Angelina Jolie on The Huffington Post

Angelina Jolie Narrates Story Of Cambodian Sex Slave

2009-12-05T13:04:52Z

Angelina Jolie has joined Ben Affleck and Demi Moore in an effort to highlight the plight of desperate women in Third World countries by narrating a video about a teenage Cambodian sex slave.

Brad & Angelina Bring Maddox To Premiere (PHOTO)

2009-12-04T09:08:51Z

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie brought along a date to the Thursday premiere of Invictus in Los Angeles -- eldest son Maddox, 8. The PG-13 true story stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as a star rugby player in post-apartheid South Africa.

PHOTO:

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Katherine Thomson: The Brad & Angelina Tell-All Book - How Fake Is It?

2009-11-29T19:56:17Z

Us Weekly has screamed it on covers and the New York Post did the same on Sunday (Brangelina's SEXY SECRETS), but are Brad and Angelina really fighting constantly and breaking up in the near future as an upcoming book claims? Reading the details, I'm not so sure.

Author and reporter Ian Halperin supposedly spent five years piecing together Brangelina: The Untold Story of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and spoke with 900 sources. He was most recently seen doing the media circuit to talk about Michael Jackson, the subject of his last book.

Halperin spoke with Sunday's NY Post to dish up some of "his most sensational findings" about Brad and Angelina. Reading the article, I find much of it hard to believe.

To be clear, I haven't read the book. I've never met Halperin. I've also never met Brad Pitt and I've spent just 20 minutes in a hotel room with Angelina and about five others during a junket, during which she avoided talk of her personal life.

The Post's Halperin-Brangelina feature opens with an anecdote about then-Mrs. Pitt Jennifer Aniston meeting Jolie on the set of Friends shortly before Mr. and Mrs. Smith began filming. Despite the 900 sources, this insider-y sounding anecdote comes uncredited from Aniston's 2005 interview with Vanity Fair's Leslie Bennetts.

From the NY Post/Halperin:

It was 2004, just weeks before shooting was to begin on the action flick "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," when Angelina Jolie happened to visit the set of the hit show "Friends."

"Brad is so excited to be working with you," Jennifer Aniston told her husband's new co-star. "I hope you guys have a really good time."

From Aniston's 2005 Vanity Fair cover interview:

Aniston has met Jolie only once, when she took a passing opportunity to say hello. "It was on the lot of Friends -- I pulled over and introduced myself," Aniston recalls. "I said, 'Brad is so excited about working with you. I hope you guys have a really good time.'"

Moving on to what is either some poorly fact-checked chronology or just an error, the next NY Post paragraph reads:

Less than a year later, Brad Pitt and Jolie would pose for W magazine in a spread called "Domestic Bliss." Real-life romance soon followed, as modern Hollywood's most famous love triangle played out in the tabloids. Eventually, Pitt would leave Aniston and take up with Jolie.

The W spread came out in June 2005. Pitt and Aniston officially split 5 months earlier.

Next paragraph:

"Brad had never had such incredible sex," Halperin says. "My sources say that they sometimes spent 18 to 20 hours a day in bed. But sex eventually wears off."

How likely is this? The incredible sex, who's to argue? But 18-20 hours in bed a day having it? I'm not sure. When Brad and Angelina met in 2004 she was a single mom to son Maddox, and she adopted Zahara in July 2005. Did she spend days on end in bed with her boyfriend while her toddler son and newly-adopted daughter were elsewhere? It seems unlikely.

Next is the part that is the most egregiously wrong, and alone casts everything else Halperin writes about Pitt and Jolie (as reported by the NY Post anyway) into doubt:

A woman who worked with Pitt while he was filming "Troy" told Halperin: "They were definitely in love, but that's where it gets tricky. If you want to know if they're still together, the answer depends on when you ask the question.

"I've heard that they've broken up so many times it would make your head spin.

"There are apparently screaming matches, usually with her doing the screaming. Nobody really witnesses that part of it -- they just see him leaving in a huff. But then he ends up coming back again, and nobody knows what happened to bring him back."

Troy came out in the summer of 2004 and was filmed in 2003, before Brad had ever met Angelina.

An unnamed woman who worked on that film is telling second hand stories about Brad and Angelina's breakups and screaming matches, when there is zero evidence she had ever met Angelina, much less seen Brad and Angelina as a couple.

And there are things like this, exaggerations in the least:

Halperin claims that Pitt's biggest problem with Jolie is her controlling nature. "She won't let [Pitt] out of the house alone," he said.

She supposedly won't let him out alone, yet there are plenty of paparazzi photos of Pitt alone on his motorcycle cruising LA., like here and at dinner with friends, like here.

Maybe Brangelina are fighting constantly, with Jolie a temperamental control freak and Pitt a pothead cheater, and maybe they'll soon split up. But from what I've read of this book, I think it's just as likely they won't.

Brad & Angelina Gave Away $7 Million In 2008

2009-11-25T12:21:03Z

Angelina Jolie, 34, and Brad Pitt, 45, gave a whopping $6.8 million to charities in 2008

Johnny Depp & Angelina Jolie Steam Up The Screen In 'The Tourist'

2009-11-24T09:31:02Z

The latest movie-studio rumor is that Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie will be steaming up the screen with an onscreen lovemaking scene in the yet-to-be-filmed The Tourist -- something that could make the heads of followers of PEOPLE's Sexiest Man explode.

Angelina Jolie Gives A Close-Up In 'Salt' Poster (PHOTO, POLL)

2009-11-17T18:56:27Z

The yearlong marketing of 'Salt' continues, one coy step at a time. First the trailer was released, and now we have a mysterious teaser poster.

'Who is Salt?' it asks. That would be Evelyn Salt, a CIA operative accused of being a Russian spy out to assassinate the U.S. president. She is played by Angelina Jolie, whose smoldering stare greets you below.

'Salt' opens July 23, 2010.

PHOTO:

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Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Design Snake-Themed Jewelry

2009-11-16T07:44:04Z

The series started out as something for children -- 16-month-old Vivienne has already been photographed wearing bangles with the snake motifs-- but has developed into the limited edition "Protector Collection" of high end jewelry and other luxuries, which does still include children's items like a tooth box and silver egg cup.

Brad & Angelina Together At MOCA Gala (PHOTOS)

2009-11-15T21:25:21Z

They are on the cover of four tabloids this week (Us, Star, OK! and Life & Style) for supposed relationship turmoil, but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie appeared very together Saturday night when they attended the Museum of Contemporary Art's 30th anniversary gala together, held at MOCA in Los Angeles. The pair got a private, early look at the exhibition while there, as seen below.

Various magazines have Jolie down under 100 lbs, fighting with Pitt incessantly, adopting a child without Pitt, and spreading rumors about Jennifer Aniston.

PHOTOS:

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Andrew Zack: In Search of Reading Role Models

2009-11-14T11:14:03Z

As a father, I regularly look to my toddler son and ponder
how will I share with him some of the experiences I so fondly remember from my
own childhood: rainy days building forts
out of TV tables and blankets, snowy nights building model planes and tanks, and
Saturday afternoons watching the Creature Double Feature. And, of course, reading books. Lots and lots of books.

As a boy and a teenager, I read voraciously, knocking off a
book a day or at least two or three a week.
But those days are long gone. If
there’s one casualty of a career in publishing, it’s reading for fun. Reading manuscripts and sample chapters and
proposals, not to mention several hundred emails a week, puts enough wear and
tear on the average agent’s eyeballs that a monthly eye exam could easily be
justified as a business expense.

Kids today, though, have a lot more competition for their
attention. I had five TV stations
growing up, not five hundred. And if I
wanted to change the channel, or my dad wanted the channel changed, I had to
get up and change it (yes, I was the original “remote” in our home). I had a manual typewriter, not three
computers. And I lived in New England,
where it actually snowed and rained, unlike where my son is growing up in San
Diego, the land that precipitation forgot.
Other than the occasional day well into the nineties, the weather is
rarely conducive to a day spent inside reading.

All of which is a long way of introducing the subject that
book publishing as we know it is in deep poop, because kids today have far many
more options for their “reading time” than I ever had and their parents are
just as, if not more, distracted. My son
will grow up like most kids in America today, with hundreds of TV stations to
choose from, millions of websites to waste time exploring, an iPod full of
media (likely video as well as audio), and video-gaming consoles and handhelds,
plus a beach full of surfers just a few miles away. How on earth will I get him to read a
book? And how will the publishing
industry get today’s kids--and their parents--to read books?

No, I don’t actually have the answer to that last question,
but if there was a question publishers should be pouring money into answering,
that would be the one.

Harry Potter was a godsend to the publishing industry. Not just for the millions (billions?) of
dollars in book sales it helped generate, but because it got an entire
generation of children to read. And not
just to read, but also to look forward
to reading and look forward to that next book in the series. Dan Brown did something similar with
adults. Adults who hadn’t read a book in
years felt they had to read The Da Vinci Code. Surely a few went on to read Brown’s other
books and maybe after that even read some other authors’ books. But Brown took six years to write another
book and Rowling is “done” with Harry Potter.
Thankfully Oprah still picks a book now and then.

Once upon a time, US presidents would be seen reading books
and those books would leap to the best-seller lists. But when did you last hear anything about
what the president was reading? What the
publishing industry needs today is not just best-selling authors like Rowling
or Brown, but also reading role models
that will inspire children and their parents to pick up more books. Forget “game night.” We need “reading night” in America’s
homes. We need a president who tells us
what he’s reading that week, not to mention talk-show hosts, ballplayers, and
supermodels. Because, like it or not,
those are the individuals to whom Americans seem to pay the most
attention. Oprah already tells us who
she’s reading, but what about Katie or Matt or Jay or Dave? What about Tom and Gisele? Angelina and Brad? Or how about the Jonas brothers or
Miley? Somewhere on all of those concert
tours, they must pick up a book,
right? Maybe publishers should add some
more celebrities to the galley mailing lists.
Certainly if Angelina is seen carrying the latest children’s book
release around the sales would skyrocket.
If tween girls want so badly to be like Miley, maybe she could pick up a
copy of Pride and Prejudice, or even Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and
inspire those tweens to do the same.

So let this be a call to action, Washington. Listen up, Hollywood. Our children need you to read and we need to
know what you are reading, so don’t be shy about actually being seen carrying a
book. And, please, let your choices not
just be from the best-seller list, because those authors are already doing just
fine.

Dr. Alex Benzer: 9 Reasons Why Dating Actors is a Bad Idea

2009-11-12T13:13:34Z

One of the most common romantic fantasies that men and women
in this country tend to have is to date an actor. The men all want an Angelina Jolie, and all
the women want a Brad Pitt.

And why not (besides the mildly inconvenient fact of those two being married to each other)? Actors are famous, influential, loved by all, make oodles of money and
look good on your arm. And your friends
will be mightily impressed. Right?

Now I’ve been living in Los Angeles for some years, and for better or
for worse have gone out with enough actresses to know what it’s really like. So if you're seeking a fulfilling relationship, here I present to you why dating an actor
is a Bad Idea. My experience is with the
females, but the generalizations below being of the vast variety, they apply regardless of gender:

1. Actors are financially unstable.

The number of actors who are making a decent living out
there is vanishingly small. There are a
few dozen household names; the rest are mostly struggling. They sling drinks and wait tables, waiting
for their big break.

One of my mentors put it bluntly: “If you’re hungry, you’ll
forget about love. And if you need to
pee, you’ll forget about the hunger, too.” Maslow’s hierarchy of needs says that base-level needs like
shelter, security, employment and resources supersede higher ones.

If scarcity prevents fulfillment of those basic needs, you
don’t get to rise to the higher ones involving love, esteem and
self-actualization. So someone who’s
struggling with making ends meet doesn’t just lack time for love but may not be
in a position to offer (or receive) love at all.

2. Actors are in a state of perpetual emergency.

Here comes the next audition! Next callback! And another!
Every call and meeting with producers and agents is an emergency. Even though there’s a less than 10% chance of
anything coming out of any given audition, she never knows which one’s going to
be the big one, so she has to show up every day.

If you’re dating her, you try to be supportive the first few
times. But after she cancels on you for an audition for a Charmin' ad again,
you start wondering whether being left high and dry is your idea of fun. Which contributes to the next problem…

3. Actors have funny schedules.

In addition to the sudden-death auditions and callbacks that
usually happen on weekends when you’re trying to get together, actors also have
paying gigs that happen at inconvenient times for workaday mortals.

If she’s in a theater production, she may not be available
on any weekend evening for months. Film
shoots happen at midnight; callbacks pop up out of nowhere. And if she lands a really big job that shoots
on location, she could be gone for 3 months.

So you can go out for dinner or to your friend’s birthday
party – just not with her. If
companionship is an essential part of your fulfillment in a relationship, then
you’re not going to be fulfilled.

4. They are constantly exposed to rejection, hurting their self-esteem.

I once accompanied a girlfriend to an audition for a
commercial, just to see how the other half lives. What I saw was quite enlightening: a roomful
of preposterously good-looking folks, all vying for 2 roles in an
advertisement. The chances of any one of
them landing the job was well under 5%.

So day in, day out, actors walk into
situations with a 95% chance of rejection – often for reasons they can’t
control, like height, complexion or butt size.

You can imagine that this could wreak silent havoc with the
self-esteem of anyone not made of stone.
The dating problem arises because psychologists have found a phenomenon
called the marriage shift: in a
long-term relationship, someone with low self-esteem will eventually come to
disbelieve her partner’s kindness (“Why would he want me? He must be lying or crazy”), think him a fraud
and walk out. That doesn't sound like a party to me.

5. They are in constant danger of being criticized publicly
and therefore feel insecure.

If you have a regular job, chances are that you receive your
periodic work review in private behind closed doors.

But there are a few jobs out there whose job reviews comes
out in public – in a newspaper article or worse, on a magazine cover. Tabloids go further and include the actor’s private life, too – it’s all fair game. So actors never know when they’re going to be
swiped at by some unaccountable miscreant who endangers their self-esteem and mood.

6. Their self-absorption leaves little room in their lives for others.

The work of a good actor involves total focus on the physical
self so it becomes an instrument of expression.
Because of this self-absorption and the aforementioned perpetual state
of emergency, she will call on you to be understanding and be patient.

However, she will not have the time and energy to be
understanding and patient in return.
It’s not her fault – the nature of the business simply precludes
it. In the meantime, there’s no one to
support you in your time of need.

7. They are incapable of sustained, deep happiness.

One of the characteristics of meaningful work is that it
gets rewarded. For the reward to register
in the human brain, it has to arrive immediately after the completion of a task
– within seconds to minutes.

For film and TV actors, the reward of their work – applause
or good reviews – comes weeks to months after the work is complete. So their neural reward circuit never really
gets lit up, and at a deep level, they never feel truly gratified, even when
they do their best work. So you’re stuck
with someone whose life work is incapable of making her truly happy, and
there’s not much you can do about that. If
you like her, that’s bound to affect you as well.

8. Their satisfaction is externally determined.

If you were to summarize all the thinking of the ages about
happiness and living the good life, it may come down to this: if you can
generate your own good feelings from within, you win. If you depend on the outside world to
generate good feelings for you, you lose.

Like all art, acting has no absolute value other than that
conferred upon it by public opinion. So the
actor’s happiness is perpetually determined from the outside: the opinions of
casting directors, producers, reviewers, and their audience. As Lao Tzu said in Chapter 9 of the Tao Te Ching, “Care about people's
approval, and you will be their prisoner.”
And a prisoner’s not all that fun to hang around.

Also, an actor’s whole way of existence is about expression
rather than introspection. As my friend
the author and producer
Adam Gilad pointed out, “The Oracle of Delphi’s gate inscription didn’t say
‘Express thyself’ – it said ‘Know thyself.’”
There’s a big difference between the two.

9. They inhabit a perceived state of permanent decline

I’ll never forget when my friend Anna told me on her 24^th
birthday without a hint of irony, “Omigod – I’m so old.” Forget that Anna is
accident-causingly beautiful. She already
sees herself as over the hill, knows she’s not getting any younger, and checks
for wrinkles and other supposed defects every day.

So you’re the one thinking she’s a piece of heavenly
perfection, but she’s convinced she’s turning into Quasimodo. Eventually, you’ll get tired of
your compliments going nowhere, she will think you a fraud (see #4) and things unravel
from there.

Of course, my dear reader, you will still be attracted to
actors in spite of all of this, and you may still date one of them someday. If so, perhaps by knowing what you’re getting
yourself into, you’ll be the one who bucks the trend. But just knowing it’s raining outside won’t keep
you from getting soaked, so proceed with caution still.

Further smart dating tips in the Tao of Dating book for women
and Tao of Dating book for men

Visit the blog: www.TaoOfDating.com

Join me on Facebook

Write to me: DrAlex(at)TaoOfDating.com

Patricia Cornwell On "The Scarpetta Factor" (VIDEO)

2009-11-12T10:43:36Z

Patricia Cornwell was on Good Morning America this morning to talk about her new book, "The Scarpetta Factor." She spoke about the "CSI effect" in court cases and officially announced that Angelina Jolie is her first choice to play Kay Scarpetta in an upcoming movie based on the series.

HuffPost Readers: We want to know what you think! Do you like these Good Morning America interviews with big authors? Should we post more? Let us know in the comments section below!

WATCH:

Jon Voight Has Reconciled With Angelina Jolie

2009-11-11T16:49:06Z

After a seven-year rift, Jon Voight tells the new issue of Us Weekly (on newsstands now) that he and Angelina Jolie have reconciled.

"We're in touch, but not regularly," Voight, 70, confirms to Us Weekly. "We love each other and that's the most important thing."

Angelina Jolie's "Salt" Trailer: Watch The Teaser (VIDEO)

2009-11-05T09:01:08Z

Angelina Jolie's action thriller "Salt" doesn't come out till next summer, but the Bourne-esque film has its first teaser trailer out, seen below.

Jolie plays a CIA operative who tries to clear her name after she is alleged to be a Russian spy who wants to assassinate the President. Liev Shreiber costars.

WATCH:

UPDATE: Author Says New Book Does Not Claim That Angelina Jolie Slept With Mother's Boyfriend

2009-10-28T09:39:37Z

UPDATED

On Tuesday, The New York Daily News reported that a new book by controversial biographer Andrew Morton revealed that Angelina Jolie had slept with her mother's boyfriend when she was 16.

Radar Online quoted an anonymous source as saying that "[w]hen Ange admitted the story to her brother James just a few weeks ago, even he turned on her. She has hardly anyone left in life who likes or trusts her."

Now, according to Life & Style Weekly, author Andrew Morton has spoken up, saying that the rumors aren't true, and that, while he is writing a biography of Jolie, the book will not make any such accusation. "It's about as true as I'm sitting on this horse," he said.

Rosie O'Donnell Talks Sex With Kelli Carpenter, Phone Fling With Angelina Jolie

2009-10-27T14:41:03Z

O'Donnell told Stern she and Carpenter had "different styles of living" and have "come to a point where we are seeing [if] what will make everyone happiest is maybe to not live together, but continue to parent."

Brad Pitt In Motorcycle Accident

2009-10-24T23:13:08Z

TMZ has learned Brad Pitt was involved in a minor motorcycle accident moments ago in Los Angeles.

A witness at the scene tells us Pitt was trying to weave in between cars while at a red light -- but he lost control and fell off the bike.

Mark Joseph: Dumb Things Celebrites Say: Ashton Kutcher

2009-10-06T15:03:59Z

Although it's not fair to only pick on Ashton Kutcher since hundreds of celebs have said the same thing, here goes: In a recent interview, the actor was asked if jealousy ever arose on either his or Demi Moore's part over love scenes they have starred in.

Kutcher's response?

It's interesting that people look at sex in that way. If I had a scene in a movie where I had to go shoot someone with a gun, Demi wouldn't think that I was a murderer. So if I have a scene in a movie where I'm having sex with somebody else, Demi doesn't think that I'm in another relationship. You go to work and you play make-believe, and you come home and you live real life. That's part of our jobs.

Sex with a beautiful co-star is like shooting a gun? Really?

Mayo Method isn't that stupid. She was happily (presumably) married to 45-year old Humphrey Bogart when her husband co-starred with 19-year old Lauren Bacall in To Have & Have Not, in 1944. The next year they weren't married anymore and Bogart wed Bacall.

More recently, Brad Pitt, married at the time to one of the world's most beautiful women, Jennifer Aniston, fell in love with his co-star Angelina Jolie after one of those cold, mechanical, love scenes that Kutcher likens to gunplay.

I could go on -- Hollywood history is replete with such examples, but Kutcher is ignorant of all of that and lives in a reality-free zone wherein human beings are unemotional creatures who can perform sex scenes without any emotional attachment.

Brad, Angelina And The Twins Get Ice Cream In Jordan

2009-10-03T23:34:05Z

After visiting Iraqi refugees in Syria to raise awareness of their plight, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie returned to Amman Jordan, where they were spotted at a local ice cream parlor, Licky Licious, with their 15-month old twins, Knox and Vivienne.

A fellow ice-cream goer saw the family, who posed for a photo, then tweeted it. Jolie got mango ice cream, Pitt got pecan and caramel.

The twins were first photographed in public at the Tokyo airport in January.

Read more: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie Pitt, Knox Leon Jolie Pitt, Celebrity Kids, Brad Angelina Twins, Brad and Angelina, Jolie Pitt Twins, Brad and Angelina Twins, Angelina and Brad in Jordan, Brad Pitt Twins, Brad Angelina, Entertainment News

Angelina And Brad In Syria To Shine Light On Iraqi Refugees

2009-10-02T15:56:50Z
DAMASCUS, Syria — Angelina Jolie met with Iraqi refugees in Syria on Friday and urged the world not to forget the plight of those among them who cannot return home because of the trauma they suffered and the country's instability.

Jolie visited Syria in her role as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, and was accompanied by her partner, Brad Pitt, the agency said.
Read more: Syria, Angelina Jolie, Unhcr, Brad Pitt, Refugees, Entertainment News

Shiloh Loses A Tooth

2009-09-23T14:35:36Z
Angelina Jolie took daughters Zahara and Shiloh, along with son Pax to Toys 'R Us in Toulon, France, and we totally had a case of deja vu! Earlier this summer we snapped a very similar picture of Angie and the girls shopping at Toys 'R Us in Hollywood, and they made out like bandits, with an entire shopping cart full of goodies!

Shiloh showed off quite an interesting look (love that sword, sister!) but what really caught our attention was her missing front tooth!
Read more: Angelina Jolie, Shiloh Tooth, Celebrity Kids, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh, Entertainment News

Mark Pasetsky: Aniston Pregnant, Pitt Moving Out, Jessica Simpson Upset: Celeb Weekly Covers

2009-09-23T08:49:40Z
Jennifer Aniston's glowing, Brad Pitt's frowning, Jessica Simpson misses Daisy, Katherine Heigl's baby, the Travolta's continue to grieve, and a Kardashian Wedding: It's the new celebrity weekly covers!

Vote for your favorite and least favorite at CoverAwards.com.

Let's take a closer look.

OK! Magazine's cover is Jennifer Aniston pregnant at 40 and shows the actress with a noticeable bump. Her baby dream is finally coming true!

Meanwhile, Jen's ex-Brad Pitt is moving out on Angelina Jolie, reports InTouch. He's even hired a real estate expert to find his own place -- and it appears the couple has grown apart.

Us Weekly covers Jessica Simpson looking quite despondent over the loss of her dog Daisy. Making matters worse? She can't stop eating, she's feeling alone and wants Tony back.

Vote for your favorite and least favorite at CoverAwards.com.

In baby news, Katherine Heigl's new adopted girl covers People Magazine. Inside, you'll find out about "her emotional decision to adopt Naleigh, a special needs baby, from Korea."

Star Magazine covers the Travoltas and the "trial in Jett's death" and how this is bringing them closer together.

Finally, Khloe Kardashian is getting married this weekend and Life & Style serves up an interview and details on Lamar's proposal.

Mark Pasetsky is the editorial director of CoverAwards.com, an editorial consultant to OK! Magazine, the editorial director of Taraci.com, and the former editor in chief of Life & Style.

Read more: Jennifer Aniston, OK Magazine, Star Magazine, People Magazine, Chloe Kardashian, Life & Style Magazine, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, US Magazine, Kim Kardashian, Intouch, John Travolta, Media News

Rachel Strugatz: Reem Acra's Office: See What's Inside (PHOTOS)

2009-09-12T19:34:19Z
Reem Acra is the Beirut-born designer responsible for the striking strapless dress Jill Biden wore to the Inaugural Balls. Since launching her eponymous label in 1996, Acra's bridal gowns and evening wear have become perennial favorites with celebrities such as Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Beyoncé, Olivia Wilde, Katherine Heigl, and Eva Longoria.

Reem Acra in her office
Photos by Brandon Perlman

With the help of a live-in seamstress that helped bring her designs to fruition, Acra has been designing dresses since she was a little girl. After relocating to the United States in 1983, she studied at both the Fashion Institute of Technology and then at ESMOD International Fashion University Group in Paris before returning back to New York to open her own design house. Her gowns are both lavish and glamorous without being over the top, and it's clear why Acra's designs have become red carpet mainstays at the Emmy's, the Golden Globes, and the Oscars. Her fashion-forward take on traditional style results in dresses appropriate for twenty-something starlets to politicians' wives.

In the midst of frantically preparing for her upcoming Spring 2010 show, which takes place on Sunday, Reem sat down and shared her inspirations, her philosophy on dressing from day to night, and even sketched a dress on the spot.

Rachel Strugatz: Describe your personal style
Reem Acra: My personal style is a mixture of classical and modern. My style definitely has a sense of humor and I like to always be dressed from the office and ready to go out. I wear pieces that can be casual and then dressed up for an event.

RS: Tell us what you're wearing from head-to-toe
RA: I'm wearing a new skirt from my Spring 2010 collection, a Jil Sander t-shirt, a black draped cropped sweater, and a red patent belt from my collection. A touch of color - like this red belt - is always good. I'm also wearing Sergio Rossi satin peep-toe platform pumps - they are black with a navy blue platform and heel.

RS: What are your must-have items?
RA: Necklaces and the belts from my collections - I have to have belts. There are patent, fabric, and some of the belts are beaded too. Another must-have for me is always being neat and organized. I also can't live without Altoid Smalls and my Sony Cyber Shot digital camera, and my dog Loulou goes everywhere with me.

RS: What inspires you?
RA: I'm inspired by everything from fabric swatches, to people, to cities, to traveling, to art, to architecture - anything still or moving. The city is filled with things that are inspiring, but it really starts with the fabric. My fall collection is Greek Goddess inspired, but in a modern way. It came about because I was having dinner with a friend, talking about a Greek statue that he owned. I had him email me a picture of the sculpture and I asked if I could use it as my muse. The trick is how you translate and the fabrics worked well because they were muted.

5 Things About Reem...

1. Her favorite movie is Slumdog Millionaire
2. She takes ballroom dancing lessons four times a week
3. The last book she read was Madame Bovary
4. She is an accomplished painter (but gave it up a long time ago) and has a passion for interior decorating
5. She is fluent in three languages

In Reem's Office...

Pink Alessi Timer -- "In case people stay too long in my office during meetings."

Framed Photo of Her Mother -- "This is from the 40's. It's one of the only ones we can find. She influenced me and taught me how to buy fabrics. She was always well dressed."

Butler and Chef Wine Holders -- " I keep my brushes in here because I like to keep my girl things in here."

Black Lacquered Wood Desk -- "My brother Max made my desk. It's a masterpiece like a piano. Everybody who comes in my office loves my desk."

Writing Instrument Holder -- "I use black felt pens and Sharpie's when I'm sketching something larger. Never leave a pen around me -- It will be gone."

Red Chinese Box -- "This is a very interesting box, it's so unusual."

Roger Vivier Flats -- "These are one of my favorite pairs of shoes."

Lulu Guinness "Don't Forget" Satin Bag -- "I love bags and little bags within bags. Everything is contained."

Little Girl's Dress -- "I designed this when I was eight."

Altoid Smalls -- "They are small and have a better effect than the bigger ones."

Prada Tortoiseshell Sunglasses -- "I can't go out without them."

Red Boxes -- "They are essential. It's archives of pictures, videos, and CD's. After every collection, anything related to the show - the program, show DVD, and the invitation-- goes in a box."

From the Runway...

A look from Reem Acra's Spring 2010 collection

A look from Reem Acra's Spring 2010 collection

A look from Reem Acra's Spring 2010 collection

A look from Reem Acra's Spring 2010 collection

A look from Reem Acra's Spring 2010 collectionRunway looks courtesy of Reem Acra

Rachel Strugatz can be contacted at rachel.strugatz@gmail.com.

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Read more: Reem Acra, Jill Biden Inauguration Dress, Jill Bidens Dress, Jill Biden Ball Gown, Jill Biden Inauguration, Jill Biden Inauguration Gown, Jill Biden Inaugural Gown Photos, Reem Acra Gowns, Jill Biden Gown, Angelina Jolie, Reem Acra Dress, Reem Acra Bridal, Jill Biden Inaugural Ball Gown, Halle Berry, Reem Acra 2009, Jill Biden Inauguration Photos, Biden Dress, Inauguration Style Jill Biden Reem Acra, Reem Acra Wedding, Jill Biden Inaugural Gown Pictures, Eva Longoria, Jill Biden's Inaugural Gown, Jill Biden Style, Reem Acra Dresses, Katherine Heigl, Beyonce, Reem Acra Gown, Jill Biden Red Dress, Jill Biden Inaugural Gown, Jill Biden, Jill Biden's Gown, Jill Biden Inaugural Ball Dress, Olivia Wilde, Jill Biden Dress, Reem Acra Designer Style News, Jill Biden Inaugural Dress, Fashion Week, Style News

Irene Rubaum-Keller: A New Type of Identity Theft

2009-09-09T18:26:56Z
You don't have to be famous for this to happen to you, but it helps. What is happening on Facebook, My Space, Twitter, and elsewhere online, is that people are impersonating celebrities. People are claiming to be Angelina Jolie, Michael Keaton, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Richard Gere, George Clooney and on and on. They use the name, or a version of the name that is very close, the celeb's photo and all the correct information they can get from an easy Google search. The technology is moving faster than it can be policed and people are getting away with amazing things.

For example, someone was claiming to be Mike Keaton on Facebook. They used Michael's photo, correct birth date, accurate hometown and imdb information for current career news. As an investigative reporter, I infiltrated this Mike Keaton (aka became friends with) and here is a sampling of his status updates:

"Droppin a deuce."

"Looking for a good time."

"Mike is flickin the bean." (I had to look that one up.)

"I am dropping ten friends a day. If you want to stay friends you have to convince me as to why you deserve to stay. You can send nude pics, etc..."

The one that really got me going was, "I am now on Twitter. Follow me." This person started a Twitter account as Michael Keaton. Funny thing because I had been following the real Michael Keaton on Twitter for some time. He doesn't Tweet much but when he does he is never, "droppin a deuce" or "flickin the bean". He posts some interesting and intelligent things. Meanwhile fake Mike Keaton had close to 3,000 friends on Facebook and from what his friends were saying, they fully believed it was Michael Keaton.

Currently Danny DeVito and Georges Clooney are selling things to their thousands of friends. It blows my mind what these people are getting away with and thousands of unsuspecting people are buying it.

Don't let this happen to you! The best way I know to keep tabs on this for yourself, is to Google yourself frequently. If you are famous you should have this going on daily. You don't want to find out that thousands of people now think you are a dweeb because you are pimping porno sites or posting adolescent status updates. If you aren't famous, this can still happen to you. Google yourself. Keep yourself safe!

Read more: Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Danny Devito, Michael Keaton, Facebook, Identity Theft, Celebrities, Living News

Pregnancy Cravings Of The Stars

2009-09-08T16:10:55Z
What weird foods do stars crave when they're expecting?

Nicole Richie is preggers with her second child. She looks like she barely eats at all, so we were pretty shocked when Joel Madden told People that he goes on runs to In-N-Out at all hours of the night to satisfy his wife's burger cravings. (People)

When she was pregnant with twins, Angelina Jolie craved chocolate flavored with cinnamon and chili, and onion rings with mustard. (OK! Magazine)

Read more: Usher, Nicole Richie, Katie Holmes, Britney Spears, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Pregnancy, Food, Pregnancy Cravings, Celebrities, Living News

2morrowknight: Riddle Me This: Why Not Let Stephen Colbert Play the Riddler?

2009-09-01T14:20:58Z
With the late Heath Ledger's academy award-winning turn as The Joker, studio heads at Warner Brothers are reportedly giddy about the prospect of hitting a home run with another villain in the next Batman sequel. I believe that villain should be The Riddler, and I believe comic and pop culture icon Stephen Colbert should play him.

Yes, Stephen Colbert. (I'm serious, and I'll explain why in a second.) But of course, many at Warner Brothers have someone else in mind: Johnny Depp. Yes, I can see why many see him as an attractive choice. He gave incredible dimension to the deliriously enjoyable Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and he has delivered some memorable performances in brilliantly macabre, Tim Burton-directed movies like Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd. He is truly a force of nature!

But indulge me for a moment: the Riddler is not just any villain. As long as he can describe it in a riddle or puzzle, he views it as a crime worth committing. He doesn't kill his opponents when he has the upper hand. Like say, Jigsaw in the Saw movies, he has to put them in a deathtrap where he creates a life and death intellectual challenge they cannot possibly solve. And though Depp could do it, Stephen Colbert would give the role true justice.

The Riddler is intellectually curious, wickedly funny, and relentlessly creative -- all of the things I would associate with Stephen Colbert. Add in the usual debauchery, mischief and shenanigans and Colbert could really pull it off. I know this is a lot to chew on for some. But he has fooled a lot of conservatives into thinking that he's one of them, and remember his rap battle with RNC CHairman Steele about conservative values? It was a side-splittingly funny bit that's worth 100 Emmy awards.

As a serious comic book enthusiast and collector, I take my Colbert recommendation seriously. I have thoroughly enjoyed, and celebrated the casting of Christian Bale as Batman. He takes the franchise to another level. And, if the reports are true, I would celebrate Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin. But most of all, I would cheer for casting Angelina Jolie as The Catwoman. Nobody plays the seductive Vixen persona better than her. But trust me, Stephen Colbert would be devilishly good fun as The Ridler. Think about it.
Read more: The Colbert Report, Comics, Comic Villains, The Penguin, Comic Books, Stephen Colbert, Batman, Catwoman, Colbert Nation, Angelina Jolie, Philip Seymour Hoffman, DC Comics, The-Riddler, The Joker, Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Entertainment News