Monday, August 25, 2008

Stephenie Meyer on Twilight

Twilight: A phenomenon for author Stephanie Meyer.

While sales of the movie rights were inevitable, it's always daunting for creative artists to imagine their work in others' hands.

Author Sources Twilight "I lost a few nights of sleep over it," said Meyer. "The two sides were: more adaptations than not turn out badly. There are a few that are amazing, every now and then, but most of the time its not a good thing. Then on the other side, I saw the book very visually when I was writing it, and just to see one scene of it on the big screen, that was the lure. I didn't care about anyone else going to see it. This is about me alone in the theater, getting to see it on the screen, and having to be real. That's what swayed me." She was involved with preproduction, so she has it on good authority that they're getting it right. "I have not seen the whole thing yet, but from the script and from the day that I got on the set, the goal was to make it as close to the book as possible given the time constraints of the film."The visual inspiration Meyer mentioned was actually her own internal visions. "I was not planning to write, I had no aspirations to be a writer, and I had this really fantastic dream. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it, and then the one day I was hooked on writing, to be able to take this dream and make it concrete and real, I could go back and visit it, I was hooked."

Leave it to Hollywood's visual effects artists to bring literal dreams to life. "I've seen some, about 15 minutes total. I mean obviously there are going to be a little differences, but some of it really is nailed." Now four books into the series, Meyer is going on instinct. "When I was writing at the time, I was not writing this for anyone ever to see. Even my husband didn't know what I was doing, so I was just having fun. If you could sit there and create your own little world, it was just as I was going, 'What if she could see the future? Well, that would rock" and it goes in. 'What would happen if they played baseball? Oooh.' It was just pure fun." The phenomenon her books became only hits Meyer at specific times, like when she came to San Diego Comic Con for the film's fan panel. "It's a very strange and surreal thing. Most mornings, I get up and don't think about it at all, and then I come someplace like here, and I'm not allowed to walk in the front doors. Its just weird. It's hard for me. I have a very normal life, and so when I have to step out of that and realize that I have all these readers and all this excitement, it's weird. It's great, but it's really strange." Perhaps the Meyer children should get ready to experience it too. "I don't know if they're old enough to use that. My oldest is eleven and I have an eight-year-old and a six-year-old. [The oldest] is getting there. He's right on the cusp of being able to say to some pretty little 11-year-old girl, 'Hey there, want a signed book?'"

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Twilight being released early...

Twilight will come early for eager fans awaiting the movie's release this fall. The movie, based on one of the best selling book, TWILIGHT was originally supposed to come out December 12. But in the wake of the movie, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," changing dates to next year, "Twilight" was moved up three weeks to be released November 21st. a pre-thanksgiving premiere date.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was moved to July 17, 2009. This is Warner Bros.' decision, and it was not motivated by anything "'Twilight'-related," wrote Twilight author Stephenie Meyer on her Web site Friday.

"Though we're all sad to have to wait for 'Harry Potter,' this open spot at the theater creates a cool opportunity. "The good people at Summit [the movie studio] were thrilled to let me know that now Twilight fans are going to get their movie three weeks earlier than scheduled. "Based on first book, The movie is based on the first installment in the teen phenomenon series, which is dominating four out of the top five spots on USA Today's best-seller list for the past two weeks. The books, using such locations as Forks and LaPush, tell the stories of human teen Bella Swan and her dashing vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. When the star-crossed couple meets, adventure and romance ensue. The newest in the series — Breaking Dawn — which was released Aug. 2, soared to the top of the best-seller list. Twilight, the first book in the series by Stephenie Meyer, was fourth. New Moon, the second in the series, was fifth, and Eclipse was second. Only the supernatural thriller Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon interrupted the series' showing on the USA Today list, based on sales at selected bookstores nationwide.

Nothing filmed in Forks, although none of the movie was filmed in Forks — locations in the Portland, Ore., area were substituted — director Catherine Hardwicke visited the West End several times. But the Twilight saga continues to be a draw for fans from throughout the nation and world. While juggling the 100-or-so visitors a day, the Forks Chamber of Commerce is planning a tribute event Sept. 13, which is Bella's birthday in Twilight. The town is expecting hundreds, if not thousands, of fans to show up on that Saturday to celebrate the officially proclaimed "Stephenie Meyer Day." However, Meyer isn't expected to be one of them.

Mommies Love Zac Efron.....Go Figure...

Teen heartthrob ZAC EFRON has a secret army of fans - middle-aged women go weak at the knees when they meet him.
The High School Musical star says teenage girls are usually too embarrassed to approach him in public.
But mums use their daughters as an excuse to get his attention.
Efron says, "It's not the kids - it's not the 'gaggle of girls', it's the 'gaggle of parents'. The parents are the ones who want the pictures. The girls are too shy so it's really sweet. I love to wave at them and stuff. It's really funny.
"The parents are the most excited. The kids are like: 'Mum, let's go,' and she's like: 'No, we're taking a picture, it's really exciting for everyone in your class.' Really, truthfully, I love the kids. It's a pleasure."

News from an Author

From the Mouth of Stephenie Meyer...

I know everyone is anxious to hear some updates on Twilight. Here's a few short, non-spoiler stories and a new picture...

This is a picture of Stephenie Meyers, with the humans of the movie, and director Catherine hardwicke, in the "Forks" High shcool cafeteria. Greg Tyler told Stephenie that Bella would definitely choose a guy with an awesome van over some vampire.

Funny story: On April 1st, she got to watch as they shot Bella's first hospital scene...(The above mentioned van careened into here, With Charlie (Billy Burke) and Carlisle (Peter Facinelli) Between takes, Peter came back to the monitors where I was hanging out with Nikki Reed (Rosalie), and producers Greg Mooradian and Gillian Bohrer. Nikki and I were talking about how Kellan Lutz (Emmett) kept eating during the Cullen's cafeteria scenes (Kellan is always hungry) and how the editors would have to cut around that. Greg asked the question many of you have asked: what happens to food eaten by a vampire? (He referenced the infamous bite of pizza Edward takes in the book.) I explained the icky truth—they eventually have to cough it back up. Peter was listening to all of this very quietly, and then he and I had the following conversation (I'm paraphrasing, because I don't have a vampire's perfect recall):
PETER: So vampires would never eat food, unless they are trying to fool humans? They would never eat at home?
ME: No, of course not.
PETER: Huh.
ME: Why do you ask?
PETER: Well...when we were filming one of the scenes in the Cullen house, Esme brought me a bowl of Raisin Bran. I was eating it through the whole scene. I don't think they could cut around it, because I was chewing through some of my lines... I guess that wouldn't make a ton of sense for Carlisle to do, though, would it?
ME: (slightly panicky) Er, no. It really wouldn't.
PETER: Oh, well.
ME:
PETER: And also, April Fool's.
(The part I can't convey here is how convincing he was. Peter is, after all, an excellent actor. He got Kristen/Bella at dinner, too, so I wasn't the only one.)

6 fun facts from the set:
1) While watching the playback from a very intense scene with Bella and Edward, the girl next to me literally slid right out of her chair—I think her bones melted. She also may have stopped breathing for a few seconds, too. I know I did.
2) Mike Welch can dance.
3) Hugging Kellan Lutz is the closest you can get to hugging a vampire; he is made of granite. (But please do not try to hug Kellan without his permission. Thank you.)
4) Portland is too cold. For anyone. But especially for Arizonans.
5) Jackson Rathbone can really play the guitar. Our taste in music is not exactly the same, but we found common ground with Radiohead's Creep, with which he then serenaded me.
6) As you might guess, I do a lot of internal swooning on the set. However, I have an excellent poker face.

To conclude, I would like to make a few comments about Rob and Kristen, who are the true heart of this movie. First, they are both amazing actors. Second, they are channeling Edward and Bella like nobody's business. Third, you might want to bring a paper bag to the movie, because their on-screen chemistry may cause hyperventilation. That is all.

THE STORY BEHIND TWILIGHT

I get a ton of questions about how I came up with the story of Twilight and how I got it published. I may be killing my FAQ page by doing this, but here is the whole story:
(Warning: there are Twilight spoilers contained in the following; if you don't want to ruin the suspense, stop reading.....now. Warning #2: As you might have guessed from the length of my book, I can't tell a short story—this is going to take a while. You have been warned.)
The Writing: I know the exact date that I began writing Twilight, because it was also the first day of swim lessons for my kids. So I can say with certainty that it all started on June 2, 2003. Up to this point, I had not written anything besides a few chapters (of other stories) that I never got very far on, and nothing at all since the birth of my first son, six years earlier.
I woke up (on that June 2nd) from a very vivid dream. In my dream, two people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods. One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire. They were discussing the difficulties inherent in the facts that A) they were falling in love with each other while B) the vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, and was having a difficult time restraining himself from killing her immediately. For what is essentially a transcript of my dream, please see Chapter 13 ("Confessions") of the book.
Though I had a million things to do (i.e. making breakfast for hungry children, dressing and changing the diapers of said children, finding the swimsuits that no one ever puts away in the right place, etc.), I stayed in bed, thinking about the dream. I was so intrigued by the nameless couple's story that I hated the idea of forgetting it; it was the kind of dream that makes you want to call your friend and bore her with a detailed description. (Also, the vampire was just so darned good-looking, that I didn't want to lose the mental image.) Unwillingly, I eventually got up and did the immediate necessities, and then put everything that I possibly could on the back burner and sat down at the computer to write—something I hadn't done in so long that I wondered why I was bothering. But I didn't want to lose the dream, so I typed out as much as I could remember, calling the characters "he" and "she."
From that point on, not one day passed that I did not write something. On bad days, I would only type out a page or two; on good days, I would finish a chapter and then some. I mostly wrote at night, after the kids were asleep so that I could concentrate for longer than five minutes without being interrupted. I started from the scene in the meadow and wrote through to the end. Then I went back to the beginning and wrote until the pieces matched up. I drove the "golden spike" that connected them in late August, three months later.
It took me a while to find names for my anonymous duo. For my vampire (who I was in love with from day one) I decided to use a name that had once been considered romantic, but had fallen out of popularity for decades. Charlotte Bronte's Mr. Rochester and Jane Austen's Mr. Ferrars were the characters that led me to the name Edward. I tried it on for size, and found that it fit well. My female lead was harder. Nothing I named her seemed just right. After spending so much time with her, I loved her like a daughter, and no name was good enough. Finally, inspired by that love, I gave her the name I was saving for my daughter, who had never shown up and was unlikely to put in an appearance at this point: Isabella. Huzzah! Edward and Bella were named. For the rest of the characters, I did a lot of searching in old census records, looking for popular names in the times that they'd been born. Some trivia: Rosalie was originally "Carol" and Jasper was first "Ronald." I like the new names much better, but every now and then I will slip up and type Carol or Ron by accident. It really confuses the people who read my rough drafts.
For my setting, I knew I needed someplace ridiculously rainy. I turned to Google, as I do for all my research needs, and looked for the place with the most rainfall in the U.S. This turned out to be the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. I pulled up maps of the area and studied them, looking for something small, out of the way, surrounded by forest... And there, right where I wanted it to be, was a tiny town called "Forks." It couldn't have been more perfect if I had named it myself. I did a Google image search on the area, and if the name hadn't sold me, the gorgeous photographs would have done the trick. (Images like these of the Hoh Rainforest (a short drive from Forks). Also see forks-web.com ). In researching Forks, I discovered the La Push Reservation, home to the Quileute Tribe. The Quileute story is fascinating, and a few fictional members of the tribe quickly became intrinsic to my story.
All this time, Bella and Edward were, quite literally, voices in my head. They simply wouldn't shut up. I'd stay up as late as I could stand trying to get all the stuff in my mind typed out, and then crawl, exhausted, into bed (my baby still wasn't sleeping through the night, yet) only to have another conversation start in my head. I hated to lose anything by forgetting, so I'd get up and head back down to the computer. Eventually, I got a pen and notebook for beside my bed to jot notes down so I could get some freakin' sleep. It was always an exciting challenge in the morning to try to decipher the stuff I'd scrawled across the page in the dark.
During the day, I couldn't stay away from the computer, either. When I was stuck at swim lessons, out in 115 degrees of Phoenix sunshine, I would plot and scheme and come home with so much new stuff that I couldn't type fast enough. It was your typical Arizona summer, hot, sunny, hot, and hot, but when I think back to those three months, I remember rain and cool green things, like I really spent the summer in the Olympic Rainforest.
When I'd finished the body of the novel, I started writing epilogues...lots of epilogues. This eventually clued me in to the fact that I wasn't ready to let go of my characters, and I started working on the sequel. Meanwhile, I continued to edit Twilight in a very obsessive-compulsive way.
My older sister, Emily, was the only one who really knew what I was up to. In June, I'd started sending her chapters as I finished them, and she soon became my cheerleading section. She was always checking in to see if I had something new for her. It was Emily who first suggested, after I'd finished, that I should try to get Twilight published. I was so stunned by the fact that I'd actually finished a whole, entire book, that I decided to look into it.
Getting Published: To put it mildly, I was naive about publishing. I thought it worked like this: you printed a copy of your novel, wrapped it up in brown paper, and sent it off to a publishing house. Ho ho ho, that's a good one. I started googling (naturally) and began to discover that this was not the way it is done. (Movies lie to us! Why?! A side note: you will not be able to enjoy the new Steve Martin version of Cheaper by the Dozen when you know how insanely impossible the publishing scenario it contains is.) The whole set up with query letters, literary agents, simultaneous submissions vs. exclusive submissions, synopsizes, etc., was extremely intimidating, and I almost quit there. It certainly wasn't belief in my fabulous talent that made me push forward; I think it was just that I loved my characters so much, and they were so real to me, that I wanted other people to know them, too.
I subscribed to writersmarket.com and compiled a list of small publishers that accepted unsolicited submissions and a few literary agencies. It was around this time that my little sister, Heidi, mentioned Janet Evanovich's website to me. In her Q and A for writers section, Janet E. mentioned Writers House, among a few others, as "the real thing" in the world of literary agencies. Writers House went on my wish list as the most desirable and also least likely.
I sent out around fifteen queries (and I still get residual butterflies in my stomach when I drive by the mailbox I sent the letters from—mailing them was terrifying.). I will state, for the record, that my queries truly sucked, and I don't blame anyone who sent me a rejection (I did get seven or eight of those. I still have them all, too). The only rejection that really hurt was from a small agent who actually read the first chapter before she dropped the axe on me. The meanest rejection I got came after Little, Brown had picked me up for a three-book deal, so it didn't bother me at all. I'll admit that I considered sending back a copy of that rejection stapled to the write-up my deal got in Publisher's Weekly, but I took the higher road.
My big break came in the form of an assistant at Writers House named Genevieve. I didn't find out until much later just how lucky I was; it turns out that Gen didn't know that 130,000 words is a whole heck of a lot of words. If she'd known that 130K words would equal 500 pages, she probably wouldn't have asked to see it. But she didn't know (picture me wiping the sweat from my brow), and she did ask for the first three chapters. I was thrilled to get a positive response, but a little worried because I felt the beginning of the book wasn't the strongest part. I mailed off those three chapters and got a letter back a few weeks later (I could barely get it open, my hands were so weak with fear). It was a very nice letter. She'd gone back with a pen and twice underlined the part where she'd typed how much she enjoyed the first three chapters (I still have that letter, of course), and she asked for the whole manuscript. That was the exact moment when I realized that I might actually see Twilight in print, and really one of the happiest points in my whole life. I did a lot of screaming.
About a month after I sent in the manuscript, I got a call from Jodi Reamer, an honest to goodness literary agent, who wanted to represent my book. I tried really hard to sound like a professional and a grownup during that conversation, but I'm not sure if I fooled her. Again, my luck was tremendous (and I don't usually have good luck—I've never won anything in my life, and no one ever catches a fish when I'm in the boat) because Jodi is the uber-agent. I couldn't have ended up in better hands. She's part lawyer, part ninja (she's working on earning her black belt right now, no kidding), a pretty amazing editor in her own right, and a great friend.
Jodi and I worked for two weeks on getting Twilight into shape before sending it to editors. The first thing we worked on was the title, which started out as Forks (and I still have a teeny soft spot for that name). Then we polished up a few rough spots, and Jodi sent it out to nine different publishing houses. This really messed with my ability to sleep, but luckily I wasn't in suspense for long.
Megan Tingley, of Megan Tingley Books, of Little, Brown and Company, read Twilight on a cross-country flight and came back to Jodi the day after the Thanksgiving weekend with a preemptive deal so huge that I honestly thought Jodi was pulling my leg—especially the part where she turned the offer down and asked for more. The upshot was that, by the end of the day, I was trying to process the information that not only was my book going to be published by one of the biggest young adult publishers in the country, but that they were going to pay me for it. For a very long time, I was convinced it was a really cruel practical joke, but I couldn't imagine who would go to these wild extremes to play a hoax on such an insignificant little hausfrau.
And that's how, in the course of six months, Twilight was dreamed, written, and accepted for publication.
Things keep getting crazier, what with the movie deal and all the pre-publication attention that Twilight continues to receive. Though I've gotten impatient from time to time, I'm glad I've had the last two years to try to come to terms with the situation. I'm greatly looking forward to finally having Twilight on the shelves, and more than a little frightened, too. Overall, it's been a true labor of love, love for Edward and Bella and all the rest of my imaginary friends, and I'm thrilled that other people get to meet them now.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Beware: I can only give writing tips for my style of writing, because I don't know how to do anything else!My focus is the characters--that's the part of the story that is most important to me. I feel the best way to write believable characters is to really believe in them yourself. When you hear a song on the radio, you should know how your character feels about it--which songs your character would relate to, which songs she hates. Hear the conversations that your characters would have when they're not doing anything exciting; let them talk in your head, get to know them. Know their favorite colors and their opinions on current events, their birthdays and their flaws. None of this goes in the book, it's just to help you get a rounded feel to them.I think outlining--in a very non-structured, free-flowing form--can really help. I didn't have to do that with Twilight, but it was very necessary for the other two books. I changed my outlines often as the writing led me in other directions--the outline is just a tool, not something mandatory that you have to follow.Some of the best advice on writing I got from Janet Evanovich's website. She said if you want to be a writer as a profession, then treat it like a job. Put in the hours. Set aside time for writing, and then make yourself sit down and do it. Sometimes it's easy--the words flow and you can get a lot done. Other times it's hard, and you might only get one sentence done in an hour. But that's better than nothing.Here's a tip that really helped me with book two and three: forget writing in order. With New Moon and Eclipse, I wrote out whichever scenes I was interested in, rather than starting at the beginning and working through to the end. I wrote most of the books in scenes, and then went back later and tied the scenes together. It cut out a lot of writer's block to write whatever part I was most interested in at the time. And it makes it easy to finish. By the time you get around to writing the less exciting transitions, expositions, and descriptions, you already have so much done! You can see a full novel coming together, and that's very motivating. (But you really need an outline to work that way--to keep from getting lost!)

All From Stephenie Meyer...

Friday, August 15, 2008

Robert Pattinson is a Les Deux Dude...

Robert Pattinson, who played the infamous Cedric Diggory in several of Harry Potter movies, left Les Deux nightclub in Hollywood late thursday night. The 22-year-old British actor will soon play Edward Cullen in the much-buzzed-about film adaptation of Twilight, a vampire novel by Stephenie Meyer. In short, a teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire (Pattinson).
When recently asked how he approached kissing scenes in the movie, Robert jokingly said, “I kinda just approached it from the front [and] I always try to slip a bit of tongue in.”
Considering 6,5000 fans stormed Comic-Con’s Hall H last month to see the Twilight cast, you can only imagine how many fans will turn out for its December 12th release.

Monday, August 11, 2008

I CAN'T WAIT...


Twilight is such a great book, I'm starting New Moon, and reading it with Megan. I can't wait for the movie...

Here's some things I've learned with readying Twilight!

1. I totally want Edward as a boyfriend!
2. Kristen Stewart is lucky to be playing Bella!!!
3. Stephanie Meyer is brilliant...
4. I wish I could write that brilliantly...
5. Robert Pattinson is probably one of the greatest Edward's of all time..

I couldn't believe the choices, but I'm looking so forward to see this great movie...

Sunday, August 10, 2008

TWILIGHT...




About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part might be - that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

I some how have been trapped. Trapped seemingly into the plot of this new book series. Just like it was with the Harry Potter Series.

And like everyone said before me, and before I read the book, that I would fall in love with Edward. I thought they'd be wrong, and I wouldn't fall in love with a fictional character. I guess it goes to show how ammenable I am to making my friends right. I have fallen love with not just Edward, but the Cullen family too!

Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan

Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
Peter Facinelli as Dr. Carlisle Cullen
Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen
Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale

More:

Jackson Rathbone as Jasper
Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen

That's why I love it, it is just so good, and wonderful, and everything!

Tune in Later!

<3>


Thursday, August 7, 2008

Looking casual in his 'Just Do It,' t-shirt and usual beanie cap, Zac Efron was spotted arriving at the Burbank Airport with his younger brother and some friends on Thursday morning. The "High School Musical" hunk toted his luggage from their ride to the tarmac-heading to catch a plane for some out of town sibling action over the weekend. Meanwhile, the 21-year old Disney star is also gearing that's sure be a spectacular run of premier events and promotions prior ti the October 24th release of "High School Musical 3: Senior Year." The film picks up with “Troy and Gabriella struggling with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.”

Monday, August 4, 2008

Top Child Stars!

The Jonas Brothers- Earned a total of 12,000,000 in 2007

Quotes:
Kevin:I don't think I'd ever reject anyone...

Joe:Sometimes the only way to win is to die trying.

One thing they don't have out here in California is Rita's Italian Ices. We used to have one right next to our house and it was so good!

'I Love You' isn't something to say too quickly. It's not just a word, though a lot of guys will just throw it out there. Being in love is when things are going so well that happiness is beyond belief. You're 200 percent happy and excited.

Nick:It doesn't matter if the world is pulling you down. With Christ you have everything.

Live like you're at the bottom even if your at the top.

I'm pretty crazy about the Yankees. When I can't actually watch a game, I TiVo it. I am also a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. I don't tell many people that because I will get made fun on because I'm from New Jersey!

The good thing about Joe is that he's the craziest person I've ever met in my life. And the worst thing about Joe is that he's the craziest person I've ever met in my life. Kevin is really good at staying focused on guitar. But there's nothing really bad about Kevin.

On all the tours we've done, we've gone from school in the morning to radio, we go to lunch with someone that's important, then go do a show, do a singing, go to bed. It never stops

You've got to avoid situations that make you uncomfortable.

It sounds funny, but my biggest fear is that I'm not perfect. I'm a perfectionist, and I get upset when things go wrong or when I don't do well. I used to be very uptight, but I've learned to loosen up

Dakota Fanning-Makes about $4,000,000 about each big movie.

Quotes:

I've always wanted to be an actress, ever since I was a little girl. I've always played the mom and I play my sister as the daughter. I wanted to be an actress on television and movies instead of just around the house.

"Working with him, I loved every minute of it. I couldn't wait to see him everyday. He's one of the best actors in the world and I loved observing him." - on working with Denzel Washington on Man on Fire (2004).

I think Orlando Bloom is cute. I met him at an awards show. I was actually nominated and I won that one. When I went up on stage, they didn't have a step for me to step on at the Critics' Choice Award so he had to hold me up. He held me for a LONG, LONG time!

I've been very lucky enough to do all kinds of movies. All the movies that I've done have been very different and all the characters I've done have been very different. I feel very lucky to have been able to do the movies that I've done.

I want to keep acting. I want to go to college, sure, but I really want to keep acting right now. It's so fun.

I'm just a normal kid, really. I just love to act.

I learned that it can be very hurtful to talk about others. You know, I read a quote by Oprah Winfrey where she said, "Turn your wounds into wisdom". It's not nice to spread rumors.

Acting is what I love to do. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I don't think of it as work. It's really fun for me. And home-schooling works out perfectly.

It's fun to know what I want to do - you know, when I grow up. I have friends who say, 'Oh, maybe I'll be an astronaut or whatever.' But it's cool to want to do this forever. I knew from my first commercial that I wanted to be an actress.

When I go on a movie set, I'm learning about movies. I learned 100 lessons a day from Steven [Spielberg]. I always think I might not have this opportunity again, so I try to cram a lot of information into my brain.

My dad named me Dakota and my mom came up with my first name Hannah. So it's Hannah Dakota Fanning.

[Talking about Hound dog]: It was a script that I loved and it's, you know, ultimately my decision because I'm playing the character, but of course my mom and my agent read everything, but it was no different then anything else.

I have no problem shooting emotional scenes.

I feel so blessed to have been able to be in War of the Worlds.

I think it's everyones dream to win an Oscar. I'd love just to go to the Oscars and it would be fun. That would be great!

Miley Cyrus- Reportedly made 1 Billion in the projected fiscal year of 2007-2008 selling Hannah Montana Merchandise. Miley gets an unknown percentage of sales.

Quotes:
Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!

People actually say Miley mostly because they see Miley mostly on the show. When I have the wig on, they'll say Hannah, but when I don't, they'll say Miley.

I'll be out with my friends and be recognized, and little girls will ask me for my autograph. It is so much fun living out your dream. It, like, totally reflects me 100%.

I'm a big shoe person. Sometimes I'll be punky, the next day I'll be preppy. Every day after work, my mom and I go shopping. My dad is about to kill me. I say, 'We need it, daddy!

I love everything [Jessica Simpson] ever has on! Jessica can definitely come pick me up in her little Mercedes and take me shopping if she wants!

My favorite sport is cheerleading!

My mom is always telling me it takes a long time to get to the top, but a short time to get to the bottom.

It was hard to leave my school. I've been going to the same school since kindergarten.

The only advice my Dad's given me is: If you ain't having fun, it ain' working, so always have fun with what you're doing. If you don't love it then there's no reason to do it. And don't do it for fame or money- do it because it's something that you feel is right.

THE GRADUATES:

At age 18, Taylor has been Homeschooled, while on tour. She'll graduate in May. Her debut Album sold more then 2.5 million copies-A top 10 for 2007. Her splurge was a million dollar tour bus.

Quotes:
My mom and I have always been really close. She's always been the friend that was always there. There were times when, in middle school and junior high, I didn't have a lot of friends. But my mom was always my friend. Always.

(when asked how she had the courage to walk up to record labels when she was twelve and thirteen) It's because I could never feel the kind of rejection in the music industry that I felt in middle school.

I wish all teenagers can filter through songs instead of turning to drugs and alcohol.

I think songwriting is the ultimate form of being able to make anything that happens in your life productive. If you get out of a bad relationship that was a complete waste of time, you can write about it and it can become a benefit to your career. How sweet is that?

Well, you know, I never really sit back like 'I'm good enough at this, lets stop working on it.' My attitude has always been if you get better and you see success, that should motivate you to work even harder so thats kind of how I approached everything.

Zac Efron has stolen our hearts, through High School Musical. He's made a banking 3,000,000 from HSM 3, and has deferred admission to USC in 2006. He Graduated in 2006 from Arroyo Grande High School in June 2006.

Quotes from Zac Efron:
The songwriters decided to give Link a cool, upbeat, Elvis-style number, and it's the perfect time for it in the movie. 'Ladies Choice' establishes the connection between Tracy and Link. And it's the kind of number you need in a sixties musical: the rock 'n' roll band at the record hop, with bright colors and backup dancers.

If I had to hear the High School Musical (2006) (TV) songs anymore, I would have jumped off of something really tall. [On why he chose not to do the High School Musical Tour.]

This Heroes star, graduated from Laurel Springs, an online high school in 2007. She rakes in about 30,000+ each episode, but with the help of Candies ads, Neutrogena and other stuff, she's raking in about 5,000,000.

Quotes:
When the camera comes on, I am not Hayden any more, I am Lizzie!

I hate how people say I'm growing up fast.

You go on these Internet blogs and people say the meanest things. I'm a normal person. Just because I'm in the spotlight doesn't mean I'm God's gift to the world. I'm learning and making mistakes just like every other 17-year-old girl out there.

The funny thing is that people see one film like Racing Stripes (2005) or Ice Princess (2005) and all of a sudden, slip me into this category of "that's what she's always involved in" but people don't remember that I did Normal (2003) (TV) with Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson for HBO, which was very dramatic. They don't remember that I did Lies My Mother Told Me (2005) (TV) which was the Lifetime film with Joely Richardson and Colm Feore, which was also extremely dramatic. They don't remember that I did Remember the Titans (2000).

I know it's really gory, and a lot of people's stomachs will probably not like me for it, but that is just awesome, just being able to be bloodied up and have different body parts put on. That's right up my alley. It's so awesome.

I think at the age I'm at, it's really hard for a film career, and I'm at a point in my life where I thought it would be a good idea to be a part of a good show and to be able to finish school.

Chris Brown left school in Virginia, but graduated via tutoring. His album sales (Chris Brown went platinum), and touring fattened his wallet to the sum of 18.2 Million. That didn't include income from films Stomp the Yard, and This Christmas.

Quotes:
Haters keep on hating, cause somebody's gotta do it.

(on his relationship with Rihanna) Our relationship is growing. We started off as friends and we're getting a little bit closer now. My mom is real cool about it all. They both have light skin with green eyes, so...but I don't want to let down all my girlfriends, so all the ladies out there, I still love y'all!

Since I'm always working, my best holiday memories are definitely when I can just go home and spend time with my family.

Sometimes, they'll be talking about me on the Internet, but I don't even look at it. And if it's negative, then I don't listen to it.

When I was 12, all I wanted for Christmas was a trampoline or a four-wheeler. I ended up getting both presents for Christmas.

I like low-maintenance girls, but at the same time, classy. She needs to take care of herself. But also be a girl who isn't afraid to get sweaty and play basketball, so it's cool if she's a tomboy.

The Sexiest Men!

Let's start with some of the sexiest men, and why I think they're sexy... It just goes to show what I mean when you'll see them...

As some have said, he's the most reluctant Sexiest Man ever. It only takes one look into Matt Damon's piercing blue eyes to know that this title cannot be denied. Take my word for it, George Clooney and Ben Affleck give a thumbs up too!!

If you've seen the Motion picture Rudy, you know everything there is to know about sexy and Matt Damon. In that movie the character Rudy wants to play football for Notre Dame, but no one thinks he can do it. Well, just like Rudy, in the football field of sexy, Matt Damon was a walk-on too! Hey may not have had all of the gifts the others on the squad may have had, like straight teeth, ears that laid flush to the head. But darn them if he didn't want it more then they did. Matt has accomplished so many great things and won so many prizes, but if anything known, he holds dear among them. Congrats!!!

(He's the People's Sexiest Man Alive, of 2007)

George Clooney
Patrick Dempsey
Clive Owen
Denzel Washington


DAVID BECKHAM!!!!

Father to Brooklyn, (8) Romeo, (5) and Cruz, (2)

Husband to Wife Posh Spice Victoria Beckham

Plays soccer...Thanks to him, America is more in tuned to Soccer, or at least Beckham removing his jersey.

The New US Face for Armani Underwear-Weird, but hot!!


Jake Gyllenhaal
Gerard Butler

Sexy?? I think so!

Father to:
Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Pax Jolie Pitt, Zaharah Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie Pitt, and (take a deep breath) Twins Vivienne and Knox Jolie-Pitt!

Wife was Jennifer Anniston, (Go Team Anniston!) Now she's no longer, and he's got Gal Pal, Angelina Jolie! (I'm All for Team Jolie.) Been in some great movies, but I have to give props to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, by far the best I've seen him in!

Why is Johnny Depp sexy? For one thing...He lives in France, dresses like a rockstar, and isn't afraid to wear a little eyeliner!

A Tip:
Hey didn't take singing lessons for his role in Sweeney Todd.

Heart-melting:
He's gaga for his gaggle. His daughter Lily-Rose, (8) and Jack, (5). He shut down filming Sweeney Todd to be with Lily-Rose while she was hospitalized.

My favorite:
Starring in all three installments of Pirates, I also loved Finding Neverland.

Justin Timberlake
Aaron Eckhart
Will Smith
Jason Lewis-HE PLAYED IN CHARMED for the last season
Ben Affleck
Matthew McHottie McConaughey

SEXY IN THEIR 20's-Shia LaBeouf and Zach Efron



SEXY IN THEIR 30's-Daniel Craig, Dane Cook and Pharrell Williams



SEXY IN THEIR 40's- Viggo Mortensen, Gavin Rossdale, Lenny Kravitz



SEXY IN THEIR 50's-Pierce Brosnan



Milo Ventimiglia-See him on Heroes, also Hayden Panitierre's Boy-toy-a 12 year age difference!
Taye Diggs-Married to Idina Menzel-Broadway actress for Wicked, Rent...
Josh Duhamel-Dating Fergie, on TV Show Vegas
Ryan Reynolds-Sweet humor in Just Friends, and Chiseled abs in Blade: Trinity
Adrian Grenier-Heartthrob actor in Entourage, Vince Chase
Dave Annable-He's on Brother's and Sisters as a Troubled Iraq War Vet.
Wentworth Miller
Jimmy Kimmel-OF Jimmy Kimmel Live...
Tom Ford-CEO of Tom Ford-a fashion designer
Tom Colicchio- of Bravo's Top Chef
John Stamos-First he captured our <3's style="font-weight: bold;">Rainn Wilson of the Office
Masi Oka as the samurai-sword swinging time traveler on Heroes
Christopher Gorham, once known as Kalipoki on The Other side of Heaven as Elder John Groberg of the LDS Church, now on Ugly Betty as America Ferrera Betty's love interest.

LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST!

Eric Dane



Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson

Only a few years ago, Aliana "Ali" Lohan was trotting onto the sets of her big sister's movies and cuing the cuteness for Toys "R" Us and Little Caesars Pizza commercials.

Now, the 14-year-old is baring her cleavage, auditioning for pornography directors and allegedly causing scenes at parties -- all in one week.

First, the littlest Lohan was spotted wearing a face full of makeup, a low-cut top and what was probably the result of a well-built push-up bra. Then E! online reported that Ali and her mother and reality TV partner-in-crime, Dina, started a skirmish when asked to change tables at the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" premiere party, causing them to leave.

On Wednesday, Us Weekly magazine reported that in the season finale of "Living Lohan," the 14-year-old auditioned for a horror movie directed by Peter Davy, not knowing that his claim to fame includes adult flicks such as "Voodoo Lust" and "Dreams in the Forbidden Zone."

Ali's never denied her love for the limelight.

"I grew up watching Lindsay, and it made me want to do what she does," she told Teen Vogue earlier this year. "Just the whole vibe. Being there, being on camera, or onstage, with everybody listening to you ... It's so cool when people look up to you.

"I want it so bad," she said of fame. "So bad you don't even know. And now, it's actually happening. I've already been asked for my autograph, and it's just a really good feeling to have."

But it seems her hunger for fame may be leading her astray. Is it only a matter of time before Ali's getting busted for DUIs and checking into rehab like Lindsay?

"Train wreck seems to be the route to fame in that family," said a celebrity PR executive, who spoke candidly on the condition that his name not be used. "Ali's following in her big sister's footsteps."

It's no surprise. Younger siblings look up to older siblings, especially when that older sibling is making millions of dollars and incites fan frenzies and paparazzi mobs when she goes out in public. But Ali didn't start out on her big sister's path to stardom. Instead of movies, she made her first full-scale foray into Hollywood with an E! reality show that chronicles her efforts to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry.

It's a formula that's worked before: Jessica Simpson's little sister, Ashlee, broke out by starring in her own MTV reality show, which followed her as she began her music career. But Ashlee was 20 at the time: Constant camera presence can damage a younger, more impressionable star.

"When you grow up in front of the camera and you're young, you just want to please the adults around you. That trumps all the natural developmental stages a child should go through," said psychoanalyst Bethany Marshall. "Your sense of self gets fused with the fact that you're playing a role. When there's no more role, there's no sense of self. That can leave you empty, unable to self-regulate and vulnerable to substance abuse."

Substance abuse is a problem that runs in the Lohan family. Dad Michael has one DUI, and Lindsay's racked up two. It may be enough to make a kid think that drinking is part of the fast track to fame.

"Lindsay's gotten so much attention for the negative that it makes sense that Ali might try to do the negative things as well," said Us Weekly's Aimee Agresti.

But Lindsay's got something Ali doesn't: Street cred. Despite her mess-ups, she's widely regarded as good at her craft. Meryl Streep, who worked with Lindsay on "A Prairie Home Companion," told Fox News her co-star is "a fantastic actress." Jane Fonda, who starred with Lindsay in "Georgia Rule," gushed that she's "so talented" to Access Hollywood.

Unless industry bigwigs start showering Ali with similar praise, she may self-destruct to get attention, resign herself to reality TV fame, or both, insiders say.

"Eventually, Lindsay will probably get her stuff together and won't fall off the deep end. Friends of mine who cast movies, if they weren't so worried about insuring her, they'd be all over her," said the PR exec. "But the question with Ali is, Does she have real talent like her sister? Plenty of people can leverage a family relationship, the question is, Can you deliver? And then, what does she deliver on? Does she deliver on true talent or just being a reality TV freak show?"

ATTENTION ALL!!!


It is my duty, no my obligation to bring the attention of something I love dearly. SCRUBS!! I think you should bite your eye teeth into this show, or just Doctor Dorian, played by Zach Braff....

Saturday, August 2, 2008

George, George, George of the Jungle





George, George, George of the Jungle!! I just went with meggy, my bestie, and we went and saw The Mummy Tres! It was great, and I'm falling in love with him too!