Cecily Strong Responds To 'SNL' Change: 'I Don't See This As Me Leaving Update'

September 13, 2014, 8:11 am

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Don't worry about Cecily Strong, y'all.

The "SNL" cast member who anchored "Weekend Update" during the last season, has made it clear she's very happy to be stepping away from the desk when Michael Che takes over on September 27. Strong posted this message on her Instagram late Friday.

I don't see this as me leaving update, just as me being on update in a looser, goofier way that is a lot more fun for me and in a way I think I'm better at. And now I get to do features with the very funny and wonderful Michael Che! No point in being angry or sad for me for something I'm genuinely happy about! Unless you are just a person who enjoys being angry or sad. Then I guess play on, playa.

NBC announced on Thursday that Che, a former "SNL" writer who had just left the show over the summer to become a "Daily Show" correspondent, would be the new anchor of "Weekend Update" alongside Colin Jost, who replaced Seth Meyers.

While Strong was still featured in many sketches, fans had lamented that as an "Update" anchor she was no longer able to step into some of her most beloved characters, like "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With At A Party." Her message to fans seems to indicate that she feels the same way, and that the change will free her up to play to her strengths as a repertory player.

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Beyonce And Nicki Minaj Perform 'Flawless' Remix For The First Time Live, And It's Amazing

September 13, 2014, 8:14 am

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The only thing better than the Beyonce and Nicki Minaj "Flawless" remix is watching the two ladies perform the song live.

During a surprise appearance at the On The Run tour in Paris on Friday, Sept. 12, Minaj joined Beyonce on stage to give the remix its live debut. There isn't any official footage of the performance yet -- just wait until the HBO special premieres next week -- but thanks to Instagram we have some idea of the greatness that occurred.











Minaj posted some photos of herself backstage:





And of course the queen of rap took a selfie slayin' the queen Bey:



Minaj ended the night by dancing to some Drake, as everybody should:

Meadow Walker Pays Touching Tribute To Father Paul Walker On His Birthday

September 13, 2014, 8:50 am

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On what would've been Paul Walker's 41st birthday, his daughter Meadow took to social media to honor the special occasion.

The teenager posted a touching throwback photo of her with her father on her Instagram account Sept. 12, writing, "Happy birthday, I love you":



Meadow Walker is the only child of the "Fast & Furious" star, who died in November 2013.

The late actor's "Fast & Furious" co-stars also paid tribute to him via social media. Ludacris shared a photo of Walker helping a young child, writing, "Happy Bday to an Angel today @paulwalker":



Walker founded Reach Out WorldWide, a non-profit disaster relief organization, in 2010.

Exclusive: Lady Antebellum's New Video For 'The Best Of Me' Is Here

September 13, 2014, 9:33 am

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Though Nicholas Sparks' latest flick, "The Best Of Me" doesn't premiere until Oct. 17, Lady Antebellum has already released a new video for their latest single, featured on the film's soundtrack.

Called "I Did With You," the song is classic Lady Antebellum -- twangy, catchy and all-around easy to listen to. The heartwarming music video reminds audiences of Sparks' story of two lovers who reunite 20 years after first falling for each other.

"I Did With You" is available on iTunes, and the film's entire soundtrack is available for purchase on Amazon.

Mayim Bialik Slams Ariana Grande, Asks 'Why Does She Have To Sell Herself In Lingerie?'

September 13, 2014, 11:42 am

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Looks like somebody's got a "problem" with Ariana Grande.

"The Big Bang Theory" star Mayim Bialik recently wrote a blog post on Kveller.com simply titled, "The Problem With That Giant Billboard Of Ariana Grande." In the lengthy post, the 38-year-old detailed her distaste for the sexual nature of the singer's album advertisements:

"There is one [billboard] for Ariana Grande, and I will go ahead and admit I have no idea who she is or what she does. Based on the billboard, she sells lingerie. Or stiletto heels. Or plastic surgery because every woman over 22 wishes she has that body, I'm sure," Bialik began.

The 38-year-old mother of two further questioned Grande's provocative image, writing, "Why is she in her underwear on this billboard though? And if she has a talent (is she a singer?), then why does she have to sell herself in lingerie?"

Bialik also took aim at other racy advertisements in her post, such as Showtime's television show "Masters Of Sex" and Levi's jeans.

"Am I a crotchety old lady?" Bialik asked.

"I guess so. But I just don't understand why this is what ads need to look like. Why do I have to be okay with young women literally in lingerie on gigantic billboards? If I want to see women in lingerie, I can walk through any mall with a Victoria's Secret."

Head over to Kveller for Bialik's full blog post.

[h/t E! Online]

14 Awesome British TV Shows To Stream On Netflix

September 13, 2014, 12:04 pm

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Where in the world is Olivia Pope? Will Danny and Mindy really make it? These are the questions most of us are asking going into the new TV season. But for some of us, colder weather makes us crave some solid British TV -- and "Downton Abbey" won't be back until January! Luckily, Netflix has quite a few options to tide us over.

Here are 14 British shows to stream on Netflix right now:

"An Idiot Abroad," Seasons 1-3

Looking for some fun? Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington have your back. Watch the unsophisticated Pilkington travel the world while Gervais, Merchant and the rest of us laugh from afar.

"Call The Midwife," Seasons 1-2

Set in East London in the 1950s, "Call The Midwife" follows the adventures of Jenny Lee (Vanessa Redgrave), a young midwife working in a nursing convent.

"Derek," Seasons 1-2

Yep, more Gervais! This time, he stars as a loving (and hilarious) nursing home caretaker.

"Doctor Who," Seasons 1-7

A time-traveling doctor who fights aliens? We'll take it.

"Happy Valley," Season 1

Starring Sarah Lancashire, Netflix's "Happy Valley" follows police sergeant Catherine Cawood as she struggles to cope with the suicide of her daughter while raising her daughter's son.

"Luther," Seasons 1-3

Idris Elba stars as John Luther, a detective working to solve crimes while dealing with his own personal issues.

"Merlin," Seasons 1-5

In this retelling of the story of King Arthur, young sorcerer Merlin (Colin Morgan) arrives in Camelot, where he works to protect the future King Arthur (Bradley James).

"Peep Show," Seasons 1-8

After being thrown out by his girlfriend, Jeremy (Robert Webb) moves in with his friend Mark (David Mitchell) who's very different from him. They're a bit of an odd couple, and they're hilarious together.

"Sherlock," Seasons 1-3

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes is the best thing ever, and that's all we have to say about that.

"Skins," Seasons 1-7

Who doesn't love a good high school drama? This one is especially great because it's set in Bristol, England. Sorry, Capeside, but you have some competition.

"The Inbetweeners," Seasons 1-3

In case "Skins" doesn't prove to you how hard being a teenager is, "The Inbetweeners" will definitely convince you. Luckily, this take on adolescence -- starring Simon Bird and James Buckley -- is also guaranteed to make you laugh.

"The IT Crowd," Seasons 1-4

Starring Chris O'Dowd, "The IT Crowd" follows a pair of "basement-dwelling dweebs" as they attempt to be competent employees at an IT corporation.

"The Paradise," Season 1

2012's "The Paradise" follows a young girl who heads to the big city to work at the nation's first department store and gets a bit caught up in everything the city has to offer.

"The Office," Seasons 1-2.

Jim and Pam who? The British office stars Ricky Gervais -- we swear we're only a little obsessed! -- and it's set in London, which is just a tad more thrilling than Scranton.

Watch Jimmy Fallon & Glenn Close In A Strange & Messy Eating Contest

September 13, 2014, 1:16 pm

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Jimmy Fallon, a man of many talents, can now add accomplished competitive eater to his resume.

In Friday's episode of "The Tonight Show" Fallon and his guest, Glenn Close, faced off in the ultimate test of willpower: an eating contest with strange utensils.

Fallon and Close were tasked with eating spaghetti with two whisks, full-loaded nachos with salad tongs and for dessert, blueberry pie with their faces. By round three things got pretty messy.

"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.

Kate Hudson Stuns In A Crop Top In Women's Health Spread

September 13, 2014, 2:13 pm

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Helloooo, Ms. Hudson!

Kate Hudson looks positively stunning in her spread as cover star in October 2014 issue of Women's Health. The "Wish I Was Here" actress kept her look super casual in a knotted white tank and jeans:



In another shot, the 35-year-old rocked a cropped black top and red shorts as she jumped for joy:



Hudson opened up the magazine about her long-distance relationship with fiance Matthew Bellamy:

"We try not to spend more than two weeks apart. When you have kids it kind of goes without saying. You don’t want to be away from your kids for more than two weeks," she told Women's Health.

"To me I think when women who have children are fighting overseas, that’s long distance. And that’s very challenging. I really honor those families that do that," Hudson added.

Hudson and Muse frontman Bellamy have one son together, 3-year-old Bingham Hawn Bellamy. The actress also has a 10-year-old son, Ryder Russell Robinson, with ex-husband Chris Robinson.

Hudson also told Women's Health about her future wedding plans with Bellamy, as the couple got engaged in April 2011.

"It's a long engagement. I think the best part is that knowing you're working towards the idea of a commitment that is hopefully as long of a stretch as you can pull it and forever seems beautiful… I think it's a real journey," she said.

"There is a traditional meet, fall in love, get married, have children. And I am working on a very non-traditional life, and it’s just happening that way. But I look forward to the wedding day because when that happens to me, marriage what I really love about it is bringing the families together, and the kids."

For the full interview with Kate Hudson, head over to Women's Health.

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Kanye West Demands Wheelchair-Bound Audience Member Stand Up

September 14, 2014, 6:46 am

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Kanye West refused to continue his show on Friday night in Sydney, Australia until the entire audience was standing and dancing in physical Yeezus worship. Unfortunately for Kanye's self-esteem, one of the audience members had a prosthetic leg and another was wheel-chair bound.

One concertgoer told the Daily Mail that he addressed the crowd saying "I can't do this show until everybody stand up. Unless you got a handicap pass and you get special parking and s**t." The fan waved her leg in the air and Kanye so kindly continued the show, stopping again when he saw there remained a single seated fan.

According to the tabloid, he then halted performance of "Good Life," saying "'This is the longest I've had to wait to do a song, it's unbelievable," before sending over a body guard to check that the fan was differently abled.

'The crowd was also yelling that he was in a wheelchair but he waited for Pascal's confirmation,' the witness said, while others said the crowd made 'wheelchair motions' to alert the singer to his mistake.

'When he sent Pascal up there he said, 'He is in a wheelchair? It's fine!' the witness reported.

Cringe over the whole thing below:

5 Things You Didn't Know About Amy Winehouse, Even If You Still Miss Her Every Year

September 14, 2014, 7:29 am

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Tried to make you go learn trivia, so I said, "know, know, know."

Amy Winehouse was born today, September 14, and would have been 31 if it weren't for her tragic death in 2011. Winehouse may have had her struggles -- she claimed that even at a young age she was kicked out of school for piercing her nose along with "general slackeritude" -- but she represents a persona the world continues to be captivated by. Whether you agree with the 27 club member's choices is beside the point, this is a woman who successfully realized her dreams in the only way she knew how.

In remembering the late singer, Lady GaGa once said, "I always felt like Amy had opened a door for girls like me who didn’t fit that exact real pop mold..." Winehouse's talents were one of a generation and she is still missed.

To Amy Winehouse, 1983 - 2011.





1. Growing up, Amy Winehouse was in a Salt-n-Pepa inspired rap duo called Sweet 'N' Sour.



At the age of 10, Amy Winehouse formed the rap group with her best friend, Juliette Ashby. Winehouse described Sweet 'N' Sour as being the "little white Jewish Salt-n-Pepa" and that she was "Sour."

The duo also recorded songs titled, "Glam Chicks," "Spindarella" and "Boys... Who Needs Them."



2. Amy Winehouse didn't initially want to be a musician.



Rolling Stone's 2007 cover story of the singer revealed, "She didn't aspire to be a musician, though; instead, she fantasized about being a roller-skating waitress like the ones she'd seen in 'American Graffiti.'" A waitress from that film is shown in the image above.



3. Amy Winehouse once carved her fiancé's name into her stomach with a glass shard, in front of a reporter.



During a photo shoot with Terry Richardson, Amy Winehouse took a glass shard that was meant to be used as a prop and carved "i love Blake" into her stomach. Blake Fielder-Civil was her fiancé of two weeks at the time and was also appearing in the Richardson photographs with Winehouse. In the cover story for Spin, article author Steve Kandell wrote about the incident, "don't be worried for Amy Winehouse. Be happy. She's earned this."

Fielder-Civil and Winehouse ended up marrying, but divorced in 2009. Apparently, this relationship is what introduced Winehouse to crack and heroine. Before 2007, the two would allegedly cut themselves together to ease the pain of withdrawal.



4. Animals were a big part of Amy Winehouse's life, she even legit befriended a monkey in Barbados.



Amy Winehouse had as many as 11 cats at one time. An unnamed source even told the Daily Mirror "Amy often claimed she wanted to leave all her money to a cats' home as an ultimate sign of rebellion."

While visiting Barbados in 2010, Winehouse was apparently followed around by a monkey for a whole week. She fell in love with the primate and reportedly wished to bring him back to the United Kingdom with her.

Image Left: Flickr user Roberto Rizzato & Image Right: Flickr user Claudiana Gois



5. Amy Winehouse's dream super power was "super sexuality."



The Guardian had a lengthy Q&A with Amy Winehouse in 2007 where one of he questions was "what would your super power be?" Winehouse answered, "super sexuality." In the same interview, the singer also said "sex" was how she relaxed and that "more sex and more gym" would be the single thing that'd improve the quality of her life.

Her favorite word? "Fuckery."



BONUS: This was what she deemed the most important life lesson she ever learned...



That quote also comes from the 2007 interview with The Guardian. Right before that question was also an answer of note:

How would you like to be remembered?

[Winehouse:] As genuine.

All images Getty unless otherwise noted.

The One Surefire Way You Can Tell That Fall Is Coming

September 14, 2014, 8:32 am

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Summer is officially over.

How are we so sure? There's a certain thing you start to notice on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter once the crisper air starts to roll in. People seem to want to document this seasonal change.

... And by document, we mean take pictures of their pets wearing sweaters.

Forget fall foliage, the official sign of colder temperatures approaching is this:



That's right. A dog in a sweater.



Owners have sensed that the dogs are cold.



Especially their heads.



Some need both headwear and bodywear.



After all, dogs love how comfortable sweaters are.



So comfortable.



Dogs love to show off their fashionable ensembles on the street.



They absolutely never get tired of it.



They adore posing in their owner's beautiful photo collages, in which their dog wears their hand-made knitted sweaters.



After all, they know how hard they worked on making that sweater.



Especially all the different colors they made.



They even made one with stripes!



And you can see in the dog's eyes just how grateful they are for this warmth.



Even if Halloween is almost two months away ...



It's so great that some cats are jumping on the trend.



But, sadly, one couldn't quite fit into her winter sweater.

Martha Stewart Slams Gwyneth Paltrow, Says She Should 'Stick To Acting'

September 14, 2014, 9:24 am

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In a recent interview with Net-a-Porter's Porter magazine, Martha Stewart criticized Sheryl Sandberg's idea of Leaning In, said "Orange Is The New Black" could have been better and basically told Gwyneth Paltrow to stop trying to be her.

From Page Six:

Martha Stewart says Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow should shut up and stick to acting.

"She just needs to be quiet. She's a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn't be trying to be Martha Stewart," the domestic doyenne snipped to Net-a-Porter's Porter magazine.

If you are looking for any additional shade, consider Martha Stewart Living's Cedar Island Patio Umbrella now available at Home Depot.

'Orange Is The New Black' Writer Divorces Her Husband, Starts Dating Poussey

September 14, 2014, 10:33 am

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In what is arguably the greatest love story of our time, or at least this week in particular, "Orange Is The New Black" writer Lauren Morelli has broken up with her husband and since begun dating Samira Wiley, the actress who plays Poussey on the show.

According to Morelli, it was writing scenes for Piper and Alex that gave her clarity on her own sexuality. "I found a mouthpiece for my own desires and a glimmer of what my future could look like," she wrote in an essay for Mic.

I realized I was gay in fall 2012, one of my first days on the set. It wasn't so much one thing, but the sum of many small details: how uncomfortable I felt around groups of lesbians or how I considered myself (shrug) a "not very sexual person." When considered alone, these seemed like little quirks that made me me. Wanting to read a book instead of have sex is a perfectly reasonable preference to have, right?

But on set, these small moments came into sharp relief, and I found myself answering to an endless stream of cast members who peppered me with questions like a gaggle of kindergartners curious about their new teacher. "Are you dating anyone?" "You're married?" "To a man?" "But you used to kiss girls?" "Do you miss it?"

I was finally forced to consider a question that had never, ever occurred to me before: Holy shit, am I gay?

TMZ goes on to report that the divorce has gone amicably following the couple's two years of marriage, with Morelli keeping her Lexus and her ex-husband getting the Mazda hatchback, etc. Yet, as interesting as dividing up luxury vehicles and non-luxury vehicles may be the obvious point of this story is that Morelli is now in a relationship with Poussey and our hearts are just swelling with love right now and, hey, they look so good together in this Instagram:



Read Morelli's essay in its entirety over at Mic.

Police Allegedly Mistake Black Actress Kissing White Partner For A Prostitute

September 14, 2014, 10:39 am

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"Django Unchained" star Daniele Watts claims she was unlawfully detained by police Thursday after they saw her kissing her white boyfriend in a car and allegedly mistook her for a prostitute.

In a Facebook post dated Sept. 11, Watts wrote that she was "handcuffed and detained" by two Studio City police officers in Los Angeles that day after refusing to show her ID.

Here's how Watts describes the alleged incident on Facebook:

Today I was handcuffed and detained by 2 police officers from the Studio City Police Department after refusing to agree that I had done something wrong by showing affection, fully clothed, in a public place.

When the officer arrived, I was standing on the sidewalk by a tree. I was talking to my father on my cell phone. I knew that I had done nothing wrong, that I wasn’t harming anyone, so I walked away.

A few minutes later, I was still talking to my dad when 2 different police officers accosted me and forced me into handcuffs.

Watts, who plays Martin Lawrence's daughter on the FX show "Partners" and has also appeared on "Weeds" and "How I Met Your Mother," says the incident reminded her of her father's experiences with racial profiling.

"As I was sitting in the back of the police car, I remembered the countless times my father came home frustrated or humiliated by the cops when he had done nothing wrong. I felt his shame, his anger, and my own feelings of frustration for existing in a world where I have allowed myself to believe that 'authority figures' could control my BEING… my ability to BE!!!!!!!" she wrote on Facebook.

Watts' boyfriend, celebrity chef Brian James Lucas, shared a similar account of the incident. Lucas clarified with Buzzfeed, however, that the police never explicitly called Watts a prostitute. Instead, he said, the officers repeatedly questioned if Lucas "really knew" Watts and made other comments filled with "innuendo.”

In a Sept. 11 Facebook post, Lucas wrote: "From the questions that he asked me as D was already on her phone with her dad, I could tell that whoever called on us (including the officers), saw a tatted RAWKer white boy and a hot bootie shorted black girl and thought we were a HO (prostitute) & a TRICK (client)."

Watts was released from police custody shortly after being put in the back of the police car. It appears, however, that she did not leave unscathed. A photo on Lucas' Facebook shows cuts on Watts' skin allegedly left from the handcuffs.

Post by Cheffy BeLive.

Buzzfeed reports that the LAPD claimed not to have a record of the incident, which the police department said is not unusual in police encounters where no arrests are made.

Though Watts and Lucas were deeply affected by the incident, they both took the opportunity to show their resilience and optimism.

"Today I exist with courage, knowing that I am blessed to have experienced what I did today. All of those feelings, no matter how uncomfortable. These feelings are what builds my internal strength, my ability to grow through WHATEVER may happen to me," Watts wrote on Facebook.

According to the celebrity news site The YBF, the couple is in contact with lawyers, the ACLU and the NAACP about the incident.

'No Good Deed' Invades Box Office, 'Dolphin Tale 2' Coasts Into Second Place

September 14, 2014, 11:03 am

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took a murderous Idris Elba and a pair of dolphin buddies to defeat "Guardians of the Galaxy" at movie theaters.

The Sony thriller "No Good Deed," which stars Elba as an escaped convict and Taraji P. Henson as the innocent he terrorizes, opened on top of the box office with $24.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. And Sony wasn't surprised. "It's a movie that we really loved and felt that it was going to win," said Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer. "You have to give it to the cast in Idris and Taraji. Their chemistry together is fantastic."

The film nearly doubled its reported budget in its first week of release, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.

"It's the first brand new, post-summer release to really catch on," he said.

The Warner Bros.' feel-good film "Dolphin Tale 2" debuted in second place with $16.5 million. The family-friendly story stars Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd reprising their roles from the 2011 original.

"Guardians" slipped to third place with $8 million in ticket sales. The Marvel space adventure, which held the No. 1 spot for four weeks, is the top-grossing film of the year domestically, collecting more than $300 million in North America and $600 million worldwide.

Paramount's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" finished fourth with $4.8 million, followed by the Fox comedy "Let's Be Cops," which collected $4.3 million.

Fox Searchlight's crime drama "The Drop," which stars Tom Hardy and the late James Gandolfini, opened in sixth place with $4.2 million — an impressive showing given it only played in 809 theaters.

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "No Good Deed," $24.5 million.

2. "Dolphin Tale 2," $16.5 million ($1.3 million international).

3. "Guardians of the Galaxy," $8 million ($9.3 million international).

4. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $4.8 million ($10.5 million international).

5. "Let's Be Cops," $4.3 million ($2.5 million international).

6. "The Drop," $4.2 million.

7. "If I Stay," $4 million ($3.2 million international).

8. "The November Man," $2.7 million.

9. "The Giver," $2.6 million ($3 million international).

10. "The Hundred-Foot Journey," $2.4 million.

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "Lucy," $25 million.

2. "Into the Storm," $14.2 million.

3. (tie) "The Expendables 3," $11.5 million.

4. (tie) "Sex Tape," $11.5 million.

5. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $10.5 million.

6. "Divergent," $10 million.

7. "Hercules," $9.6 million.

8. "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," $9.5 million.

9. "Guardians of the Galaxy," $9.3 million.

10. "Rurouni Kenshin," $8.5 million.

11. "The Maze Runner," $8.3 million.

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Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen at www.twitter.com/APSandy .

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The Queen Tells Scots To 'Think Very Carefully' Ahead Of The Independence Vote

September 14, 2014, 12:25 pm

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LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II has made her first comments about this week's Scottish independence vote, urging Scots to "think very carefully about the future."

But the popular British monarch didn't indicate a preference on how Scots should vote, carefully maintaining the neutrality that is her constitutional obligation.

Still, some may interpret her comments as a suggestion that Scots looking to embrace independence should be cautious about severing Scotland's long ties to the United Kingdom, which date back more than 300 years.

The queen spoke after a Sunday church service near her Balmoral estate in Scotland. She made the comment to a well-wisher in the crowd.

Buckingham Palace recently issued a statement indicating her plans to remain neutral before Thursday's vote.

She was seen as resisting calls from some Conservative Party lawmakers that she should make her views known before the historic vote because it could possibly lead to a breakup of the United Kingdom.

She is well known to have a deep affection for Scotland and to spend much of her free time every summer at her extensive Balmoral estate, where she can be seen walking in the woods or riding horses.

Weekend polls have suggested the race is too close to call with both sides planning a frenetic final few days of campaigning.

Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to return to Scotland to attempt to persuade voters to reject independence and remain part of the United Kingdom.

The "Better Together" campaign has been emphasizing the economic uncertainties that would face an independent Scotland, while pro-independence forces have been predicting a rosy future for an oil-rich Scotland free of the United Kingdom.

If Scotland votes for independence, it would split from the United Kingdom in 18 months. Scottish leaders have indicated a desire to have the queen serve as head of state of an independent Scotland if the Yes campaign triumphs.

Mindy Kaling Has No Problem Shaking The Fashion Haters Off

September 15, 2014, 4:00 am

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Among the many reasons to love Mindy Kaling, there's her audacious sense of style. And if anyone doesn't like it, well, they can get in line with the rest of her haters.

"I'm not impervious to people criticizing the way that I look," she told HuffPost Live's Ricky Camilleri in a Friday interview. "I'm like anybody else. I always want to be healthy and look hot, all the time."

As someone who finds fashion "interesting," Kaling's not afraid to make bold fashion choices that might result in her getting panned. Her way of coping with negative remarks? Reminding herself that it's just not "that important."

"It's just one of those things," she said. "I enjoy it. It is ephemeral to me. If people hate what I was wearing or hate how I was looking, yeah, it hurts my feelings, but then it's gone."

And while she's interested in the ins and outs of fashion, she chooses to focus on the more laudatory aspects.

"Television programs and stuff that is designed to ridicule how people dress or [what they] wear, that sucks," she affirmed.

Watch more of HuffPost Live's hysterical conversation with Mindy Kaling here.

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5 Big Celebrity Feuds

September 15, 2014, 5:21 am

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We learned this week that there's apparently no love lost between Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. Here's a roundup nine more of the biggest celebrity feuds.

Life-Size Amy Winehouse Statue Unveiled In London

September 15, 2014, 5:51 am

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Sunday, Sept. 14 would have been singer Amy Winehouse's 31st birthday. To honor her memory, hundreds of fans gathered in Camden, North London to help unveil a life-size statue of Winehouse.

The bronze memorial, made by sculptor Scott Eaton, features Winehouse's signature hairstyle, a red rose and a star of David necklace. Eaton told the BBC that he meant for the statue to reflect her "attitude and strength, but also give subtle hints of insecurity."

The "Back to Black" singer's father, Mitch Winehouse, had been involved with the statue's planning and told the Guardian, "It's a day of incredibly mixed emotions. They don't put statues up for people who are with us anymore so it reinforces the fact that physically she's gone but spiritually she'll never leave us. I feel sad, very, very sad." Winehouse died in 2011 at 27 years old of alcohol poisoning.

Why Everyone Was Super Interested That 'The Imitation Game' Won TIFF's Audience Award This Year

September 15, 2014, 6:00 am

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"'Imitation Game' Audience Award Win Puts Weinsteins Back in Oscar Season Pole Position" reads the headline on awards expert Scott Feinberg's piece over at The Hollywood Reporter. Here's why Feinberg can make such a bold proclamation in September, months before nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards are even unveiled: five of the last six audience award winners at the Toronto International Film Festival have gone on to score subsequent nominations for Best Picture; three of those films ("12 Years A Slave," "The King's Speech" and "Slumdog Millionaire") have won.

But the TIFF People's Choice Award has an even greater history than that: Since 1994, nine movies to receive the honor were also nominated for Best Picture (the aforementioned trio, plus "Silver Linings Playbook," "Precious," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "American Beauty," "Life is Beautiful" and "Shine") and two others ("Amelie" and "Antonia's Line") scored Best Foreign Language Film nominations. ("Crouching Tiger" and "Life is Beautiful" were nominees in both the best picture and best foreign language categories.)

All of this bodes well for "The Imitation Game," a drama about British mathematician Alan Turing (played in the film by Benedict Cumberbatch), which debuted to raves at the Telluride Film Festival this year and carried its momentum over to Toronto as well (we had already earmarked it as a possible Best Picture favorite before the People's Choice Award was announced). Morten Tyldum's film is set for release by The Weinstein Company on Nov. 21, the same calendar window that housed the debuts of "Silver Linings Playbook" (Nov. 16, 2012) and "The King's Speech" (Nov. 26, 2010), the studio's last two People's Choice Award winners from Toronto. Those movies scored a combined 20 Oscar nominations and five wins, including a Best Picture victory for "The King's Speech." ("Silver Linings Playbook" was also nominated in the Best PIcture category.) Don't be too surprised if "The Imitation Game" follows a similar trajectory.

For more on the People's Choice Award and what it means for this year's awards season, head to HitFix's In Contention blog.