Hollywood Headlines: A week in review
Sources have confirmed the “Star Trek Into Darkness” filmmaker will helm the next “Star Wars” movie, the highly anticipated installment VII in the landmark franchise, scheduled to reach theaters in 2015. (The news was first reported on the Wrap.) “Star Wars Episode VII” will be written by Michael Arndt, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Toy Story 3.”
Full story: J.J. Abrams set to direct ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Shia LaBeouf drops acid, Beyonce’s singing causes controversy and Prince Harry talks about his nudity incident in this week’s Hollywood Headlines.
Lindsay Lohan and Ann Romney may have one thing in common: They have reportedly both rejected offers to be on “Dancing With the Stars.” Rumor has it that the beleaguered “Mean Girls” actress has rejected an offer to join the juggernaut ballroom-dancing competition because she reportedly wants to stick to films and doesn’t want to do reality TV. “The actress was made several offers to join the ‘DWTS’ cast this upcoming season -- offers that maxed out at $550,000,” according to a TMZ source.
Full story: Report: Lindsay Lohan rejects offer from ‘Dancing With the Stars’ | PHOTOS: Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in ‘Liz & Dick’ (Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)
Shia LaBeouf was working hard to discover his character for “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman,” but it turns out he couldn’t quite get there without taking an acid trip along the way. LaBeouf first sought advice from costar Evan Rachel Wood, someone he said he’s always looked up to as an actor. “I remember sending Evan tapes,” he said in an interview with MTV News at Sundance. “I remember trying to conjure this [character] and sending tapes and Evan being like, ‘Yeah, that’s good, but that’s not, but this is, but that ain’t.’” (Not that she’s any kind of drug expert, she chimed in.) The so-so reaction creeped him out, he said. Hence, the real-life trip to prepare for filming a part about taking an acid trip. “I was just kind of scared. I’d never done acid before.” In the end, he reluctantly admitted, it was fun. But he said he didn’t do it because he wanted to be on drugs or mess up the production or anything. “You don’t show up completely wasted,” he said.
Full story: Shia LaBeouf’s acid trip was all in a day’s work (Danny Moloshok / Invision / Associated Press)
Prince Harry is speaking out for the first time about those naked photos of him that caused a royal kerfuffle over the summer. “It was probably a classic example of me probably being too much army, and not enough prince. It’s a simple case of that,” the royal said during a BBC interview at his military base in Afghanistan. “Back home all my close friends rallied round me and were great.”
Full story: Prince Harry speaks out about Las Vegas nude photos, privacy | VIDEO: Kate Middleton’s portrait unveiled (AFP / Getty Images)
