased with a taste of "Born This Way" at the 2010 VMAs when the meat-dress-wearing Lady Gaga belted out part of the chorus as she accepted her award for Video of the Year. By the time the full song dropped in mid-February, it broke a record as the fastest-selling single in iTunes history. Weeks later, the video, directed by Nick Knight, had everyone talking, thanks to its spacey theme.

Then Gaga finally released the album of the same name and it sold 1.1 million in its debut week on the charts, doing what no one has done since 2005. To celebrate her successes, Gaga is set to open the VMAs this year. Anything is possible with Gaga kicking off the show.

Nicki Minaj
Nominated Video: "Super Bass"

Her Massive Year: Since hitting up the VMA Pre-Show last September, putting on what she described as an "amazing look" along with will.i.am, Nicki Minaj dropped her debut album, Pink Friday. The album debuted at #2 on the charts, only topped by Kanye West's Runaway, leaving Minaj feeling "so grateful and kind of still in shock."

In March, Minaj proclaimed she was "letting it all hang out" in her "Super Bass" video. Whatever she did, it worked, earning her first VMA nomination. Then she not only had a "crazy" set on the I Am Still Music Tour along with Lil Wayne, she also told us that touring with Britney Spears "raises the bar" for her own stage show.

Adele
Nominated Video: "Rolling in the Deep"

Her Massive Year: Adele's 21 was a smash from the start, hitting #1 on the charts in its first week. Then, week after week, the album kept reaching #1. Adele's only hiccup in her banner year was having to shuffle around tour dates after she got sick in June.

Adele bounced back in a big way by earning seven noms for her video, feeling "flabbergasted" by the honor. Just weeks ago, her album topped the charts again, as the singer geared up for the VMAs and her performance on the show.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Lindsay Lohan Dodges Jail After Probation 'Violation'

Judge rules that under plea terms, actress was not required to undergo alcohol testing.
By Gil Kaufman


Lindsay Lohan leaves the Airport Branch Courthouse after her probation hearing in Los Angeles on Thursday
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Despite reports that she violated her probation from a 2007 DUI case by testing positive for alcohol this month, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan was able to avoid getting sent back to jail yet again on Thursday (June 23) when she appeared in court on the allegations.

In this case, the actress dodged a legal bullet on a technicality, one that will seemingly allow her to serve out the rest of her home confinement on a recent misdemeanor theft charge without having to go behind bars. TMZ reported that judge Stephanie Sautner ruled on Thursday that the prior judge in the case only required controlled-substance testing from January 3 to February 25 of this year.

According to the site, Lohan's probation report made a strong recommendation that the actress be sent back to jail because she seems unable to stop partying. The report, submitted to Judge Sautner, says that Lohan failed an alcohol test on June 13 — the day after she was photographed partying on the roof of her Venice, California condo with friends — and also refused two prior drug tests, on May 31 and June 2; it noted that she passed another drug test on June 9.

"The defendant's behavior indicates she is not attempting to change. It appears that the defendant does not view being on the electronic monitoring program as a privilege," wrote her probation officer, who recommended that Lohan should serve "suitable time in custody" as a result of the alleged violations.

As a result of the information in the report, Sautner said Lohan is now restricted to having one friend at a time at her Venice loft, in addition to family members, and no parties, for the remainder of her house arrest. Sautner said the only thing Lohan was guilty of was "extremely poor judgment."

In an unusual twist, the hearing also revealed that the probation department can't test Lohan for drugs or alcohol anymore because there is no court order allowing them to do so, which appears to clear the way for the rehab veteran to consume alcohol again as long as she doesn't drive after drinking.

Lohan's lawyer could not be reached for comment on Thursday's proceedings at press time.

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Justin Bieber - Next To You

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MTV #VMA Twitter Tracker Set To Bring The Buzz

From backstage pics to minute-by-minute scoop on VMA trending topics, we want you in on the conversation Sunday night!
By Kara Klenk


Jim Cantiello and the Twitter Tracker
Photo: MTV News

The 2010 VMAs famously sparked more than 2 million tweets. But with Sunday's show set to kick off live with an opening set from Lady Gaga, plenty of superstar performances by nominees like Lil Wayne and Beyoncé, as well as some hotly contested races, MTV's big show seems poised to set the social networking site on fire once again.

Last year, fans hit Twitter to shout out things like Gaga's meat dress, and share their opinions on the winners and losers, the crazy fashions, and the general shenanigans unfolding inside L.A.'s Nokia Theatre. On Sunday, the MTV Twitter Tracker will be monitoring everything that gets you buzzing during the 2011 Video Music Awards.

So here's how it works: Fans who want to get in on the VMA action can head to our MTV Twitter Tracker, where the section labeled "buzz" will display photos of the celebs getting the most mentions. The photos will shrink and grow depending on popularity from moment to moment, so you'll always know who's blowing up.

Join the conversation on Twitter! Use the hashtag #VMA!

In the "paparazzi" section, photos of all the A-listers will be uploaded in real time from the black carpet Pre-Show and backstage. The photos can be retweeted directly from the site, and fans are definitely encouraged to try to trend their favorite pics— VMA attendees will be doing it too. In fact, during commercial breaks in the show, the Twitter Tracker will be displayed inside the theater so all of the stars can see who's trending and weigh in on the conversation.

The Twitter Tracker app is Web-based and can be accessed on iPhones and iPads, just log on and follow along with MTV News correspondent Jim Cantiello throughout the pre-show and the VMAs using the hashtag #VMA.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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Justin Bieber's VMA-Nominated 'U Smile': Frame By Frame

'We took a more mature approach in the video, focusing on him as an artist,' director Colin Tilley says of clip, which is up for Best Male Video.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

In the Colin Tilley-directed "U Smile" video, Justin Bieber meets some girls on the street and becomes smitten with one of them. He then takes her to hang out with him at a big concert hall, where he makes her swoon by playing the piano for her.

The sugary-sweet clip is up for Best Male Video at the 2011 Video Music Awards, and Tilley, who also worked with Bieber on "Never Let You Go," spoke to MTV News about the behind-the-scenes of making the video just days before the VMAs go live Sunday.

The video opens with Bieber meeting some fans outside a theater, and the Flip cam footage they used for audio ended up making the final cut. "During this scene, we were only outside for 15 minutes, but literally paparazzi were everywhere," Tilley recalled. "It was pretty difficult, but I'm happy with the finished product. This whole intro scene was actually done very fast, because we didn't have much time before the sun set, so we really just had to go full-throttle."

While paparazzi and nature proved to be obstacles, a third was making sure that Tilley cast the perfect leading lady. "The girl's gotta be really great ... she was really nice and she did a great job," he said. "Justin and her clicked really well."

The video is actually pretty simple, with the focus of it being on "our classic piano in this beautiful theater, lots of great lighting. This is pretty much focused on Justin's performance.

"This song, in general, when I first heard it, I kind of got the feel that it was a more mature feel for Justin," Tilley continued. "So we took a more mature approach in the video, focusing on him as an artist and as a kid growing up. ... For me, this was kind of the place he goes every night to practice, so he was willing to take this girl he saw on the street and take her into his world."

For Tilley, the standout shots are of Bieber hanging out in an alleyway, calling to mind the images in Michael Jackson videos. "This is probably my favorite setup in the video," he said. "In this alleyway, it had a whole Michael Jackson feel. It was pretty iconic for Justin at the time."

As it turns out, the video was shot right after the 2010 VMAs, when Bieber took home his first-ever Moonman. "The night before, he had won an award and he just came to set with a great attitude; he was super positive," Tilley said. "I hadn't worked with Justin for probably a year. He's so much fun to work with. He's got a really cool attitude on set."

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday, August 28, from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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'Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark' Is Guillermo Del Toro's 'Hide And Seek'

'That's the rhythm of the movie in a horror genre,' producer tells MTV News.
By Deborah Kim, with reporting by Kara Warner


Guillermo del Toro
Photo: Andrew H. Walker/ Getty Images

It's a cautionary tale straight out of a mother's mouth: "If you don't brush your teeth, monsters will creep into your mouth at night and devour them like candy." But Guillermo del Toro's rated-R version is less cavity, more cryptic.

Based on a 1973 TV movie with the same name, Friday's "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," starring Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce, features the same hollow whispers from menacing monsters trapped behind brick fireplaces, only now those creatures are out for innocent, bright-white baby teeth.

But even with del Toro's new spin on what he said was the scariest movie he'd ever seen as a kid, the producer told MTV News some things always stay the same.

"In horror films, there are only two dynamics. One is what I call hide and seek, meaning there's a lot of tension. If you're searching, you're really tense about opening the door and somebody jumping out of the closet that was hiding.

"And if you're hiding in the closet, you're really afraid when you hear footsteps nearby," he added. "And then tag, when the person finally comes out, and you're going to chase them to tag them."

With a mind as complicated and fantastical as Pan's Labyrinth, you'd expect del Toro to have a more intricate stream of thought. But the method behind his moviemaking is simply, well, simple.

"I do sort of a tag, hide and seek, hide and seek, hide and seek, tag, tag, tag," he explained. "So that's the rhythm of the movie in a horror genre. You just pace it like that."

Check out everything we've got on "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Movie Review: ?The Lion King? 3D

Back in June we learned that Disney was planning to re-release their animated classic film The Lion King in 3D this September and altho we are still a few weeks away from its release, I was lucky enough to attend an early screening of the film last night here in LA. The last time I [...]

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'Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance' Trailer Is Flamin' Awesome

First trailer from the film has been released following a preview at last month's San Diego Comic-Con.
By Aubrey Sitterson


"Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

One of the most surprising things to come out of this year's San Diego Comic-Con was footage from "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." Everyone knew that the film was roaring down the highway toward us, but no one expected it to actually look, well, good. After scenes from the movie were shown at the event, the Internet was abuzz with talk of fans finally getting the "Ghost Rider" movie they deserve. Now, you can see what all the fuss was about for yourself with the first trailer for the upcoming film.

Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" is the sequel to 2007's "Ghost Rider." The biker with the flaming-skull head has long been one of Marvel's darker and more twisted characters, especially considering his backstory as a motorcycle daredevil whose pact with the devil didn't turn out quite as he planned. As the Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze rides America's forgotten highways, meting out vengeance with his flaming bike, signature chain and a host of fire-based powers.

Like the 2007 film, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" features Nicolas Cage, and the character boasts a whole new look that ties into the darkness at the Ghost Rider's core.

"The Ghost Rider is just the coolest-looking superhero, and it has to be the one that goes to film and looks the best," Cage told MTV News last month. "I think they've achieved that with this."

At the helm of "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" are Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine, the pair of directors best known for their high-octane flicks "Crank" and "Crank: High Voltage." The duo told MTV News that they were test-driving all-new techniques while filming the movie, including Neveldine strapping on Rollerblades and clinging to the back of a motorcycle just to get a single amazing shot.

That commitment to madness is clearly on display in the new trailer for "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," as the movie looks to be fully embracing what makes the character so spectacularly over-the-top. Though it starts out slow, by the one-minute mark, you'll find yourself up to your leather jacket in explosive, flame-drenched action. Over the course of the trailer, you'll see the Ghost Rider take out cars with his chain, spit bullets at bad guys and even pee fire. Seriously — he actually pees fire, and it's absolutely awesome.

What do you think about the "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" trailer? Tell us in the comments below, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Check out everything we've got on "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Katy Perry, Adele, More: VMA Ladies' Night?

Fellow Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj have also had a massive past 12 months.
By Jocelyn Vena


Best Female Video nominees Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Adele
Photo: Getty Images/ MTV News

Video of the Year might be the top prize at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, but this year, there is some serious competition in another category: Best Female Video.

With pop heavyweights Adele, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj all looking to take home the Moonman, it's a battle between five women who have all had stellar years. Leading up to their showdown, MTV News takes a look back at the divas' massive past 12 months:

Katy Perry
Nominated Video: "Firework"

Her Massive Year: Katy Perry dropped the feel-good clip in October, saying she "believed in people" when she wrote the track. Months later, in January, she announced the dates on her sugar-coated California Dreams Tour. In late June, Perry threw herself a party in her other VMA-nominated video, for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," which director Marc Klasfeld said "is definitely '16 Candles'- and John Hughes-influenced."

In July, it was announced that Katy was the lead nominee for the VMAs, racking up nine nods. To top it all off, weeks before the VMAs, it was announced that Perry had tied with Michael Jackson's record of five #1 singles from the same album.

Check out our "VMA Time Machine" — an interactive timeline celebrating the ladies' epic year!

Beyoncé
Nominated Video: "Run the World (Girls)"

Her Massive Year: In November, just two months after last year's VMAs, Beyoncé started teasing fans about her fourth album. What was her plan? To "make my own genre of music," she declared. B later added that her musical influences on the then-untitled project included Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill.

Fans finally heard and saw what she was talking about when she dropped the VMA-nominated video for "Run the World (Girls)" in May. Her album 4 eventually leaked three weeks early but still managed to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. The year of 4 culminates when Beyoncé hits the VMA stage Sunday.

Lady Gaga
Nominated Video: "Born This Way"

Her Massive Year: Fans were teased with a taste of "Born This Way" at the 2010 VMAs when the meat-dress-wearing Lady Gaga belted out part of the chorus as she accepted her award for Video of the Year. By the time the full song dropped in mid-February, it broke a record as the fastest-selling single in iTunes history. Weeks later, the video, directed by Nick Knight, had everyone talking, thanks to its spacey theme.

Then Gaga finally released the album of the same name and it sold 1.1 million in its debut week on the charts, doing what no one has done since 2005. To celebrate her successes, Gaga is set to open the VMAs this year. Anything is possible with Gaga kicking off the show.

Nicki Minaj
Nominated Video: "Super Bass"

Her Massive Year: Since hitting up the VMA Pre-Show last September, putting on what she described as an "amazing look" along with will.i.am, Nicki Minaj dropped her debut album, Pink Friday. The album debuted at #2 on the charts, only topped by Kanye West's Runaway, leaving Minaj feeling "so grateful and kind of still in shock."

In March, Minaj proclaimed she was "letting it all hang out" in her "Super Bass" video. Whatever she did, it worked, earning her first VMA nomination. Then she not only had a "crazy" set on the I Am Still Music Tour along with Lil Wayne, she also told us that touring with Britney Spears "raises the bar" for her own stage show.

Adele
Nominated Video: "Rolling in the Deep"

Her Massive Year: Adele's 21 was a smash from the start, hitting #1 on the charts in its first week. Then, week after week, the album kept reaching #1. Adele's only hiccup in her banner year was having to shuffle around tour dates after she got sick in June.

Adele bounced back in a big way by earning seven noms for her video, feeling "flabbergasted" by the honor. Just weeks ago, her album topped the charts again, as the singer geared up for the VMAs and her performance on the show.

The 28th annual MTV Video Music Awards will air live Sunday from Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following the Selena Gomez-hosted pre-show at 8. See the list of nominees, revisit last year's highlights and vote for Best New Artist by visiting VMA.MTV.com.

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