Tag Archives: Tuesday June

Nora Ephron Didn’t Feel Limited By Romantic Comedies

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No matter how it happens, when or where, it is always sad to hear of the passing of a celebrated, talented and respected public figure like Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, director and playwright Nora Ephron, who died of pneumonia at age 71 on Tuesday (June 26).

Ephron is best known for writing and/or directing some of Hollywood’s most famous and successful romantic comedies like “When Harry Met Sally … ,” “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail.” Her final film as writer and director was 2009′s “Julie Julia,” and during the promotion for that film, which starred Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, Ephron revealed to MTV News that although she was happy to be known for her romantic comedies, she also dabbled in a few politically charged subjects that had yet to be made into feature films.

“You should see my closet, it’s full of political scripts,” Ephron revealed, adding that while she’d love to see one of her many political scripts turned into a film, she wasn’t holding out hope that Hollywood would let her take a turn from romantic comedies to political dramedies.

“Forget it,” Ephron said of wanting to direct one of her political scripts. “I mean yes, but the [movies] you get made are not necessarily all the things you write.”

When asked if she felt at all limited by being most well-known for her expertise in the rom-com genre, Ephron said she felt nothing but gratitude for how much her successful romantic comedies have done in providing her with the freedom to explore other unrelated subjects.

“I’m not complaining about any box that I’m in, because I can write whatever I want,” Ephron said with sincerity. “Fortunately, I’m not just in the movie business, so I don’t feel that the only way I can express myself is by the movies I make.”

Share your condolences for Ephron’s family and friends in the comments below.

Screenwriter Nora Ephron Dead At 71

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Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and director Nora Ephron died Tuesday (June 26) from pneumonia. She was 71.
News of Ephron’s passing first hit the Internet late Tuesday when journalist Liz Smith, a friend of Ephron’s, published a column remembering the late director.

“She never gave the answer I expected to anything. She was grave in her humor, which made it deadly, unexpected, truly funny and dauntingly intelligent,” wrote Smith. “She seemed never to want or expect anything, while always demanding the best from the rest of us. She was — always — right and somehow left the smartest, most ambitious and silliest of us in the dust at her feet.”

Ephron lived a storied life both on set and behind the scenes. Born in New York City in 1941 and raised in Beverly Hills, California, Ephron worked as a journalist for numerous years before trying her hand writing and directing for film. Her writing appeared in such outlets as Esquire and New York, and she was even married to Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame from 1976 until 1980. She later wed screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi in 1987; they remained married until the time of her death.

In 1983, Ephron’s first major Hollywood movie, “Silkwood,” arrived in theaters. Starring marquee names including Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell and Cher, Ephron’s “Silkwood” was based on the true story of Karen Silkwood, who was killed in a suspicious accident during her investigation into the unethical practices of the nuclear power plant that employed her. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including one for Ephron’s screenplay.

Over the course of her career, Ephron cemented her place in Hollywood as one of the industry’s finest romantic comedy writers. She wrote the iconic “When Harry Met Sally … ” and directed numerous films, including the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan-starring “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail.” Her final film as writer and director was “Julie Julia.”

“I won’t say, ‘Rest in peace, Nora,’ ” Smith wrote in her eulogy of Ephron. “I will just ask, ‘What the hell will we do without you?’ “

Share your condolences for Ephron’s family and friends in the comments.

Screenwriter Nora Ephron Is ‘Gravely Ill’

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Nora Ephron, the writer of iconic romantic comedies “When Harry Met Sally … ” and “Sleepless in Seattle” among other hit films, is reportedly “gravely ill” and “not expected to make it through the night.”

TMZ reports that family members are currently telling close friends of the writer/director “there is little hope that [Ephron] will recover from her current condition.” The nature of her illness is not currently known, though it’s been reported that Ephron is suffering from leukemia.

Word of Ephron’s condition first hit the Internet on Tuesday (June 26) by way of an article published by journalist Liz Smith, a close friend of the legendary Hollywood screenwriter. In the column, Smith writes about Ephron as though she has already passed away, praising her friend’s “grave” and “unexpected” humor.

“She never gave the answer I expected to anything. She was grave in her humor, which made it deadly, unexpected, truly funny and dauntingly intelligent,” wrote Smith. “She seemed never to want or expect anything, while always demanding the best from the rest of us. She was — always — right and somehow left the smartest, most ambitious and silliest of us in the dust at her feet.”

Shortly after publication of Smith’s column, Ephron’s former close friend Margo Howard wrote on Twitter: “A very accomplished writer died. Nora Ephron, from cancer.”

Ephron’s publisher Knopf later told The New York Times that Ephron is “still alive,” according to a tweet from Times writer Julie Bosman. Knopf rep Elizabeth Lindsay said as much in a statement to the Atlantic Wire: “It’s pretty critical. She’s not doing well, but she’s certainly alive … The report she has passed away is not correct.”

Stay tuned to MTV News for further updates on Ephron’s condition.

Nicki Minaj Recruits 2 Chainz For Her Pink Friday Tour

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When 2 Chainz and YMCMB hook up, good things are bound to happen. With only two more dates left on Drake‘s Club Paradise run, it was announced on Tuesday (June 19) that Drizzy’s tourmate, 2 Chainz, will be joining Nicki Minaj on the North American leg of her Pink Friday Tour.

The two first hooked up on Nicki’s “Beez in the Trap” single earlier this year, but their relationship actually dates back to around 2008, when the both were on the road with Lil Wayne. “I’ve known Nicki for a minute; I met her on the I Am Music Tour, the first leg with Wayne,” 2 Chainz told MTV News in April. “It was cool, we had a great relationship, we used to talk, trip out here and there.”

“He’s an amazing dude, very hard worker,” Nicki told us in April.

Their camaraderie was evident in the “Beez in the Trap” video as Minaj shared a dance with the Atlanta MC. Nicki has been known to give lap dances to guests during her shows, so don’t be surprised if she and Tity Boi share a special moment or two when they hit the road in Chicago on July 16.

The news comes a day after 2 Chainz and Drake dropped their video for “No Lie.” The rising single is the first off his upcoming solo debut Based on a T.R.U. Story, which is slated to drop on August 14, two days after he and Nicki wrap up their last scheduled date in Vancouver, B.C.

Are you planning to catch Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz on tour this summer? Let us know in the comments!

Justin Bieber Is A ‘True G,’ Big Sean Proclaims

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When Justin Bieber enlisted Big Sean for his Believe track “As Long As You Love Me,” the 24-year-old MC didn’t clean up his NSFW act. Instead, Sean found a new way to express his more mature lyrics to the Bieber crowd.

“Bieber’s a true G. People may not know that,” Big Sean said recently. “Nah, but he is a good dude, man. And I ain’t toning down nothing — I’m diverse, I can write raps to any type of song.”

Sean also revealed to MTV News that on the same day he was recruited to work with the pop star, the rapper got a call from another artist — one who exists on the polar opposite end of the musical spectrum — also wanting to work with him.

“It’s crazy! I got a call from Gucci Mane the same day I got a call from Bieber and his people to do two different projects,” Big Sean recalled. “It’s tight that I can be a person that’s so diverse that I can do both of those and it’s not reaching. I’m still me … and I didn’t compromise anything for Bieber. You know, I just didn’t curse, which is easy. I don’t have to curse every day.”

Of course, the Bieber/Sean collaboration is definitely more in Justin territory thanks to a pulsing dance beat, courtesy of producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. The pair go back and forth about that special girl over some fist-pumping beats.

But Sean is hardly the only rapper who’s giving Believe the co-sign: Drake, Ludacris and Nicki Minaj all make cameos on the release, out on Tuesday (June 19). When we spoke to Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, he told us the singer worked hard to make sure the cameos fit perfectly.

“[Justin] and I are both very competitive, and he’d always look at me and go, ‘This is the make-it-or-break-it album, and you got to push me. You got to tell me if I’m not good enough, and I might argue’ … so I really, really pushed him, and we took this album really seriously,” Braun said. (Bieber will talk all about the making of the album tonight on “Bieber Live,” set to air at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on MTV!)

“But I also had to give it room to grow,” he added. “Sometimes I’d put him in writing sessions for two weeks, and we’d get one song out of it, and it was just because he had to find that place for himself and that music. And as the process went on, he really started hitting his stride. … And I think everyone has a different favorite, but the one common thread is you don’t dislike any songs.”

Don’t miss “Bieber Live” tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on MTV!

Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music Crew To Perform At BET Awards

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Good things come to those who wait. When it was announced that both Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj would perform at the 2012 BET Awards on July 1, it was hard to imagine that BET executive Stephen Hill and his gang could pull even more star power for the Samuel L. Jackson-hosted show. But they continue to pile on: They already added Usher to the roster, and on Tuesday (June 19), Vibe.com announced that G.O.O.D. Music will make their first live television performance as a collective during the big show.

Kanye West‘s name wasn’t dropped in the report, but it is hard to imagine that Yeezy would miss out on some major camera time. ‘Ye actually leads all nominees with seven nods, including two in the Video of the Year category; he also has an upcoming label compilation, Cruel Summer, to promote.

“It’s perfect. My grandma gonna be watchin’, my mom, my family, the whole city,” Big Sean told MTV News of his excitement for the show, for which he earned a few solo nominations. “It’s just tight that I can represent those people, everybody who had that dream, everybody who used to ride to school [listening to] their idols — now I’m with them. It’s just tight that I can show people that it’s possible.”

It’s a safe bet that Sean, along with Kanye, Pusha T and G.O.O.D. affiliate 2 Chainz will all perform Cruel Summer‘s lead single, “Mercy.” But if anyone knows how to seize the moment it is West, so don’t be surprised if he opens up the stage to more of G.O.O.D.’s talented roster, which includes Kid Cudi, Common, Q-Tip and CyHi the Prynce.

“G.O.O.D. Music is the best team out there,” CyHi told MTV News earlier this month. “Lyrically, bar-for-bar, song-for-song, concept-for-concept, we are the world, we can take it to a cipher, we can take it on the record. It don’t matter ’cause we the best.”

What are you expecting from G.O.O.D. Music’s 2012 BET Awards performance? Let us know in the comments!

‘Breaking Dawn’ And ‘Dark Knight Rises’: The Trouble With Trailers

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This is the actual thing. It’s not the preview of the thing. It’s not the tease of the preview of the thing. It’s not even the glimpse of the tease of the preview of the thing. It’s the actual thing. I know — weird, right?

If you’re an insatiable consumer of media like me (and if you’re not, you’re in the wrong place. Go commune with nature, you hippie; I’m juggling an iPad, a laptop and a Blackberry with one hand!), you’re probably getting sick of the parsing out of “exclusives” during the last few months. I write the following acknowledging there’s some hypocrisy here. I (and MTV News) am after all guilty of exactly what I’m claiming to be tired of: the teaser culture. But I’m taking a stand — I hereby go on record saying I am officially sick of 10-second previews of previews. As I write this Tuesday (June 19) morning, a bunch of new trailers and teases and commercials (figuring out the appropriate terminology is a headache in and of itself) just landed on the Interwebs.

Perhaps most notable in your world is the latest from “Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ that came out Tuesday morning. Yes, Summit has released what it calls a “ten-second sneak peek of the teaser trailer” in anticipation of the actual teaser trailer for said movie, which presumably will give way to a non-teaser (er, regular?) trailer in a few months. Still with me? Now don’t get me wrong: I love seeing early imagery from films I’m anxiously awaiting, but this is not the way to do it. At least not for me. Mind you, this snippet is still worlds better than the time-honored entertainment-show tradition of showing snippets of an exclusive trailer while a breathless correspondent narrates exactly what you’re seeing. “There’s Bella! And there’s Edward!” Yeah, we see that. Thanks, Billy Bush.

Also out Tuesday morning are two examples of advertisements for upcoming flicks that definitely get things right, in my estimation. In the — let’s call it “traditional” — category, there’s the brand-new trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises,” which frankly doesn’t show a ton more than we’ve seen already. But it does package the material so artfully, with a keen sense of self-serious awesomeness (“This year a fire will rise” — yes!), that I doff my broken cowl in its favor.

And then there’s my personal obsession, the latest work from Paul Thomas Anderson, “The Master.” The second of what I’m guessing will be a series of shorts (calling these trailers doesn’t do them justice) has been released, and each is slowly but surely introducing the upcoming flick’s key figures. (Joaquin Phoenix is going to steal the film! Wait, no, I take it back — it’s Philip Seymour Hoffman‘s movie!) Make no mistake, “The Master” is the “Dark Knight Rises” for the Sight Sound-subscribing crowd this year.

Of course, this assortment of teases/ trailers/ shorts/ whatever doesn’t even get into the most interesting area of film advertising going today — let’s call it the viral short. “Prometheus” may have divided fanboys, but I think we all can agree that “Happy birthday David” was mesmerizing and creepy in all the right ways. So where is the viral video of the Cullens sitting at home watching a “True Blood” marathon? Oh, the possibilities …

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

Angelina Jolie Is ‘Maleficent’ In First Official Photo

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Say it with me now, people: Bad has never looked so good.

Disney has premiered the first look at Angelina Jolie in “Maleficent,” the long-awaited retelling of Sleeping Beauty‘s magically gifted nemesis. The movie is billed as “the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain,” one that dives into “the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora.” Our first look at Jolie as the titular sorceress comes accompanied with the news that production has officially started on “Maleficent” as of Tuesday (June 19), with a targeted 3-D release date of March 14, 2014.

That date can’t come soon enough, frankly. “Maleficent” has been years in the making already: First announced in January 2010 with Tim Burton attached as director, “Maleficent” was little more than talk in the months that followed.

“I would love to [make 'Maleficent']. It’s all new and being discussed, but I loved her when I was a little girl, she was my favorite,” Jolie told MTV News in July 2010. “And Tim [Burton]… the chance to work with him would just be extraordinary.”

When we caught up with her again almost a full year later, Jolie’s stance remained the same: “Maleficent” would be a great opportunity, but it was still “all new and being discussed.” It wasn’t until the beginning of 2012 that the project finally started gaining traction, with “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland” production designer Robert Stromberg replacing Burton as director and Jolie later confirming that “Maleficent” would be her first acting gig in two years.

Fast-forward to today and the movie is now in production, with a great first look at Jolie as Maleficent and a strong cast including Sharlto Copley and Elle Fanning lined up — not to mention a firm release date on the calendar to boot. But like Jolie did many times over the course of the project’s development, we’ll gladly repeat ourselves now: “Maleficent” can’t come soon enough.

Are you excited to see Jolie as Maleficent? Let us know in the comments below!
Check out everything we’ve got on “Maleficent.”

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

‘Breaking Dawn’ Teaser: Renesmee’s In Danger

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The Volturi are coming! The Volturi are coming! Hide your immortal babies, the Volturi are coming!

As promised, Tuesday (June 19) brought brings a brand new 10-second teaser for “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2,” the final act in the supernatural romance saga based on the novels from Stephenie Meyer. Director Bill Condon’s upcoming finale focuses heavily on the ever-evolving Cullen family, which welcomed two new members to the clan in the most recent “Twilight” movie: Bella Swan, now a vampire thanks to a life-or-death choice made by Edward, and Renesmee, the vampire/human hybrid daughter of Bella and Edward.

The “Breaking Dawn” 10-second teaser centers largely on Renesmee, even if she’s not physically in the spotlight. Edward introduces his baby girl to the rest of his family, but does so with a dark warning: “The Volturi think Renesmee is an immortal child.”

An immortal child, for those not in the know, is a human infant or toddler bitten by a vampire. Despite their young mental age, immortal children have all of the gifts bestowed upon your average vamp — super strength, super speed and more — and are nearly impossible to control. In short, they’re bad for business, and the Volturi make it their business to kill each and every one that they find.

Except Renesmee isn’t an immortal child, despite the Volturi’s beliefs. Newly minted vampire Bella says as much. “She was born, not bitten,” she says forcefully in the teaser. “She grows every single day!”

But when has reason ever really worked on the Volturi? It certainly hasn’t in this case, as the Cullen family’s pleas fall on deaf ears. By the teaser’s conclusion, Aro and his fellow Volturi have descended upon Edward and Bella, who are more than ready to fight for their daughter’s life.

Starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, “Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ hits theaters November 16. The full teaser trailer comes online Wednesday.

What do you think of the new “Breaking Dawn” 10-second teaser? Tell us in the comments section below!

Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.”

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

Justin Bieber: A Believe Cheat Sheet

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Justin Bieber is telling his fans to Believe on his spankin’ new album, out Tuesday (June 19). The release is a bona fide something-for-everyone pop album, full of fist-pumping dance tracks, sweet love ballads and swaggy-to-the-max RB ditties.

The singer began teasing the release in late 2011, and soon after, hit the studio with everyone from Kanye West to will.i.am to Taylor Swift, leaving fans wondering just what the album would end up sounding like. And while none of those tracks made the final cut, what did paints a complete picture of the 18-year-old’s current musical motives. And they are? Well, to get you dancing to bumping beats and swooning for him while he pines over potential love on slower jams.

MTV News has rounded up all the vital information to get you up to speed on today’s album release. Also, be sure to tune in on tonight for MTV‘s “Bieber Live,” where Justin will dish about his new album at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. Here is your Believe cheat sheet:

How It Came Together
When his manager, Scooter Braun, stopped by the MTV News offices last week, he revealed that it was quite a lengthy process to make the album, and one that was all-hands-on-deck for the singer and his team. Over the course of making the album, Bieber cooked up hundreds of tracks over an 8-month period.

“He and I are both very competitive, and he’d always look at me and go, ‘This is the make-it-or-break-it album, and you got to push me. You got to tell me if I’m not good enough, and I might argue’ … so I really, really pushed him, and we took this album really seriously,” Braun said. “But I also had to give room to grow. Sometimes I’d put him in writing sessions for two weeks, and we’d get one song out of it, and it was just because he had to find that place for himself and that music. And as the process went on, he really started hitting his stride. … And I think everyone has a different favorite, but the one common thread is you don’t dislike any songs.”

The Tracks
With 13 songs on the Believe standard edition and 16 on the deluxe, there was an exact science to decide what would end up making it and getting put out into the world.

“How do you narrow it down to pick?” Braun said. “You start to look at songs that fulfill a need, but keep an album flowing, so every song has to make sense, they have to fit well … Sometimes there were two songs that we loved, but they fulfilled the same purpose, [so we had to say,] ‘But this is the better of the two, so we’re gonna choose this one.’ “

Braun even dissected a bit how those songs piece together to make the complete Believe puzzle. “Songs like ‘Fall’ and these kind of love ballads that throw back to the earlier stuff … and then you have songs like ‘As Long As You Love Me,’ they’re still Justin, but it’s a growth. Songs like ‘Boyfriend,’ that shocked a lot of people, but showed growth. And then you have songs like ‘Catching Feelings,’ that’s really like an old-school Stevie Wonder type of throwback.”

The Collaborators
While Bieber hit the studio with many potential collaborators, the ones that made the album really help him shine. Ludacris once again hooked up with Bieber for club banger “All Around the World,” a definitely more mature record than their “Baby.” But, the hip-hop swag doesn’t end there. He’s got Big Sean on “As Long As You Love Me,” Drake for the very Drake-sounding “Right Here,” and finally Nicki Minaj for the four-on-the-floor party starter “Beauty and the Beat.”

The Producers
In addition to signing up A-list collaborators to work on some of the tracks on the album, Bieber also sought out the help of some of the brightest producers in the game. His mentor, Usher, gets an executive producer credit on the album, overseeing it all. But, it’s tunes that the Messengers, Max Martin, Mike Posner and Mason Levy, Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, Hit-Boy and Diplo all helped produce that truly the show the range of pop styles encapsulated on the album.

The Bottom Line
In the end, the album is for his fans. And the last song on the standard edition of the album, its title track, was written specifically with them in mind. “Then you have songs like ‘Believe,’ that’s the new voice, but he’s singing directly to the fans and telling him what he’s been through the last couple years and how they got him through it,” Braun said. “So, I think there’s something for everyone. He’s not defined by genre.”

Have you picked up Believe yet? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Don’t miss “Bieber Live” tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.