Fanatic

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Biography of Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7th, 1954. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan named him Chan Kong-sang which means "born in Hong Kong." Jackie weighed 12 pounds when he was born and his mother required surgery to deliver him. Jackie's parents were so poor that they had to borrow money from friends to pay the doctor.

Although Jackie's parents were poor, they had steady jobs at the French embassy in Hong Kong. Charles was a cook and Lee-lee was a housekeeper. Together, the Chan family lived on Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. When Jackie was young, his father would wake him early in the morning and together they would practice kung fu. Charles Chan believed that learning kung fu would help build Jackie's character, teaching him patience, strength, and courage.

When Jackie was seven years old Charles took a job as the head cook at the American embassy in Australia. He felt that it would be best for Jackie to stay behind in Hong Kong to learn a skill and so enrolled him in the China Drama Academy where Jackie would live for the next 10 years of his life.

During Jackie's time at the school, he learned martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The school was meant to prepare boys for a life in the Peking Opera. Chinese opera was very different from any other kind of opera. It included singing, tumbling, and acrobatics as well as martial arts skills and acting. Students at the school were severely disciplined and were beaten if they disobeyed or made mistakes. It was a very harsh and difficult life but Jackie had nowhere else to go, so he stayed. He rarely saw his parents for many years.

While at the China Academy, Jackie made his acting debut at age eight in the Cantonese movie "Seven Little Valiant Fighters: Big and Little Wong Tin Bar." He later teamed with other opera students in a performance group called "The Seven Little Fortunes." Fellow actors Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao were also members. Years later the three would work together and become known as The Three Brothers. As Jackie got older he worked as a stuntman and an extra in the Hong Kong film industry.

When Jackie was 17, he graduated from the China Drama Academy. Unfortunately the Chinese opera was no longer very popular, so Jackie and his classmates had to find other work. This was difficult because at the school they were never taught how to read or write. The only work available to them was unskilled labor or stunt work. Each year many movies were made in Hong Kong and there was always a need for young, strong stuntmen. Jackie was extraordinarily athletic and inventive, and soon gained a reputation for being fearless; Jackie Chan would try anything. Soon he was in demand.

Over the next few years, Jackie worked as a stuntman, but when the Hong Kong movie industry began to fail, he was forced to go to Australia to live with his parents. He worked in a restaurant and on a construction site. It was there that he got the name "Jackie." A worker named Jack had trouble pronouncing "Kong-sang" and started calling Jackie "little Jack." That soon became “Jackie” and the name stuck.

Jackie was very unhappy in Australia. The construction work was difficult and boring. His salvation came in the form of a telegram from a man named Willie Chan. Willie Chan worked in the Hong Kong movie industry and was looking for someone to star in a new movie being made by Lo Wei, a famous Hong Kong producer/director. Willie had seen Jackie at work as a stuntman and had been impressed. Jackie called Willie and they talked. Jackie didn't know it but Willie would end up becoming his best friend and manager. Soon Jackie was on his way back to Hong Kong to star in "New Fist of Fury." It was 1976 and Jackie Chan was 21 years old.

Once Jackie got back to Hong Kong, Willie Chan took control over Jackie's career. To this day Jackie is quick to point out that he owes his success to Willie. However, the movies that Jackie made for Lo Wei were not very successful. The problem was that Jackie's talents were not being used properly. It was only when Jackie was able to contribute his own ideas that he became a star. He brought humor to martial arts movies; his first success was "Snake in Eagle's Shadow." This was followed by "Drunken Master" (another blockbuster) and Jackie's first ever directing job, "Fearless Hyena." All were big hits.

Jackie was becoming a huge success in Asia. Unfortunately, it would be many years before the same could be said of his popularity in America. After a series of lukewarm receptions in the U.S., mostly due to miscasting, Jackie left the States and focused his attention on making movies in Hong Kong. It would be 10 years before he returned to make Rumble in the Bronx, the movie that introduced Jackie to American audiences and secured him a place in their hearts (and their box office). Rumble was followed by the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series which put Jackie on the Hollywood A List.

Despite his Hollywood successes, Jackie became frustrated by the lack of varied roles for Asian actors and his own inability to control certain aspects of the filming in America. He continued to try, however, making The Tuxedo, The Medallion, and Around the World in 80 Days, none of which was the blockbuster that Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon had been.

Jackie's lifelong devotion to fitness has served him well as he continues to do stunt work and action sequences in his films. In recent years, Jackie's focus has shifted and he is trying new genres of film – fantasy, drama, romance – and is spending more and more time on his charity work. He takes his work as Ambassador for UNICEF/UNAIDS very seriously and spends all his spare time working tirelessly for children, the elderly, and those in need. He continues to make films in Hong Kong, including the blockbuster drama New Police Story in 2004.

Jackie has been married to Lin Feng-Jiao since 1982 and has a son, actor-singer Jaycee Chan. To learn more about Jackie you can read his biography, I Am Jackie Chan.

posted by Fanatic @ 8:00 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Biography of Beyonce Knowles

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is an African-American R&B singer, actress, and chief songwriter and producer in the group Destiny's Child. In a Universal Music poll conducted earlier this year, Beyonce beat out Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera to be crowned the Princess of Pop.

She is usually referred to by only her first name, Beyoncé, which is her stage name, but has come to be called "Beyoncé Knowles" by many in the media. Her debut solo album, 2003's Dangerously In Love, topped both the R&B and pop charts in America, as well as the main album charts in Canada and the UK. The album has spawned four top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 including "Crazy In Love" featuring boyfriend [[Jay-Z], "Baby Boy" featuring Sean Paul, "Me Myself & I", and "Naughty Girl" all of which were back-to-back multi-week number ones on said chart during last summer and fall. Beyoncé has won five Grammy Awards for her solo work and three as a member of Destiny's Child. As a teen, she attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, where she honed her musical talents.

Destiny's Child

Beyoncé and Destiny's Child toured as an opening act for both Christina Aguilera and TLC before their first album, also called Destiny's Child. The band is managed by her father, Matthew Knowles, who is acknowledged as a strong force in Beyoncé's life. Beyoncé is the main songwriter for the group and is generally regarded as its leader. The group has currently returned from a hiatus since 2001, when its three current members, Beyoncé, Rowland, and Michelle Williams, each decided to temporarily pursue solo careers.

The group's self-titled album, released in 1998, was produced by Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri and featured the platinum-selling, number one Hot 100 single "No, No, No". The album itself also went platinum. Destiny Child's second album The Writing's On The Wall released in 1999 featured two number one hits in "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name". ("Bug-A-Boo" and "Jumpin' Jumpin'" were also popular singles off the album.) "Say My Name" won two awards at the 2001 Grammys for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B Song, the latter of which was awarded to the songwriters, which included Beyoncé herself.

The next album, Survivor, proved to be another smash, going to number one on both the American Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts, and on the Canadian album chart, as well as being generally successful around the world. Two singles from the album went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100: "Independent Women" (Part 1) and "Bootylicious", with the album's title track reaching number 2. "Independent Women" (Part 1) had been the theme song for Charlie's Angels in late 2000, prior to the album's 2001 release. The title track "Survivor" would win the band their second Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's fourth and final single, "Emotions", was a cover of the Bee Gees hit of the same name; it continued the group's impressive string of top ten hits.

In 2004 they have announced that they will release two more albums. The first, Destiny Fulfilled has been released, along with the first singles: "Lose My Breath", "Soldier" and "Girl". All of these reached the top 10 Billboard album and singles charts respectively.

Solo career

In 2001, Beyoncé won the Songwriter of the Year award, from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards. She is the first African American woman and the second woman of any race to win the award.

Beyonce then turned to acting, starring in MTV's "Carmen" without any previous training. In the summer of 2002, Beyoncé co-starred in the film Austin Powers in Goldmember opposite Mike Myers' role of Austin Powers, as Foxxy Cleopatra. She also recorded a song and produced a music video, called "Work It Out", for the movie soundtrack. "Work It Out" was a top 10 hit in the UK and a top 40 hit in the Netherlands, Australia, and Ireland, despite being Beyoncé's biggest flop to date in her home country; in America, radio barely played the song and the video received very minor exposure, only on digital video channels, MTV Jams and VH1 Soul.

During the fall of 2002, Beyoncé was the featured vocalist on Jay-Z's smash single, "'03 Bonnie And Clyde". The couple are engaged, and current rumours say that they will marry soon.

In the spring of 2003, Beyoncé remade a duet with Luther Vandross, called "The Closer I Get To You", originally performed by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. In this version, the vocal parts are flipped around, with Luther taking Roberta's part and Beyoncé taking Donny's. The song was included both on her debut solo album and on Luther's Dance With My Father set, and they shared the Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.

In 2003, Beyoncé released her debut solo album Dangerously In Love. Its first single, "Crazy In Love", featured a guest rap from Jay-Z and rapidly became one of the biggest hits of that summer, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for ten weeks. Dangerously In Love went to the top of the album charts in the UK and Canada, as well as on both the American pop (Billboard 200) and R&B charts. This album has sold in excess of 6 million copies worldwide. When single and album simultaneously topped the pop charts in both the US and the UK, she became the first act to achieve this feat since Men At Work in 1983 - in the '60s and '70s, it was performed by the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, and Rod Stewart.

On the televised celebration of July 4 in 2003, Beyoncé came under controversy from the Grant Memorial Association for her performance of "Crazy In Love", in which she danced in a "patently inappropriate" way on the steps of the tomb of President Ulysses S. Grant. President Grant's great-grandsons Ulysses Grant Dietz and Chapman Foster Grant, spoke up on Knowles' behalf. "The way the world is now, who cares?" said Chapman Grant, "who knows? If the old guy were alive, he might have enjoyed it."

Towards the end of the summer, "Baby Boy", Dangerously In Love's second single, which featured reggae star Sean Paul, began to climb the charts. It, too, went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2003, dominating radio airplay for the fall of 2003.

Around the same time, Beyoncé starred in the movie The Fighting Temptations opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. and recorded a song for it called "Fighting Temptation", with rappers Missy Elliott, Free, and MC Lyte. Unlike Beyoncé's own singles, the song did not become popular, although the movie was a moderate success.

Fresh off the success of "Baby Boy", Beyoncé released her third solo single, "Me Myself And I" towards the end of 2003; Dangerously In Love's fourth single, "Naughty Girl", came out in mid-2004. Both have also made the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Beyonce currently is in pre-production for The Pink Panther in the role of Xania, appearing opposite Steve Martin who plays Inspector Clouseau. The film is scheduled for release in 2005.

posted by Fanatic @ 8:13 PM 0 comments

Biography of Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez was born in New York City, on July 24, 1970. The daughter of David, a computer programmer, and Guadalupe, a kindergarten teacher, the young Lopez always dreamed of becoming a performer.

With talents in singing and dancing, Jennifer began performing in stage musicals, dancing in a European tour of Golden Musicals of Broadway, a Japanese tour of Synchronicity, and local productions of Oklahoma and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Jennifer Lopez in living color.

The young girl from the Bronx would finally become more recognized when she was cast as one of the "Fly Girl" dancers on FOX's In Living Color. What Lopez was really itching to do was act, but she stuck around on In Living Color for a short while, following producer Keenan Ivory Wayans' advice. Jim Carrey was not the only star in the making on In Living Color; Miss Lopez was yet to arrive on the scene.

Jennifer's "Fly Girl" role led to more roles on the small screen. She landed a recurring role on FOX's short-lived series South Central after one of her Color co-workers referred her to her South Central writer and producer husband.
Although the show did not last very long, Jennifer was seen on television again, this time as "Melinda Lopez" in the made-for-TV movie, Second Chances. Her portrayal of the part was so impressive that big-league producer Aaron Spelling wanted to continue the role on another one of his series, Malibu Shores. After appearing in a mere few episodes, Jennifer refused to develop the deal further (the show was axed anyhow), with the hopes of taking her talents to the silver screen.
Jennifer becomes a TV nurse.

One more made-for-TV role can be seen on Jennifer's resume; Rosie the nurse, in the 1993 movie Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7. Her role in the 1995 film Mi Familia, about the lives of Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles from the 1930s to today, was the role which showed filmmakers that this Latin beauty was serious about acting.

One year later, Jennifer co-starred with Robin Williams in the box-office disaster Jack, beating out Ashley Judd for the role. In her next film role, riding the Money Train with Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, she was the only one to receive positive reviews in a film that may have well tipped off the tracks.
Having already worked with Jennifer in the critically-acclaimed Mi Familia, Gregory Nava asked Lopez to audition for his 1997 biopic on the slain Tejano singer, Selena. After an intense auditioning process, Jennifer won the role that would make her a star.

j.lo hits it big with selena

That same year, Ojani Noa (her boyfriend at the time) publicly proposed to Jennifer at the wrap party for Selena. Their marriage lasted less than year.
Meanwhile, 1997 marked a full year for Jennifer, with film roles in U Turn, Anaconda and Blood and Wine. The following year, she co-starred with George Clooney in Out of Sight, playing U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco. This was the role that made Jennifer an A-list actress, beating out other A-list actresses for the role in the process. Her next project was as an animated ant in the DreamWorks feature Antz, also with Sharon Stone.

Not only is Jennifer the only Latin actress in history to demand a $1 million salary, but she also released an album entitled On the 6, which went platinum and spawned such hits as "If You Had My Love" and "Waiting For Tonight."
After a role in the sci-fi flick The Cell in 2000, Jennifer returned to the music scene with her megasuccessful sophomore album, J.Lo, in February 2001. While the album title (and probably P. Diddy's pet name for Jennifer) stuck, the album itself claimed the No. 1 spot on the charts on the strength of the first single, "Love Don't Cost A Thing."

j.lo becomes wedding planner

Jennifer also made history as the first female artist to have a No. 1 album and movie in the same week, as seen when The Wedding Planner debuted at No. 1 and had audiences rushing to see J.Lo in the starring role.
While her relationship with P. Diddy, formerly known as Sean "Puffy" Combs, fizzled (and he stood trial for gun possession and bribery charges after an incident in December 1999), J.Lo was seen in the arms of an unknown new man, Cris Judd. The couple met in January on the set of her "Love Don't Cost A Thing" video, as Judd is one of the featured dancers in the video.

Jennifer has also enjoyed the success of the singles "Play" and "I'm Real" (both an original and remix version with Ja Rule) off J.Lo, and as if she hasn't dominated enough fields, she also released her own fashion company in 2001 -- Sweetface Fashion Company -- designed for all her fellow full-figured sisters, and she has two frangrances attached to her name: Glow (which resulted in a lawsuit filed by Glow Industries claiming trademark infringement) and Still.

j.lo's awards & men

Often the subject of media tabloid stories and jokes, Jennifer is known for her romantic relationships, her revealing style (as seen in a certain Versace dress at the Grammys and a see-through Valentino gown at the Oscars), and allegedly insuring her prized possession -- her behind -- with a $1 billion policy (a rumor she dispels).

Jennifer has received many awards, including a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for Best Actress in Anaconda (1997), a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for Selena, and an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Actress for Selena.

In 1999, she won the VH1/Vogue Fashion Award for Most Fashionable Female Artist. She also received a Latin Grammy nomination and won the Billboard Latin Award for a duet she did with Marc Anthony ("No Me Ames"), as well as the MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video, for "Waiting For Tonight," in 2000.

Named Female Entertainer of the Year by ALMA in 2000 and topping the list of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World thanks to FHM magazine, Jennifer Lopez went on to receive even more accolades.

In 2001, after dating her back-up dancer Cris Judd for less than eight months, the couple married in September 2001 only to divorce less than a year later. The settlement cost her $15 million.

In 2002, Jennifer won a World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Latin Female Artist, an MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video ("I'm Real" featuring Ja Rule), a VH1/Vogue Fashion Award for Most Influential Artist, and an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Female.

j.lo becomes bennifer

2002 is also the year when the term Bennifer was coined. Actor Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, who met on the set of the movie Gigli, began dating seriously.
Unfortunately, although Jennifer won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist in 2003, all the celebrations came to a halt when Jennifer's movie, Gigli (2003), hit theaters worldwide and received unanimous negative reviews.
After a highly-publicized romance (Affleck is even featured in her "Jenny From The Block" video, off her This Is Me... Then album) that made the cover of every tabloid on a virtual weekly basis, the couple ended their engagement in February 2004.
On the film front, Jennifer appeared in a small role in Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl (2004), starring Affleck, as well as Shall We Dance (2004), with Richard Gere. In 2005, she can add An Unfinished Life and Monster-in-Law to her resume.
You can also check out Lopez in the DVD/EP The Reel Me, which features 17 music videos and remixed hits and was released in 2003.

The new Jennifer

On June 5, 2004, Jennifer Lopez made headlines again, this time because she and Latin pop singer Marc Anthony exchanged vows in a "surprise" wedding. Although rumors of the nuptials were circulating, fans were still stunned to hear that J.Lo is on her third marriage.

At the 2005 Grammy awards, Jennifer and Marc performed together for the first time as husband and wife. It was perfect timing, as J.Lo's fourth studio album, Rebirth, hit stores on March 1, 2005. The first single, "Get Right," is making its way up the charts.

She is also enjoying a commercial "rebirth" with her latest fashion line, Sweet Face. J.Lo is also starring with Beyonce and Becks in a martial arts-inspired Pepsi commercial called Samurai.

posted by Fanatic @ 7:40 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Biography of Cameron Diaz

Early life
Diaz was born in San Diego, California. Her second-generation Cuban-American father, Emilio Diaz, worked as a foreman for an oil company, and her mother, Billie Early (who has English, German and Cherokee Native American ancestry[), worked as an exporting agent. Diaz attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. During her school days, she was called Skeletor by her classmates.

Career
At age 16, she began her career as a fashion model. Diaz signed with top modeling agency, Elite Model Management. After graduating high school, she went to work in Japan and met video director Carlo de la Torre. On her return to America, she moved in with him. For the next few years, her modeling took her around the world, working for contracts with major companies. She even graced the cover of the July 1990 issue of Seventeen magazine.

At the age of 22, Diaz auditioned for Jim Carrey's The Mask. To her own surprise, and with no previous acting experience,[6] she was cast as the female lead. Immediately after getting the part, she signed up for acting lessons. Over the next three years, she won roles in low-budget, independent films, such as The Last Supper, Feeling Minnesota, and She's The One.

She then regained mainstream success with My Best Friend's Wedding and There's Something About Mary, and won critical acclaim for Being John Malkovich, which earned her Best Supporting Actress nominations at the Golden Globes, the BAFTA Awards and the SAG Awards.

Cameron Diaz with Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, photo by Rita Molnár Diaz has also starred in the hit adaptation of Charlie's Angels and its sequel, and she voiced a lead character in Shrek and its sequel, for which she earned $10 million. In 2001, she won nominations for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and the AFI Awards for Vanilla Sky. For Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, she became the second actress (after Julia Roberts) to earn $20 million for a role; the film underperformed at the box office.

Diaz was the host of the 2005 MTV television series Trippin'. Maxim Magazine ranked her #22 in their annual hot 100 in 2004, then she ranked #11 in 2005. In 2006 she made the top 10 by ranking in at #7.

Future work for Diaz include a role in Shrek The Third in 2007 where she co-stars with boyfriend Justin Timberlake. She was set to team up again with The Mask co-star Jim Carrey in two films Fun with Dick and Jane where she dropped out to star in In Her Shoes. She was recently set to star opposite Carrey again in A Little Game Without Consequence that was planned to start filming in October for a summer release date. The film was shelved and filming is still yet to commence.

Personal life

Diaz had a four-year relationship with actor/singer Jared Leto from 1998 to 2002. She also dated actor Matt Dillon. Diaz dated singer and former *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake after they met in 2003 at the Kids' Choice Awards. However, they are rumored to have split in January 2007.

In October 2004, they were in an altercation with a tabloid photographer outside a hotel. When the photographer and another man tried to photograph the couple, the celebrities snatched the camera. Pictures of the incident appeared in US Weekly. Representatives for the couple claimed that they were "ambushed" and acting out of self-defense.[7]It has been reported that the couple is no longer together, and in fact haven't been since the beginning of December 2006. Timberlake confirmed while attending the premiere to his movie Alpha Dog,on January 3rd 2007, that they have in fact broken up.

Diaz and Timberlake were involved in another paparazzi incident while walking out of a friend's house. The paparazzi jumped out of bushes and photographed them. He then entered his car and allegedly drove it towards Diaz, who had to jump out of the way. Diaz pressed charges against the paparazzi, whose agency supported his actions as legal and safe.[8]

Diaz suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and has publicly admitted she is deeply germophobic and habitually rubs doorknobs so hard before opening doors to clean them that the original paint on the doorknobs fades afterwards. Along with her floors, she says, she washes her hands "many times" each day and uses her elbows to push open doors. "I'm not scared of germs. I'm just aware of them," Diaz says. "I'm not into other people's fluids unless I know them really well." [9]

Diaz is appearing in an ad campaign on Japanese television for SoftBank: October/November 2006. Diaz also supports a small west London football club Brentford FC after visiting a Hollywood cafe owned by a Brentford supporter.
In 2004, a commercial S&M video of Diaz and another girl torturing a man leaked to the Internet. She made the video when she was 19. Diaz filed a suit against the Russian Internet site that distributed the video, but the video file is now distributed by many porn sites and Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.[10]

Diaz has been vocal in her opposition to U.S. President George W. Bush. Before 2000's election (on October 26 to be exact), Diaz wore a shirt that said "I WON'T VOTE FOR A SON OF A BUSH!" while promoting Charlie's Angels on MTV's Total Request Live.[citation needed] During an Oprah appearance before 2004's election, Diaz said "Women have so much to lose . . . [W]e could lose the right to our bodies. If you think that rape should be legal, then don't vote. But if you think that you have a right to your body, then you should vote ..."[11] It should be noted that the legalization of rape was not actually an issue in the 2004 election.

posted by Fanatic @ 6:38 PM 0 comments

Biography of Britney Spears

Britney Spears may have titled her new single "Me Against The Music," but she has rarely been more creatively in tune than she is right now. "I feel like I've hit a great new stride as an artist," she says with pride. "I've worked hard, and I feel like I've grown on so many levels."

In truth, "Me Against The Music" is hardly about declaring war against grooves. "Actually, it's about the intensity that people approach music with," Britney shares. "It's about getting totally lost in the music and pushing yourself to the edge in every way you can imagine. I love thoroughly immersing myself in music, and I wanted to capture that intensity in a song."

Britney's musical intensity and her evolution from a teen renegade into a provocative young woman are undeniable throughout "In The Zone," her fourth Jive Records collection. First and foremost, the project shows her flexing notably strong and mature songwriting muscles. She co-wrote 7 of the project's 12 sterling new compositions, collaborating with such heavy hitters as Red Zone ("Me Against The Music," "The Hook Up"), The Matrix ("Shadow"), Moby ("Early Mornin'"), and Cathy Dennis ("Toxic," "Showdown"). Also contributing hit worthy material to the album is R. Kelly ("Outrageous"), Ying-Yang Twins on (I Got That) Boom Boom.

Perhaps most significant is the appearance of pop icon Madonna, who lends her voice to the single "Me Against The Music." Collaborating with one of her all-time greatest musical influences was a dream come true for Britney. "The experience was beyond words or description." she says. The two forged what has become a powerful bond while rehearsing for their now-notorious performance on the MTV Video Music Awards this fall. "As we were working together, there were moments when I simply could not believe that I was standing there on stage next to her. It was never even in the realm of fantasy for me."

The musical union of Britney and Madonna within the taut, classic-funk groove of "Me Against The Music" is quite real, though, and it reveals each of them at their most kinetic and soulful. The song's accompanying video clip, directed by Paul Hunter, shows Madonna enticing Britney through a maze-like underground club, only to disappear into thin air when Britney gets close enough to touch her. The clip is rife with symbolic gestures of Madonna passing the baton pop power to Britney --- an image that the young artist finds exciting, humbling, and perhaps a bit premature.
"There is only one Madonna --- and there will always only be one," she says. "My goal is to have a career that is equally as special, but one that is completely unique to who I am. I'm honored by all that Madonna brought to this song. I really love the flow we share --- both on the track and as friends. I think you can feel the chemistry and positive energy we shared. It's completely natural and relaxed."
The natural and relaxed vibe of "Me Against The Music" is indicative of every note and beat comprises "In The Zone," an album that runs the stylistic gamut from streetwise hip-hop and electro-trance to new-wave-etched rock and well-crafted pop. From top to bottom, Britney effectively expands the parameters of mainstream musical consciousness with songs that lure listeners with infectious hooks, and then captivates them with layers of clever lyrics and deft instrumentation.
"Putting this record together was an incredible journey for me," Britney says. "I had the freedom to explore and experiment with some of the most exciting people in music. In the end, that allowed me to make a record that is a pure reflection of where I am right now."

What we learn from album highlights like the rambunctious "(I Got That) Boom Boom," which features the Ying Yang Twins, and "Everytime," a stark, delicate collaboration with Guy Sigsworth, is that Britney has grown into a fearless artist. "Those songs are particularly special to me, because neither of them sounds like anything I've ever done before," she says. "'Boom Boom' is so rough and edgy and fun, while 'Everytime' is so raw and spare. It's me stripped to my core as a singer and as a songwriter. It's as honest as I've ever been in my music. I loved working with Guy on that track. He made me feel comfortable and safe enough to go the full distance, emotionally and as a performer." Britney also has high praise for Moby, who worked with her on the mid-tempo "Early Mornin.'" "He's such a pure-hearted guy," she says. "He's so cool. He played me a really cool track, and I thought it was brilliant. It's turned out to be one of my favorite songs on the album."
She describes "Early Mornin,'" which unfolds with a deceptively insistent, easy-paced dance groove as a day-after-the-party jam, which balances some of the more assertive, dance floor-friendly cuts on "In The Zone." "Some songs are generally about going out and wanting to have a good time," she says. "One of the things I did while working on this album was write about a lot things like going out with my girlfriends, everyday experiences that I was going through. 'Early Morning' is about just going out and feeling bad the next day." Elsewhere on "In The Zone," Britney shows her sultry side, particularly on the steamy, turntable-ready "Breathe On Me," a Mark Taylor production that she characterizes as being "very vibe-y, trance-y. It's about being with a guy and not even having to really be with each other, but just the intensity and the anxiety between not saying anything. You don't even have to touch me, just breathe on me."

Among the more sensual songs on the album is "Touch of My Hand," on which Britney seductively floats her voice atop an arrangement of pillowy strings and languid, Middle-Eastern-kissed guitar lines. "It's tastefully done," she says of the track. "And I think it's real. It's nice and it's real. It's whatever your take is. Some people may think it's a little much, but that's where I'm at with my life. ... It's not freaky freaky, it's just a little freaky." Stepping out on a creative limb has been the basis for Britney's entire career. Dubbed by MTV as "one of the last teenage pop superstars of the 20th century," Spears enjoyed her breakthrough success at the end of 1998. She appeared in local dance revues and church choirs as a young girl, and at the age of eight auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club. Although she was too young to join the series, a producer on the show gave her an introduction to a New York agent. She subsequently spent three summers at the Professional Performing Arts School Center. She also appeared in a number of off-Broadway productions as a child actor, including 1991's "Ruthless." She returned to the Disney Channel for a spot on The Mickey Mouse Club, where she was featured for two years between the ages of 11 and 13. Her demo tape eventually landed in the hands of a Jive Records executive who quickly signed her to the label. She toured American venues for a series of concerts sponsored by U.S. teen magazines, eventually joining "N Sync on tour. It all added up to 1999's wildly infectious "...Baby One More Time" album to make its bow on the charts at No. 1. The set not only spawned a smash hit with the title tune, but also scored with the charming ballad "Sometimes" and the funky "(You Drive Me) Crazy." Before the album finished its impressive worldwide attack of the charts, it garnered Britney 4 MTV Europe Awards, including best pop performer, and 4 Billboard Music Awards, most notably female artist of the year.

The massive demand for new Britney material was satisfied when her 2000 sophomore collection, "Oops! ... I Did It Again," was released to a Spears-starved world in May. Once again, the title cut flooded radio airwaves, as did the anthemic "Stronger" and lovely "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know." She also racked up more awards that year by taking home an American Music Award as favorite new artist, a Billboard Music Award as album artist of the year, and 2 Teen Choice Awards. Britney would later earn Teen Choice Award honors in 2001 and 2003. Ever-prolific, the artist returned in 2001 with "Britney," a spirited, assertive collection on which she began to reveal her mettle as a tunesmith, not to mention as a vocalist of increasingly soulful depth. She earned high praise for the wickedly sultry "Slave 4 U," as well as for the forceful "Overprotected" and the gentle "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman." The album's was quickly followed by Britney's motion picture debut, "Crossroads," which proved that she has the talent and box-office pull to be a multifaceted superstar. "One of the true joys of my life and career has been trying out new things," Britney says. "I've loved every step of this journey I'm on. I love singing and dancing and acting and songwriting... it all energizes and inspires me." It's that philosophy that has sent Britney "In The Zone," a project that shows this ever-growing and ever-exciting at her absolute best... or as she would say, "for now." "I can't imagine ever reaching the point where I've hit the wall," she concludes. "There's always something new and challenging to tackle. I can't wait to see what happens next."

posted by Fanatic @ 6:30 PM 0 comments

Monday, January 08, 2007

Biography of Lucy Liu

Having previously appeared in supporting roles in several films and as a regular on the CBS sitcom "Pearl" (1996-97), actress Lucy Liu skyrocketed to popularity in 1998 as the malicious Ling Woo on "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-2002). David E Kelley, who originally auditioned her for the role of Nelle Porter (later played by Portia de Rossi), wrote the popular character for Liu, whose fiery performance in her first episode soon eventually led to a regular role. During her run on the series, Liu’s scene-stealing portrayal earned many fans and a share of the 1998 SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Before making her name on "Ally McBeal,” Liu could be seen frequently in guest appearances on television, including a 1991 stint as a waitress on "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox). One of her more memorable turns came with a recurring part in 1995 as a woman whose young son was suffering from complications of AIDS on NBC's medical drama "ER". Additionally, Liu portrayed the self-hating girlfriend of Luke Perry's Los Angeles police officer in "Riot", a 1997 Showtime movie dramatizing different stories in 1992's racially charged Los Angeles riots.

Liu's up and coming film career began with a bit part in the 1996 hit "Jerry Maguire". The following year, she played an exotic dancer in the Harvey Keitel actioner "City of Industry". (The dedicated actress prepared for this role by performing for over a month in a Los Angeles strip club.) Had Liu not already come to the public's attention on "Ally McBeal," 1999's "Payback" may have proven to be her breakthrough role. She starred as Pearl, a leather-clad dominatrix who proved so likable that the initial script was rewritten to afford her more screen time. That same year, Liu could be seen in a featured role in "Molly", starring Elisabeth Shue as an autistic woman who becomes a genius and in "Play It to the Bone." The following year, Liu portrayed a kidnapped Chinese princess in "Shanghai Noon" and displayed her martial arts expertise as one of "Charlie's Angels." The latter film provided a major boost to Liu's public image, placing her in an on-screen pantheon of A-listers Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz. As famously as she got on with her female co-stars, Liu did have to contend with numerous media reports of serious friction between herself and comedian Bill Murray, who played Bosley in the film.

Following the phenomenal success of "Charlie's Angels" in 2000, a wealth of exciting film roles fell into Liu's lap. In addition to immediately signing up for the glitzy sequel to the hit franchise, Liu starred opposite Antonio Banderas in the little-seen sci-fi thriller "Ecks vs. Sever" in 2002. She also nabbed a part in the much anticipated film version of "Chicago" (2002), turning in a juicy if all-too-brief performance as murderess Kitty Baxter; In 2003, Lui reunited with Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore for the action-packed, eye-candy heavy "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." The feature, again directed by McG, allowed Liu re-emphasized the ass-kicking style of female bonding the Angels trio--by then very close friends off-screen as well as on--demonstrated in the first film and in their media appearances together. Next, Liu got on board Quentin Tarantino's long-awaited fourth feature "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" (2003), in a bravura performance as Japanese-Chinese-American O-Ren Ishii, Queen of the Tokyo Underworld and leader of the Crazy 88 Fighters. Liu also enlivened the 2004-2005 first season of the "Friends" spin-off sitcom "Joey" by playing the compulsively clean TV producer Lauren Beck on several episodes.

posted by Fanatic @ 9:40 PM 0 comments

Biography of Katie Holmes

In a letter to International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA), Katie Holmes writes: "For years I have spent some time sitting in front of the television from 7:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. listening intently to John Tesh and Mary Hart inform me about which star was filming what new movie, who was dating who, and who was the rising new actor or actress. Hollywood and its numerous success stories seemed extremely far away and definitely from a world that I would never come into contact with."; A combination of natural beauty, innate talent, and charisma has helped Katie Holmes become one of the success stories she heard about on her TV. Already, at the age of 19, she is one of the most buzzed about young actresses in Hollywood today. She is best known for her role as the sarcastic, lovelorn tomboy Joey Potter, best friend of Dawson Leery on the WB's hit teen drama "Dawson's Creek." Katie can also be seen as Rachel in this summer's teen thriller "Disturbing Behavior," which is directed by David Nutter. She has roles in two upcoming movies, "Killing Mrs. Tingle" (written/directed by Kevin Williamson, tentative release date: February 1999), in which she is the lead, and "Go"(directed by Douglas Liman, tentative release date: December 1998).

Katie got her start as an actress in theater productions at her high school, Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in her hometown of Toledo, OH. She comes from a "super-athletic" family, the youngest of three sisters and one brother, and she admits that despite her best efforts she was "horrible" at sports. Katie found her niche in theater, although, she never dreamed she could make it professionally as an actress because of her Midwest roots. However, in July 1995 she attended IMTA's annual "Hooray for Hollywood" Convention in New York City, where she caught the eye of talent manager Al Onorato, who encouraged her to come to Los Angeles for television's pilot season. Six months later, in LA, she immediately won a small role in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm," a critically acclaimed art house film based on the novel by the same name by Rick Moody. Shortly after this, Katie was offered the part of Buffy Summers in the WB's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." However she declined in order to complete her high school education.

In fact, she followed up her big screen debut in "The Ice Storm" with a part as Lola in her school's production of "Damn Yankees." As the oft-repeated tale goes, this nearly cost her the role of Joey Potter, as she refused to ditch her classmates' on opening night for the scheduled "Dawson's Creek" audition. However, DC creator and writer Kevin Williamson was so impressed by her audition tape, made in her basement with her mother playing Dawson, that he was willing to reschedule. In the September 1998 YM, Kevin Williamson, described his first encounter with Katie this way, "I'll never forget the day when, after weeks of searching for the right actress to play the virtuoso role of Joey, we got [Katie's audition] tape. After viewing it everyone in the room was speechless."

Katie graduated from Notre Dame Academy in June of 1997 and began filming "Dawson's Creek" later that summer. She has deferred admission to Columbia University. She currently lives in Wilmington, NC, where she has just bought a house. Katie has certainly come a long way from dreaming about Hollywood in front of her TV set, and it is a safe bet that she has an exciting, successful, and interesting career ahead of her. As Katie herself remarked in A Fanatic's Guide to Dawson's Creek, "It's overwhelming – yesterday I was just your average kid from Toledo. Now I have my own web site."

posted by Fanatic @ 8:41 PM 0 comments

Biography of Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme's life story has the perfect makings for a mid-afternoon soap opera. Growing up he was by all reports, a very awkward child. He was short, thin, wore glasses and was in the ballet. It's hard to believe that this nerdy little kid would grow into a martial arts super star who would sport the nick name "Muscles from Brussels". By the way, Jean-Claude Van Damme does not like his nickname. "It's like I'm known as a shellfish", he once said.

On 18 October 1960 in Berchem-Sainte Agathe, Belgium, mister Eugene van Varenberg and Eliana van Varenberg did get a son: Jean-Claude van Varenberg. (Later he changed his name into Van Damme . That name he borrowed from a friend to have a more 'power full' name when he moved to the US). Jean-Claude Van Damme was the 2nd of two children. He has an older sister.

Jean-Claude Van Damme can be called an actor, though it's more accurate to describe him as a bodybuilder and kickboxer. It evidently wasn't in the genes; Van Damme's father was an accountant and flower salesman. He started martial arts at the age of 11, his father introduced him to martial arts when he saw that Van Damme was physically weak. Jean-Claude started with Shotokan Karate. He later studied Kickboxing, Taekwon-Do, and Muay Thai. Van Damme won the European professional karate associations middleweight championship as a teenager(??), where he thrilled one and all with his 360-degree leap-kick. He also beat the 2nd best karate fighter in the world. Cashing in on his fame, the 18-year-old Van Damme launched the California Gym in Brussels.

Jean-Claude Van Damme came to the United States in 1981. When he finally flew to L.A., he had $7,000 to his name and spoke only French and Flemish. His claims of being a European Champion were thoroughly researched and found to be false(??). Howard Hanson, President of the World Karate Association, only found evidence of Jean-Claude Van Damme competing in 1 amateur bout and writers from Black Belt Magazine have labeled him "a complete fraud." Though no proof of Van Damme's champion status was ever presented, Van Damme's lawyer, Martin Singer, made a public statement defending his client: "There are records to document his martial-arts acclaim. He's the one who does those splits on chairs. He doesn't have a stunt man do that.

"Upon arrival, Van Damme attempted to make it into the movies. Unfortunately, the movie business didn't welcome him with open arms and his first experiences of working in America were as a chauffeur, carpet layer, and pizza delivery driver. Jean-Claude Van Damme cast in his first feature, the 1983 French film "Rue Barbere", he clashed with the director and either quit or was fired (depending on whose version one believes).

Thanks to Chuck Norris he got a job as a bouncer at a nightclub. Chuck Norris also gave Van Damme a small role as a gay hitchhiker in the movie "Missing in Action", but it wasn't good enough to get anybody's attention.

Then in 1986 he got a role as a villain named Ivan in the low-budget movie "No Retreat, No Surrender". These small roles fueled Van Damme's desire and he began signing movie deals with anyone who was willing. Though his popularity skyrocketed, Van Damme was locked into several low budget contracts.

After approaching Menahem Golana, producer for Cannon Pictures outside a Beverly Hills restaurant, Van Damme demonstrated his unique contribution to the martial arts genre: executing a karate kick to his opponent's head during an impressive 360-degree leap. Suitably impressed, the producer hired him for "Bloodsport". But when it was completed, "Bloodsport" was so bad they shelved it for almost two years. It might have never been released if not Van Damme helped re-cut the film and begged producers to release it. They released the film, and the miracle happened. "Bloodsport", shot in Hong Kong on a meager 1.5 million dollar budget, became a US box-office hit in the spring of 1988. It made about 30 million world and audiences supported this film for only one reason. Its star was sensational. Jean-Claude Van Damme, the skinny, goofy kid who loved classical music and dreamed of movie stardom, had made it. This helped Van Damme ; to partially achieve his goal to become a movie star.

Jean-Claude Van Damme estimates that he earned an average of $70,000 per picture for his first seven leading roles, a collection of films that starts with "Bloodsport" and moves on through "Black Eagle," "Cyborg," "Kickboxer," "Death Warrant," "Lionheart" and "Double Impact." It wasn't until "Universal Soldier" in 1992, that he would receive his first real Hollywood paycheck for $1 million. From then on, he made no less than $3 million per picture, peaking at $6.2 million with "Street Fighter."

Unlike the other contemporary popular action heroes, Van Damme projected a softer character. He was not as invincible as Schwarzenegger nor as unrefined as Stallone. Also, his impressive physicality (in nearly every Van Damme film, he executes a masterful split) set him apart. Yet, he was not as mainstream as the others. There is a finite fan base for a Van Damme film and while some of his movies have been money-makers, none have achieved blockbuster status in the USA. On the other hand, worldwide his appeal is unchallenged.
Van Damme's vehicles in the late 1980s and early 90s were fairly formulaic, requiring him to speak little, display as much of his muscular physique as possible and kick butt. At the same time, the actor was shouldering more and more responsibilities, moving into second unit work and providing storylines (Kickboxer, 1988) and later producing (Double Impact, 1991) and even directing (The Quest, 1996). Although savvy enough to ally himself with Hong Kong masters, like John Woo (Hard Target, 1993), Ringo Lam (Maximum Risk, 1996) and Tsui Hark (Double Team, 1997 and Knock Off 1998), the results have been minor entries in the directors' filmographies.
Van Damme is a self-promoter. He has often given startlingly candid interviews, often timed to the release of new films. His personal life has elements of a soap opera played on a very public stage.
Jean ClaudeJean-Claude Van Damme has been married five times and divorced four. His first wife was Maria Rodriguez from Venezuelan. She was born in born 1954 and they separated in 1981 when Van Damme moved to the US.

The second wife was Cynthia Derdian. Jean-Claude Van Damme married her for one year in 1985. He met her while he was working in her father's carpet store.

Number three was Gladys Portugues. Married her in 1986. She was a bodybuilder. They separated in July 1992.

On 3 February 1994 Van Damme married for the fourth time, now with Darcy La Pier. She worked as a model and was born in 1965. She won the Hawaiian Tropic beauty-contest, representing the state of Oregon in 1985.
Though Van Damme often refers to himself as a loving and devoted husband, Darcy LaPier filed for divorce, claiming the "Muscles from Brussels" terrorized her and their son, Nicholas. She also stated instances of mood swings and physical abuse, which she attributed to his cocaine addiction. Among LaPier's other claims: Van Damme threatened to kidnap their son and leave the United States; he threatened to kill one of her lawyers; and he once assaulted her so badly that she needed to go to the hospital. In Sun Valley, Idaho, LaPier called 911 after an argument with him. No charges were filed. In 1996 their divorce was finalized and a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge granted LaPier custody of their son and Jean ClaudeJean-Claude Van Damme was ordered to pay $27,000 a month in child support and $85,000 a month in spousal support. It was one of the largest litigated child support awards ever handed. On the other hand, once in Bali, Van Damme claims, LaPier attacked him with an end table. Anyway. Darcy LaPier does not like Van Damme anymore.

Van Damme's parents did not approve of LaPier. "We told him, marriage, don't do it," says his father. "Not a good woman for you," his mother warned him. Van Damme's mother, a vital, statuesque woman who used to run a flower shop in Brussels, is very positive about his son. " Jean-Claude Van Damme is a very family man ", she once said. Jean-Claude Van Damme visited the family in Europe as often as he could (his older sister, Veronique, owns a hair salon in Belgium) and flew them to his various movie sets around the world.
The stress of Hollywood combined with his failed marriages has apparently taken a toll. After his 1995 movie "Sudden Death", Van Damme plummeted at the box-office. Every movie he made after 95' plugged and the stress lead Van Damme to cocaine. After 95' he was in the media but only because of his drug usage and other personal problems that he had. In 1996 Van Damme announced that he was battling a cocaine addition and admitted himself into a thirty-day substance-abuse program at the Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Los Angeles. He had only completed seven days of the program when he checked himself out. It would seem that the seven days of treatment weren't enough and in 1998 Van Damme announced that he had relapsed.

In 1998 Van Damme realized that it was time to stop the drugs and problems and get control over his life once again. With help from his family he got control over his life, faced his problems and in 1998 he made the movie "Knockoff", although it wasn't a success, Van Damme still tried and filmed two straight to video movies "Desert Heat" and "Legionnaire", and although "Universal Soldier: The Return" went to theatres it too wasn't a success, but Jean-Claude Van Damme gave his fans what they wanted to see, his acting in those movies got better and each movie was action packed.

In 1999 Jean-Claude Van Damme remarried to Gladys Portugues. He has three children Kristopher (1987, mother Gladys Portugues), Bianca (1990, mother Gladys Portugues) and and Nicholas (1995, mother Darcy Lapier). Also he filmed the movie "Desert Heat", which is also known as "Inferno".

In 2001 Jean-Claude Van Damme entered the fashion world with a line of eponymous denim clothing. "It's going to be a great business. It's a very special, unusual line and I'm proud of it." Van Damme said to a reporter. But till now we did not see to much 'great business'. For fans it's hard to find (or impossible?) to get any Van Damme clothing. Only Jean-Claude Van Damme himself wears cool jeans now and then. The clothing line is named Dammage7. The website that was launched by the introduction is now disappeared...

Also in 2001 he'd made an unusual movie: The Replicant. Normally we always see the 'good guy' Van Damme , but in this flick he played the hard serial killer. Van Damme hoped this movie was his great comeback. But in the United States, it did not screen in theatres. Van Damme : "It is a pity. But it was a choice of the producers. Simply, by deciding on this formula, they were certain of the money they would gain. I am very proud of this film". After Replicant he made "The Order" which was filmed in Israel.

After the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, September 2001, Van Damme made a film with the with the topic terrorism. "Derailed" was filmed in Germany in the year 2002. Van Dammestars as a secret agent assigned to put a stop to the activities of a group of terrorists, who are on a train moving full-steam towards Berlin. Also his son Kristopher has in role in this movie. In 2003 followed "The Savage", and he had a role in a music video clip from Bob Sinclair, called "Kiss my eyes". In this clip he is dancing with a lady, and on their way they are accidental breaking windows, doors, statues and much more. At the end of the clip they figured out what a mess they made. Then Van Damme says: "a lot of Van Dammage"

Next projects to come are After Death, Cover Play. There are rumours for Streetfighter 2, Sudden Death 2 and much more.

Who knows what will follow...
Source: http://www.vandamme.ru/biography.htm

posted by Fanatic @ 6:46 PM 0 comments

My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?

The author

Subjects