Ballet is clearly the next big Hollywood trend. Okay, so two films about it don’t really count as a trend, but with Black Swan getting ready to take first position in cinemas, a very different sort of hoofing pic is hoping for a second chance, with Kristen Bell signing on to indie comedy Dance of the Mirlitons.

Dance focuses on a slightly overweight but ambitious and plucky young ballerina who must find her way through a highly competitive school for dancers where bitchiness is at a premium and looks are everything. She’s not helped by her obsessive and overly driven mother (Bell).

The script has had an rollercoaster of a journey so far: birthed from writer (and now director) Evan Greenberg’s NYU short film script, it became a hot property when it landed on the 2005 “Blacklist” of the best unproduced scripts, alongside such famous titles as Juno and Lars and the Real Girl. But while Warner Independent snapped it up, it sank into the mire once that company fell apart.

Now Greenberg has struggled for years to grab the rights back, hooked up with a couple of producers and is kicking off a search for an unknown actress to play the central girl. "I hope that one day people will talk about how it was one of those movie that came together, fell apart, came together again,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The best projects are the ones that take the most elbow grease to get made." Hope he has his fingers crossed…

Mere hours ago, we told you about an exclusive nugget of X-Men: First Class casting, with Jason Flemyng revealing his role in the film during Movie-Con, and now there’s word on yet another person joining the already full-to-bursting ensemble: Rose Byrne.

At least, she’s in negotiations, which is usually Holly-speak for “she’s got the part and is just working out her deal.” Provided everything is locked in, she’ll play Moira McTaggert, a Scots scientist and genetic expert who becomes involved with Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) in more ways than one during the founding years of his academy and helps with some of the young mutants.

Already aboard for director Matthew Vaughn are McAvoy, Flemyng, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult and Alice Eve.

While she’s been earning plenty of kudos for her role on the TV show Damages, Byrne also managed to bring the funny for Get Him To The Greek and is also busy on Kristin Wiig’s comedy Bridesmaids.

First Class should be shooting by the end of the month.

U.S. actress Jennifer Aniston gently poked back at right-wing Fox commentator Bill O'Reilly, who raked her for remarks about single mothers, Parade reported.

In "The Switch," Aniston plays a woman who uses a sperm donor to conceive. While promoting the movie, Aniston said a woman's ability to have a child didn't necessarily include a man in her life. "Women are realizing it more and more, knowing that they don't have to settle with a man just to have that child," she told reporters this week. "Love is love and family is what is around you and who is in your immediate sphere."

On his Fox show, "The O'Reilly Factor," O'Reilly ripped the actress, saying Aniston was sending the wrong signal to children: "She's throwing a message out to 12-year-olds and 13-year-olds that, 'Hey you don't need a guy. You don't need a dad. That is destructive to our society."

Aniston responded with humor, telling People magazine, "Of course, the ideal scenario for parenting is obviously two parents of a mature age. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on earth. And, of course, many women dream of finding Prince Charming (with fatherly instincts), but for those who've not yet found their Bill O'Reilly, I'm just glad science has provided a few other options."]]> Gossip Jennifer Aniston http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/15/jennifer-aniston-pokes-fun-at-bill-oreilly/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/14/sheryl-crow-on-motherhood-and-life--post-lance-armstrong/ Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:10:51 +0200

Julia Roberts doesn't have a prayer against Sylvester Stallone at the weekend box office in North America.

Sylvester's all-star mercenary thriller "The Expendables" will outmuscle Roberts' "Eat Pray Love" as well as fellow newcomer "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," giving the venerable action hero one of the biggest openings of his career.

The ensemble actioner -- also featuring Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke and Dolph Lundgren -- is expected to fetch upward of $30 million through Sunday.

"The interest level with our core audience of male moviegoers is extremely high," said David Spitz, president of distribution at Lionsgate, which is handling the U.S. release. "So we have a real shot at having a very solid weekend."

The film, which Stallone also directed and co-wrote, was produced by Avi Lerner's Nu Image/Millennium for more than $85 million. Lionsgate paid almost $20 million for distribution rights in the U.S. and the U.K., where it opens next Thursday. Maple Releasing will handle the picture in Canada this weekend.

"The Expendables" revolves around a group of mercenaries hired to overthrow a South American dictator. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger make cameos, while Mexican actress Giselle Itie is the lone female co-star.

Stallone was last in theaters in January 2008 with "Rambo," which opened to $18.2 million. His best opening, unadjusted for inflation, was the $33.4 million start for "Spy Kids 3D: Game Over" in 2003.

"Eat Pray Love," Columbia's adaptation of writer Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir about a woman's post-divorce global journey toward self-discovery, is "definitely going to enthrall the ladies," said Rory Bruer, the studio's president of worldwide distribution.

Prerelease tracking suggests a bow between such previous female-targeted films as "Julie & Julia" ($20 million last August) and "Mamma Mia!" ($27.8 million in July 2008).

Production costs on "Love" are estimated at about $60 million. Co-starring Billy Crudup, Viola Davis and James Franco, the film was directed by "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy.

The comic-book adaptation "Scott Pilgrim," which also cost about $60 million, should travel well into the teen millions through Sunday.

Michael Cera stars as the title character, who must defeat his new girlfriend's seven former lovers in a battle for her affections. Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Make It Happen") plays the girlfriend. Edgar Wright ("Hot Fuzz") directed the Universal release.

"It's genre-bending and just so unique that it really plays to that Comic-Con crowd," Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco said. "But because it's so unique, it is really hard to get a handle on exactly what it's going to do."

Limited openers set for Friday include Sony Pictures Classics' Australian crime drama "Animal Kingdom," which comes out in two theaters in New York and two in L.A.

]]> Gossip Julia Roberts Mary Elizabeth Winstead http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/the-expendables-eyes-brawny-box-office-debut/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/paris-hilton-to-vigorously-defend-bad-hair-day/ Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:26:05 +0200

Many people have bad hair days, but one that cost $35 million? Not even Paris Hilton could do that -- at least, that's what she says.

Lawyers for the hotel heiress and socialite on Thursday said they "will pursue all of our defenses vigorously and any potential counter claims" against a company that sued Hilton for $35 million claiming she broke a contract to wear its hair extensions.

One day earlier, Beverly Hills-based Hairtech International Inc filed its suit alleging Hilton, a member of the family that founded the hotel chain bearing her name, broke a contract in 2008 when she wore a rival company's extensions.

Hairtech also blamed Hilton for missing a product launch party in 2007 because she was in jail, and said her failure to appear cost the company $6.6 million, according to reports.

Hairtech declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The suit caused headlines around the world as the media seized upon it as a way to tease the wealthy heiress who has acted on TV and in movies, and endorsed products ranging from jewelry to apparel, cosmetics, perfume and hair products.

Hilton's personal life has long been fodder for the tabloid press, and she has had her share of troubles with the law, including a reckless driving arrest and probation violation.

More recently, she has adopted a lower public profile, although she remains a staple on red carpets around the world and is active as a celebrity endorser. Just this week, she was out in Hollywood promoting her new perfume, Tease.

(Reporting by Carolina Madrid; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

]]> Gossip Paris Hilton http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/paris-hilton-to-vigorously-defend-bad-hair-day/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/lindsay-lohan-could-see-early-release-from-rehab/ Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:56:06 +0200

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan, fresh out of jail on charges of violating her probation, may be released early from a court-ordered stint in drug and alcohol rehabilitation, a prosecutor said on Thursday.

Danette Meyers, who recently prosecuted Lohan for violating probation on drunken driving charges, told celebrity news website RadarOnline.com that the "Mean Girls" star may be able to avoid her full 90-day sentence in rehab.

"My understanding from conversations with Shawn Chapman Holley (Lohan's attorney) is that Miss Lohan could be released early from the treatment facility," Meyers told RadarOnline.com. "It is looking as if that (early release) is what the health care professionals are going to recommend."

Meyers said she was unsure exactly when Lohan might get out and that a release date would depend on recommendations from people treating the actress. The prosecutor further said that Lohan may have to undergo "follow up treatment."

Lohan, 24, rose to fame in Disney movies like "Freaky Friday," but began to see her career fall apart as Hollywood's nightlife caught up with her. In 2007, she was arrested for drunken driving and cocaine possession and served 84 minutes in jail along with being put on probation.

In July, a California judge sentenced Lohan to 90 days in jail and another 90 days in rehab for missing alcohol education classes imposed as part of her probation on the 2007 charges.

Her prison sentence was cut to 13 days due to overcrowding and on August 2, she left a jail to enter rehab at a facility at the University of California Los Angeles, where she is currently.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

]]> Gossip Lindsay Lohan http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/lindsay-lohan-could-see-early-release-from-rehab/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/13/kim-kardashian--miles-austin-definitely-dating-taking-things-slow/ Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:26:09 +0200

Jamie Bell has locked in his next film, signing on to star alongside Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton in Retreat.

Writer Carl Tibbets is hoisting the megaphone as a first-time director for the movie, which sees a couple (Murphy and Newton) trying to solve their marriage woes by heading to a remote island.

Trouble washes up in the form of a soldier (Bell), who arrives on the beach wearing a biohazard suit and carrying a dire warning about an airborne virus that has wiped out most of Europe and, possibly, the world. The twist, however, is they only have his word on the matter and it’s the start of a weird psychological drama between the three.

While shooting starts next month in Wales, we wonder just what this mean for David Tennant. He was mentioned as attached in earlier reports about the film (and is still listed on the IMDB page, which, sadly, means nothing until the movie’s shooting), but there’s now no mention of him. Fingers crossed he might actually play a part, because he’s had a hell of a time with projects being cancelled or schedules making him miss the chance to appear in movies like Burke and Hare.

Forget social misfit: Lea Michele may actually be "Most Likely to Succeed" on Emmy night for her turn as Rachel Berry on Fox's musical comedy sensation "Glee."

Michele recently dished about shifting from Broadway to television comedienne, her inner Gleek and fantasies about Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

BEFORE "GLEE," YOU WERE A FIXTURE ON BROADWAY. DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD MAKE THE SHIFT TO A TELEVISION COMEDY SERIES?

Michele: I never thought I would be a comedic actor. In all of my shows on Broadway I played the most gut-wrenching, depressing roles. But I did watch a lot of "Saturday Night Live" as a kid. I would pretend I was Gilda Radner and re-enact "Roseanne Roseannadanna." Growing up, my mother would say that I was the daughter of Jim Carrey and Natalie Wood. I had this serious maturity about me, but had this insanely kooky side, too.

DESCRIBE RACHEL BERRY IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND HOW SHE'S DEVELOPED OVER THE SEASON.

Michele: Rachel was me when I was younger and working in musical theater. I was very determined and I did a great show every single night. I never missed a performance. Since then, I've mellowed out, but there is a part of me that's very Rachel Berry. She is so different now than when we started. Initially, she was very "Pretty in Pink": making her own clothes, and wearing tons of necklaces with big theatrical makeup. We were figuring out who she was and we realized her personality was enough. She didn't need the gloves and pearls.

MATTHEW MORRISON EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT HOW THE SERIES WILL ADAPT, AS THE STUDENTS GET OLDER. HOW DO YOU THINK THE SHOW WILL HANDLE IT?

Michele: There is definitely a way to drag it on. We've been working on the show for two years and we're just finishing Season 1! I don't think Ryan Murphy would ever keep it going if it didn't have life. I'm not going to be able to play a high school student forever and Cory (Monteith, who plays Finn) is like 50 years old, but there are so many unknown talented kids people could relate to.

"GLEE" IS SCHEDULED TO AIR IN THE COVETED POST-SUPER BOWL TIME SLOT. WHOSE MUSIC ARE YOU HOPING THE EPISODE WILL CELEBRATE?

Michele: I think they are saving Justin Timberlake for the Super Bowl episode. They have to be, because he is so perfect for our show. He has to be on it! When I met Jessica Biel, like a loser, I asked her to tell Justin to come on our show! She was a little taken aback and said, "Um, OK. I'll tell him." If not Justin, I would hope it would be the sequel to the Madonna episode. She has so many more amazing songs we didn't even touch.

IT WAS CONFIRMED THIS WEEK THAT BRITNEY SPEARS WILL BE ON THE SHOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIDER DETAILS TO SHARE?

Michele: The Britney episode is going to be even bigger than Lady Gaga. Ryan is directing it and any episode that he directs, fans will love. The Britney episode is really Heather Morris' episode, who plays Brittany. Heather and Naya (Rivera, who plays Santana) will be doing a lot more this season and Harry Shum, who plays Mike Chang, is going to have a bigger part, too.

WHAT SONG DO YOU HOPE "GLEE" NEVER ATTEMPTS TO RE-CREATE?

Michele: If I say what I don't want to do, Ryan will make sure I do it! My problem is that songs get stuck in my head. By the time we finish, it could take us 50 takes to get one song on film. I recently did another Gaga song -- I can't say which one -- and it's a hard song to sing because it's really fast. It was literally stuck in my head for days! I probably wouldn't want to sing anything I liked when I was 12 years old -- like the Spice Girls or Hanson. Although, "MMMBop" will probably pop up at some point in a bad '90s episode.

]]> Britney Spears Gossip Jessica Biel Lady Gaga Lea Michele http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/12/lea-michele-has-justin-timberlake-on-her-mind/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/12/judge-removes-herself-from-lindsay-lohan-case/ Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:11:17 +0200

The judge who sent Lindsay Lohan to jail has removed herself from the troubled young actress's drunken driving probation proceedings, following complaints she had improper conversations about the case.

Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel "was having calls and discussions with people on the case and we were not present," said Jane Robison of the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.

Robison said on Wednesday that Lohan's case will now be overseen by Judge Elden Fox, although there are no new court hearings.

Lohan, 24, is currently in a 90-day drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at the University of California, Los Angeles after having served 13 days behind bars for violating her probation in a pair of drunken driving cases.

Among the improper contacts Revel had with people in the case were discussions over where Lohan would attend rehab.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

]]> Gossip Lindsay Lohan http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/12/judge-removes-herself-from-lindsay-lohan-case/ http://www.celebspice.com/2010/08/12/ryan-murphy-has-the-normal-heart/ Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:56:21 +0200

Despite the fact that Eat Pray Love director Ryan Murphy and star Julia Roberts had such a fine time making that movie they’ve decided to find another project to work on, Murphy has already found a new film to squeeze into his hiatus from running Glee next year – he’ll direct The Normal Heart, with Mark Ruffalo starring.

"I'm directing it from Larry Kramer's beautiful script and we're going to shoot that in June of next year," he told MTV. "I think it's an important story and I think Mark Ruffalo is just beyond brilliant so I'm very excited to be directing him."

Kramer adapted the script from his own semi-autobiographical play about the rise of HIV/AIDS in New York in the early 1980s and how writer/activist Ned Weeks (who Ruffalo will play) throws himself into the struggle to get the disease seen as something other than the “gay cancer” many perceived it as at the time. His outspoken views bring him into conflict with his friends and loved ones.

As for Murphy, don’t expect him to be heading off to Oz any time soon, though – while he was one of the directors mentioned as possibly making the film version of blockbuster musical Wicked, he’s not necessarily in the running. Yet. "I think that show is about empowerment, which is what Glee and Eat Pray Love are about, so it would be an honour to be asked to direct the adaptation." Doubt he’ll have time!