Movies

Michael Jackson wanted to star as Jar Jar Binks in the 'Star Wars' prequels.
The legendary pop star - who passed away in June 2009, aged 50 - wanted to appear in the 1999 movie 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace', but was ultimately beaten to the part by Ahmed Best.
Ahmed explained: "That's what George [Lucas] told me.
"Me, Natalie Portman, and George's kids - we were at Wembley Arena at Michael Jackson's concert. We were taken backstage and we met Michael.
"There was Michael and Lisa Marie [Presley]. George introduced me as 'Jar Jar' and I was like, 'That's kind of weird.' Michael was like, 'Oh. OK.' I thought, 'What is going on?'
"After Michael had driven off, we all go back up to a big afterparty. I'm having a drink with George and I said, 'Why did you introduce me as Jar Jar?"
"He said, 'Well, Michael wanted to do the part but he wanted to do it in prosthetics and make-up like Thriller.' George wanted to do it in CGI."
Ahmed, 41, suspected the 'Star Wars' creator opted against casting Michael because his profile threatened to overshadow the film.
He told Vice: "My guess is ultimately Michael Jackson would have been bigger than the movie, and I don't think he wanted that."

Michael Douglas thinks selfies are "pretty annoying".
The 'Ant-Man' star has admitted he is constantly frustrated about being asked to snap photos with fans, especially when he feels his "moment of privacy" has been ruined.
He shared: "Everyone wants selfies! Or they just start snapping without asking. It's pretty annoying when you're sitting with your family and thinking it's a moment of privacy. Then you realise that three tables along, someone's already got their smartphone out.
"And everything happens so much faster these days. Sometimes you'll be lying on the beach, on holiday, and before you've even towelled yourself off there are photos of you splashing in the sea on the internet. That's just the way it is now."
And the 70-year-old star, who has son Cameron, 36, from a previous relationship, and 14-year-old son Dylan and 12-year-old daughter Carys with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, has insisted there are positives to growing up with famous parents.
He told morgenpost.de: "The positive thing about being the son of a famous father is that you learn early on how to cope with fame.
"Every time I find myself getting annoyed about not being able to go unrecognised anywhere, I remember that it's now much easier for me to bag a reservation at my favourite restaurant. It has pros and cons."

Gal Gadot accepts she can't "please them all".
The 30-year-old actress, who stars as Wonder Woman in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice', has admitted that her portrayal of the iconic character is unlikely to be universally popular.
She said: "No matter what you do, you can never please them all.
"People will always have something to say because that's the way people are. And it's okay. But for me, it's my job. It's my career. It's my art."
Gal said she hopes her performance will act as a source of inspiration, but acknowledged it will be a collaborative effort.
She told Interview magazine: "Whatever I do, I take it very seriously and I do my research and I give it my best. I just want to be able to shine and inspire people.
"And it's not just about me. It's the script and the story and the acting. I hope people are going to love it."
Earlier this month, comic book writer Grant Morrison said director Zack Snyder's version of Wonder Woman betrays the character's roots.
Grant said he didn't want his 'Wonder Woman: Earth One' graphic novel to do the "warrior woman thing" with the character, like the Snyder-directed 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' movie appears set to.
He said: "I can understand why they're doing it, I get all that, but that's not what [Wonder Woman creator] William Marston wanted, that's not what he wanted at all!
"You see the latest shots of Gal Gadot in the costume, and it's all sword and shield and her snarling at the camera. Marston's Diana was a doctor, a healer, a scientist.
"So I went back to those roots and just built it up again."

Jake Gyllenhaal slept for 14 hours after finishing 'Southpaw'.
The 34-year-old actor - who stars as Billy 'The Great' Hope, the reigning junior middleweight boxing champion, in the new movie - has revealed how the energy-sapping role caused him to feel physically and mentally exhausted.
Jake recalled: "It was 5am in New York City when we wrapped.
"We'd shot way into the night and I still had my prosthetics on. Usually they are carefully removed, but this time I literally ripped them off, like Arnold Schwarzenegger tearing his face off in 'Total Recall'.
"I then went home and fell asleep for 14 hours, the first time I've done that since I was 16 years old."
Jake underwent an intense fitness regime for the role, which included doing 2,000 press-ups a day and a five-mile run, and admitted he was worried he wouldn't look convincing in the ring.
He told the Independent newspaper: "I had five months to learn, and I know that it takes me a long time to learn a skill, and also to come across like I've been doing it since I was six years old.
"Therefore, I decided to train twice a day so it would give me an advantage, and it would seem like 10 months of training. It's difficult for me to use words like hard or miserable when I'm talking about a movie where really I feel grateful for the opportunity."

LeBron James could star in 'Space Jam 2'.
The basketball superstar - who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA - has frequently been linked to a starring role in a follow-up to the 1996 film starring basketball legend Michael Jordan, and the prospect has moved a significant step closer after he reached an agreement with Warner Bros. that includes television, film and original digital content.
Kevin Tsujihara - Warner Bros. Chairman - said: "LeBron James has one of the most powerful, well-known brands in the world and we are excited to be in business with him and his partner, Maverick Carter, and SpringHill Entertainment.
"The combination of LeBron's global media presence and Warner Bros.' unmatched production and distribution expertise is a big win for fans everywhere."
Meanwhile, LeBron, 30, said he was looking forward to "connecting with my fans" through a new medium.
The NBA star explained he's focused on "connecting with people of all ages and providing unique content they can all enjoy".
The original 'Space Jam' movie - which also featured Danny DeVito and Bill Murray - is the highest-grossing basketball movie of all time.

Henry Cavill has hinted he may star in 'Fifty Shades Darker'.
The 'Man of Steel' hunk is believed to have secured the part of leading lady Anastasia Steele's boss, Jack Hyde, and while nothing has been confirmed by the movie's producers, Henry hasn't shut down the hearsay.
Asked if there is any truth in him playing a part in 'Fifty Shades Darker' - alongside Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson - he told E! News: "Basically what I can say is I can't say anything about it right now."
Meanwhile, 'Fifty Shades' author E.L. James confirmed recently she has written a new romance novel and is halfway through another.
The best-selling author revealed she's working on some new love-inspired material, but doesn't know when it'll be published.
During a Twitter Q&A with fans, the 52-year-old writer was asked if she plans to pen another novel, to which she replied: "I've written a new book and am halfway through another. Both romances. Not sure when I will finish them."
However, the acclaimed author declined the chance to reveal any further details about her much-anticipated new release.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is to reunite with 'San Andreas' director Brad Peyton on a new movie based on the videogame 'Rampage'.
The action movie - which also stars Alexandra Daddario - is among the surprise hits of the year and according to Deadline, the duo are set to collaborate once more having also worked together on the 2012 hit 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island'.
Brad, 37, will direct and Dwayne will take on the leading role in the movie based on the 1986 videogame, which allowed players to control one of three monsters, who destroyed buildings and generally created havoc.
Meanwhile, Dwayne recently credited his "solid" home life for helping him make a successful transition from being a wrestler to an actor.
The 'San Andreas' star paid tribute to long-time girlfriend Lauren Hashian and his teenage daughter Simone, explaining: "When I first came into acting, I had great opportunities to make a decent movie. I had a run there in 2005, '06, '07 - for a long time it was 'Oh, he's the best thing in the movie that's not that good.'
"I started questioning: Did I make the right choice? Should I have stayed in wrestling a bit longer? And then budgets became lower and lower and the pay kinda stayed the same and there wasn't a lot of growth."

Channing Tatum got his "biggest break" in 'Step Up'.
The 'Magic Mike XXL' star has admitted he never thought of himself as a dancer before taking on the leading role in the 2006 film.
He shared: "I got my biggest break in 'Step Up'. I never had any training, I never looked at myself as a dancer. I didn't know how to count music before that movie.
"I was tired of being the tall skinny white kid who didn't know how to dance. I've always loved movement. I used to watch breakdancing and I'd just mimic it."
The 35-year-old star also revealed he used to take on roles which he thought he could do better than anyone else but has since lightened up on that a little, going for challenging roles too.
He told 48 Hours magazine: "Early in my career, I looked for characters that I thought I could do - much less do well. It was, 'All right, what can I do so well, better than anyone else?'
"But I've moved beyond that. I've learned a lot about storytelling; that you can't be in a good movie without a good story. Even if this character is cool, or good, why is this story being told? That's where I begin. I'm not doing a one-man show, where your character is the show. Ultimately, it's the story that people are going to go and see."

Amanda Seyfried would love to play Taylor Swift in a movie.
The 29-year-old actress - whose previous film credits include 'Mean Girls' and most recently, 'Ted 2' - has revealed she would relish the opportunity to star as the pop superstar in a feature film, but doubts she would get the part.
Asked if she would like to embody any specific woman, Amanda replied: "Taylor Swift ... but I don't think I would."
The American actress revealed she has a desire to move into making biographical movies, having already tried her hand at various different genres.
She told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo: "I've tried pretty much everything, to be honest. But if I had to choose something it'll be biographies.
"I like movies about real people because they are the hardest ones. They require a deeper personal search than the ones done when playing a fiction character.
"You are conscious that you are playing someone who has existed or is even alive and that makes you step up your game."
And Amanda revealed she is eager to challenge herself as an actress.
She said: "I like to challenge myself and constantly try new things. Let's just say I self impose challenges on myself to conquer my own insecurities. The roles that intimidate me the most are later the ones that leave me most marked."