30th August, 2008
Heath Ledger’s apartment available now for $26,000 a month
Home in which The Dark Knight star died available for $26,000 a month
Estate agents have been accused of cashing in on Heath Ledger’s tragic death by hiking up the price of his New York apartment.
The Dark Knight star died in the rented Soho flat after taking an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
The three-bedroom home is being advertised for ,000 (£13,000) a month – said to be ,000 more than its previous price.
‘You don't wait around in a hot rental market like this,’ an estate agent tells the New York Post.
‘As ghoulish as it sounds, people will rent that place in a heartbeat.’
Heath, who was 28 when he died, left behind a daughter Matilda, 3 next month
Tags: death, drugs, heath ledger, hollywood, new york, overdosePosted at 12:20 pm | Comment (0)
26th August, 2008
Remembering: Aaliyah is still one in a million
I turn on MTV and see Rihanna’s new video, “Disturbia.”
Its dark edginess has it at the top of the charts, and she reminds me of another pop star — Aaliyah. She had that same sweet but mysterious thing working for her, too.
Aaliyah should be my age. She should be releasing a new album. She should be here. But she’s not. Aaliyah died in a plane crash — Aug. 25, 2001, forever 22 years old.
And sometimes it feels like she’s been forgotten. It seems as though she was just famous enough to make headlines but not a big enough Hollywood star to be remembered after a year or two passed by.
I didn’t know her, but sometimes I miss her. She always came around at the perfect time, with just the right summer song.
When she died, I cried until my eyes were dry and sore. I was confused by my grief. I mean, really. Crying over a singer? But it felt like I’d lost a friend.
I know I’m not alone in this. Even though we don’t personally know them, entertainers connect with us through their work. And when they die, especially unexpectedly, we cry. Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, Tupac Shakur — each had his following, and each his mourners.
Through her music, I felt Aaliyah was singing the songs of my teenage years, tearing pages out of my lovesick diary. Turn me inside out/Make my heart speak/Don’t want no one else/You are all I need.
Her beats were bass-heavy, hard enough for guys to like. But Aaliyah’s love-laced lyrics represented for the ladies. She truly represented a marriage between hip-hop and R&B.
I’ve read Internet blogs that dis and doubt Aaliyah’s accomplishments. Some were confused when Fader gave her the coveted cover of the magazine’s icon issue earlier this year. She’d been discounted as one of R. Kelly’s young girls, a mediocre star with only posthumous success. Sure, she was no Madonna or Janet Jackson, but she does qualify as a young icon. Her influence and inspiration permeate today’s pop music and culture.
Long before it was the norm for R&B pop stars to close deals with clothing lines and cosmetics brands, Aaliyah was modeling for Tommy Hilfiger. Before her death, she was supposed to star in the “Matrix” sequels.
Timbaland, the acclaimed producer partly responsible for the mega-stardom of Justin Timberlake, worked with Aaliyah first. He called her his muse. Fans of Aaliyah quickly became admirers of Justin.
Pop tarts such as Ciara and Cassie not only borrow from Aaliyah’s fluid dance moves, but they use her modest and sexy style, too. Aaliyah never showed too much. Her style was half-tomboy, half-girly.
I see a lot of pop stars who have borrowed from her street-sweet style. I wonder where she would have taken her music, how much she would have grown by now.
We will never know, but we can still be comforted by her music — three albums and a dozen or so random singles.
That’s the awesome thing about celebrities: They have a never-ending lifeline through their movies, music and interviews. I can put on an old album such as “One in a Million” and still get lost in Aaliyah’s breathy, sugary voice.
In a way, I can just press “play,” and she becomes again unforgettable. At least to me.
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IVideoNews Network: Entertainment
Posted at 7:08 pm | Comment (0)
20th August, 2008
Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Jude Law donates money to Heath Ledger’s daughter
Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law have donated their earnings from new movie 'The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus' to Heath Ledger's daughter Matilda.
The actors - who replaced Heath following his death from an accidental prescription drugs overdose in January - wanted to give their money to Heath's two-year-old child with actress Michelle Williams to ensure she has a secure future.
The movie's director Terry Gilliam said: "The three actors were totally heroic coming in. This doesn't happen very often - where there's a tragedy like this, and very famous, very successful actors suddenly say, 'OK, we'll do whatever it takes to help.'
"They came, they did the work, they allowed the movie to be finished, they didn't take money - the money goes to Heath's daughter. That's extraordinary!
"I am so glad these guys are so humble. That's why they make a great addition to the film. It will be bittersweet seeing this movie knowing he was filming it only days before he died. This picture still hurts to see because as we all know he did die a couple of days after this picture was taken. My thoughts will always be with Heath."
Johnny, Colin and Jude will all play Heath's character Tony as he is transported into three separate dimensions, which he accesses via a paranormal mirror belonging to a travelling theatre troupe.
Photo
IVideo News Network: Entertainment Tags: colin farrell, death, drugs, heath ledger, johnny depp, jude law, overdose, style
Posted at 7:19 am | Comment (0)
7th August, 2008
Michael Caine in protective custody to avoid Batman curse
Actor Michael Caine is in an undisclosed location in protective custody, fearing he will be the next victim of the so-called Batman curse. First there was the tragic death of Heath Ledger. Then Christian Bale was involved in an assault. That was followed by Morgan Freeman's car crash and divorce. And last night, Maggie Gyllenhaal was booked on "Last Call with Carson Daly."
Caine, who plays Alfred the Butler in "The Dark Knight" is taking no chances. A security team consisting of 50 people now have the actor in protective custody. Caine is reportedly encased in a bubble-like, bullet-proof device to keep him completely safe. Caine is hoping the curse will dissipate soon as he's already agreed to appear in 68 movies this year.
Tags: batman, christian bale, curse, death, divorce, heath ledger, hollywood, maggie gyllenhaal, michael caine, morgan freeman, photos, style
Posted at 12:10 am | Comment (0)