2013-05-21T17:48:34-04:00 Crystal Bell http://www.news.moviefone.com/author/index.php?author=crystal-bell Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Crystal Bell Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2012-09-27T15:52:07-04:00 2012-09-27T17:13:52-04:00

Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ Made in Jersey's" leading lady Janet Montgomery couldn't be further from her character Martina Garretti on the upcoming CBS legal drama, but she sure has tried to educate herself on everything Jersey. Below, the actress talks about perfecting the Garden State hair and accent, why "Made in Jersey," which makes its debut on Fri., Sept. 28 at 9p.m. ET, is more "Working Girl" than "Legally Blonde" and much more.

How did you feel about becoming a Jersey girl seeing as they always get a bad rap?
Yes, I keep hearing this. I actually just hired an assistant who is from New Jersey who has been giving me the low down in details. She is like Italian New Jersey, so she is just perfect for me to really get a feel for exactly like the lifestyle, because I just need to really submerge myself in this role. They do get a bad rap, but then I think coming from a place like England where there is so much classism and like people from Manchester get a bad rap or people from New Cockney get a bad rap ... My eyes are open to that kind of ignorance.

So you're well-versed in “Jersey Shore” culture now?
I am. I think I know it like the back of my hand I hope, but [my assistant] is kind of blown away by how different I am from my character, which, I mean, most people are so I think I just manage to switch it on. It is nice to be able to switch off again and be me for a while.

Yeah, definitely. Tell me a little bit about your character on the show.
Well, she was born and raised in New Jersey. She comes from a working class family, an Italian family. She definitely has an important role within her family of being the one that they all turn to. I think that was something that happened at an early age with their problems. And she decided to go to law school -- she put herself through law school. They gave her this good edge that other people -- her peers at Stark & Rowan where she works -- they don’t have. They don’t have that edge, and they can’t often relate to juries and think outside the box in the way she can ... It is her using the real life situations and just having real conversations and real heart with people. She can be a good lawyer.

She also has some sass.
Yes, definitely. I think she is really interesting, because her sisters have different personalities, but I think Martina has like a real strength ... I am about the themes within the court room and stuff because she has a temper and she seems to be passionate, which you don’t often get I think. I think she really cares about people, which I guess in the practice of law is quite rare.

Yeah. It must also help to know that the creator of the show Dana Calvo is also from Jersey.
Yes, it definitely helps. She is not a Jersey girl in the sense that ... I don’t believe that the early people who are from New Jersey are like the people on “Jersey Shore.” I mean some of the best actors we have leading today, like Meryl Streep, are from New Jersey. I think it gets a bad rap, which has been reality TV recently ... The only significance it really has to this show is the fact that she has these two worlds and they are both so pivotal in who she is.

Also, there was a bit of a controversy over your hair on the show.
Yeah, the bane of my life. It’s a constant thing about my hair and how big it should be ... Unfortunately, there is a constant battle with it because there are so many people involved. It is not like I just get to decide what my character wants so it is getting used to that way with network TV. I think I immediately knew exactly what this character should have, how I responded to her when I first read the script and started creating her. Dana had her view on it, which is obviously important because she wrote this character. So we collaborated together to come up with something. I can tell you something: Hair extensions are a real pain in the ass.

I thought it was so interesting because Dana was talking about how if she had it her way the bump in Martina's hair, it would be like six inches.
I think there is a way that we can have it at some certain point for this character, but I mean why make her a caricature? I think she is well educated. She is not cheapening an outfit. She knows when she needs to tone it down. She doesn’t wear like Juicy Couture track suits to the office. She dresses the best she can ... She is still a lawyer and she is also incredibly smart. I don’t make her look like “Legally Blonde.” I think she is actually darker than that.

The show is bound to get some “Legally Blonde” comparisons.
I can see where people would think it is similar, and I have moments where it is like that, but it’s not. We are not recreating anything I don’t think. I think this is something new, but obviously you take on stuff that has been done in the past, and I think if you know “Legally Blonde,” you can say there are similarities. “Working Girl” for me is the most similar, and yeah that is part of where we are going with her.

Have your parents seen the look?
They have and what is so funny is my mom saw the trailer for the pilot and she said, “Let’s see your tattoo then.” I said, “What new tattoo?” She was like, “Let’s see it.” I was like, “No, mom. I didn’t really get it done.” My mom works for the post office so this world to her is just bizarre. She does not fully understand it, but I think she thinks the accent is weird to her because it’s not me. It’s not my voice because I tend to change when I do an accent. As much as I try to speak in my own voice, I find that it does change because I find a new voice for a character.

Yeah. Did you have any certain inspiration for the accent or it is just something that you came up with?
I think there was a Mira Sorvino interview from like 1992 when she was on David Letterman, and I loved the quality she had to her voice and she is from New Jersey. So it was sort of like kind of grounded mix of accents. It was more just listening to people from New Jersey and working out what would work for this character, because there is no kind of specific accent of New Jersey. There is Central New Jersey, and North New Jersey. It’s so different within ages and with education as well and who your friends were. I had to listen to what my family were doing, my parents and my sisters and just follow my gut and make it work for whatever my character’s feeling. There are times where I am about the accent and then times when I decide that this would be a point where she would want to speak properly.

See how well Montgomery transformed into a Jersey girl when "Made in Jersey" premieres on Fri., Sept. 28 at 9p.m. ET on CBS.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ Downton Abbey," Anna Smith (Joanne Froggatt) and Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle) are most likely to have a fan-made "We Found Love" tribute video created in their honor. The unlikely couple did, after all, find love in a hopeless place.

Sadly for the fan favorites, the future is still uncertain for Anna and Mr. Bates heading into a very tumultuous Season 3. With Bates sentenced to life in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Anna is on a mission to free her husband. But how long can the housemaid truly wait for justice to be served?

HuffPost TV chatted with Froggatt about "Downton Abbey" Season 3, Anna and Bates' uncertain future, her Emmys surprise and why we should all stop gossiping about Dame Maggie Smith's rumored "Downton" departure.

In the last year, "Downton Abbey" has become an American phenomenon. Do you find yourself being blown away by that? Are you getting recognized here?
I am quite blown away by this actually. It’s an incredible thing, and it’s just been an incredible experience for all who are involved. I was recognized in a deli in New York when I was in the city around Christmas time, and I’ve just been out to L.A. two weeks ago to [attend] the TCAs -- there was about six months in between my last visit to New York -- and every time I go out word seems to have spread. The popularity of the show seems to have just grown and grown and it’s just really exciting to see that trajectory and to see it fly really and to see a little part of that. It’s a lot of fun!

I also have to say congratulations on the Emmy nomination!
Thank you! It is incredibly exciting. I still can’t quite believe it. It was the biggest shock of my life! The biggest and best, certainly for my career anyway. It was an amazing surprise and also that the show got 16 nominations in the drama series category which traditionally is a much more difficult category than miniseries. So we’re all just over the moon. It just feels like a dream at the moment.

Did anyone from the cast call you? Do you remember who called you first?
I was in the middle of filming actually -- Brendan [Coyle] and I were in the middle of filming a scene. So we shot half of the scene and then we broke for lunch. They had an hour off, and I had to run out to go to the post office and run errands. And that’s when the Emmys were announced [and I was] thinking, “Oh, the Emmys must have been announced." I thought, “I’m going to go back [to set] and see what we got.” And then I got back to my dressing room and Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary, had texted me saying congratulations and I had three missed calls. I thought, “Oh, that’s weird.” I kind of had an inkling, but I thought, "No, it can’t be me!" So I called Michelle and I said, “Did we get a lot of nominations?” And she said, “Yeah, you’re nominated!” And I said “Oh my goodness!” I just could not believe it. I screamed and jumped up and down and cried a bit. I went back on set with Brendan, and we were both Emmy nominees -- it was great!

Did you guys all celebrate on set?
I’d like to say we did, but there was just too much work to do that day and we kind of went, “Yay! Yay!,” and had to calm ourselves down and carry on with the scene. It’s a tight schedule! We had to get right back in there and start working.

Season 2 left things in a unfortunate place for Bates and Anna. Where is Anna's story going to pick up in Season 3?
Anna starts Season 3 in a much more hopeful, positive place because Bates has been reprieved from the death sentence. When Season 3 starts, Mr. Bates has been incarcerated for some time and is having an incredibly difficult time, but at least Anna has something to work for and work toward and hope for. She wants to free her man, and she is determined in her quest to find the truth to do so. Anna wants to bring justice for Mr. Bates, so she starts off in quite a positive place. But as the series progresses, the strains of being apart from each other do start to show, and I think you do see Anna wobble with her positivity. Even Anna can only take so much.

What about Anna's role within the abbey? Is that going to change?
She starts off the season as the head housemaid, and later in the series, Anna finally becomes a full-fledged ladies maid. So her quest to free Mr. Bates goes on in her free time, which she has very little of. But the nice thing is she’s still very involved with the house and the family and the servants. She’s very connected with the house because Mr. Bates isn’t, since he’s in prison. His connection with reality -- and his connection with the life that’s going on without him -- depends on Anna. She visits him and tells him what’s going on in the abbey, the trials and tribulations of everybody in it. That's very important to him.

Are you excited to switch up your wardrobe this season?
Oh yeah! I’m obviously excited about new dresses. I mean the thing is, with Anna, she’s never going to come down in a ball gown and pearls. It would be very strange. But I do get some new outfits. Caroline [McCall], our new costume designer, has done an incredible job this year, and ran with everything Susannah [Buxton] started. So, I think all around the costumes are really fantastic.

Do you ever find yourself in Michelle’s costume closet?
Of course! I do get my hands on one of Michelle’s dresses for Season 3, which I’m very excited about. It takes me three years but eventually ... [Laughs.] Basically, Lady Mary has given Anna one of her old dresses -- an old day dress. It's a very simple dress, but Anna wears it as one of her best dresses when she’s away from the house. I finally get to let loose. Well, not let loose, but I finally get a hold of at least one item of clothing from Mary’s wardrobe.

There’s obviously going to be some great scenes between Lady Mary and Anna this season. Their friendship is so dynamic.
Yes, indeed. I think their relationship strengthens more and more over the series. You see them both really come into their own in season 3 and really grow into strong women in different ways. They have a real connection being that Lady Mary is somebody that turns to Anna for support with the stuff she’s going through, and Anna also turns to Lady Mary for support, so they do have a very unusual and special relationship.

They've been put in similar situations with the men in their lives -- Lady Mary spent a few years away from Matthew and now Anna is going through the same thing with Bates.
I think they can connect to each other, and although their lives are very different and their situations are and always have been very different, they can empathize with each other’s heartache. They can also enjoy the fact that they both found true love, and they know what that feels like -- and they also know what it feels like to lose it. I think that’s a big connection between them.

Anna has always been a very sweet-natured, kind person, but on her quest to free Mr. Bates, will we see Anna start to flex her muscles?
I think Anna is quite strong, and you see that in her in Season 3. But you kind of have all along. In Season 1, she tells Mr. Bates that she’s in love with him, not the other way around. That was very shocking for a lady of that time. So she has got this inner strength that comes across at certain times. When I was starting to plan out how I was going to play Anna before we started filming the first season, I thought this character was a beautiful person on the inside -- someone you could really trust and rely on -- but I didn’t want her to be too passive in any way. She has to be strong because she is the type of person who would stick up for her friends and for her loved ones. [She won’t] stand back and let people walk all over her. She’s quite savvy like that.

With Bates' fate in question, is her loyalty to him going to waiver at some point? Is she going to start questioning the future of their relationship?
She certainly wavers at times with the situation. I don’t think she ever questions [her love for Bates]. There’s strength in that relationship. Through everything, she 100 percent believes in him and he does in her, and that's what is so romantic about them, that they don’t want to let each other go. She does have her moments, but she still has faith in her man.

In terms of his perspective, she is sort of all he has left. She is his only hope.
Especially with him being in prison, you do see a sort of dark side to Mr. Bates in Season 3. So Anna really is his saving grace and his lifeline really in every way.

I have to ask what it’s like to work with Maggie Smith, because she seems like she's so masterful at what she does.
She certainly is masterful! Maggie is great. Unfortunately, I don’t get many scenes with Maggie, but whenever I see her on set she always gives me a big hug. She’s just great fun as well. She’s got a fantastic sense of humor. She has a very witty and dry sense of humor. She just makes everything look so easy. She’s an amazing actress to be able to watch. I saw Shirley MacLaine and Maggie do a scene together, and it was the most amazing moment I’ve ever had on set. There was just so much chemistry going on between them, and it was just so special to see them play off each other. You could just feel the atmosphere in the room; the entire crew went quiet, and you could hear a pin drop. It was an intense scene to observe.

Does Anna get many scenes with Shirley MacLaine's character, Martha?
I don’t really. I'm in the background of one scene that she’s in. That’s it. Although I met Shirley, and she was just lovely. We’ve missed having her around. She has the best sense of humor as well -- so witty and so much fun to have around. We hope to have her back.

There have been rumors that Maggie Smith won't be back for Seasons 4 and 5 ...
I hope very much that she is, but we haven’t even been told whether we are doing a Season 4 yet, so I think all those questions are a bit premature at the moment. I know we hopefully would like to do a Season 4, but we haven’t been commissioned for it yet. So I don’t really know. We’re all just sort of waiting to see if Season 3 is as popular. If it is, I’m sure we will be making more. But all of those questions are yet to be answered.

Some critics thought the tone of Season 2 was a bit more melodramatic than the previous season. Does Season 3 have a similar tone?
Well, with Season 2, there was The Great War. [Laughs.] So that kind of sets the bar for how things are going to be done. If you decide to tackle that period and those particular years, then you have to have the drama. You have to have more extreme storylines. It wouldn’t make sense not to. I think that was a natural progression for Julian [Fellowes, the creator]. But certainly in Season 3, we start in 1920, and yes, there are trials and tribulations, but the war is over and Downton and the rest of the world are coming out of that. Therefore, as a whole the series starts with a real sense of positivity -- around Downton and in the village and in the country. In many ways, Season 3 does come back to its roots again.

Will flapper dresses be involved?
There may be one or two, but we’re slightly early because it's only 1920. But you definitely see a big change in the costumes, and they’re definitely more modernized. We don’t go full-on flapper girl -- the skirts were much shorter in the mid-1920s -- but you certainly see the shapes change and the fashion develop over the series, which I absolutely love.

Anna and Mr. Bates seem to be two fan favorite characters. As a personal fan of the show, do you have a favorite character?
For an actor, it’s actually a nice show to be able to watch because you’re not in it all the time; it’s an ensemble piece. I always enjoy sitting and watching an episode because even though I know the stories and I know everybody’s scenes, I never saw it. So there’s so much of it that I haven’t seen until it comes on screen, and I genuinely look forward to seeing those scenes. And I do have a favorite character. Obviously, I love Mr. Bates and him marrying Anna, and you know I’m connected with them emotionally, but Mr. Molesley is my favorite character. He’s the butler at the Crawley House. Bless him, Kevin Doyle -- who plays Mr. Molesley -- he’s just fantastic! Poor Mr. Molesley. He’s just destined never to quite get there, always falling just short of where he wants to be. I just always really feel sorry for him.

I love Lady Sybil, so I’m very interested to see where her storyline goes this upcoming season.
It is very interesting in Season 3 because Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Mr. Branson (Allen Leech) come back to Downton as a married couple, and Mr. Branson’s quite upset. There are some very interesting dinner scenes when they come back home.

Season 3 of "Downton Abbey" premieres January 2013 on PBS.

"Downton Abbey" was nominated for 16 Emmys this year. Check out the full list of 2012 nominees below:

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/
Now, thanks to a clever Redditor, we can now see what Mr. Fox was actually doing at work. The newspaper shown in the film actually doesn't have any real articles. Instead, the columns are filled with excerpts from Roald Dahl's 1970 children's novel, Fantastic Mr Fox.

So put on your bandit hat and check out the fantastic find below. Click through to see the whole image.

[via Reddit]

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ still at No. 1, meaning Carly Rae has held the top position for longer than even Gotye. The Belgian-Australian singer who spent eight weeks at the top with "Somebody That I Used To Know."

As a result, "Call Me Maybe" has spent more time atop the Billboard singles chart than any other song in 2012, reports Billboard. Congratulations on a job well done, America!

All jokes aside, the "Call Me Maybe'" rise to the top is pretty impressive. The phenomenon began in February, when Justin Bieber and his girlfriend Selena Gomez (along with a few of their famous friends), recorded an adorable lip-sync video to Jepsen's song. Thanks to Bieber -- and his 21 million Beliebers -- "Call Me Maybe" became an overnight internet sensation.

Unfortunately for Bieber, Jepsen's single is currently No. 1, while his latest single, "As Long as You Love Me," is holding steady at No. 15.

In other Jepsen news, the 26-year-old (yes, she's 26 years old) recently announced that she will release her sophomore effort Kiss on Sept. 18. “The record is pop,” Jepsen said in a statement, adding: ”It’s inspired by Robyn, the Cars, Madonna, and believe it or not, James Taylor.” Let's not forget about that LMFAO collaboration, Carly.

How did Jepsen get to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 summit? Take at look through our timeline below to see how Jepsen went from a Canadian folk artist to a worldwide pop phenomenon in less than a year.



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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ $790 for her used Aldo shoes? If yes, then it's your lucky day. The actress' "Ted" wardrobe is currently available on eBay -- including her infamous towel, a steal at only $700.

Mark Wahlberg fans can breath a sigh of relief as well, because his dingy "Ted" wardrobe is also available on eBay. You can own his pajamas for $80, his jeans and flannel ensemble for $76 and his sweatshorts for only $24.99.

Seth MacFarlane's raunchy comedy recently surpassed the $200 million mark at the domestic box office, and it will soon eclipse "Wedding Crashers" ($209.3 million) to become the No. 4 R-rated comedy of all time -- behind "The Hangover" ($277.3 million), "The Hangover Part II" ($254.8 million) and "Beverly Hills Cop" ($234.5 million). Since its release in July, "Ted" has grossed $280.7 million globally, landing it on the top ten list of R-rated comedies on a global scale.

Check out the "Ted" wardrobe on eBay here, but you better hurry up. Items are selling out fast.

[via Buzzfeed]

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/
"The Daily Mail" was released as a digital download from Radiohead's King Of Limbs: Live From the Basement live video collection. In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien revealed that the single had been in the works for "at least six years." However, when Radiohead decided to perform the song during their From the Basement set, the final arrangement "came together within a week."

Billboard reported that Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has hinted at a collaboration with former White Stripes frontman Jack White. On stage at Bonnaroo, Yorke dedicated a song to White, and then dropped a pretty obvious teaser:

"We saw [Jack White] yesterday. A big thank-you to him, but we can't tell you why. You'll find out," Yorke said, according to Billboard.

Watch the Bonnaroo time-lapse video for "The Daily Mail" above.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ slumber parties to music videos, Lady Gaga and Lindsay Lohan are the latest celebrity BFFs to make headlines. With the release of her third studio album ARTPOP on the horizon, Gaga has reportedly cast Lohan to star in a music video, according to The New York Post.

This wouldn't be the first gig Lohan has booked in recent months. E! Online confirms that the troubled "Mean Girls" starlet will play a part in "Scary Movie 5," which also stars Ashley Tisdale and Charlie Sheen.

The 26-year-old recently wrapped production on "Liz & Dick," Lifetime's Elizabeth Taylor biopic, and she is already filming for "The Canyons" -- a Bret Easton Ellis film in which she plays across porn star James Deen. Lohan also appeared in Richard Prince's short art film, "First Point."

As for Gaga, the worldwide phenomenon recently revealed the name of her highly anticipated new album: ARTPOP. Gaga tweeted the news, which came on the heels of her new ARTPOP ink.




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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ recently single actor took to the stage with Aerosmith Monday night to shred the guitar with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of the legendary crew.

“We’re going to need a little help out here,” Tyler announced to the Hollywood Bowl crowd. “Johnny Depp, are you in the house?” Depp, wearing his signature brimmed hat, walked out to deafening screams -- from 18,000 people in the crowd -- and picked up a guitar for a performance of "Train Kept a-Rollin'."

As The Wrap notes, this isn't the first time Depp's gigged with the band. At a May after-party celebrating the premiere of "Dark Shadows," the actor, Aerosmith and Alice Cooper performed a rendition of the Beatles' "Come Together." In June, Depp took to the stage at the MTV Movie Awards for two songs with The Black Keys. He also joined good friend Marilyn Manson at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in April, riffing his way through "Beautiful People" and "Sweet Dreams."

Watch Depp perform with Aerosmith above.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ The Glee Project" knows, Zach Woodlee might be the smiliest person on TV. But it's not like the "Glee" choreographer can help it. "I have so many photos of me where I'm laughing like a crazy person," Woodlee told HuffPost TV. "I don't know what it is, but I just go with it."

For years Woodlee has been churning out high-energy dance numbers for Fox's hit comedy "Glee," but lately he's been bringing his enthusiasm to the set of Oxygen's "The Glee Project." The search for the next "Glee" star hasn't been easy, especially when the remaining five -- Aylin, Michael, Lily, Ali and Blake -- all "deserve to be on the show," according to Woodlee.

HuffPost TV caught up with Woodlee -- after his morning "Glee" rehearsal -- to talk about the remaining "Glee Project" contenders, his infamous "Bruise Wall," what it's like to work with Ryan Murphy and why "Glee" Season 4 feels "like the beginning again."

How does it feel being the most smiley person on TV?
[Laughs.] Oh God. I can't even tell you the anxiety I get from being around those cameras!

Is that why you laugh so much? You're just really nervous?
In general, I tend to laugh too much. I always try to tell myself not to, but I think that's just part of getting through the job. It's not rocket science. I want to have a good time!

Have you seen the gifs of your laugh that fans have made?
Someone sent me two of them, and it was sort of mortifying. But it's funny because I've been doing this for years. I've spent every single Christmas since I was tiny -- I literally have a photo with Santa where I'm doing it -- and practically every birthday just laughing like a crazy person. I don't know what it is, but I just go with it.

Heading into Tuesday night's episode, there are only five contenders left: Blake, Aylin, Aly, Lily and Michael. What do you think each hopeful can offer "Glee?"
As we're going through the process, for Robert [Ulrich], Nikki [Anders] and I, nurturing them has always been the goal. They all deserve to be on the scripted show, and they all could be on the show. It's bittersweet looking back at the whole competition, but these five all have the drive. They all want it, and they all have the talent. It's going to be about seeing who can put it over the edge.

Blake: I think Blake is definitely a frontrunner. He's sort of the sleep cell, who gets better and better. He's fascinating to watch. He doesn't like to cater to anything that he considers weak about himself. He puts on a game face, and you would never know about his anxiety. He's just like all of us; we don't really know what we're doing, but let's just keep going and see what happens.

Ali: To me, Ali is a professional. She gets it before you even have to make a correction. She's extremely aware. I think that's partly the reason she got so far. She knows how to make everything work in her favor.

Lily: What Lily has going for her is her absolute, unabashed bold self, and that will take you pretty far. Ryan [Murphy] loves a diva! He loves a strong opinion, and that's what Lily has, and I think that has not only helped her in this competition, but it's also helped her in her life. Lily's story is, "Look at me. I'm beautiful, and I'm a big girl who can do it all." She has a lot of self-confidence.

Michael: Michael is so interesting! Did they even say on the show that his mother sent him a care package with calculus books? He loves math! It's really charming. I don't think they've shown enough of his quirks. Ryan at one point, compared Michael and Blake, and it's funny because I tried early on to pair those guys up and see who was stronger than the other. In the "Dance-Ability" episode, I intentionally put those two next to each other. I thought that one of them would shine and one of them would fail, but then they turned out to be the best two people there! I think Michael is the underdog. He's one of the least experienced, but his ability to pick things up quickly is what got him this far. Every week, he gets better and better.

Aylin: Sometimes television eats the life out of a live performance, but Aylin has a way to pierce through you. She's so accessible. On the show, they really haven't painted her as accessible as she really is. When she sings, she will get into your soul, and it's amazing. When you're around her, there's a spark. She was my pick during callbacks. I knew that she was a star. There's something about her that makes you go, "Oh my gosh. You're incredible!" You just gravitate toward her.

I know that you have a "Bruise Wall" for your "Glee" actors. Did you have one for "The Glee Project" contenders?
No, there wasn't a wall, but there were definitely injuries! I don't think that viewers ever saw Shanna's kneecap injury. It wasn't during dance rehearsals -- thank God -- but she fell up the stairs and shattered her kneecap. The next time I saw her, she was like, "Feel my knee," and you could literally push parts of her kneecap around. She was wearing that knee brace and doing everything with a broken kneecap!

What's it like working with Ryan Murphy?
[Laughs.] Working with Ryan ... in the weirdest way, it's inspiring. From the pilot, when I went into the interview, I knew that what you see is what you get with Ryan. We both have strong opinions. Sometimes people come into contact with him and they feel more intimidated than they should, and Ryan doesn't really respect that. He loves a strong opinion. I don't feel bad if I tell him I disagree with him, and we'll work through it.

I think you see that play out on "The Glee Project."
And they haven't even shown everything! We bicker.

Was there one contestant that was sent home that you thought went home too early?
The top six or seven -- I love them all. Nellie and Shanna were very difficult for me to say goodbye to. With Nellie, we were always trying to pull her out of her shell. She was just really uncomfortable, and at a certain point, it seemed unfair to some of the other contenders. It's not that we were holding her hand throughout the process -- and in a way, we were -- but we needed her to take that final step and it just never happened. I love Nellie. Her voice is insane, and I think that her naivety and the way that she was in front of a camera read as this innocent youth. She was like a real-life Rachel Berry.

I know that you're in the middle of shooting "Glee" Season 4.
It's different now. There's new storylines. I still see them, and we still have big group numbers, but as far as what that initial group was, that will never happen again. That's a bit of a legacy. I think what stung was in the finale, when the original five explained "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" to some of the new members of New Directions. That was my final rehearsal of Season 3, and for us, it was strange because that was my very first rehearsal for the pilot. Kevin [McHale] was like, "Oh my gosh. This is when we met." That was the first day that I met Kevin, Amber [Riley], Lea [Michele], Jenna [Ushkowitz] and Chris [Colfer]. We all just sat there and started crying!

We know that there's going to be another Britney Spears tribute this season. What can we expect?
There's a lot in this Britney episode. It opens up with a huge number. That's actually what I'm going to rehearse now! I'm very excited about it. It's kind of mixing things that we're never done before.

Are you excited to work with the new members of New Directions?
Just wait! One of the new characters came in, and we did a dance evaluation. This person was like, "I can tumble," and started to do flips for me. And one was like, "Oh, I can tap dance!" My jaw dropped. I was like, "Oh my god. I have someone on New Directions who can really dance, besides Heather [Morris] and Harry [Shum Jr.]. This is amazing!" We've been shooting now for a couple of weeks and seeing the new group form has a whiff of the beginning again. There's a new magic. It feels fresh again. Seeing all of these new faces and incorporating the ones that we already have, it's a new fiber in the show. And then we have Lea and Chris' storylines. I'm really excited!

Now that Rachel is in New York, will we see you pop up in "Glee" as a NYADA choreographer?
I seriously doubt that I would be on the scripted show. [Laughs.] I love being behind-the-camera. I would be like, "You guys, I don't know what's happening. I can't be here!" Rachel definitely has some dance classes, and her teacher is stellar. She's got a good teacher!

I hear that you're finally getting a Twitter account this week. Now that Ryan Murphy is on Twitter, did you feel the need to get one too?
Oh god. Lady Murphy on Twitter? Maybe the Mayans were right and the world really is going to end soon! Once I can verify my account, I will have a Twitter.

"The Glee Project" airs on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Oxygen.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ "Gentlemen of the Road" tour, the British quartet has finally debuted the single for the masses.

The banjos are back and louder than ever on Mumford & Sons' first studio jamboree since the release of their debut album Sigh No More in 2009. "I Will Wait" harkens back to the intricate musicality that made songs like "Little Lion Man" and "The Cave" standouts. However, on the band's forthcoming effort Babel, there's an uplifting underbelly that pulsates throughout the new tracks -- something that wasn't always present on Sigh No More.

"So I'll be bold/ As well as strong/ And use my head alongside my heart/ So take my flesh/ And fix my eyes/ That tethered mind free from the lies," frontman Marcus Mumford croons on the track. It seems like only moments ago Mumford's heart was telling his head "this time no" on the band's "Winter Winds"; now, the two are working side-by-side. Could this lighter sound have anything to go with Mumford's new bride, Carey Mulligan? The two tied the knot in April, as Mumford and his band of gentlemen were recording Babel.

Listen to "I Will Wait" above and tell us what you think in the comments. Babel hits shelves on Sept. 25. Check out some of Mumford & Sons other new tracks here.

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2012-08-07T14:15:12-04:00 2012-08-07T15:27:34-04:00

Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/
"When I get back to the States I'm going to be helping out on 'Shock Value 3' with Timbaland and the Justin Timberlake project," Beanz told Digital Spy. He added: "It's still in the early stages, but they have a lot of tracks."

UPDATE: Or they don't. Timberlake's publicist tells EW.com that the only plans in the works are for "Shock Value 3" and "that's it." The original story continues below.

Although Beanz promises something "crazy," he also hinted that Timberlake's new material isn't trying to top his previous popular albums. "[I]t's not really about topping the last record, it's more about topping music that comes on the radio," the producer said, before adding that Timberlake would "kill" the new record.

Now, before you dust off your "Justin Timberlake is bring sexy back" jokes, there is a chance that Beanz could be referring to "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" soundtrack, which Timberlake signed on to produce in May. The film is set to start shooting later this year, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, It-girl Chloe Moretz and Timberlake's fiance Jessica Biel in starring roles. (Biel and Timberlake are supposedly tying the knot sometime this summer.)

"The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" tells the story of a group of New Orleans natives who build a raft to cross the Atlantic after Morgan's character loses his wife. Timberlake will also serve as music supervisor, as previously reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Timberlake hasn't put out an album since 2006's chart-topping Future Sex/Love Sounds and he has long explained his absence from music as a matter of shifting interests. (The former *NSYNC member has since starred in a number of films, from "The Social Network" to "Friends With Benefits.") Timberlake has often discussed his love for music, but he's also called the music industry as corrupting.

In June of 2011, he told Playboy that music was always on his mind.

"You go through these spurts when you miss it. In a perfect world I'd love to be able to involve myself in music and films as they come and go," he said. "But I'm always writing music, always thinking about ideas for songs."

"Unfortunately, the business of music is what taints an artist's desire to make music," he continued at the time. "I don't want to paint a picture of being jaded, because I love making music. I honestly love it. But there is a level where making music becomes a total life-sucking commitment."

For more scoop on Timberlake's rumored musical comeback, head on over to Digital Spy.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ teasing fans with a big announcement, the wait is finally over: Tom Waits has released a new video for "Hell Broke Luce," the anti-war and especially growl-y song from his 2011 release, Bad As Me.

The gritty video -- which was directed by Matt Mahurin -- follows the raspy singer as he pulls a small house through a war-torn landscape, ravaged by bombs, gunfire, ominous-looking vultures and shark submarines.

Waits released the following statement about the video premiere: "As most of you guessed, it’s a tour ... a tour de force!" He continued: "Kathleen [Brennan] and I envisioned it as an enlightened drill sergeant yelling the hard truths of war to a brand new batch of recruits. The video grew from the gnawing image of a soldier pulling his home, through a battlefield, at the end of a rope. I think you will agree, it's uplifting and fun."

Unfortunately for fans, the singer indicated that he still has no plans to take Bad As Me on the road. Waits' previously released the music video for his single "Satisfied" last November. The black-and-white video, directed by Jesse Dylan (son of Bob), had Waits broaching the subject of death.

Watch the video for "Hall Broke Luce" above, and tell us: Was it totally worth the Waits? ]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2012-08-07T10:00:05-04:00 2012-08-07T11:11:22-04:00

Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/
The singer recently confessed to playing new Coldplay songs around the breakfast table for Apple and Moses and monitoring their reactions. "Kids are very honest -- if they start singing a song it's because they like it. It's a great gauge," Martin told The Sun.

Martin is currently touring with his band around the U.S., with Apple, Moses and Martin's wife, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, in tow. During Coldplay's June 29 show, Martin bolted from the stage and into the the audience to find his wife and give her a kiss, in what was a rare moment for the PDA-averse pair.

For more from Martin, including why his kids help keep him grounded, head over to The Sun.

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Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ Eric Schwartz's "Some Music That I Used to Love" the Goyte parody to end all Gotye parodies, but that was before we saw Just New Productions' "Obama That I Used to Know."

Creators Justin Monticello -- who also starred in the video -- and Ryan Newbrough turned the Millennial generation's post-grad problems into a political pop culture parody that pleads, "In 2012 I need Obama that I used to know." Now that's a changes that we can believe in.

Here's just a taste of what to expect in the video above:

Now and then I think of that election day, November

When you won I felt so happy I could die

Chugged a fifth, paraded in the street

And I thanked God that Palin wasn't Veep

It felt like change and it's a hope I still remember



You can get addicted to a certain kind of message

Like this is change we can believe in, yes we can

But college ended, had to pay my rent

At least you're the first gay president

But the change I got was that I moved in with my mother



Because you won and then you cut me off

Now your speeches never soar as high as unemployment

You took Obamacare so far

But you left me like a dog strapped on Romney's car

Even the shirt that was on my back

Is owned by China or being arbitraged by Goldman Sachs

Just send in a Predator Drone

'Cause now you're not Obama that I used to know



Check out more Gotye covers and parodies of the internet hit in the slideshow below.



]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2012-08-06T15:21:58-04:00 2012-08-06T16:35:46-04:00

Crystal Bell http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/ "Firefly" has been off the air for nearly 10 years, but the show's fans are still some of the most dedicated viewers in the 'Verse.

Adrian Drake spent 475 hours over the course of 21 months to build a seven-foot model of Captain Mal's Serenity entirely out of Legos. According to io9, the replica took approximately 70,000 Legos to build and weighs 135 pounds. To make the model as accurate as possible, Drake used the Quantum Mechanix blueprints. Yes, Inara's shuttle is detachable.

Drake's impressive achievement comes just a few months after "Firefly" fans petitioned for an official "Firefly" Serenity playset. Despite over 10,000 supporters, the project was not considered for production. Thankfully, Drake pieced together his own Serenity model from scratch, complete with all of the compartments from the set -- except for Kaylee's engine room.

To examine the detail of the Lego ship, check out Drake's shiny photos.



In other "Firefly" news, the show's 10th Anniversary Comic-Con panel will be broadcast as a televised special on The Science Channel later this year. ]]>