Thursday, May 31, 2012

Kristen Stewart: I'm not trying to distance myself from 'Twilight'


In the four years since Kristen Stewart began playing the role of Bella Swan in the "Twilight" franchise, the actress has only appeared in three films outside of the massively popular series.

The most popular of the nonvampire fare was the 2009 comedy "Adventureland," which at its height played in around 1,800 theaters nationwide and ended up collecting $16 million -- nowhere near the kind of money a "Twilight" film rakes in. Her subsequent turns as Joan Jett in "The Runaways" and a stripper in "Welcome to the Rileys" were even less widely seen; the latter film grossed only $158,898.

Which all makes her latest role as the princess in "Snow White and the Huntsman" that much more significant. The big-budget spin on the classic fairy tale, out Friday, will mark the first time that most American moviegoers will get to weigh in on whether or not they buy Stewart as anyone but Bella.
Still, the actress says taking on "Snow White" wasn't a calculated move to change her on-screen image.

"People are going to think that it's me trying to either distance myself from 'Twilight' or try to prove myself beyond it or whatever," the 22-year-old said Tuesday evening at a screening of the $175-million production. "But it's [just] good timing. I think it's all fallen off the truck in a really lucky way. But it's totally not my doing."

Asked if she felt "Snow White" marked a new phase in her career, Stewart said it didn't.
" 'Twilight' means so much to me, but it doesn't stand out in terms of -- " she paused, looking for the right words. "Everything I do needs to be really important. ['Snow White'] is neither better or worse than anything I've done."

Her latest film, which also stars Charlize Theron, is the second picture based on the children's tale to hit theaters this year; "Mirror Mirror," Relativity's lighter take on "Snow White," struggled at the box office after its release in March. But Stewart said she thinks her version of the film will resonate with fans because it's a "fundamental story" that makes "you care about people."

"Not to be totally over-sentimental about it, but it's got a nice message -- and a very, very simple one. It just kind of makes you feel good about being human."

Stewart will show off a different side of herself in an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” which premiered to generally positive reviews at the Cannes International Film Festival last week and will hit U.S. cinemas later this year. Meanwhile, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2” -– the final film in the series -– will open in November.

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Justin Bieber Treats Norway Fans With Two New Songs off 'Believe'


Justin Bieber has made his surprise concert in Oslo, Norway even more special for his enthusiastic fans. Performing for free outside the Opera House on Wednesday, May 30, the 18-year-old pop sensation gave the gathering Beliebers a first listen to two new songs from his upcoming album, "Believe".

Showcasing six songs in total, Bieber debuted "All Around the World" and "As Long as You Love Me". He also sent fans into a frenzy with his hit single, "Baby". Prior to the show, the boyfriend of Selena Gomez shared bits of details through a tweet, "The show is part of my #AroundTheWorld TV special and I will be doing 6 songs, 4 new, 2 old before i leave."

Ahead of the free concert, Bieber also made use of his Twitter to tell his fans to listen to the police. "I dont want anyone getting hurt. I want everything to go to plan but your safety must come first," he wrote in a series of tweets. "for the show to happen u must all listen to the police. we are all concerned for your safety and i want what is best for u. please listen and tonight we will have some fun."

After the show, the "Boyfriend" singer once again turned to his social networking site and shared his thought. "that was fun. #NORWAY!! Paris tomorrow! #AtItAgain #BELIEVE," he tweeted. "i missed performing for you. Im glad I get to do it again. I MISSED ALL OF YOU! WE ARE BACK! #BELIEVE. #ILOVEMYBELIEBERS."

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Meet Jessica Simpson's Baby!


Since Jessica Simpson and her fiancรฉ Eric Johnson welcomed their daughter Maxwell Drew on May 1, "life has completely changed," Simpson, 31, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "From how I sleep to what I think about, Maxwell has definitely taken over everything!"

In this week's issue, Simpson and Johnson give an exclusive interview, plus share the first photos of their little one, who's inherited her mom's eyes and her dad's calm demeanor.

"We stare at her all the time," says Simpson. "We can't get enough!"
But becoming new parents hasn't been without its hardships. Recovering from surgery – Simpson delivered via C-section – isn't easy, she says, and nursing, which she does throughout the day, has become "a full-on job."

Still, "It's the worst if I have to pump and give Eric a bottle to give her," says Simpson. "I miss holding her and having that closeness."

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Phillip Phillips Home sales


Some people have called Phillip Phillips' Home the best American Idol coronation song ever, and the numbers the track put up last week bear it out.

Home sold 278,000 copies last week, according to Nielsen Soundscan. That's more than 100,000 more downloads than Scotty McCreery's I Love You This Big sold last year and nearly three times what Lee DeWyze sold of Beautiful Day in 2010. In fact, its the second-best first-week numbers for an Idol winner's coronation single and the overall third-best first week coming off the show.
Here's how Home stacks up:

Keep in mind that some of the early Idol sales represent physical sales while the more recent ones are digital sales. However you slice it, though, Phillip had a mighty impressive week.
Home, by the way, was the week's second-best-selling single, behind Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe.

But wait, there's more: According to Keith Caulfield at Billboard, "It's the second-best digital sales week ever for any Idol contestant. Only Kelly Clarkson's 2009 song My Life Would Suck Without You had a bigger frame, when it debuted with 280,000 downloads."

Idol tracks

Phillip Phillips, Home (278,000, debut, 278,000)
Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) (72,000, +15%, 3.249 million)
Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull, Dance Again (69,000, -35%, 708,000)
Carrie Underwood, Good Girl (53,000, -1%, 932,000)
Phillip Phillips, We've Got Tonight (43,000 debut, 43,000)
Phillip Phillips, Volcano (35,000, debut, 35,000)
Carrie Underwood, Blown Away (27,000, +31%, 155,000)
Phillip Phillips, Stand by Me (24,000, debut, 24,000)
Phillip Phillips, Beggin' (20,000, debut, 20,000)
Scotty McCreery, Please Remember Me (16,000, +302%, 58,000)
Phillip Phillips, Movin' Out (15,000, debut, 15,000)
Phillip Phillips, U Got It Bad (15,000, debut, 15,000)
Phillip Phillips, Have You Ever Seen the Rain (12,000, debut, 12,000)
Phillip Phillips, Disease (11,000, debut, 11,000)
Kelly Clarkson, Mr. Know It All (10,000, +11%, 1.493 million)
Haley Reinhart, Undone (8,000, debut, 8,000)
Kelly Clarkson, Dark Side (8,000, +250%, 36,000)
Carrie Underwood, Cowboy Casanova (8,000, +27%, 1.845 million)
Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson, Don't You Wanna Stay (6,000, +4%, 2.075 million)
Brad Paisley/Carrie Underwood, Remind Me (6,000, +1%, 1.54 million)
Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats (5,000, +6%, 3.479 million)
Scotty McCreery, The Trouble With Girls (5,000, +37%, 693,000)
Mandisa, Good Morning (5,000, -12%, 111,000)
Carrie Underwood, How Great Thou Art (4,000, +98%, 330,000)
Mandisa, Stronger (1,000, 0 change, 187,000)

Finale-related tracks

Rihanna, Where Have You Been (135,000, +47%, 545,000)
Wisin & Yandel feat. Jennifer Lopez, Follow the Leader (13,000, +203%, 41,000)
Aerosmith, Legendary Child (10,000, debut, 10,000)

Update: SoundScan updated its sales data Wednesday afternoon, resulting in a few albums having different chart positions than originally reported.

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