Jennifer Lawrence is back -- and she's gone over to the fashion side.

Everyone's favorite bubbly blonde actress popped up at the Christian Dior Couture show today in Paris, doing her duties as the face of Miss Dior handbags. We'd initially dismissed the J.Law for Dior pairing as misguided, and Lawrence's somber, veil-covered appearance in the first ad campaign reinforced our skepticism.

But it would appear that Lawrence is finally getting comfortable with her high fashion role. Sitting front row at today's runway show, Lawrence sported a bold pair of Dior Resort 2014 pants with an extra "half-skirt" along one leg. She paired the bottoms with a lace crop top that showed off her tummy and oversized black sunglasses. (Good call with the pants, Jen -- best for not tripping up the stairs.)

So where does this newfound fashion confidence come from? Perhaps scoring her first-ever Vogue cover did the trick. Women's Wear Daily reports that Lawrence will cover Vogue's big September 2013 issue, shot by Mario Testino.

We haven't gotten a peek at the leaked cover yet, but we're willing to call it now: She's probably wearing Dior.

PHOTOS:

J.Law wasn't always into designer gear:

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The following article is provided by Rolling Stone.

By Eric R Danton

From one Kim to another: Kim Shattuck will join the Pixies on bass and backing vocals on an upcoming European tour, the band announced online this morning. She replaces original bassist Kim Deal, who left the group last month.

LINK: Rolling Stone’s List of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Pixies, ‘Doolittle’

Shattuck fronts Los Angeles rockers the Muffs, who have released five studio albums, including 2004's Really Really Happy. Before forming the Muffs in 1991, she played with the Pandoras, an all-female band that was part of L.A.'s so-called Paisley Underground indie scene in the Eighties.

LINK: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Pixies, "Monkey Gone to Heaven"

The group will kick off a European tour on September 29th in Paris and wrap up November 24th in London. A statement from the band promised new songs, and some surprises onstage. "Along with everyone's favorites, we'll be playing songs that we haven't played in ages or never played live before," singer Black Francis said. "Songs like 'Brick is Red,' 'Havalina,' 'Tony's Theme' and 'Sad Punk.' We've probably rehearsed some 80 songs, so we'll be able to change up the set at the last minute if we feel like it. We're all really looking forward to this tour."

LINK: Rolling Stone’s List of the 10 Messiest Band Breakups

The Pixies last week released "Bagboy," their first new song since "Bam Thwok" accompanied their reunion 2004. Although "Bagboy" features sugary Deal-like backing vocals, neither Kim was involved. Jeremy Dubs, a western Massachusetts musician who performs occasionally with Black Francis, played bass and contributed vocals.

LINK: Rolling Stone’s List of the 100 Best Albums of the 90’s: Bossanova

LINK: Flashback: The Pixies Reunite at Coachella in 2004

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Carrie Underwood has found her voice on Twitter.

The country music star and former "American Idol" champion admitted 3 1/2 years ago she was afraid to join Twitter, but since deciding to take the leap in 2011 she's embraced the social media tool in ways that go beyond fan engagement. Recently she used Twitter to oppose the "Ag Gag" bill in Tennessee, reaching out directly to Gov. Bill Haslam with a boldly worded message saying if he signed it "he needs to expect me at his front door."

It was the first time she's taken a political stand so publicly, and it seemed to have an impact. Haslam contacted Underwood to discuss the issue and went on to veto the bill that opponents claimed would have stopped investigation into animal abuse on farms.

"He really just wanted to hear everybody's point of view, which I really respected," Underwood said in a recent interview. "So it's kind of neat that (tweet) led to that, which was really cool."

Dave Smith, spokesman for Tennessee's Republican governor, said Haslam spoke to people on both sides and that Underwood's was the only celebrity counsel he sought.

Underwood also recently declared "Hug a soldier day," and puts her support behind movements like the "End It" anti-slavery campaign and animals rights. She has 2 million followers.

"Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a thinker and I'm a planner and I would never weigh in on anything unless I know the full story on it," Underwood said. "So I do my research. I don't think I'm a bandwagon kind of person. People are always retweeting sort of weird stuff. I do my own research. I'm not a political person at all. I doubt anyone can tell you what party I mostly affiliate myself with. But that was just something that was in my backyard."

As you might expect, there was pushback. Rather than shrink from it, she responded with some grit.

"I realize it's not necessarily so scary," she said. "Most of the comments I get back on anything are positive. There's the occasional negative one, but I enjoy blocking that person."

___

Online:

http://carrieunderwoodofficial.com

___

Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: . http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott

I'm standing in an elevator with Elijah Wood, and it's a little awkward. We're riding up to the office of a Hollywood PR agency where I'm scheduled to interview him about his current project Maniac, a remake of the 1980 classic cult slasher flick, in which he plays a serial killer stalking, stabbing and scalping an unlucky array of women in modern day Los Angeles. Wood has no idea that I'll momentarily be asking him questions about this unsettling new film and, since we're not alone in the elevator, I'm too shy to blurt out an introduction. The doors open, and things get even more awkward.

Now I'm following Elijah Wood down a hallway, and trailing closely behind him. I'm wondering if I should say something, just to break the tension, but I can't find the words. (The last time I'd seen him in person was over a decade ago in Amoeba Records on Sunset Blvd. He was running down the aisle, very excited about a Smashing Pumpkins album, but I certainly wasn't going to use this little anecdote as an icebreaker.) As probably the last American standing who hasn't seen any of The Lord of the Rings films, I'm feeling bad - even guilty - about not being more familiar with his body of work. I wouldn't know Frodo Baggins from Fred Flintstone. I'd seen The Good Son, in which a then 12-year-old Wood portrayed good opposite Macaulay Culkin's evil, and also remembered his turn in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. More recently, I'd seen him in a couple episodes of FX's bizarre comedy Wilfred, back when it aired directly before Louis C.K.'s gem Louie. But that was about it.

Elijah Wood is now holding the door for me. We enter an office and he is escorted behind the scenes as I'm directed into the waiting room. By the time the interview concludes, I'll have learned that Wood is a bright and articulate guy who enjoys deejaying, collects vinyl records and has in his possession the Lord of the Rings ring, keeping it "in a sack, in a box, tucked away." For now, I'm scrolling through his wikipedia page on my iPhone, surveying his impressive list of screen credits: Radio Flyer, The Ice Storm, Sin City, Bobby, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit.

I'm called into a conference room, where I take a seat as Wood strolls in. Though I haven't watched the majority of his work, I've seen enough of his gorgeous screen acting chops to understand why he's one of his generation's most respected film actors. His facial features are cinematic, his incredible blue eyes are perfect for close-ups and it's obvious he was born to be a movie star. But he doesn't seem to recognize me from the elevator, a humbling reminder that I was not born to be a movie star. As we begin, I envision brutal and graphic scenes from the Maniac screening I'd attended a few days earlier. The film is arresting, extremely disturbing, and still very fresh in my mind.

"A producer on the film contacted me and said, 'we're making Maniac, and we'd love for you to consider playing the killer,'" Wood explains, when asked how he got involved with the project. "They said it was going to be shot so the killer would only be seen in reflections. I'm a big fan of the horror genre, so the whole proposal was fascinating to me. The idea of playing a character that you never see and the idea of also putting the audience in the very unique position of experiencing what the killer is doing and thinking was a really disturbing and interesting idea."

"There is a way to look at Maniac from an intellectual perspective," Wood continues, "which is that it's an interesting character study told through the killer's point of view, and that's very exciting from a filmmaker's standpoint. From a genre standpoint, there is also the nerd in me that says, 'Yeah! I get to scalp people!' It's incredibly grotesque, and I get to play a villain! The fact that it's a very new take on a genre film is very exciting."

With his playing a psychotic killer in Maniac, starring in the darkly comedic TV series Wilfred, opening a production company dedicated to making scary movies and appearing alongside former porn goddess Sasha Grey in the creepy, upcoming thriller Open Windows, one might believe that Elijah Wood is consciously gravitating toward the dark side.

"I've been a fan of the horror genre forever," Wood shares. "It just so happens that a few of these things are coalescing at around the same time. I've started a production company that produces horror films. Wilfred is relatively dark, and it has a very unique and strange voice as a show, but it's also deeply funny. I mean, it's not just dark. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I'm moved by things that I feel deeply and that I'm excited about. As it pertains to the few dark things that are percolating now, it's not that I'm looking for those things, they just come into my life and I respond to them. As an actor, I'm always looking for ways to challenge myself, and I'm also really turned on by things that are quite different from anything we've seen."

Jenna Elfman has joined "Growing Up Fisher."

According to TVLine, Elfman will co-star as Joyce Fisher opposite J.K. Simmons in the new NBC comedy previously titled "The Family Guide." Parker Posey played the role in the pilot, but exited the series following the completion of the pilot.

The midseason comedy follows Mel Fisher (Simmons), a blind lawyer whose divorce from Joyce (Elfman) winds up bringing the family together. Ava Deluca-Verley plays Katie, Mel and Joyce's teen daughter and Eli Baker stars as Henry, their 11-year-old son. Henry's life is turned upside down when his parents divorce and his father gets a guide dog.

"Arrested Development" star Jason Bateman provides the voice-over for "Growing Up Fisher." "Friends" star David Schwimmer directed the pilot.

Elfman is best known for her series "Dharma and Greg" and recently co-starred in NBC's "1600 Penn."

"Growing Up Fisher" is scheduled to debut on NBC midseason. See what HuffPost TV's staff had to say about the series here.

At least it's summer somewhere.

As the East coast continues to get drenched in rain, "Pretty Little Liars" star Lucy Hale was able to soak up some sun while on vacation in Hawaii this weekend.

The 24-year-old actress was spotted rocking a tiny white and blue bikini as she spent the day at the beach with boyfriend Graham Rogers. Hale confirmed the two were dating last week, when she told Us Weekly, "I'm with a really sweet guy now ... We're just having a good time."

HYDE PARK — George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's Chicago wedding reception had a guest list that included Darth Vader, two Daleys and a Kennedy.

Actor Hayden Christensen, who played a young Anakin Skywalker — who, spoiler alert, becomes Darth Vader — in two of the recent "Star Wars" films, brought girlfriend and actress Rachel Bilson as his plus-one. Actor Warwick Davis, best known for his work in "Willow," also attended the star-studded affair at Promontory Point in Hyde Park Saturday.

Celebs began streaming into the party about 7 p.m., passing about 150 onlookers as they rode in golf carts from a parking lot through a pedestrian tunnel to get to the lakefront location.

The other night I saw, I'll Eat You Last, the one-woman show starring Bette Midler. In the 90-minute monologue, Bette Midler brilliantly portrays the spirit, the grit and the brashness of legendary Hollywood agent, Sue Mengers. Ms. Mengers, agent to the biggest stars of the '70s could make or break a star and a career. While I had heard of her, I really went to the show to see Bette Midler.

I have always loved Bette (we are on a pretend first name basis) since my sister introduced me to her music when I was a teenager. The Divine Miss M could and still does grab an audience and bring them in. I actually think of us as friends or as Wendy Williams would say, "a friend in my head." Our "friendship" grew over the years for two main reasons -- first, Beaches, the unforgettable female friendship movie, always effective for a good cry. And secondly, and maybe even more importantly, a boy I had a secret crush on in college used to call me, "Bette" across the quad, because he said I reminded him of Bette. Let me just be clear, to my dismay, we actually share very few traits in common. While we both have red hair (and hers is blonde right now) and a somewhat booming voice. I am at least 5 inches taller. And unlike Bette, I haven't recorded 13 albums, had hit singles, starred in movies, won Golden Globes, Emmy's, Grammy's, an honorary Tony and Oscar nominations, appeared on Seinfeld, or headlined a show in Vegas. I can barely carry a tune let alone a song or movie.

So anyway, the other night as we are waiting for the show to start, I spot Nicole Kidman, the Hollywood star (and Bette's co-star in the 2004 Stepford Wives), and her husband, Keith Urban. Nicole glided into the theather in all of her regal elegance, ethereal beauty, flawless skin, model figure, really high heels, tenderly holding her handsome, stylish, talented husband's hand. They were all smiles, warmly greeting the people they knew sitting near them. And all of the sudden, my synapses connected.

As I sat reminiscing about Bette and reveling in my brush with celebrity greatness (okay I was about 10 rows behind her), I remembered my Nicole Kidman moment in a Bloomingdales in New Jersey at least 15 years ago. No, Nicole Kidman wasn't behind me returning some bedding. As I stood in line (I was at most 32 at the time of this event) behind 2 much older women (I was at most 32 at the time of this event), let's say late '70s, who were very sweet and chatty. I remember one of the women admired my pants suit and then said a sentence that will live in my mind forever... drum roll please: "Does anyone tell you that you remind them of Nicole Kidman."

I took a big gulping breath to make sure that I didn't pass out. And just in case you think I have lost touch with reality, I answered back, "I can't imagine what on my person reminds you of Nicole Kidman, but I will never forget you." We said goodbye, and I did what any person who looks nothing like Nicole Kidman (not even in her wildest dreams) does when someone says something like that. I immediately called my sister and repeated the whole story. We laughed about the absurdity of the comparison between this magnificent creature and myself.

And then, my older sister gave me the kind of supportive words and sage advice that one would expect from an older sister as she said, and I quote, "Oh, I totally get it. You both have teeth." And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen (listen for sound of deflating self-esteem in the background). I would love to say that I met Nicole that night (that she saw some of herself in my face as we met), that I went backstage with her to meet Bette, told them my tales from long ago, and we all made plans to have lunch after the July 4th holiday weekend. But 'twas not to be. On a beautiful summer night in late June 2013, with Bette, Broadway and Bloomies on my mind, I headed out of the theater back to my non-celebrity life. Curtain falls. The end.

Planned Parenthood and Connie Britton -- that's Mrs. Coach to you "Friday Night Lights" fans -- have partnered for a new T-shirt asking the ever-important question: What would Tami Taylor do?

The shirt, which is only available for the month of July, was designed to allow others around the country show their support for Texas women. The front reads "WWTTD? What Would Tami Taylor Do?" and the back has the web address standwithtexaswomen.org.

Britton played Tami Taylor for five seasons of "Friday Night Lights." The actress currently stars in ABC's "Nashville."

"The character Tami on 'Friday Night Lights' is a Texas woman deeply committed to her community and to standing up for what is right for her neighbors and the people she loves," Britton said in a statement. "I have been inspired by how people around the country have united to stand with the women of Texas, and I can't help but think that, in this moment, we all have the opportunity to join with and become strong, powerful Texas men and women."

The Texas state legislature aimed to impose restrictions on abortion, which could shut down 36 of 42 health centers that provide abortions -- among other services -- in the state. State Senator Wendy Davis made headlines after a 13-hour filibuster that stopped the legislation, but Governor Rick Perry called another month-long legislative session.

“These laws threaten women’s health and safety,” Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, said in a statement. “Like people across the country, Connie Britton saw thousands of Texans stand up last week and demand to be heard, and she wanted to stand with them. She’s partnering with Planned Parenthood Action Fund on this shirt so that people all across the country can show their support."

Children of the 1980s, brace yourselves: "Saved By the Bell" is returning as a digital comic book.

The now-classic NBC series, along with "Knight Rider," "Airwolf," "Miami Vice" and "Punky Brewster" will be revived as digital comics. NBC is partnering with Lion Forge for the digital comics.

“Partnering with the team at Lion Forge to bring classic TV properties to life in graphic novel format was a natural step for us as we continue to identify new ways to entertain our fans in the digital space,” Chris Lucero, director of Global Consumer Products Licensing for NBCUniversal Television, said in a statement. “We're excited to give fans a chance to revisit some of their favorite shows and characters in a completely new way."

Joelle Sellner ("Teen Titans"); Jonathan London ("Geekscape"); Geoffrey Thorne ("Leverage," "Ben 1"0) and David Gorden ("Catalyst Prime: Accel") are writing the comics. Jason Johnson ("Wetworks") and Lion Forge's Carl Reed and Lorenzo Lizana are on board as artists.

"From hugely popular characters such as Crockett and Tubbs, Zack Morris and Punky Brewster to highly stylized music and clothing choices, these TV franchises have had a significant impact on pop culture," David Steward, CEO of Lion Forge, said in a statement. "We here at Lion Forge are looking forward to extending that influence by creating visually appealing and entertaining experiences on mobile devices for a whole new generation of fans."

The digital comics based on the NBC shows will be available later in 2013 through Amazon Kindle Bookstore, Kobo, Barne & Noble's Nook Book Store and Apple's iBooks.

Revolution is enlisting another actor for season two: Patrick Heusinger, who was in the film Black Swan and had a 2008 arc on The CW's Gossip Girl, has joined the show.

Heusinger will have a recurring role this fall as Adam, simply described as a handsome rogue with a good sense of humor who lives life to the fullest.

To say that Lou Reed has an affinity for Kanye West's "Yeezus" seems like an understatement. The word "beautiful" is used eight times in the Velvet Underground singer's new review of the album. Other duplicated praises include "fascinating," "poignant," "incredible" and "majestic."

While those descriptives mark the gist of Reed's reactions, it's still worth taking a look at the rocker's hearty review. His knowledge of the intricacies of music shines through loudly, and the comparisons made to Reed's own career offer an interesting take on what "Yeezus" means culturally in the eyes of a music legend.

Even if "many lyrics seem like the same old b.s.," Reed describes the album as "like a movie, or a novel — each track segues into the next." It's "inspiring," he writes.

"Very often, he'll have this very monotonous section going and then, suddenly —"BAP! BAP! BAP! BAP!" — he disrupts the whole thing and we're on to something new that's absolutely incredible," Reed goes on. "But why he starts the album off with that typical synth buzzsaw sound is beyond me, but what a sound it is, all gussied up and processed. I can't figure out why he would do that. It's like farting. It's another dare — I dare you to like this. Very perverse."

This isn't the first praise Reed has heaped on West. In June, while speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, he said, "The only guy really doing something interesting is Kanye West. He's really good whatever you might think of him on other levels."

Read the full "Yeezus" review for yourself here.

Today (July 2) is World UFO Day, and to celebrate, we wanted to do an extra-special roundup. Russell Crowe just played an alien in the movie "Man of Steel," which might have led him to develop a belief that UFO sightings are real. Over the past couple months, the actor has been tweeting paranormal conspiracy theories about aliens he'd like all of his fans to check out. Review the evidence of UFOs Crowe provides us with below, and if you have any leads, make sure to reach out to him. He seems pretty distraught!

UFO? Time Lapse Photos Outside RC's Woolloomooloo Office (THESE ARE REAL!): http://t.co/BhTyoyBKql via @youtube

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) March 6, 2013

"THESE ARE REAL!"

re UFO? It can't be a yacht , would have to be travelling 80kmph (50mph) to cover that distance in 4.5 seconds

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) March 8, 2013

Crowe is on to something. He's circling the truth like a hawk!

BREAKING!!! UFO ALIEN DISCLOSURE by Canadian Minister of Defense May 2013: http://t.co/qqAzVXFIw1 via @youtube

— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) June 23, 2013

BREAKING!!! Amanda Bynes' Twitter is seeming more and more normal by the day.

Sofia Vergara is ridiculously hot, that we know. But even before making huge bucks on TV's highly successful "Modern Family," Vergara was a television personality in Latin America -- and her amazing bikini body was the breakout star of her show.

From 1995 to 1998, then 20-something Vergara starred in Univision's "Fuera de Serie," a travel series that sent her to various exotic locales that all had one thing in common: They required the bombshell to strip down to a teeny bikini.

In the video above, for example, Vergara is wearing a thong bikini and gets a massage that includes covering her entire body in mud.

In the video below, the now 40-year-old star changes three bikinis in just under a minute. Because why have Sofia Vergara in one bikini when you can have her in three, right?!

You're welcome.

Did you hear about the professional athlete who just declared bankruptcy? Of course you have. Because when it comes to professional athletes and money, we tend to only hear about how large their new contract is worth or how much they just lost -- and unfortunately there is no shortage of examples of the latter. A Sports Illustrated article reports the grim statistics -- 78 percent of NFL players face bankruptcy or serious financial stress within just two years of leaving the game and 60 percent of NBA players face the same dire results in five years.

While the statistics are not in dispute, the reasons why so many athletes face financial problems are. Often it boils down to the "dumb jock" stereotype -- these guys are superstars on the field but completely clueless off. Sure, that may explain some of the athletes that have gone broke, but this is not a valid or useful explanation of why so many professional athletes end up broke. In fact, NFL players score above average on intelligence measures. Many professional athletes suffer financial problems -- not because they aren't smart, but for a number of more nuanced reasons.

In my work managing the finances of sudden wealth recipients and advising professional athletes, the best way to help is to overcome the common barriers that prevent windfall recipients from doing the right thing. Here are a few issues, any one of which can wreak havoc on one's finances, that are common to the professional athlete:

Trust issues. Think Goldilocks. Too much or too little can be a problem. For the athlete that doesn't trust anyone, he won't be open to good tax, legal, and financial advice that could protect his wealth and ensure a lifetime of financial stability. On the other hand, more than a few professional athletes have been duped, taken advantage of, or downright defrauded because they blindly trusted a smooth talking "suit." A newly announced financial helpline by the NFL Player's Association aims to address this very issue. Liz Davidson, CEO of Financial Finesse and the company supporting the helpline says, "This program gives players a strong base to build upon, and that with the continued growth of their financial education initiatives, players will continue to progress financially."

Wired differently. It's pretty easy to spot a professional athlete in a lineup. Physically they are quite different from you and me. But psychologically they may be different as well. Research found significant differences between athletes and non-athletes across personality characteristics such as inhibition, emotionality, and aggressiveness. Good characteristics on the field, but not necessarily optimum for making financial decisions.

Today focus. Research published in the Journal of Judgment and Decision Making shows professional athletes are more present focused rather than future focused as compared to non-athletes. In other words, there is much greater emphasis placed on today than there is on tomorrow. This may help support the athletes' winner-take-all mindset needed to excel, but can impede any attempt at saving and investing for their future.

Familial pressure. "If you haven't experienced it yourself, there is no way to describe it" is how one client expressed the rush of a windfall and the ensuing pressure from friends and family to "spread the love." The star we see on the field is often the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Who we don't see is the family or friends that may have encouraged and even supported the athlete. For some athletes, they feel a sense of duty to buy houses and cars or invest in the business ideas of those who helped them get to where they are. They may do this to the extreme in order to assuage the idea that money has changed them. "Look at me," they'll say. "Money hasn't changed me and I'll prove it."

Ego bleed. For professional athletes it's the Lake Wobegon Effect -- the tendency for everyone to think they are above average -- but on steroids! Because in this case, these athletes are truly the very best in the world at what they do. The problem is when this over confidence bleeds into their finances -- thinking they don't need advice and that they have some special insight or talent in areas beyond their athletic expertise.

Need excitement. Investing and finance is fast-paced and exciting with high emotions and drama... in the movies. In the real world, financial planning is slow and methodical. The glitz and glamour we think of on Wall Street doesn't translate into a good, long-term financial strategy. But some athletes want and expect the drama. A steady return in the stock market just isn't exciting enough, so some seek high-risk, winner-take-all (sound familiar?) investments that often leave them high on adrenaline but low on funds.

Two worlds. As foreign as it would feel for you to enter their world, it is often just as alien for the athlete to discuss asset allocations, family limited partnerships, and the alternative minimum tax. According to former professional baseball player Bobby Grich, "Players are not trained in wealth management and that world can be totally intimidating as I know from firsthand experience."

Athletes suffer financially for many reasons, but the dumb jock explanation is not one of them. Professional athletes are intelligent and talented in ways the rest of us cannot fathom. Davidson agrees, noting that "The game requires a high level of discipline, focus and intelligence -- all traits that can be parlayed into smart money management." Sometimes all it takes is recognizing and overcoming some of these barriers, entering their world, and providing a little guidance.

The "Matilda" gang is back together again!

Mara Wilson, who played the talented title youngster in "Matilda," posted a photo to her Facebook page last weekend showing the 1996 cast reuniting.

Wilson is shown with "Matilda" alums including Rhea Perlman, Pam Ferris, Embeth Davidtz, and Danny DeVito. The whole group looks adorably happy, attending an outdoor shindig.

Based on Roald Dahl's novel by the same name, "Matilda" brought in $33.45 million at the time of its original 1996 box office run. The story has since been adapted for the stage, currently playing on Broadway as "Matilda The Musical."

[via Vulture]

SANTA FE, N.M. — It may be difficult to separate Johnny Depp from his "Pirates" character Jack Sparrow, but the actor recalls a time before the boozy buccaneer became a household name.

"The films that I did prior to `Pirates,' ... not everything but a lot of it, was sort of by industry standards, not blockbuster stuff. So I wasn't ever blockbuster material," said Depp in a recent interview.

But that's not to say he didn't have fun during those years.

"I've been lucky enough to be involved in some very small and different independent films throughout my career and I've been able to be involved in, you know, a couple of films that shocked everybody, especially me," he said.

Since 2003, Depp has played the flamboyant captain in four hugely successful "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, with a fifth installment slated for 2015.

At age 50, he is still one the hottest names in Hollywood and about ready to launch another big-budget summer flick, "The Lone Ranger."

"The only thing I can equate it with is luck. There's no other reason," he said of his career longevity. "The fact that I was able to survive through that 15 years of just bouncing around doing (indie) movies and now still to end up here is amazing."

The Golden Globe-winning actor plays the famed Native American character Tonto in the upcoming Disney reboot of "The Lone Ranger," which is opening Wednesday. He said his children, Lily-Rose, 14, and Jack, 11, can't wait to see it.

"They're pretty excited about this one," Depp said while promoting the film in Santa Fe, N.M., where part of the movie was filmed. "You know, of course, they thought it was insane when they watched me play Tonto, but now they're looking forward to this one."

Despite his success, Depp recognizes that life on Hollywood's A-list can be fleeting.

"I certainly wouldn't expect that it is one of those things that is going to stick around forever and ever," he said. "The clock ticks, the time's up and the next guy steps in or whatever and that's how it goes."

When he's not busy making films, Depp said music continues to be his main inspiration. Writing, playing guitar and one-off performances with artists like Keith Richards, Aerosmith, Black Keys, Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson keep his creative juices flowing.

Depp says that in the last couple of years, he's had "sort of a rebirth of my relationship with music. So I've been playing more and writing more and it's led to invitations to play with people."

Depp, who celebrated his milestone birthday June 9, refuses to take a single day for granted.

"Just to be here still is pretty amazing," he said. "Every day should be some sort of celebration. So yeah, I guess when you hit 50 finally ... it's just happy to still be around."

_____

Online:

http://disney.go.com/the-lone-ranger/

_____

Follow Nicole Evatt at http://twitter.com/NicoleEvatt

It's tough out there when it comes to the world of romance and dating, but YouTube comedians Jack Harries and Caspar Lee may have come up with a solution to their love woes: One Direction lyrics.

"Basically, I know five guys who get a lot of attention from the females and I decided to use their formula," Caspar explained. "Which is to pick up girls using One Direction lyrics."

The two then took to a park and approached random strangers using pick-up lines like, "You're turning heads when you walk in the door" and "I just want to take you anywhere that you like." Watch in the video above.

At one point, Caspar even crashes a row boat into another girl's and says, "Hey, I've tried playing it cool but when I'm looking at you, I can never be brave 'cause you make my heart race."

Her response: "What are you doing?"

After receiving a bunch of rejections (aww), these hilarious teens ended up scoring one phone number by the end of the day. Looks like using 1D lyrics isn't such a bad idea after all.

For more 1D pick-up lines, check out the slideshow below.

Tell us, would these lyrics work on you? Sound off in the comments or tweet at @HuffPostTeen.

[h/t J-14]

Vince Vaughn hasn't had much luck at the box office over the past four years: His last feature to cross $100 million was "Couples Retreat" in 2009, and recent films like "The Dilemma," "The Watch" and this year's "The Internship" have all disappointed. Perhaps, "Delivery Man" is the answer to Vaughn's troubles. For one thing, it drops the "The" from the title. (It's cleaner.)

Based on the Canadian film "Starbuck," "Delivery Man" focuses on David Wozniak (Vaughn), a ne'er-do-well manchild who finds out that he fathered 533 kids after making donations to a sperm bank. After 142 of the now-grown children file a lawsuit to reveal their father's identity, David decides to do one better: He becomes the kids' guardian angel, much to the chagrin of his lawyer (played by Chris Pratt).

Ken Scott, who directed "Starbuck," handles things for "Delivery Man." Based on the trailer, he might provide Vaughn with the kind of funny-sweet needle-threading that so few of the star's recent films have managed to accomplish.

"Delivery Man" is out on Nov. 22.

It's a girl for Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant.

"Ms. Charlotte Bryant Hanks has decided to join us," the actor, 35, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "She's as happy and healthy as we are overjoyed and tired."