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London, Aug 26 (IANS) Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has beaten competition from co-native Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman to be crowned Australia’s most powerful brand name.

The 41-year-old has carved out a hugely successful singing career after starting out as an actress in soap opera “Neighbours” in the 1980s and has since built on her name with a string of endorsements including swimwear, underwear and fragrances that has led to her winning the crown, reports imdb.com.

Minogue beat catwalk stunner Elle Macpherson, who has a lingerie line and a range of skincare products, into second place in the survey of 400 entertainment industry experts.

Cricketer Shane Warne came third while comedian Dame Edna Everage was fourth, and golfer Greg Norman rounded out the top five.

Jackman and Kidman came seventh and eighth respectively, with Cate Blanchett narrowly missing out on the top ten, landing at the 11th place.

Washington, Aug 26 (ANI): Britney Spears is still in love with her ex-boyfriend and paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, sources say.

However, seemingly, the pop star’s father Jamie, who has been in charge of her affairs since last year, has put obstacles on her way to reunite with him.

The singer’s former flame was charged with assault, hit-and-run and battery for an incident in which he allegedly attempted to run over a court official who was trying to serve a restraining order on him.

Following which Spear’s dad requested the court to have a restraining order against Ghalib, which was granted by the court in July this year.

Now, Adnan can’t go any closer than 100 yards of Britney and is also banned from all forms of communication with her.

And apparently, it is getting the ‘Womanizer’ hitmaker depressed.

‘It is really breaking Britney’s heart. She is still totally in love with Adnan and she can’t even speak too him, it’s making her really depressed,’ Fox News quoted a source as telling Pop Tarts.

Meanwhile, it is reported that Jamie is encouraging her to date 37-year-old William Morris agent, Jason Trawick.

The insider said: ‘Jamie (Spears) is really, really pushing the relationship with Jason, he thinks he’s a really good influence on Britney. And the last thing he wants is Britney going back to Adnan. She would if she could.’ (ANI)

Los Angeles, Aug 26 (IANS) Megan Fox, who was recently crowned Sexiest Woman, has signed up to play Catwoman in the upcoming Batman movie.

According to thesun.co.uk, Fox follows in the footsteps of Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry. All the other stars who have reinvented the Batman films are back on board, including Christian Bale, Michael Caine and director Christopher Nolan.

Shooting for the film will start next year but the movie will not be released till 2011. The last movie in the series called “The Dark Knight” that had late Heath Ledger as The Joker was a phenomenal success.

London, Aug 26 (ANI): Megan Fox is set to take up the role of Catwoman in the next Batman flick, it has emerged.

Also, actors Christian Bale and Michael Caine will reprise their characters from ‘The Dark Knight’.

The shooting of the film, which will be directed by Christopher Nolan, may start next year.

However, the film is not expected to be release until in 2011, reports the Sun.

Fox will take up the mantle from Halley Berry who starred in Catwoman in 2004. (ANI)

London, Aug 26 (ANI): Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend and singer Chris brown has been ordered 180 days’ community labour and five years’ probation for assaulting her.

The judge announced that the singer must do physical labour, not community service, apart from attending a 52-week domestic violence-counselling programme.

He has also been fined 2500 dollars and has been asked to maintain a physical distance of 100 yards from Rihanna for five years.

The judge has warned that the violation of the terms would be taken ‘very, very seriously,’ the BBC reports.

The 20-year-old R&B star had pleaded guilty for the crime in June this year.

However, sentencing had been delayed from 5 August as a response was still awaited from officials in Virginia as to whether Brown could serve his community labour in that state.

He has to now reappear in court on 19 November for a progress report.

The incident had taken place before the Grammy awards in Los Angeles this February, when the pair got into an argument after Rihanna found a text message from another woman in Brown’s phone.

According to court documents, he tried to oust the Umbrella hitmaker from their rented Lamborghini sports car, and shoved her head against the passenger window and punched her in the face many times. (ANI)

Los Angeles, Aug 26 (DPA) Singer Chris Brown was sentenced Tuesday to five years probation and six months of community labour for his February assault of his former girlfriend Rihanna.

In addition, the crooner must complete a 52-week domestic violence prevention programme and abide by a protection order that forbids him to come within 100 metres of Rihanna or threaten her in any way.

Though Brown, 20, will be allowed to perform his community labour in his home state of Virginia, he is required to appear before his sentencing judge in California every three months.

Brown was arrested hours after the February attack and pleaded guilty to felony assault in June. He apologised to fans in a video released and said he has apologised to Rihanna, who did not appear in court Tuesday.

London, Aug 25 (IANS) Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is on a strict diet to lose 30 pounds for his latest film “Inception”.

The actor has taken on a strict diet and exercise regime to fight the flab before filming the gruelling action scenes in the movie, reports thesun.co.uk.

“Leonardo needs to shed at least 30 pounds… He’s gained weight recently and looks almost a bit flabby, which isn’t good, especially as the camera adds pounds. There’s an action scene coming up at the end of the year in which he needs to appear emaciated, so the pressure is on,” said an industry source.

“He is following a strict diet and is embarking on a rigorous workout regime… Leonardo is a pretty determined kind of guy…when he sets his mind to things he always achieves them. Though this is going to be hard for him, you can guarantee he’ll succeed,” the source added.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, “Inception” is a psychological thriller about an office worker involved in a blackmail plot.

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) After dabbling in cricket and spas, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is now venturing into the F&B segment with a chain of readymade meals in Britain.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce that Raj Kundra (fiance) and me have invested with the V8 Gourmet Group… Got to acknowledge the fact that Indian food is much enjoyed (chicken tikka masala becoming the nation’s favourite) and has a huge market in Britain,” Shilpa posted on her blog shilpashettylive.com/blog from London Sunday.

“… this was only a sign for us to think it right to invest and procure a 33 percent stake in V8 that encompasses Vama, The Bombay Bicycle Club and Tiffinbites. We also do airline catering and the newest plan is to introduce readymade Indian meals that will be under 10 percent fat,” she added.

Co-owned by celebrity chef Andy Varma, the 34-year-old actress has massive extension plans for the chain.

“Hoping to launch this line of readymade meals after Christmas in Britain. It’s great to know that our restaurants are frequently visited and appreciated by A-list clientele like Brad Pitt, Woody Allen, Mick Jagger, His Highness King Abdullah of Jordan, Bryan Adams, Rowan Atkinson and Uma Thurman and even our very own Amitabh Bachchan and Saif Ali Khan.

“We will be branching out to Dubai and Jordan by end of this year, and many more in years to come,” she added.

Shilpa also dismissed rumours that the food chain was in remembrance of late British reality TV star Jade Goody, whom she interacted with in “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007 in Britain.

“I would also like to clarify all those reports and rumours about it (chain) being in honour of Jade Goody is completely and utterly baseless… you’ve heard this from me, and that’s what counts,” she said.

London, Aug 25 (IANS) Former “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston prefers dating celebrities vis-a-vis a normal guy.

The 40-year-old actress, who is divorced from actor Brad Pitt and split from musician John Mayer earlier this year, prefers to have relationships with people who are already in the spotlight as she knows they will empathise with her hectic lifestyle, reports imdb.com.

“Jennifer won’t date a normal guy. She goes after the hottest thing of the moment,” said a source closed to the actress.

The star is currently believed to be dating her “The Bounty” co-star Gerard Butler.

Washington, Aug 25 (ANI): Angelina Jolie’s late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, has left a big chunk of her estate to her three grandchildren children, who were born before she lost her cancer battle in January 2007.

The actress passed away at the age of 56, following a lengthy fight against ovarian cancer.

And Bertrand has left her estate to her Oscar-winning daughter and son, James Haven.

As executors of the estate, Jolie and Haven put the final court papers in to a Los Angeles court earlier this month.

Bertrand had left her beloved grandchildren 100,000 dollars each, but only the ones she had met before her tragic demise.

Jolie and partner Brad Pitt’s adopted kids, Maddox and Zahara, as well as their biological daughter, Shiloh, will receive a large part of their grandmother’s will.

However, adopted Pax and twins Knox and Vivienne will not receive inheritance.

Pax was adopted two months after his grandmother’s death, while the twins were born in July 2008.

Bertrand also left money to her sister, brother, and nephews, reports Contactmusic.

Her estate’s total worth was 661,000 dollars. (ANI)

London, Aug 25 (ANI): Singer Amy Winehouse has sued her former mother-in-law for selling a love letter she had written to her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil.

The note was apparently written when her former flame was jailed for assault and perverting justice.

Furious, the Grammy Award-winning singer has reportedly filed for copyright infringement, and asked for 50,000 pounds compensation.

‘Amy was furious the private letter was used to make money,’ the Sun quoted a pal as saying.

However, no date has been set for a hearing as yet.

Winehouse had married Blakein 2007, but they divorced in July this year. (ANI)

Washington, Aug 25 (ANI): Jennifer Aniston always tends to go after guys who can get her most time in the spotlight, and would never “date a normal guy”, according to a source.

People close to the actress, who was recently spotted holding hands with Gerard Butler, have revealed that she pursues only guys who can keep her as high profile as possible.

‘Jennifer won’t date a normal guy,’ Us magazine quoted a source as saying.

‘She goes after the hottest thing of the moment, what she knows will get her the most time in the spotlight,’ the insider added.

Aniston, 40, is currently filming ‘The Bounty Hunter’ with Gerard Butler, who starred in ‘The Ugly Truth’, which made 27 million dollar in its opening weekend.

Before that, 6teh ‘Friends’ star pursued Bradley Cooper, who anchored ‘The Hangover’, which has earned more than 400 million dollars worldwide since hitting theaters in June.

Jennifer has also dated John Mayer (who won five Grammys in 2009 alone), and was married to Brad Pitt—arguably the biggest star in Hollywood. (ANI)

London, Aug 25 (ANI): The stupendous success of Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is unlikely to be repeated, say insiders.

The ongoing credit crisis has hit independent film companies quite hard, as 59 such companies have wrapped up in past 18 months, while others are struggling for funds.

According to the report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers, indie companies such as Lucky 7, which made film Modigliani about the life of the Italian artist and Palm Tree UK, behind feature films Lost in Landscape and Winter Warrior, have gone bust.

The company Stormrider Films, which had scheduled to bring out ‘a British sci-fi feature film like no other ever produced in the UK’ with CGI effects, called Kaleidoscope Man, has also gone bankrupt.

Christian Colson, producer of Slumdog Millionaire, fears that the trend might ultimately leave Britain drained of creativity

‘It will be easier to get a 100m dollars film made than a really good 15m-dollar film,’ The Independent quoted him as saying.

John Woodward, chief executive of the UK Film Council, admitted that independent film companies ‘are facing something of a perfect storm’.

‘The debt which essentially financed their films is harder to secure… and the transition to digital has prompted a rise in piracy – so there’s a real strain on traditional fund raising.’

He, however, added that despite these challenges, the best projects were ‘still getting financed’.

The economic downturn has discouraged banks and high-risk investors to put in their money.

‘Investors are more risk-averse than usual, so are either looking for more genre-driven material, more established directors, or bigger name cast before they’ll invest…,’ said Andrea Calderwood, an independent film producer with Slate Films who won a BAFTA for the film The Last King of Scotland.

‘Films are also taking longer to come together – either because the top talent is not available, or because financiers are taking longer to make decisions,’ Calderwood added.

The PwC report stated that while big studio blockbusters were drawing huge audiences to cinema multiplexes, indie films were deteriorating.

It said: ‘The recession has sent hoards of consumers to the cinema and therefore large scale, expensive films such as Harry Potter remain in production and eagerly awaited. However, due to the credit crunch, sources of financing for smaller indie films have dried up – meaning many plots remain on the story board.’ (ANI)

Washington, August 25 (ANI): Brad Pitt’s manager has said that actor never tagged Tom Cruise’s ‘Valkyrie’ a “ridiculous movie”.

German magazine Stern recently reported that Pitt had slammed the historical thriller set in Nazi Germany during World War II.

But Pitt’s manager denied the story, dubbing it far off from the truth.

‘Brad has never seen VALKYRIE so this is NOT accurate,’ Us magazine quoted the manager as saying.

The film depicts the July 20, 1944 plot by German army officers of the German Resistance to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. (ANI)

Los Angeles, Aug 25 (IANS) Shiloh, who is said to be one of the most famous celebrity children in tinseltown, wants to follow footsteps of her star parents — Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt — who are encouraging her to become an actress.

Dailystar.co.uk reports that the three-year-old Shiloh told friends: “I want to do what mummy and daddy do.” The couple is now thinking of signing her up for acting classes.

“Shiloh’s a mix of the two best-looking actors in the world — she was born to be a star. Brad and Angie were worried about her interest in acting, however they vow to let their kids pursue their dreams. They’re thinking about enrolling her in a performing arts school. Shiloh is the most famous child in tinseltown and was the first baby to get a waxwork at Madame Tussaud’s — she even has a Twitter page in her honour,” said an insider.

“Brad and Angie can’t help notice how Shiloh constantly poses in the mirror,” added the source.

New Delhi, Aug 24 (ANI): Penelope Cruz has said that she does not really care if she is looking bad in a film, as long as it fits the character she is playing.

She told Britain’s The Times newspaper: ‘I am never concerned if I have to look bad. I don’t care if I look good. You do whatever is necessary to give the character what it needs. It’s important not to be selfish.

‘You get used to looking at yourself. I make sure I am a piece of clay and give whatever that character needs inside and outside. I have a physique that can change and transform.’

The ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ star dislikes actresses complaining about how they looked when they were young, reports the China Daily.

She added: ‘You always end up reading stories about actresses who say they were the ugly duckling in school. I think we have had enough of these stories.

‘I would probably say the same. We all feel that about ourselves, developing, becoming a woman. But if I read another story about another actress complaining abut the way she looked at school… please not one again!’ (ANI)

London, Aug 24 (ANI): Amy Winehouse has confessed that she wants to be reunited with Blake Fielder Civil.

She appeared at a private show with magician Dynamo in Chelmsford, during the star-studded V Festival, where she held up an ace card and broke down.

“You see this ace card right here, this one is for me and Blake. It’s our lucky card. He’s my man. We can make it. We’re so strong together,” the Mirror quoted her as saying.

However, her bodyguards stepped in to cut her short.

She said: “I’m so embarrassed, I love him though. I’ve said too much haven’t I? I’ve ruined the night.”

However, later in a concert she leapt on to the stage with Pete Doherty and kissed him on the mouth. (ANI)

London, Aug 24 (IANS) After her impromptu performance at the V Festival in Essex, troubled British singer Amy Winehouse says she is excited to go back on stage and do her “own gigs”.

Thesun.co.uk reports that Winehouse was a special guest of the band The Specials at the event and performed with them. Now she believes her recent performance was the kind of jolt she needed to get back on stage.

“It’s great to be back. I absolutely loved it out there. The fans and the atmosphere were great. It wasn’t planned at all. I just went out and did it. I want to do my own gigs now,” she said.

Winehouse is working on her much anticipated new album.

London, Aug 24 (ANI): Singer Amy Winehouse has said that she is set to make a comeback and perform her own gigs.

The troubled star made the announcement after sharing the stage with her idols ‘The Specials’ recently.

‘It’s great to be back. I absolutely loved it out there. The fans and the atmosphere were great. It wasn’t planned at all. I just went out and did it,’ the Sun quoted her as saying.

The ‘Back to Black’ singer added that she is ready for her own gigs.

She said: ‘I want to do my own gigs now.’

Meanwhile, Specials star Roddy Radiator was all praise for the singer.

He said: ‘I did a double take. I thought I was dreaming it. Amazing respect to Amy. She a great girl. So very talented. She just needs the right man looking after her.’ (ANI)

Washington, Aug 24 (ANI): The release of Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio’s new film has been postponed to next year following credit crisis.

The ‘Titanic’ star plays an escaped prisoner in ‘Shutter Island’, directed by Martin Scorsese.

The film was to hit theatres in October 09 however, Paramount Pictures have now pushed it forward to February next year (10).

‘Our 2009 slate was green-lit in a very different economic climate and as a result we must remain flexible and willing to recalibrate and adapt to a changing environment,” Contactmusic quoted Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Brad Grey as saying.

‘Leonardo DiCaprio is among the most talented actors working today, and Martin Scorsese is not just one of the world’s most significant filmmakers, but also a personal friend.

“Following a highly successful 2009, we have every confidence that Shutter Island is a great anchor to lead off our 2010 slate and the shift in date is the best decision for the film (and) the studio,’ he added.

Paramount chiefs have already paid huge sums to market their summer hits Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. (ANI)