Toasting this year's crop of awards season participants, the BAFTA Los Angeles 18th annual Awards Season Tea Party was held in Beverly Hills, California on Saturday (January 14).
Among the star power taking part in the Four Seasons Hotel fete were "J. Edgar" star Leonardo DiCaprio and top-billed actresses including Michelle Williams, Charlize Theron, Chloe Moretz and Evan Rachel Wood.
Also turning up for the swanky afternoon affair were actors such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Chris Hemsworth, as well as ladies like Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Octavia Spencer, Stana Katic, Jane Seymour, Lena Headey, Ariel Winter and Ahna O'Reilly.
Along with honoring the year's nominees and winners, the Tea Party also featured a charitable silent auction filled with prized items in which the stars could place bids.
All money raised was directed towards Community Outreach and Philanthropic programs including Heritage Archive and Inner City Cinema.
'Truly gone too soon,' Usher tweets Tuesday.
By James Dinh
Heavy D arrives at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
Photo: Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images
<P>Hip-hop lost a rap icon when Heavy D died Tuesday afternoon (November 8) at age 44, and the music industry is clearly mourning the loss. A string of stars, including Usher, Timbaland and Nicki Minaj, have shared their memories of the late MC on Twitter. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:709301.id:1674015" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Usher offered his sympathy to the family of the Jamaican-born rap heavyweight, tweeting, "This is too heavy, I can't believe it. HEAVY D was just here. Truly gone too soon. My heart and support goes out to his family. R.I.P HEAVY." Mega-producer Timbaland couldn't even process the announcement, writing, "I'm at a loss for words rip heavy d." After re-tweeting the late-MC's last message ("BE INSPIRED"), hip-hop's Harajuku Barbie also weighed in on the news. "We'll never forget you babe! #hiphopelite #RIPHeavyD," Nicki wrote. From one raptress to the next, Missy Elliott shared her thoughts: "U will be missed Heavy D so many laughs we've shared but your Music is Timeless and will Always be Around 4ever Love u Heav..." Ciara described the MC as "a really nice man. Sending my condolences to him and his family!" DJ Drama and Nick Cannon reflected on the icon's impact. "Heavy D 'Who's The Man' was one of my 1st pieces of vinyl when I first started djayin," DJ Drama wrote. "Def 1 of the first 5 records I spent $ on. RIP." Cannon said he had "just talked" to Heavy D, adding, "He was just encouraging me about life." "RIP TO A REAL HIP HOP LEGEND HEAVY D!" Nas chimed in. Juelz Santana recalled the rapper/actor's recent BET Hip Hop Awards performance. "RIP Heavy D. He was a Hip Hop Legend," he shared. "Crazy how sh-- happens. I was late 2 da BET Awards & Heavy D's Performance was 1 of da only 2 I got 2 see. Blessed 4 dat opportunity. RIP." Boyz II Men, who shared the '90s spotlight with the MC, sent condolences to his family, writing, "UGH...heavy d..always cool as hell with us..just a sick feeling....praying for his little daughter and family." Share your memories of Heavy D on Facebook. <center></center></p>
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Actress Salma Hayek To Receive French Honor
Actress Salma Hayek is set to receive France’s highest culture prize, the Legion d’Honneur. The Mexican actress, whose hubby is French businessman Henri Francoix Pinault, [...]
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'I've listened to their music since I was a child,' says the R&B diva, who recorded 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Larry Carroll
<P>You wouldn't peg Mary J Blige as the black-light-and-tapestry sort, but, as has become readily apparent in recent weeks, she absolutely loves Led Zeppelin. In early February, reports began circulating that Blige had re-recorded Zeppelin's classic "Stairway to Heaven," working with Travis Barker, "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson and guitarist Steve Vai on the track, which is slated to appear on the international reissue of her <i>Stronger With Each Tear</i> album, due Monday. </p><div style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float:left;"></div><p> But after she had recorded "Stairway," Blige continued to get the Led out, covering <i>another</i> Zeppelin classic — the thunderous "Whole Lotta Love" — for the album too. And when MTV News caught up with her on the <i>Essence</i> Black Women in Hollywood red carpet, she told us all about channeling her inner Robert Plant for the tracks, a process that came much easier than you'd probably imagine. "I did Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Whole Lotta Love' — it's crazy," she said. "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I'm not going to say I've been to their concerts, but I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway to Heaven,' and 'Whole Lotta Love' is just fun." Blige also said she recorded another new song — a "club record" called "I Can't Wait" — for the re-release. And while it's only slated to hit shelves outside the U.S., she hopes her fans will get a chance to hear all the new songs pretty soon. "I want y'all to hear it," she laughed.</p>
Related Artists From music to TV to celebrity babies, MTV News looks ahead to all of the big releases expected in the coming months.
By Jocelyn Vena
<P>It's a new year and that means that there's lots of ooey-gooey pop goodness all ready to pour out in 2012. Between celebrity babies, music and Hollywood, fans should gear up for some really big stuff in the coming year. But if history has taught us anything, as hard as we might plan, pop culture always has a way of sneaking up and surprising us. Not that we're complaining. So get your planners out: MTV News is looking ahead at what to expect in the world of <i>pop</i> culture. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:717202" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <b>Music</b><br> There are lots of big album releases slated for 2012. Crossover queen Nicki Minaj will release Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded just in time to show her Barbz and Kenz some love on Valentine's Day. Madonna already has confirmed that she will drop her next album come spring. Fans already got a taste of it when the single "Gimme All Your Luvin' " leaked on the Internet. "American Idol" alum Adam Lambert is readying the release of his next album, <i>Trespassing,</i> set to drop in March. Willow Smith's fans should whip their hair back and forth as the tween's long-simmering debut album, <i>Knees and Elbows,</i> will finally drop in April. Justin Bieber has teased his Believe album for a summer release. He's shared that it will pick up where Justin Timberlake left off before he decided to focus on his acting. Basically, he's bringing sexy back. There are two forthcoming albums that don't have exact release dates but are highly anticipated nonetheless. Lady Gaga is already thinking about her next album and recently revealed to MTV News that she even has a title for her Born This Way follow-up in mind. Taylor Swift is knee-deep in and working hard on her follow-up to her phenomenally successful <i>Speak Now</i>. <b>TV</b><br> In between pumping out tunes, some big shows will also return in 2012. Everything from "The Secret Circle" to "2 Broke Girls" to "New Girl" will be back for more fun come the new year. After a break, "Pretty Little Liars" will be back midseason. Will we finally find out who "A" is when season 2 resumes on January 2? Well, only that texting antagonist knows the answer. There are many other mysteries on "The Vampire Diaries" that will also have to be resolved once that show picks up again on January 5. And if all that drama is too much to handle, "Glee" will be back for more sing-along good times on January 17, with the Michael Jackson tribute episode airing one week later. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:722067" width="240" height="211"></div><p> <b>Celebrity Babies</b><br> 2012 is poised to be a big year for famous babies. OK, so 2011 saw Mariah Carey and Dem Babies, but some of the most famous ladies in La La Land and beyond will become first-time moms in the new year, giving MC and her family a run for their money. Beyoncé and Jay-Z will welcome their first child into the world any day now. The twosome revealed they were in the family way at the VMAs back in August. Jessica Simpson and her fiancé, Eric Johnson, will also welcome their first little bundle of joy. The news of the pregnancy came after a lot of speculation about Simpson's expanding midsection. As it turns out, it's a big year for triple-threat moms-to-be, with Hilary Duff also expecting a baby come 2012.</p>
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