That’s what we’d like to know.

After 14 years of being together and raising two kids, no-one would have expected the Depp-Paradis fall-out. But as several sources report things are not looking good for Mr. Sparrow and his long-time girlfriend. Their relation is on the rocks, and it has been for some time now. They’re living separate lives, shuffling their kids Lily-Rose(12) and Jack(9) between them. People magazine notes that the growing separation, geographic and professional, between the two contributed to the breakup.

One of the quirkiest and acclaimed – for that matter – actors in Hollywood, Johnny Depp (42) and less successful French singer-actress, Vanessa Paradis (38), have been leading high-profile lives split between the US and France. And up until last year, this seemed to work perfectly for the couple. In December 2010, Depp explained in an interview for Extra why he and Paradis had no wedding plans:

“I never found myself needing that piece of paper. Marriage is really from soul to soul, heart to heart. You don’t need somebody to say, okay you’re married… If Vanessa wanted to get hitched, why not… But the thing is, I’d be so scared of ruining her last name. She’s got such a good last name”.

Fair enough – we respect and totally get the view. Unfortunately, for more than a year, the two haven’t been together anymore, not privately, nor publically.

Depp appeared to Cannes last year to promote the latest instalment of his movie of reference “Pirates of the Carribean”, without Paradis. He was seen flirting with girls in Hawaii and in Puerto Rico and he attended the premieres of his movies The Rum Diary and The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides alone. He also went to the 2012 Golden Globes solo, avoiding interviews.

We’re keen to see whether the plans they’ve announced for their first film together will go through. The film, “My American Lover” was presented as a biopic about French feminist philosopher Simone De Beauvoir.

For the time being, it’s sad to see that not even the couple who seemed to have a really healthy and happy relationship – a rare thing in Hollywood – is falling apart.

Here’s Depp at the 2012 Golden Globes, presenting Hugo.

ll, even though Kim and Kris insist their split wasn’t a promotional scheme, we’re also inclined to think it was just that. More over since E! very conveniently made use of their drama to promote the second season of the “Kourtney and Kim Take New York” reality show.

The show, premiering in about three weeks, on November 27, is advertised to reveal many scenes with Humphries, which may give an insight into Kim’s reasons for filing for divorce – talk about publicity timing! As Kris Jenner – Kim’s mom – told Jay Leno, Kris Humphries will not be cut out of the show, but will be a very important part of it. And this decision is due to her family’s commitment to staying real: “We decided a long time ago, when we first started doing these shows that we were going to be really just raw and not edit ourselves […] And we don’t take stuff out, as you see all the time, so I think everybody will get a really fascinating glimpse into the kids journey in New York City.”

Surely, the show’s producers wouldn’t have let such a gold mine – which includes a scene with Kim telling Kris Humphries that she wants to take a break – slip away. Here’s a very insightful promo of the show-to-come:

Kim Kardashian, 31, one of the highest-paid reality stars on the U.S. television – with earnings estimated at $6 million (in 2010) from her TV show, clothing line, perfume, jewelry and tanning cream and other product endorsements and appearances – filed for divorce from Kris Humphries, 26, on October 31st, citing “irreconcialable differences”. Since then, rumor has it, the family has split into two camps since the divorce – Kim and her mom, both considered fame-addicted, versus the rest of the family, who are really angry at her. However, whether the whole thing was staged or not, it doesn’t really matter, since they’ll all find a way to make the most of it, with the help of the eager audience at home tuning in to see the up-and-coming “revealing” episodes.

Maybach fans are not advised to watch the video below!

We’re used to seeing videos of rappers showing off their latest beauties – women or cars – as a proof of their wealth and hard-gained status, but Jay-Z and Kanye West’ s Otis video takes this rapper statement to a new level.

With the release of their joint golden & glittery album – literally! – Watch the Throne (August 8), the two rappers made it clear that their product is quite luxurious, and they also made sure everybody understood that by flashing a Maybach in their Otis video. But the Maybach wasn’t used just for showing off. Oh, no! Cutting the doors off and chopping the body down until the motorized beauty looked like something ripped out of a death race was definitely shocking. Destroying a $300k-$400k luxury car is quite a powerful statement.

The video begins with Kanye and Jay approaching the Maybach brandishing power tools. After a bunch of guys in white suits get the luxury car stripped-off, Jay and Kanye hop in and take it for a spin, circling an abandoned lot with four models packed in the back. Oh, and judging from Jay-Z’s smile – very unusual for him to show his teeth in a grin, by the way – it really looks like they had fun doing it!

Importantly enough, this much-praised video is part of a tribute paid to American soul singer-songwriter Otis Redding – hence the name of the song – and the unique Maybach destroyed in it will be auctioned for charity and all proceeds will be donated to victims of drought in East Africa.

See the video:

Lately, things have been going pretty well for America’s sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston, not only in her personal/love life, but in her acting career, as well.

Earlier this week, the Hollywood Walk of Fame Selection Committee announced its 2012 honorees, and Aniston is one of them, along with other heavy names of Hollywood, such as Kate Winslet, Scarlett Johansson, Vin Diesel, and Jennifer Lopez. Interestingly enough, she is being given a star on the famous strip of sidewalk in Los Angeles for her movie career, and not for the TV role that made her famous – Rachel Green in Friends. Nevertheless, with all her fame and constant presence in the tabloids, it’s about time she received the much sought-after distinction!

However, it was the taping of the Inside The Actors Studio interview – her first – with James Lipton, on Thursday, that made her week.

The visit to the Pace University was a real “joy” as she confessed yesterday to Access Hollywood: “It’s so nice to have a conversation about what you do as opposed to clearing up B.S. rumors about the narratives that have sort of been created around you, but just to remind yourself of your body of work and how long we’ve been here […] You’re talking with students and it’s just wonderful. It was so refreshing and to have someone reflecting back to you [about] your work and asking questions about where you came from and what sort of led you to be you who you are today as an actor. I loved it, I was very humbled.”

The interview will air early next month, but if you’re already anxious to see it, here are some spoilers – questions that Lipton generally asks, and Jen’s answers:
What turns you on? – “Generally or currently?… A great pair of shoes.”
What turns you off? – “Flats.”
What sound or noise do you love? – “A baby hysterically laughing.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? – “Attempt is a good word … interior design.”
If heaven existed, what would you like to hear God say to you at the Pearly Gates? – “Never thought I’d see you here.”

Early next month you’ll also have the chance to see her in a new movie, set for release on July 8, Horrible Bosses – also starring Jason Bateman, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey. When the Access Hoolywood reporter asked about the “sex-crazed maneater” character that she had to portray, Aniston said she loved it and was a lot of fun; she also confessed that she had no apprehension about it as “that sort of stuff just never comes across my desk, and I was thrilled… that’s in all of us, the darker side and so, it was really fun to have the opportunity”. Well, it’s great that she put that out there. Maybe we’ll have the chance to see her play some different roles in the future, other than the rom-com good girl. In real life she definitely seems like she’s going for her “darker”, sassier side at the arm of boyfriend Justin Theroux, who might have a hand in her allegedly getting a new/first tattoo.

You can access the video of the interview here, but meanwhile, check out the Horrible Bosses trailer. It’s quite hilarious! Enjoy!

First Madonna and now Rihanna? Well, Britney sure knows how to draw media attention when much needed!

Sunday night at the Billboard Music Awards, the 29-year old singer made two special appearances on the Billboard stage, although she wasn’t officially announced prior to the show. First she accompanied fellow singer Rihanna in opening this year’s Billboard Music Awards, with a racy live performance of the S&M remix; they were both wearing bondage-inspired outfits including bejeweled handcuffs, and after a bit of sexy chair choreography, some pole dancing, and a playful pillow fight, the two “sealed” their performance with a kiss. Yes, you read it right! It’s becoming a kind of a custom for the not-long-ago troubled singer. She didn’t, however, repeat the experience with Nicki Minaj, in the later performance of the two’s mash-up Super Bass/’Till the World Ends.

Talking of new-comer Minaj, immediately after RiRi and Brit Brit finished their statement performance, the hip-hop star accompanied the show’s host in a sort-of-engaging musical number. And the host was none-other than… Ken Jeong – you might know him for his hilarious appearances in Knocked-Up and The Hangover. But as much as entertaining he is in the movies, on stage, presenting such a large-scale event, his showmanship pales… Clearly, he’s a Michael Jackson fan, but his MJ moves were quite tasteless and un-flattering, and they are, we dare say, getting a bit run-of-the-mill – he should learn some other tricks if he wants to go on “entertaining”. It was great fun, though, to watch the face expressions of some of the music stars in the audience who seemed to wonder: “Who’s that guy and what’s he trying to do up there?”

Nevertheless, this year’s Billboard Music Awards proved to be the best edition in quite some years now. That said, we have to mention two really great moments of the night – no, neither RiRi and Brit Brit’s kiss, nor that of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez! – Beyonce’s performance of Run the World and her acceptance speech for the award she received, the Billboard Millenium Award. Now, that’s a true artist!

It’s not unusual to hear a couple of Hollywood names mentioned every year at the famous Cannes film festival, but this year’s edition (May 11-22) is invaded, so to speak, by Hollywood celebs.

First, we have Robert DeNiro heading this year’s Cannes Film Festival judging panel, which also includes Hollywood famous figures: Jude Law and Uma Thurman. Before the festival ends, they will choose a winner of the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top trophy, from 20 films.

Second we have Woody Allen accompanied by Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Michael Sheen, providing a glamorous opening for the equally glamorous 64th Cannes film festival, with the screening of Midnight in Paris. Written and directed by Allen, and starring the actors mentioned above, the film was – unexpectedly for an Allen movie, which is also shot in Paris – a huge success, receiving lots of applause from the picky festival critics.

Now, usually Allen’s films seem a bit ditzy and boring to some people, but one has to admit that they do have an interesting depth to them that more often than not becomes food for thought. Featuring the all-so-known Allen-esque humor, bright imagery, quirky twists and turns, and romance, Midnight in Paris was a huge hit. It was, however, criticized for containing several clichés, such as a shot of the Eiffel Tower in the opening, and also shots of the Louvre pyramid, the sidewalk cafés, the Seine. But what did you expect, people? It’s a film about romance in Paris – yes, another one! –, but seen from Allen’s unique perspective. Here’s what the genius director had to say in the press conference: “I wanted to show the city emotionally, the way I felt about it […] It didn’t matter to me how real it was or what it reflected. I just wanted it to be the way I saw Paris – Paris through my eyes.” Here’s a hint about the movie’s plot: Owen Wilson’s character travels back in the Paris of the ‘20s and his life and that of his family get transformed. The film also stars Marion Cotillard and France’s first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, and will be released in the US on May 20.

Following the first two great names, we have a great bunch of actors promoting their films and attending the premieres of some of their latest movies.

Antonio Banderas accompanied by his wife, Melanie Griffith, and co-star Salma Hayek have already made an appearance to show off footage for their upcoming Puss in Boots animated adventure, which is a spinoff of the Shrek franchise, as well as Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman, who came for interviews on the opening day for their DreamWorks animated sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2.

Other Hollywood actors expected to hit Cannes’ red carpet, before the festival closes, are Brad Pitt and Sean Penn who star in Terrence Malick’s film The Tree of Life, Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg for Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, Ryan Gosling for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Jody Foster and Mel Gibson for The Beaver – the latter two movies mentioned are screening out of the competition.

After months of rumors and speculations around the US X Factor judging panel, the last celebrity to join the British music mogul Simon Cowell at the judges’ table, was finally revealed to the world today!

With so many big names thrown around – Mariah Carey, Will Smith, Usher, even Nicki Minaj, and so many more – either by the show’s producers to maintain public attention toward the US X Factor, or by media speculators to sell some stories, the whole X-Factor-judging-panel saga was stirred more than it should’ve been, and got a bit out of hand.  Even after the first judge was officially announced in March, in the person of American music mogul Antonio L.A. Reid, the speculations continued with more frenzy. But in the last few days, light was shed gradually on the last two spots at the judges’ table, and on the show’s hosts, as well.

First announced (May 5) as the third judge to accompany Simon was British singer and ex-British X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Then followed the official announcement of the hosts (May 7): Brit TV presenter, Steve Jones, and former Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger. And last but not least – we know, it’s no surprise! – singer, choreographer, and former colleague of Simon on the American Idol judging panel, Paula Abdul (May 8).

According to reports, Abdul has just closed her deal to be the fourth and final judge on the show, just in time for the first audition tapings in Los Angeles today. Negotiations cut a bit close, but it seems that they were stalled because of Paula’s contract with CBS on her canceled-failure-of-a-dance-show Live to Dance. Well, what more can be said? Every cloud has its silver lining!

Now, as with every talent show on TV, it will be interesting to observe the judges’ chemistry, especially between the two music moguls – will their spotting-talent abilities clash? –, and between the two female judges, both of whom we know were pretty close to Simon – question is: who will sit beside him?

The US X Factor is a co-production of Cowell’s Syco, Fox and Fremantle North America, that addresses not only talented individuals with ages above twelve years, but also groups. Each judge will mentor a category – girls, boys, over-25s, groups –, competing at the same time with each other. The show will air in September on Fox, and the winning act will receive $5 million record contract, as announced by Simon Cowell, who’s keen on raising the stakes and making the show even more exciting.

US X Factor Judges

US X Factor Hosts

Well, so far, The Donald is winning the main part in an all-times mockery gig, while The President is (re)winning his… fans? And all the recent events seem to be part of a well-written story line for a cleverly directed movie…

Over the past few weeks we’ve been witnesses to a tirade of accusations pointed by real-estate mogul Donald Trump at the sitting president of the United States over issues such as fake American citizenship, low grades during college, weak foreign policy, and so on. Things really got out off hand when The Donald asked The President to release his birth certificate so that he could prove his American citizenship, and that thus, he rightfully won his position as the country’s leader. The media started joggling with Trump’s statements, White House press releases, celebrities’ reactions to Trump’s TV appearances and accusations, all spinning around the president’s birther, until the White House actually released Obama’s long-form birth certificate on April 27. But was the birther issue put to rest once and for all? Well, not quite, as Obama’s revenge was yet to come.

Trump’s whirlpool of accusations was just an instrument to make waves while testing the waters for a possible presidential run. The mogul had already announced that he “may or may not” run for president of the US for the Republicans, because he was not pleased with how America had become a joke, especially in front of China. He also said that he would announce his decision on running for the presidential office once his TV reality show, The Celebrity Apprentice 4, ended later in May. While he is involved in a show currently airing he cannot officially run. But isn’t all that fuss pointed at denigrating the Democrats’ future candidate a strategic move in a presidential campaign – and a presidential campaign in development, for that matter? Being constantly in the public eye, The Donald has gained a lot more notoriety, even if that meant playing the bad guy, to the extent to which, he became, well, we might as well say it: a joke.

Since his tirade began a few weeks ago, lots of celebrities have expressed one way or another, their disgust and disagreement with the tycoon’s actions, from Robert DeNiro, Jerry Seinfeld, Cher, to Rosie O’Donnell and Will Farrell. Whoopi Goldberg even made a relevant point on Trump’s foolish accusations being led by a racist mindset. Here’s what she had to say on ABC’s daytime show The View:

Moreover, the president himself, while explaining to Oprah in a pre-recorded TV appearance for her show – scheduled to air on May 2nd – subtly referred to Trump as a “carnival barker”.

All these shananigans continued, reaching their climax on Saturday evening (April 30) at the 2011 White House Correpondents’ Dinner, where The Donald, The President, and The Press were all present.

Obama showed off his funny side by poking fun at The Donald and the birther issue; he even offered to show his birth video which turned out to be a clip from the Disney film, “The Lion King.”

But the real mockery against The Donald was served by Seth Meyers, head writer and cast member of Saturday Nights Live, whose speech stung some public figures harder than others, but Trump, the hardest. He taunted the mogul for his hair and of course for his potential presidential run, saying: “Donald Trump has said he’s running for president as a Republican, which is surprising because I thought he was running as a joke. […]Donald Trump owns the Miss USA pageant, which is great for Republicans because it will streamline their search for a vice president [aiming at Sarah Palin]”, while Trump sat in the audience with an iced face. The only word that could describe the mockery moments is “Aaaawkward!!!” And the word that best describes Trump’s expression: Priceless! Here’s a glimpse of both:

The mockery continued, this time on a national scale, even after Obama announced that the most wanted terrorist on the planet, Osama Bin Laden, was finally captured and killed. This prompted millions of Twitter users to joke about the whole drama by posting “BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump demands Osama Bin Laden’s death certificate” or something close to that.

However, the vocal mogul seems to have been tamed a bit as he released a statement praising the president: “I want to personally congratulate President Obama and the men and women of the Armed Forces for a job well done. I am so proud to see Americans standing shoulder to shoulder, waving the American flag in celebration of this great victory”, he said to ABC.

But does the story end here? Oh, no… The Donald is yet to confirm whether or not he will run for president, which will happen in a couple of weeks. And given the rise in popularity of Obama after the thrill caused by Osama being killed during his administration, he will probably back off saying that he just wanted to shake things up a bit so that the new contenders open their eyes to the real problems Americans have. If, however, he does decide to run, he will “win” even more of the nation’s mocking remarks. Obama, on the other hand, will probably re-win his voters, which is an ongoing fact… already!

Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton, now referred to as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have tied the knot today, under the sometimes-critical-sometimes-warm gaze of millions of viewers from all over the world. The ceremony, although royal, was simple and elegant, and quite modern considering the history of British Royal weddings. And much of that simple elegance was given by the bride herself – a delicate, yet imposing and strong presence.

From a simple commoner, the now Duchess of Cambridge has become royalty. Virtually living a fairytale, much publicized under the “Will & Kate” brand, she has taken upon her shoulders much responsibility, having to give up some of her rights, including professing a career she prepared for – she is the first royal British bride university-educated. “But is her sacrifice worth it?” Some people have asked themselves. Well, she’s marrying a prince for Goodness’ sake! The “price” she’s paying fades in comparison with the “position” she’s gaining. Having said that, and with the determination and strength she puts forth, to everyone’s admiration, we’re assured she’ll do just fine!

Aside from the bride herself, probably the most talked about character of the day, was – no, not Prince William! – her dress. With every dress detail kept a secret until the very moment she got off the car in front of Westminster Abbey, the spot-on gown left everybody speechless. Again, simple, but elegant, worthy of a royal ceremony, the dress is a gorgeous Alexander McQueen gown, designed by Sarah Burton. The Grace Kelly-inspired dress features a lace appliqué of hand-cut flowers on the bodice and ivory and white satin gazar with the underskirt made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.

The official Royal Wedding website states: “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen’s work. Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress.”

Kate’s sister, Pippa, was her only Maid of Honor, and Prince Harry was the Best Man.

Turning our attention towards the fashion featured during the ceremony, it seems that the recurrent item was THE HAT, in all shapes and sizes, worn by royals and celebrities world-wide. The Queen had a great influence on that aspect as well, it seems, although there was one person who posed as the “black sheep in the flock”: British Prime Minister David Cameron’s wife – she had nothing on her head!

But the leading celebrities at the ceremony – apart from the British Royal family – were with no doubt Victoria Beckham, her hubby, and their soon-to-come fourth child. Posh wore a perfectly-suited-for-her-condition dark navy blue dress from her own fall 2011 collection, a stylish Philip Tracey hat, and, of course, a pair of Louboutins.

They were followed by Sir Elton John, Sir Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Guy Ritchie, Sarah Ferguson (Fergie)’s daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry’s on-and-off girlfriend, and other royals from around the world, including the Queen of Spain and Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria.

Here are some photos of world celebrities present at the biggest event of the year – the British Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

First a change of haircut and now a change of home…

Back in February the former Friends star confirmed on Good Morning America that she’d been looking for a new home in New York, the city of Everyman, as she put it. “I grew up here [New York City]. I miss it […] It’s all walks of life. I love that”, she told her host, Robin Roberts.

Well, now it seems that the 42-year-old actress found a new home, according to Marc Malkin’s exclusive news for eonline.com. Apparently, she’s set on buying a $5.9 million penthouse located in the heart of the West Village, just a few blocks away from the building which appeared in Friends as the apartment building of Monica, Rachel, Joey and Chandler.

The 1,200-square foot penthouse has an open kitchen, a dining room, a living room, one bedroom and one bathroom, four closets, and hardwood and poured concrete floors. But the most astonishing feature is, with no doubt, the 800-square foot terrace with amazing panoramic views of the New York Harbor.

This is a huge step for Aniston moving back from the sunny California and leaving behind a home she put so much work and effort into. Her former Beverly Hills home, which she bought in 2006 for $13.5 million and spent two and a half years renovating, is now on the market for $42 million. “Ohana” – Hawaiian for “extended family” – is a 10,000 square-foot home comprising 2 living rooms, 2 kitchens, 5 bedrooms, 7 ½ baths, a staff suite, gym, equipment room, 3-car garage, and a motor court, and the several floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offer beautiful views of the pool, ponds, and fountains on the grounds.
“Ohana” was featured in the March 2010 issue Architectural Digest magazine.

For comparison, here are some photos of “Ohana” from www.trulia.com.