If you'd like to get the special Directioner in your life some sweet 1D accessories (and we're going to go ahead and assume you've already hit One Direction world, Etsy and checked out their line of super cool oral hygiene products by now), Office Depot has just announced that it will carry a new line of official One Direction school supplies.

Apparently, the British boy band have signed on as brand ambassadors for a back-to-school collection around the theme of anti-bullying. According to the press release, "a portion of the proceeds from each sale will be used to fund an anti-bullying educational program to encourage kinder behavior among students."

Check out images, below. (Not sure when nail polish became a school supply, but we're going to go ahead and assume the guys picked out their own colors.)

If Keith Urban's latest single sounds faintly familiar, thank Madonna. The country star revealed in an interview with USA Today that he found inspiration for "Little Bit of Everything" in the Queen of Pop's popular 2001 song "Don't Tell Me."

The connection isn't as totally mind-boggling as one might think -- upon its release, 'Don't Tell Me" was hailed as a song that borrowed country and folk vibes. "She had a staccato acoustic-guitar part in there that I thought was very cool," Urban reportedly said when explaining what aspects of the song enlightened him.

Another track that have may factored into the "Little Bit" that's currently climbing the country charts is Train's "Hey, Soul Sister." Urban likened the song's demo, co-written by "Let It Rock" singer Kevin Rudolf, to Train's 2009 megahit.

"Little Bit of Everything" will headline Urban's upcoming album "Fuse," slated for a Sept. 10 release. Click over to USA Today to read more about the country singer's inspirations for the song.

In the meantime, compare "Little Bit" to "Don't Tell Me":

Ashley Tisdale's stalker is not backing down.

Nicholas Fiore, who's been allegedly harassing the 27-year-old actress since 2012, was issued a restraining order earlier this month. Now TMZ reveals that Fiore violated his retraining order on more than one occasion, was arrested yesterday and is currently in custody.

Tisdale asked that a restraining order be issued in the first place after Fiore had sent her no less than 18,000 tweets, most of which can be described as "delusional" and "dangerous." Some of them even referenced guns and included threatening lyrics that made Tisdale and her boyfriend, Christopher French, fear for their lives.

It's also been reported that the stalker appeared at the "High School Musical" star's home, possibly twice, at least one time disguised as a delivery man.

Tisdale, meanwhile, seems to be spending her weekend enjoying the great outdoors. Yesterday she tweeted this Instagram photo:

And less than an hour ago wrote:

Love waking up next to the beach :)

— Ashley Tisdale (@ashleytisdale) June 1, 2013

A request for comment made to Tisdale's reps was not immediately answered.

Who killed Kallie Leeds? That's the question in the upcoming season of "The Killing."

"It's a very dark, Oliver Twist [type] story," Mireille Enos, who plays Detective Sarah Linden, told TV Guide, while showrunner Veena Sud opened up about the theme of the season.

"This season is about whether seemingly irredeemable people can be redeemed. Can a guy like [convicted wife killer] Seward, who's done horrible things, find redemption? Can the deeply selfish Danette [Kallie's mother] transform into something better?"

As for Sarah and Holder (Joel Kinnaman), their relationship is going strong despite Sarah's new boyfriend and Holder's new partner.

"Sarah and Holder have a wonderful relationship, and the way they support each other runs very deep," Enos explained to TV Guide.

As for Peter Sarsgaard, who plays death-row inmate Ray Seward, he couldn't be more excited to be involved in Season 3 of the revived drama.

"I think it’s going to be very emotionally gripping," Sarsgaard told The Hollywood Reporter of the new season. "This season -- having seen the other ones -- is a lot less contemplative. It’s a lot speedier and dynamic. It feels a lot more dangerous."

In case you missed it, check out the trailer for the upcoming season of "The Killing" below.

"The Killing" premieres on Sun., June 2 at 8 p.m. ET on AMC.

Katie Holmes filmed a passionate kissing scene with her costar, Luke Kirby, on the set of her film Mania Days in NYC yesterday.

Jean Stapleton, who played Archie Bunker's wife Edith in the TV series "All in the Family," died yesterday (May 31) in New York. She was 90.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Stapleton's family announced she had died of natural causes.

Stapleton won three Emmys for her work on "All in the Family," reports TMZ. She was nominated for two additional Emmy awards, adds The Hollywood Reporter, for portraying Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1982 CBS telefilm "Eleanor, First Lady of the World," and as Aunt Vivian on the ABC series "Grace Under Fire." Stapleton was last seen on screen in the 1998 movie "You've Got Mail" (as Meg Ryan's co-worker).

Stapleton is survived by her children -- TV producer Pamela Putch and film and TV director John Putch, notes the L.A. Times.

Kanye West is definitely showing up to Kim Kardashian's baby shower, and you'll be able to catch a glimpse of him on tomorrow's season premiere of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

According to sister Khloe, who spoke on Ryan Seacrest's morning show, Kanye is feeling a little shy of all the female baby shower attendees.

"It's girls, but Kanye will come at the end," said Khloe, adding: "I said I want Rob [Kardashian] to be there the whole time because I feel bad he's left out of all this stuff ... I think Scott [Disick] and Lamar might bring Kanye at the end … because Kanye feels it's a little weird if he’s the only guy."

Believe what you may, but a source told the Daily Mail that "Kim had to beg Kanye to stop by the baby shower" because "he just doesn't want to appear on the show at all, period."

Khloe, accompanied by her mother Kris, also talked about one of the most highly anticipated moments from tomorrow's show: Kim is expected to reveal the sex of her baby.

"It was the girls [at the doctor's]," she said in an attempt to clarify why Kim's man Kanye wasn't there. "We went a couple times and with Kanye … but the baby was always in a position where you couldn't tell the sex, and this time that you're going to see on the show [Kanye] was in London or Paris. He had a concert."

Tune in to E! tomorrow (June 2) at 9 EST for more.

Former President Bill Clinton posted a photo of himself in his cap and gown as part of Throwback Thursday on May 30.

Throwback Thursday -- marked by the hashtag #TBT on Twitter and Instagram -- is an internet trend where people post old (and often embarrassing) photos. Celebrities like Katy Perry, Rashida Jones and Kelly Ripa have all taken part in the trend.

Clinton said he was "remembering 1968 like it was yesterday" in his #TBT Tweet, posted ahead of a reunion at Georgetown:

Looking forward to my @georgetown reunion tomorrow. Remembering 1968 like it was yesterday. #TBTtwitter.com/billclinton/st…

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) May 31, 2013

LONDON — Beyonce and a few famous friends – including John Legend, Jennifer Lopez and Madonna – turned the home of English rugby into a fortress for women's rights at a star-studded charity concert.

Beyonce headlined a concert at Twickenham rugby stadium in London in support of Chime for Change, a campaign set up to help empower girls and women around the world.

The singer, sporting a slinky leather body suit, had the 50,000-strong crowd in a frenzy when she performed "Crazy In Love" – joined onstage by husband Jay-Z.

She also performed hits including "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," "Run The World (Girls)," "Halo" and the Destiny's Child classic "Survivor."

"It's time for change. Let's chime for change. This is such an incredible night for me," said the 31-year-old star.

Earlier, Simon Le Bon performed with Timbaland, and J-Lo and Mary J. Blige sang The Beatles' "Come Together," as a raft of stars united for the Sound of Change Live show, which also featured John Legend, Florence + The Machine and Rita Ora.

Madonna, Freida Pinto, Aishwarya Rai, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Franco, Ryan Reynolds, Jessica Chastain and feminist icon Gloria Steinem were among the presenters. Even Prince Harry sent a videotaped message of support.

Beyonce is co-founder, with actress-producer Salma Hayek Pinault and Gucci creative director Frida Giannini, of the charity, which supports projects improving access to education, health care and justice for women.

Partner organizations include UNICEF, the Global Fund for Women and Plan International.

Giannini said she was grateful for Prince Harry's involvement, because "it's very important in projects like that, talking about women that some very strong male personalities are with us."

Hayek Pinault said Beyonce was the best possible ambassador for the cause.

"Do you know that everybody in her band is a girl?" she said. "I mean talk about woman power."

___

Online: www.chimeforchange.org

With just 16 days until the release of his second studio album, J. Cole is going on tour.

The 28-year-old rapper announced plans this week for a series of "secret shows." With stops in cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Miami, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto, J. Cole's Dollar and a Dream tour will help the artist promote his upcoming album "Born Sinner."

J. Cole has yet to publicize the venues for any of the shows, listing only the date and city of each concert. He took to his Instagram this weekend to post the tour dates, as well as the information that no tickets will be sold for the shows. Fans can gain entry to the show on a first-come, first-serve basis for the price of $1.

"Born Sinner," which features collaborations with TLC and Miguel, will be released by Roc Nation on June 18. Check out the schedule for J. Cole's Dollar and a Dream tour below.

June 11: Miami, Fla.
June 12: Atlanta, Ga.
June 13: Baltimore, Md.
June 14: Boston, Mass.
June 20: Washington, D.C.
June 21: Philadelphia, Penn.
June 23: Chicago, Ill.
June 24: Houston, Texas
June 25: Detroit, Mich.
June 26: Toronto, Ont.

LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - American R&B singer Robin Thicke has scored his first number one in the British singles charts with "Blurred Lines", which became the fastest selling single of 2013, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday.
The song, which features hip hop artists T.I. and Pharrell Williams, sold 190,000 copies during its first week on sale, knocking British rapper Naughty Boy's dance track "La La La", featuring London singer Sam Smith, into number two.
"It is an honour and a pleasure to be number one in the UK. It's something I've always dreamed of," Thicke told the Official Charts Company.
In the albums chart, French electronic music duo Daft Punk retained the top spot with "Random Access Memories", which had shot straight to number one last week, while veteran Rod Stewart held on at number two with "Time".
The duo in the shiny helmets, who were at the forefront of electronic dance music in the 1990s, have scored an international success with "Random Access Memories" after a tantalising online promotional campaign ahead of release.
The album gave Daft Punk their first number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart last week. (Reporting By Estelle Shirbon; editing by Mike Collett-White)

Michael Douglas has opened up about his past diagnosis, revealing that oral sex, not smoking or drinking, caused his type of throat cancer.

In a candid new interview with U.K.'s The Guardian, Douglas admits that his illness was caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

"Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus," the "Behind the Candelabra" star, 68, explains.

Douglas, who fought a six-month battle with the disease from August 2010 until January 2011, also confesses that he thought that his battle with cancer would be a fatal one. He says at first he assumed the stress from his son Cameron's legal troubles played a big factor in his sickness.

"I did worry if the stress caused by my son's incarceration didn't help trigger it. But yeah, it's a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer," Douglas, who is married to Catherine Zeta-Jones, notes. "And if you have it, cunnilingus is also the best cure for it."

The actor has been cancer-free for more than two years and says he has check-ups every six months. "And with this kind of cancer, 95% of the time it doesn't come back," he adds. Still, Douglas will never forget what it felt like to hear that word.

"I will always remember the look on his face," Douglas previously said of his doctor, who revealed that he had stage four throat cancer. "He said: 'We need a biopsy.' There was a walnut-size tumor at the base of my tongue that no other doctor had seen."

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, one tract of HPV -- known as HPV16 -- is known to be linked to oral cancer, manifesting itself in the back regions of the throat and mouth. Douglas admits he suffered through toothaches and other oral infections for nine months before discovering his diagnosis.

Jean Stapleton will forever be known to TV viewers as Edith Bunker on "All in the Family." The veteran actress died at the age of 90 on Friday, May 31 and she leaves behind a legacy of stage, screen and TV roles.

Stapleton won two Golden Globes and three Emmys for "All in the Family." Her character, Edith Bunker, appeared in the "All in the Family" continuation series "Archie Bunker's Place," but died off screen. The Season 2 premiere of the series saw Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) deal with Edith's death.

In 1976, at the height of "All in the Family," Stapleton made a memorable appearance on "The Muppet Show." There she performed in several sketches, singing with the Muppets.

In 1982, Stapleton was nominated for a Golden Globe and Emmy for her TV film "Eleanor, First Lady of the World." She eventually took the role to the stage and starred in a one-woman show as Eleanor Roosevelt.

After "All in the Family" and leaving Edith Bunker behind, Stapleton went on to appear in several hit sitcoms including "Caroline in the City," "Murphy Brown" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Grace Under Fire."

Stapleton and O'Connor reunited on "Donny and Marie" in April 2000, a little over a year before O'Connor's death in 2001.

Click over to IMDB for Stapleton's list of TV and film credits.

Amanda Bynes, will it EVER end?

The troubled 27-year-old star took to Twitter today (June 2) to call out her parents and reveal that she had another nose job since being arrested in NYC on May 23.

Bynes first revealed she had work done in a Twitter post on May 5, writing, "The reason I've asked all magazines and blogs to stop using old photos of me is I don't look like that anymore! I had a nose job to remove skin that was like a webbing in between my eyes. I wasn't going to tell anyone, but I look so much prettier in my new photos that I don't want old photos used anymore!"

Following her release from jail on May 24, Bynes posted a tweet saying, "I need to get another nose job after seeing my mugshot!" And it appears she did just that ...

She tweeted today:

My dad is as ugly as RuPaul! So thankful I look nothing like you both! I had nose surgery after my mug shots so my nose and I are gorgeous!

— Amanda Bynes (@AmandaBynes) June 2, 2013

Still, we can only assume she had plastic surgery, considering she hasn't posted any new photos of herself.

But a new nose is the least of Bynes' worries -- the former actress was reportedly evicted from her New York City apartment on May 28 after neighbors complained about her alleged marijuana use. According to InTouch, Bynes "was notified that she is no longer welcome as a tenant in the building in light of recent events."

LONDON -- British police say a homeless man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Prince Harry.

The Metropolitan Police said Sunday that 30-year-old Ashraf Islam, of no fixed address, was charged May 25 with threatening kill the prince "contrary to Section 16 of the Offences against the Person Act."

He pleaded guilty at London's Uxbridge Magistrates' Court and is in custody awaiting sentence.

Police said Islam was arrested after walking into a police station and making threats, a day after a British soldier was killed in London street on May 22.

He was investigated by counter-terrorist police but was not charged with any terrorist offenses.

The 28-year-old prince is a captain in the Army Air Corps and has served twice in Afghanistan.

Oh, I love a benefit concert! Grew up on 'em (the Secret Policeman's Ball shows, the Amnesty concerts for human rights, Live Aid...), and always welcome another.

Very happily, a huge new benefit show occurred Saturday night near London: Chime for Change: The Sound of Change Live Concert!

The cause is simple yet crucial: "to raise awareness of issues affecting girls and women, and to raise funds for non-profit organizations pursuing change."

The method is also simple, yet innovative: via the Catapult website (link below), ticket-buyers -- the audience at Twickenham Stadium was 50,000 strong -- can choose the recipient organizations for their purchase price: directly funding the charity or charities of their choice. (Catapult is new as of last autumn, but features serious support from the likes of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Fund for Women, and the United Nations Population Fund.)

The Sound of Change Live was a big show, a really big show.

Capped off by a hit-laden set from Chime for Change co-founder and Artistic Director, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (which saw her joined onstage for "Crazy in Love" by her husband, Jay-Z), the list of performers and presenters just might blow your mind a little. Hello: Jennifer Lopez and Mary J. Blige sang a duet rendition of The Beatles' "Come Together." A suavely bearded Simon Le Bon wandered over from Putney to jam Duran Duran's vintage "The Reflex" with hip-hop flourishes from Timbaland. Florence + the Machine wowed with their set (including a brilliant "You Got the Love"), and J-Lo tore it up with a bevy of hits. Rita Ora, California girl-band Haim, John Legend and plenty of others took the stage (while, I guess, some of the significantly wealthier Londoners could afford to see Barbra Streisand at the O2). And who doesn't love Ellie Goulding? She played, too.

The show also seemed to feature more presenters than the Academy Awards, as all sorts of high-profile Hollywood types grabbed the mic: Salma Hayek-Pinault, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Zoe Saldana, Ryan Reynolds, and plenty more. Madonna didn't sing or conspicuously grab herself, but our new Gloved One smartly promoted education in challenged regions, summoning a "revolution of love." Even the ubiquitous James Franco was there, although I swear I saw him at Kate Mantilini's about ten minutes earlier (guy gets around).

Anyway, pardon the brief editorial comment, but this is why there's show biz. They play; everybody has a good time; people get helped; some people literally get saved. I love this.

I also note that some press are already marking this as a sort of "Beyoncé's Big Adventure." Well, what of it? Would Live Aid have happened without Bob Geldof? Would the Secret Policeman's Ball shows have happened without Martin Lewis? I sure doubt it. These shows need a very strong voice front and center. And hey, the girl I remember from that Austin Powers movie seems to have upped her game a bit, eh? She opened with Sam Cooke's immortal "A Change Is Gonna Come," as well as Etta James' "At Last." Breathtaking.

Chime for Change: The Sound of Change Live Concert was broadcast in over 150 countries, a few of which I hadn't heard of before. Sponsors include Gucci, and Hearst Magazines.

Again, it was a big show. For a great cause. In the U.S., a two-hour highlight special of the concert airs tonight (2nd of June, 2013) on NBC.

Peep the links. Thank you.

Chime for Change

Catapult

The Kerring Foundation

Photos courtesy of Chime for Change.

MOSCOW -- The head of a U.S. congressional delegation said Sunday that its meetings in Russia showed there was "nothing specific" that could have helped prevent the Boston Marathon bombings, but that the two countries need to work more closely on joint security threats.

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican who led the six-member delegation, described discussions with Russian parliament members and security officials as productive. Some of the meetings, he said, were made possible by American actor Steven Seagal.

Seagal, who attended the news conference in the U.S. Embassy, is well connected in Russia. He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, and last week paid a visit to Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman who rules Chechnya, a province in southern Russia that has seen two brutal wars between federal troops and Chechen separatists since 1994.

Those wars spawned an Islamic insurgency that spread across the Caucasus region, including to neighboring Dagestan, now the center of the violence. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who is accused of carrying out the Boston bombings with his younger brother, spent six months in Dagestan last year. Investigators have been trying to determine whether he had contacts with the militants there.

Rep. Steve King said Russian security officials told the delegation they believed that Tsarnaev and his mother had been radicalized before moving to the United States in 2003. "I suspect he was raised to do what he did," said King, a Republican from Iowa.

His account of the meeting at the FSB, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB, was disputed by Rep. Steven Cohen, a Tennessee Democrat, who said he understood that the radicalization took place much later, when the family was living in Boston.

Rohrabacher said a higher level of cooperation between the United States and Russia is necessary to keep people safe in both countries. "Radical Islam is at our throat in the United States, and is at the throat of the Russian people," he said.

The congressman repeatedly thanked Seagal, who took credit for arranging the congressmen's meeting at the FSB, and said it helped avoid the experience of past foreign trips when all of the meetings had been arranged by the U.S. Embassy.

"You know what we got? We got the State Department controlling all the information that we heard," Rohrabacher said. "You think that's good for democracy? No way!"

The action movie star escorted the congressmen on a trip Saturday to the site of a terrorist attack in the Caucasus town of Beslan, where militants seized a school in 2004 and took more than 1,000 people hostage, most of them children. More than 330 hostages died, most of them when federal troops stormed the school.

Seagal had invited the delegation to visit Chechnya, but the trip was called off in part because U.S. House rules would have prevented the congressmen from flying on his private plane, Rohrabacher said.

The Kremlin has given Kadyrov lavish funding and political carte blanche to fight terrorism since he came to power in 2005. Activists accuse him and his feared security forces of staggering abuses, including torture, kidnappings and murder.

"All these accusations are thrown around," said Seagal, who was given a lavish welcome in Kadyrov's palace. "Is there any evidence? Has he been indicted?"

Cohen said he had refused to go to Chechnya for these reasons. But Rohrabacher, who chairs the U.S. Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, said the United States should be more understanding of the threats facing Kadyrov and Putin.

"If you are in the middle of an insurrection with Chechnya, and hundreds of people are being killed and there are terrorist actions taking place and kids are being blown up in schools, yeah, guess what, there are people who overstep the bounds of legality," he said.

While the rule of law is important, Rohrabacher added, "We shouldn't be describing people who are under this type of threat, we shouldn't be describing them as if they are Adolf Hitler or they're back to the old Communism days."

Rohrabacher and King were full of praise for Russian Orthodox Christian traditions after attending a service at Moscow's main cathedral on Sunday morning. The cathedral became a rallying point for Putin supporters and the opposition alike last year when punk group Pussy Riot staged an impromptu protest against Putin's merging of church and state, earning them worldwide notoriety and a two-year prison sentence for "hooliganism."

"It's hard to find sympathy for people who would do that to people's faith," King said.

The United States and European Union have condemned the jailing of the Pussy Riot members.

Rohrabacher, however, lamenting the "sinister way" U.S. politicians discuss Russia and Putin, said he wished they would have more appreciation for the changes that have taken place.

"Most of my friends in Congress don't even know that the churches are open now," he said.

The congressional delegation also included Michele Bachmann, but she made no public appearances and left before Sunday's news conference. The Minnesota Republican arrived in Russia last week shortly after announcing that she would not seek reelection in 2014.

___

Follow Max Seddon on Twitter: http://twitter.com/maxseddon

Note: Do NOT read on if you have not yet seen Season 3, Episode 9 of HBO's "Game of Thrones," "The Rains of Castamere."

As soon as he wrapped the bloody "Game of Thrones" scene in which his character, Robb Stark, was killed, actor Richard Madden went straight to the airport and flew home to London.

"And I cried the whole way," Madden said in a recent phone interview. "I was the crazy boy on the plane crying."

In an interview with a small group of journalists on Friday, Madden talked about how difficult it was to film the Red Wedding, a tragic event that was even bloodier on the screen than it was in the George R.R. Martin book.

Not only did Robb Stark, the King in the North, perish in Sunday's episode, but Robb's mother, Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), also died -- all of which tracks with what transpired at those cursed nuptials in "A Storm of Swords," the third book in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. As payback for Robb not marrying one of his daughters, Lord Walder Frey engineered the deaths of the Starks -- but even those who've read the books may have been shocked by the third significant death at the so-called Red Wedding.

In the episode, Robb's pregnant wife, Talisa, was also murdered, thus eliminating the Stark clan from competition for the Iron Throne (at least for now). As fans know, Talisa (Oona Chaplin) is a new character; in the books, Robb married Jeyne Westerling (who did not die in "A Storm of Swords").

Below, Madden talks about filming Robb's final moments, working with his great friend Fairley and the tears that were shed on set that difficult day. He also offers thoughts on why Talisa had to die and discusses what the King in the North had in common with his ill-fated father, Ned. Don't miss HuffPost TV's interview with Fairley.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

What did it mean to film your exit with Michelle? Can you talk about that, and how you supported each other as actors and people through this huge scene? [Asked by AccessHollywood.com]

We developed the best relationship on and off the screen over the course of the past few years. And we went into that scene with a heavy heart, because we really love being on that show and we love working together ... It was a really hard thing to push through, but the scripts were great and the whole episode was so operatic.
...
When we shot the scene, it took a few days because it's huge. There's actually a moment in the scene that we look at each other, and it's Robb Stark essentially saying goodbye to his mother and giving up. And rather than it being something really bad, there's a moment of tragedy and utter relief, actually -- because these two characters have fought and fought and fought and fought, and it's finally over. Me and Michelle really felt that on the day, as did a lot of the crew, I think. It was a big emotional moment because we're one big family that's plowed on through this for years, and it's a sad day.

When did you know Robb would die? When did you read the books, and when were you aware of the course of his future? [HuffPost TV]

As soon as I got the job, people managed to spoil a lot for me. Constantly, people would be like, "Oh my God, your death, that was so terrible." And you're like, "What? Oh, right."

But I read [the books] season by season, because ... I never wanted to preempt where the character went. And as an actor, it was a much better challenge for me to make decisions based on the scripts and based on the first book and then the second book. And then, by the time you get to the third book and Robb's making other decisions, then I'm, as an actor, forced to bend the path I put Robb on and change it and keep the surprises coming. Hopefully, I managed to do that.

How do you hope Robb is remembered by fans? [HBO.com]

I suppose, much like Ned, I think it's constantly been in my brain through the whole time -- I mean, less so into Season 3, where he starts making worse decisions. But just like his father, as an honest man and a just man.

You know, typically in "Game of Thrones," people who are honest and just and do things for the right reasons are the people who tend not to survive, and Robb's a great example of that. But I hope he's remembered as a good man and, essentially, the man that would have been the best person to lead the Seven Kingdoms. It's tragic that he is killed, because I think he is the best leader of all the candidates available at the moment.

Because of the fans of the books and this show are so devoted, how are you anticipating the next couple of weeks are going to go for you? [Calgary Herald]

I don't know. I just hope people really enjoy the surprise of it. I hope a lot of people haven't been as stupid as I was and Googled that kind of thing before the time came. I learned that lesson very quickly in Season 1, not to Google things... [It's] great for research purposes but not great dramatically, because you learn about all the stories before [they] actually happen.

One of the big changes about the Red Wedding is the fact that Talisa dies. And she's pregnant at this point. Why do you think that it was important to have her character die when [Robb's wife] lives in the books? And also, what was your relationship like working with Oona? [Zap2it.com]

I think it was important for her to die, because in the books the characters are very different ... It's just a full stop to that train of a story of [Robb's] army. I think it's more tragic that there's nothing left over from it. There's no possibility that Talisa's in hiding and going to have a baby, and one day, that baby will take over as King of the North. There's something tragic about it just all being cut short instantly.

And I have such a great relationship with Oona on set. She's a wonderful actress and I think she did something very clever with the part that was honest and kind, but had a strength deep inside her. And I think that resonates a lot with Catelyn -- even though they are very different characters and very different women, essentially there's bits of the characters that [have] real parallels. There's that quiet strength that Oona has, that Talisa has, that Catelyn has, that Michelle has. [It] really powers things through and makes it all the more tragic when those characters get killed, because they're the least deserving of being slaughtered in such a way.

[Executive producers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have said] they effectively wanted to make the show in order to make it to Season 3, and the Red Wedding is the reason why. As the central figure in the Red Wedding, I was wondering what it feels like to have that kind of weight on your shoulders from Dan and David on down? [RollingStone.com]

I consider it a bit of an honor, actually, that David and Dan trusted me with this character. I think I was, like, 21 when I first met them. After I got cast and got familiar with them and became friends with them, I learned so much about how [much they wanted to get to this point in the show]. It was a gift for me in Season 2 -- they really gave me a lot more material than the book featured. Hopefully, I've been able to build a character with them, and that means that by the time the audience gets to see this episode, they are as involved with Robb Stark as I am, as David and Dan have been since the very beginning. So I consider it less of a weight and more of an honor that I was trusted with that responsibility.

Obviously you must empathize with this character, having been a part of him for so long. Did you feel a little bit of bitterness in the way he went? Because not only doesn't he avenge his father, but he's denied that big heroic, glorious death that we're used to in this genre if someone is bumped off. Do you have any hard feelings about the way he's going out? [New York Daily News]

I mean, it's horrible, obviously. I don't have any bitterness to it, because I think Robb Stark dying there in that way is one of the best things [the show has done]. One thing HBO does so beautifully, and "Game of Thrones" does so beautifully, is just rip these characters' hearts out in front of you. You know, it's hard, and yet maybe it would have been better for Robb to have died gloriously on the battlefield or something else like that. But this is so sudden and violent and horrible. And I think the way that I've tried to build Robb Stark up and the way the writers have [written him], there's no other way we could have killed him. Because he is great on the battlefield, and despite his very poor choices, he is a great leader. A lot of people would stick up for him and watch his back. [At the Red Wedding,] he's been outsmarted, and it all comes from his good heart and his trust of other people. His trust that people will do the right thing and not just destroy each other like they do.

What was mood like on the set when you hit that key part of the sequence? [New York Daily News]

Honestly, it was horrible. It was a really difficult day for everyone, and there was lots of tears from many people, including myself. Just ... the way it happens -- Robb Stark with his dead queen in his arms and his stomach ripped open and blood pumping out of that. His mother getting her throat slit. It was a really disturbing day. And just because it's such a big part of my life and of Michelle's and Oona's and all of the crew -- we've been through a lot together, from extreme weather conditions to just the journey of trying to make this show as best as we can, and pushing forward against lots of things that have been pushing back against us.

There was just a total sense of exhaustion, and it was horrific. And these characters that you love get slaughtered. And it made me think of my dad: When he read all the books and he got to the Red Wedding, he put the book down and didn't go back to it for a couple of months. And I think it's obviously because he ties Robb Stark in so closely with me. The journey of that character and the fondness that we all had for each other as a cast and the crew [made it hard]. As the characters playing the story, it was really moving and not very nice. And I left [the] set and got straight to the airport and got on the plane because I didn't want to be there anymore. It was very difficult.

How long did this stay with you? How long did it take to shake this off? [AccessHollywood.com]

It won't shake off until I've seen the episode, so it is still there. That will be really difficult to watch. I think it will dredge up a lot of emotions and stuff that I maybe just pushed aside for a while ... It's not like any other job I've had, because you don't close the book on that character. It's just like you become him for six months, and then, [next season] you come straight back into his shoes, literally the same boots that you were wearing the season before, the same costume.

It's funny because I'm still very close with all the crew, and I've been talking to the hair department and the other actors who are all gearing up and going back into it. It's really strange for me. It's like when you've done a play for four months and the first night that you don't do the play, it gets to about 7 p.m. and you realize that you're pacing up and down ... Something’s missing. You realize, "Oh, God. It's because I'm not just about to go on stage." I suppose there's a little element of that that's happening.

Did it ever occur to you to lobby for altering Robb's fate or extending his time on the show? Obviously the producers were open to changing the character of Talisa from Jeyne, so did you ever discuss extending Robb's time a little bit or maybe going about this a different way? [HuffPost TV]

No, I knew when it was in the placing of the books and the placing of the scripts from the start of the job. I knew that's when we were aiming to do it. And I think it's the perfect time for that. Other stories are going to move forward and progress, but it's also shocking enough at this stage. I didn't want to change it at all. And I know that David and Dan have spent so many years structuring things out beautifully, and I'm not going to come in and try to push any of that around because I want an extra season of "Game of Thrones," or anything like that.

I wanted to stick to it, and I wanted it to be as sudden and as shocking as it was when I read the book and I read that section. Hopefully, the audiences are going to be shocked by it. It [takes place in] Episode 29, so that's very [early for a show to be] killing off another character, just like what happened to Sean Bean's character [Ned Stark]. I think it's essential. I did not want to mess with that.

Do you have a favorite scene or a moment over the past three seasons? [HBO.com]

Instantly, I get flashbacks of all of my scenes with Michelle Fairley. And in one Season 1 scene, I feel like that was the moment I started to kind of really fit into Robb's shoes. [It] was with Bran, when I come to say goodbye to him and I'm going off in the night and I've got a sword around my waist and my cloak on. I think that was something where you go, "This is a significant change point for Robb Stark, leaving Winterfell and going off and becoming a man." That was an important scene for me, because I love Isaac [Hempstead-Wright, who plays Bran] a lot, and that was a really great scene to film. But any time I'm on set with Michelle Fairley, it's a joy.

You were saying you came on to "Game of Thrones" when you were 21 and you grew and developed as a person, as an actor on the show. And does your journey parallel Robb's in some ways? [Calgary Herald]

There's been a lot of that, from Robb Stark being a young man, not expecting anything, thinking his life's going to be on one path, and then he gets pushed more weight and responsibility put onto him and demands made of him. And I suppose for me as an actor, there was similar [journey]. David and Dan started to push me more and give me more responsibility, writing scenes into Season 2 that never existed and giving me more of an on-screen journey and responsibilities. So that was something I really enjoyed, because as an actor I get pushed and I grow more and I have more responsibility to keep up with and deal with, like Robb has. But you rise to the challenge -- I mean, Robb did and hopefully I did.

Do you have a message for fans who are going to be watching this happen for the first time on the show -- encouragement to keep watching after the Red Wedding takes place? [Zap2it.com]

I don't. Apart from: No one is safe in "Game of Thrones."

Obviously, it was an emotional sequence, but I was wondering if you were ever able to step back and think about its potential place in TV history. It seems to me that it could well be talked about like "Who shot J.R.?" from "Dallas" or the finale of "The Sopranos" and these really pivotal television moments. Did you have any kind of sense of that while you were making the show? [RollingStone.com]

Never. I've never had any sense of that as an actor. I think I get too involved in what [I'm filming] that I always get surprised ... For me, I just shoot a television show in Ireland. And then you travel around the world and you realize there's so much more than that. I'm not being ignorant when it comes to that, it's just that I go and I've made this program with people that I consider my friends for years now, and so I have no kind of concept of the significance of that.

I only have an awareness of what I'm trying to achieve as an actor and what my job as the character is. I remember the scale of it and the emotion that it brought out of me and the other people there, and thinking that this was something significant. But the lines get a bit muddled up between characters and actors sometimes ... and that's what keeps me from having an awareness of the outside world. I'm just focused on doing my job well.

[Michael McElhatton, who plays Roose Bolton,] was the one who delivered the killing blow in the scene, as this character does in the book. Did he apologize at the end of it, once the cameras stopped rolling? [New York Daily News]

No, not at all. Not at all. Just like Roose Bolton wouldn't. There was no apology at all there. Quite funny, because you're covered in blood and he's got his prop knife in his hand, and then we have a hug to say, "Pleasure working with you." So that's quite an odd image that just comes up in my head.

Could you clarify where the plane was going [when you left the set]? [AccessHollywood.com]

Home, London. And I cried the whole way. I was the crazy boy on the plane crying and, at about midnight, landing in London.

"Game of Thrones" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Note: Do not read on if you have not yet seen Season 3, Episode 9 on HBO's "Game of Thrones," "The Rains of Castamere."

Earlier this season, Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) delivered a monologue suggesting that there is a curse on House Stark -- and that it's all her fault.

But the Irish actress behind Catelyn on HBO's "Game of Thrones," doesn't think the curse is real. "I don't think she's to blame at all," Fairley told The Huffington Post via phone last week in an interview timed to this week's shocking episode, in which Catelyn Stark is killed along with Robb Stark; his wife, Talisa; and their unborn child.

Still, Fairley acknowledged that Catelyn's fierce maternal instinct had caused plenty of trouble, ultimately prompting her to make the fateful choice that sealed her own doom at the so-called Red Wedding.

Operating under the assumption that her four of her children Arya, Sansa, Bran and Rickon have all been killed, Catelyn can't bear to see Robb die at the hands of Walder Frey's hired goons. "She thinks they're all gone, so she has absolutely nothing to live for," Fairley said. "Basically, when she slits the throat of Walder Frey's wife, she's inviting her death. She's already dead inside."

Fairley will be missed by fans who've taken comfort in her character's steely resolve. even as the Starks' fortunes have tumbled ever downward.

Below, Fairley explains how emotional it was to shoot the Red Wedding scene, reveals the treat she gave herself when it was finished and declares that Catelyn would not give her blessing to a marriage between Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen. She also reveals how the various Starks got their accents, and says why she doesn't object to the theory that the Starks are Democrats and the Lannisters are Republicans. Read on for more!

When did you first find out that your character was going to meet this grisly end?
I only read a book per season, but some of the actors had gone ahead and read all of them, so most people knew about the Red Wedding. And you know how long your contract lasts as well. So that’s a bit of a clue in itself.

People who've read the books tell me there's a chance you could reprise your role at some point in the future. Any truth to that?
I think you’re just going to have to keep watching and find out.

Speaking of the books, there are some differences between this Red Wedding and the original, aren't there? Robb's wife in the book, Jeyne Westerling, isn't pregnant and doesn't go to the wedding.
Obviously, there’s more at stake in the television series because you have more characters there. The stakes are higher.

Why does Catelyn threaten Walder Frey's wife?
She's trying to reason with Walder Frey in the hope that possibly, he loves his wife as much as Catelyn adores her son. At that point, she’s not concerned about her own life. She just wants her son to stay alive, basically. And unfortunately, it doesn’t go the way she wants it to go. Walder Frey doesn’t have that compassion or care for his wife. Robb gets stabbed, and Catelyn witnesses it. And then, as her final act, she slits Walder Frey’s wife’s throat, and in doing so, it’s enough to sign her own death warrant. But at that point, she’s convinced that she has nothing left to live for.

Because she thinks her other children are dead.
She thinks they’re all gone. So she has absolutely nothing to live for. There would have been no point to her life. Her whole life since the death of Ned has been to get her family back together again. Constantly, that’s the drive that has kept her going. And the fact that she’s witnessing the death of who she thinks is her final surviving child is enough for her to want to be dead herself. Basically, when she slits the throat of Walder Frey’s wife, she’s inviting her death –- she’s already dead inside.

It’s that maternal instinct that we always see with her, which has caused a lot of trouble -- her decision to take Tyrion hostage in retaliation for the attempt on Bran's life, her decision to send Jaime Lannister back to King's Landing in exchange for Arya and Sansa.
Yes, absolutely. Very much so. It’s coming from a good place, but it’s ultimately flawed at the same time. Her whole bit of operational drive comes from her being a mother and getting her children back together, but to her own detriment as well. She is prepared to do whatever it takes to get her children back.

How emotional was the Red Wedding shoot?
Very. We had a week to shoot the whole sequence, and it was shot chronologically. We started with the wedding ceremony on the Monday, then worked continuously until the Friday evening. On the Friday evening ,we reached a point where Catelyn was the last one standing. It was incredibly emotional because of what was in the scene. The stakes are high at that point for all of the characters. But also for me, internally, because you know this is a point where you’re possibly saying goodbye to people that you’ve come to know incredibly well and care about and love. It’s a very emotional thing to be involved in. You have to concentrate on the work. You can’t allow that to distract you.

When it was all done, did you and Richard Madden [Robb] and Oona Chaplin [Talisa] have a going-away party?
No, the cast had a shoot the next day. Richard went back to England that night, and I went and had my hair cut. Our wonderful hair designer, Kevin Alexander, said, "Listen, when this is all done, come in and I’ll cut your hair." I underestimated just how much the whole week took from me. I just felt completely exhausted. I’ve never felt anything like it in my life. But it was a wonderful sort of exhaustion, because you hope to have achieved something. And then we went for dinner with [co-creator and showrunner] David Benioff and a couple other people. And drank a lot.

In the episode "Dark Wings, Dark Words," you had an incredible monologue where Catelyn reflects on her cruel treatment of Jon Snow and suggests that she may have brought a curse down on House Stark. Do you think the curse is real, or is she simply looking for a way to explain the horrible misfortunes that have fallen on her family?
She has tried to live her life in an honorable way, and she’s a religious person as well. She worships the old gods. I think with religion, there’s a lot of self doubt -- questioning your actions, especially if you have a conscience. I think that’s a natural state for her to find herself in. I don’t think she’s to blame at all, but I think the fact that she couldn't love [the baby Jon Snow] -- I think that comes from within. It’s misplaced anger. She can’t take that out on Ned, so she takes it out on an innocent child. A motherless child. That highlights her inadequacies and her frailty.

So the curse is real to her, at least.
I totally think she believes in it. It’s a measure of the doubt and the questioning constantly running through her veins. But she continues to do the honorable thing. She tries to have recompense for this right up until her last breath. Yes, she goes against honor and slits someone’s throat, but that is honorable in itself -- even though it’s murder.

I don't know how closely you follow U.S. politics, but I like to joke that the Starks are like the Democrats and the Lannisters are like the Republicans.
Well, if there’s a possibly that I could be married to Mr. Obama, then that’s nice. I like that.

I guess I mean that the Lannisters are much better at the game. The Starks are noble, but then, they make dumb mistakes and people get really hurt.
Yeah, they’re too honorable. There is such a thing as being too honorable. They don’t take risks in any way, shape or form. They’re good people, but they will be outwitted because they don’t think outside of the box, really. They don’t have that sort of mind that the Lannisters have. They are much better able to survive than the Starks are in the world that they actually live in. The Starks are the innocents abroad, basically. And their honor is the most important thing. They learn slowly, and I think you’ll start to see that happen with the children. Even though they have that good moral code in their genes, they are out in the world on their own. They have to survive, and that involves thinking like your opponent, and being one step ahead of him.

It’s interesting that Catelyn had that special relationship with Littlefinger, the master of the game and the climb. Is that an opposites-attract thing?
He was brought up with the Tully family, so there is a history there. He has been constantly, for all his life, in love with Catelyn. Littlefinger may be a master manipulator, but when it comes to affairs of the heart, he can’t control that. He’s still smarting from [losing Catelyn], and that’s what gives him momentum to achieve, because he’s getting retribution. But she places a lot of trust in him because he is a childhood friend. She won’t think badly of him. It takes a long time for her to realize that this is not an honorable human being.

Do you think Catelyn knew deep down when Rob married Talisa that they were all doomed?
I think there’s an issue with definitely not trusting Walder Frey. This is a man you do not cross. But the other issue is that you do not break your honor, either. You do not break your honor. And he is the king. If you want people to trust you and follow you and respect you, and possibly give their lives up for you, you have to set the example for them. If you break your word, that’s not an honorable thing for a king to do. So though the omens are already starting to form when he does this and she knows it. At the same time, she is the mother of her boy, who is now the king. So how do you talk to a king? Do you talk to him like a son, or do you give him the respect of a king? Are you a subject or a mother, basically? His actions there are not actions that she agrees with at all. Absolutely not.

Some fans like to speculate that Jon Snow and Daenerys are going to get together in the end and rule the Seven Kingdoms. Ice meets Fire, as it were. Do you think Catelyn would bless that union?
Considering the fact that she detests Jon Snow [laughs], absolutely not. She wants her son -- Robb -- to be the king.

Max Read of Gawker wrote an obsessive article about the accents on the show. Did you guys discuss who gets what accents?
Yes, absolutely. Ned was the head of the family and that was Sean Bean, and Sean’s accent is a Sheffield accent. It’s northern. Therefore, the older children were to speak the way Robb speaks, with a northern accent. But Catelyn is originally from the south, so she wouldn’t have a northern accent. And the children are educated. Some of the kids have northern accents, and Jon Snow has a northern accent. It was discussed individually with each actor about what they were expected to be.

So Arya and Sansa have educated accents because they're younger?
Yeah.

And what is Dinklage doing?
Peter? Peter’s doing English.

Just a stage English, Shakespearean English?
Yeah.

You've had a long and illustrious career on British television, and you played Hermione's mom in a Harry Potter movie, but this show must have brought you a new level of visibility. What's it been like getting recognized everywhere you go?
In my mind, I see a completely different looking woman than myself as Catelyn Stark. I don’t see my face as Catelyn's. I imagine somebody else. I’m always surprised when people recognize me. There was one guy who was crossing the road and he tripped ... His head did this theatrical turn. I was like, "Oh my God. Am I that bad?" [Laughs.]

I'd say it means you're that good!
I constantly get people who are like, "Hello, how are you?" And you can see it dawn on them that they don’t actually know me. But it’s incredibly humbling because, without people who watch it, we would not have a job. So huge thanks to them for continuing to follow it and stay with it.

"Game of Thrones" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

The wait is over!

Kim Kardashian revealed via "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" Sunday night (June 2) that she and boyfriend Kanye West are expecting a baby girl.

After her physician told the expectant mother that the Kardashian clan would have yet another female addition, Kim said, "I'm so excited we're having a girl. Who doesn't want a girl? They are the best and I know that's really what Kanye has always wanted. He wanted a little girl."

Kardashian and West's baby's sex has been kept under wraps until now -- though when news leaked that the reality star's baby shower invitations featured a ballerina, we had our suspicions.

Looks like sister Kourtney's little boy, Mason, will have to hold out until next time for a little buddy.