Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway is believed to have grown up in Shottery, a small village just to the west of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. She is assumed to have grown up in the farmhouse that was the Hathaway family home, which is located at Shottery and is now a major tourist attraction for the village. Her father, Richard Hathaway, was a yeoman farmer. He died in September 1581 and left Anne the sum of £6 13s 4d (six pounds, thirteen shillings and fourpence) to be paid "at the day of her marriage".

Wedding
The Hathaway family cottage near Stratford. Hathaway married Shakespeare in November 1582 while pregnant with the couple's first child, to whom she gave birth six months later. Hathaway was 26/27 years of age; Shakespeare was only 18. This age difference, together with Hathaway's antenuptial pregnancy, has been employed by some historians as evidence that it was a "shotgun wedding", forced on a reluctant Shakespeare by the Hathaway family. There is, however, no evidence for this inference.

For a time it was believed that this view could be supported by documents from the Episcopal Register at Worcester, which records in Latin the issuing of a wedding licence to "Wm Shaxpere" and one "Annam Whateley" of Temple Grafton. The day afterwards, Fulk Sandells and John Richardson, friends of the Hathaway family from Stratford, signed a surety of £40 as a financial guarantee for the wedding of "William Shagspere and Anne Hathwey". Frank Harris, in The Man Shakespeare (1909), argued that these documents are evidence that Shakespeare was involved with two women. He had chosen to marry one Anne Whateley, but, when this became known, he was immediately forced by Hathaway's family to marry their pregnant relative. Harris believed that "Shakespeare's loathing for his wife was measureless" because of his entrapment by her, and that this was the spur to his decision to leave Stratford and pursue a career in the theatre.

However, according to Stanley Wells, writing in the Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, most modern scholars take the view that the name Whateley was "almost certainly the result of clerical error".Germaine Greer argues that the age difference between Shakespeare and Hathaway is not evidence that he was forced to marry her, but that he was the one who pursued her. Women such as the orphaned Hathaway often stayed at home to care for younger siblings and married in their late twenties. As a husband Shakespeare offered few prospects; his family had fallen into financial ruin, while Anne, from a family in good standing socially and financially, would have been considered a catch. Furthermore, a "handfast" marriage and pregnancy were frequent precursors to legal marriage at the time. Shakespeare, certainly, was bound to marry Hathaway, having made her pregnant, but there is no reason to assume that this had not always been his intention. It is nearly certain that the respective families of the bride and groom had known one another.


Source article:  wikipedia.org/

Monday, March 26, 2012

Natalia Vodianova

Natalia Mikhailovna Vodianova (Russian: Наталья Михайловна Водянова, pronunciation Nataľja Michajlovna Vodjanova, born 28 February 1982) is a Russian model and philanthropist who now permanently resides in the United Kingdom.Contents. Born in Gorky, Soviet Union (now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia), Natalia Vodianova grew up in a poor district of the city with her mother and two half sisters, one of whom has cerebral palsy. As a teenager, Vodianova helped her mother sell fruit on the street and later set up her own fruit stand with a friend to help her family out of poverty. Vodianova's father walked out on the family when she was a toddler, and she did not have any further contact with him until after she had become famous. 
Career
Natalia Vodianova for the premiere of her lingerie collection by Etam Lingerie in Paris, France. At the age of 15, Vodianova enrolled in a modelling academy. By the age of 17, Vodianova had moved to Paris, and signed with Viva Models. Vodianova has achieved considerable success as a runway, editorial and advertising campaign model. To date, Vodianova has walked in more than 175 runway shows for U.S. and European based designers' ready-to-wear and haute couture collections, has appeared in editorial spreads in fashion magazines worldwide and has completed advertising campaigns for Guerlain, Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, L'Oréal, David Yurman, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Versace, Diane von Fürstenberg, Chanel, Guerlain, Etam and others.
Photographed by Steven Meisel, she was presented on the September 2004 cover of American Vogue as one of the "Models of the Moment". As of May 2009, Vodianova has appeared on the cover of British Vogue seven times; the first was the September 2003 issue. She made her first appearance on the cover of the U.S. Vogue in the September 2004 edition alongside eight other models, then appeared as the solo cover subject of the July 2007 edition of the magazine. During this time period, other covers of the American Vogue have all featured non-model celebrities with only three other exceptions: models Linda Evangelista, Liya Kebede and Gisele Bündchen.
As an actress, Vodianova appears in Roman Coppola's 2001 film CQ. In September 2008, Vodianova stated that she was not interested in filmmaking because of her three children; however, she appears in director Alexander Kott's 2009 film Probka. She also has credits in the 2010 remake of the film Clash of the Titans. In the action flick Natalia has been CGI-enhanced to play Medusa, the mythological snake-haired mortal gorgon with powers to turn those who look at her to stone.
In Spring 2009, Vodianova entered into a three-year agreement to be a brand ambassador for the French lingerie company Etam and will design a lingerie collection each season during the term of the agreement. The collections will be marketed under the brand Natalia pour Etam.In Fall 2009, Vodianova was announced as the new face for 2010 of Kamiseta, a fashion line in The Philippines that had previously used non-model celebrity actors including Alicia Silverstone and Natalie Portman. Vodianova was shot by California photographer Caroline Schiff in New York City in August 2009.Vodianova was ranked 14th in the UK channel Five's 2005 television programme World's Greatest Supermodel. Forbes magazine estimates Vodianova earned $4.5 million (USD) between August 2006 and July 2007, $4.8 million (USD) between May 2007 and April 2008 and $5.5 million (USD) between June 2008 and June 2009, making her the seventh highest earning model worldwide during all three time periods.
In May 2009, Vodianova co-hosted the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. On 12 December 2009, she was designated an ambassador of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, becoming ‘face’ and key advocate of Russia’s first Winter Games. In 2010, she appeared at the Vancouver Olympic Closing Ceremony within that role.In October 2010, Vodianova landed her first leading acting role in a film adaptation of Albert Cohen's 1968 novel Belle du Seigneur, directed by Glenio Bonder and co-starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It is scheduled for release in 2012. Vodianova is part of Vogues's history, in what marks the magazine's first multi-cover in the publication's 95-years, landing one of the three May Vogue UK covers in celebration of the most anticipated wedding of the year - the Royal wedding.

 Source article : wikipedia.org/

Friday, March 23, 2012

At the age of 15, Vodianova enrolled in a modelling academy. By the age of 17, Vodianova had moved to Paris, and signed with Viva Models.Vodianova has achieved considerable success as a runway, editorial and advertising campaign model. To date, Vodianova has walked in more than 175 runway shows for U.S. and European based designers' ready-to-wear and haute couture collections, has appeared in editorial spreads in fashion magazines worldwide and has completed advertising campaigns for Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, L'Oréal, David Yurman, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Versace, Diane von Fürstenberg, Chanel, Guerlain, Etam and others.

Photographed by Steven Meisel, she was presented on the September 2004 cover of American Vogue as one of the "Models of the Moment". As of May 2009, Vodianova has appeared on the cover of British Vogue seven times; the first was the September 2003 issue. She made her first appearance on the cover of the U.S. Vogue in the September 2004 edition alongside eight other models, then appeared as the solo cover subject of the July 2007 edition of the magazine. During this time period, other covers of the American Vogue have all featured non-model celebrities with only three other exceptions: models Linda Evangelista, Liya Kebede and Gisele Bündchen.

As an actress, Vodianova appears in Roman Coppola's 2001 film CQ. In September 2008, Vodianova stated that she was not interested in filmmaking because of her three children; however, she appears in director Alexander Kott's 2009 film Probka. She also has credits in the 2010 remake of the film Clash of the Titans. In the action flick Natalia has been CGI-enhanced to play Medusa, the mythological snake-haired mortal gorgon with powers to turn those who look at her to stone.In Spring 2009, Vodianova entered into a three-year agreement to be a brand ambassador for the French lingerie company Etam and will design a lingerie collection each season during the term of the agreement. The collections will be marketed under the brand Natalia pour Etam.

In Fall 2009, Vodianova was announced as the new face for 2010 of Kamiseta, a fashion line in The Philippines that had previously used non-model celebrity actors including Alicia Silverstone and Natalie Portman.Vodianova was shot by California photographer Caroline Schiff in New York City in August 2009.Vodianova was ranked 14th in the UK channel Five's 2005 television programme World's Greatest Supermodel. Forbes magazine estimates Vodianova earned $4.5 million (USD) between August 2006 and July 2007, $4.8 million (USD) between May 2007 and April 2008 and $5.5 million (USD) between June 2008 and June 2009, making her the seventh highest earning model worldwide during all three time periods.
In May 2009, Vodianova co-hosted the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.On 12 December 2009, she was designated an ambassador of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, becoming a ‘face’ and key advocate of Russia’s first Winter Games.[dead link] In 2010, she appeared at the Vancouver Olympic Closing Ceremony within that role.In October 2010, Vodianova landed her first leading acting role in a film adaptation of Albert Cohen's 1968 novel Belle du Seigneur, directed by Glenio Bonder and co-starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It is scheduled for release in 2012.Vodianova is part of Vogues's history, in what marks the magazine's first multi-cover in the publication's 95-years, landing one of the three May Vogue UK covers in celebration of the most anticipated wedding of the year - the Royal wedding.

Source article : wikipedia.org

Thursday, March 22, 2012

in 2005, Johansson was considered for the role of Maria. in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End revival of The Sound of Music, though the role ultimately went to newcomer Connie Fisher after she won BBC's talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Released on May 8, 2006, Johansson sang the track "Summertime" for Unexpected Dreams – Songs From the Stars, a non-profit collection of songs recorded by Hollywood actors. She performed with The Jesus and Mary Chain for a special Coachella Reunion Show in Indio, California in April 2007.A close up of a smiling young woman, her blonde hair pulled back, wearing a silver tiara, silver earrings and a black cowl-necked coat. She is standing outside in bright sunlight. Johansson at the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Parade in Cambridge, MA in February 2007

In 2007, she appeared as the leading lady in Justin Timberlake's music video, for "What Goes Around... Comes Around", which was nominated in August 2007 for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. In mid-2007, Johansson spent about a month in Maurice, Louisiana recording an album at Dockside Studio, a rural 12-acre (49,000 m2) complex. The album, consisting of one original song and ten cover versions of Tom Waits songs, was produced by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio and features David Bowie, members from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration. Released on May 20, 2008, it was entitled Anywhere I Lay My Head. Reviews of the album were mixed, or average. Spin commented, "There's nothing particularly compelling about Scarlett Johansson's singing." Conversely, some critics found it to be "surprisingly alluring", "a bravely eccentric selection", and "a brilliant album" with "ghostly magic".The album was named the "23rd best album of 2008" by NME and peaked at No.1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and No.126 on the Billboard 200 chart. Of her album, Johansson said, "I had this golden opportunity to record and thought I would do maybe an album of standards, because I’m not a songwriter. I’m a vocalist." Johansson said for her recording she "wanted to have space and [she] wanted to be in a remote place where all of us could just be ourselves and not worry about anyone trying to listen in or get in on that." Johansson said in an interview that she started listening to Tom Waits when she was 11 or 12. Of Tom Waits, Johansson said in an interview, "His melodies are so beautiful, his voice is so distinct and I had my own way of doing Tom Waits songs."In December 2008, MTV reported Johansson planned to follow-up Anywhere I Lay My Head with an album of all original music, saying, “I don’t think I’d do covers, so it’d be a project that I have to dedicate myself to. I feel like that’s something for the future.”

In 2009, Johansson covered Jeff Buckley's "Last Goodbye" for the soundtrack of He's Just Not That Into You. Released on September 8, 2009, she and singer/songwriter Pete Yorn recorded a collaborative album, Break Up, inspired by Serge Gainsbourg's duets with Brigitte Bardot. In 2010, Steel Train released Terrible Thrills Vol. 1, which includes their favourite female artists singing songs from their self-titled album. Johansson is the first artist on the album, singing "Bullet". In 2011, Johansson sang "One Whole Hour" for the soundtrack of the documentary film Wretches And Jabberers.

Status as sex symbol
Johansson is considered a "peerless sex symbol" by Channel 4, and she regularly appears at the top of lists of the sexiest women in the world. Johansson appeared on the cover of the March 2006 issue of Vanity Fair in the nude alongside actress Keira Knightley and fashion designer Tom Ford. Maxim named Johansson No. 6 in their Hot 100 Issue in 2006, No. 3 in 2007, and No. 2 in 2008. In November 2006, Johansson was named "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire. In February 2007, she was named the "Sexiest Celebrity" of the year by Playboy. During the filming of Match Point, director Woody Allen described Johansson as "sexually overwhelming", saying that he found it "very hard to be extra witty around a sexually overwhelming, beautiful young woman who is wittier than you are." In 2010, GQ named Johansson its Babe of the Year. In 2011, Men's Health named her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time", ranking her at No. 12.

 Personal life
Johansson rarely discusses her personal life with the press, saying, "It's nice to have everybody not know your business."A older man with gray hair, wearing glasses and dressed in a black suit and matching lavender shirt and tie stands on a stage in front of a dark curtain. A young woman with blonde hair pulled away from her face, wearing a sleeveless purple dress and high heels stands next to him, her right hand holding his left arm. Both are holding cordless microphones. There is blue backlighting that reflects off of the floor. Scarlett Johansson with Michael Caine at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert 2008

She started dating Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds in 2007, and on May 5, 2008, it was reported that the two were engaged. On September 27, 2008, Johansson and Reynolds were married at a quiet ceremony near Tofino, British Columbia. They purchased a $2.8 million home together near Los Angeles, California. On December 14, 2010, Reynolds and Johansson announced that they had separated. Reynolds filed for divorce on December 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences. Johansson filed her divorce response simultaneously. The divorce was finalized on July 1, 2011. As the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, all property and earnings accumulated during the marriage were split evenly. She celebrates a "little of both" Christmas and Hanukkah, and has described herself as Jewish. On September 14, 2011, the FBI announced it was investigating the alleged hacking of Johansson's cell phone and the dissemination of nude photographs. In the December 2011 issue of Vanity Fair, Johansson stated that the photos were sent to her then-husband Reynolds three years prior to the incident, adding: "There's nothing wrong with that. It's not like I was shooting a porno [...] Although there's nothing wrong with that either." Johansson rejects the "ScarJo" nickname some have used in reference to her, calling it "awful". Johansson is a Global Ambassador for the aid and development agency, Oxfam.In March 2008, a UK-based bidder paid £20,000 on an eBay auction to benefit Oxfam, winning a hair and makeup treatment, a pair of tickets and a chauffered trip to accompany Johansson on a 20-minute date to the world premiere of He's Just Not That Into You.

Political advocacy
Johansson is registered as an independent and campaigned for Democratic candidate John Kerry in the 2004 United States presidential election. About George W. Bush's reelection, she said, "[I am] disappointed. I think it was a disappointment for a large percentage of the population." Johansson also campaigned for Democratic candidate Barack Obama:.Her efforts included appearances in Iowa during January 2008, where her efforts were targeted at younger voters; an appearance at Cornell College;and a speaking engagement at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota on Super Tuesday, 2008. Johansson appeared in the 2008 music video for The Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.am's song, "Yes We Can", directed by Jesse Dylan, a song inspired by Obama's speech following the 2008 New Hampshire primary. On February 7, 2012, Johansson and Anna Wintour hosted a fashion launch of pro-Obama clothing, bags and accessories, with proceeds going to the President's re-election campaign. Johansson is publicly endorsing and supporting Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's 2013 run for New York City mayor by hosting a series of fundraisers.

Source article: Wikipedia.org/

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Scarlett Johansson


Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress, model and singer.
Johansson made her film debut in North (1994) and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo (1996). She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001). She transitioned to adult roles with her performances in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) and Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), for which she won a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Both films earned her Golden Globe Award nominations.

A role in A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004) earned Johannson a third Golden Globe for Best Actress nomination. Johansson garnered another Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress with her role in Woody Allen's Match Point (2005). She went on to star in two further Allen movies: Scoop (2006) and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). Johansson has appeared in other successful films, such as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (2006) and the summer blockbuster Iron Man 2 (2010)

The 2010 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge gave Johannson some of her best reviews for her acting, and she received a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. On May 20, 2008, Johansson debuted as a vocalist on her first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, which comprises mostly cover versions of Tom Waits songs. Her second album, Break Up, with Pete Yorn, was released in September 2009. Johansson has been selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress, model and singer. Johansson made her film debut in North (1994) and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo (1996). She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001). She transitioned to adult roles with her performances in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) and Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), for which she won a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Both films earned her Golden Globe Award nominations.

A role in A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004) earned Johannson a third Golden Globe for Best Actress nomination. Johansson garnered another Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress with her role in Woody Allen's Match Point (2005). She went on to star in two further Allen movies: Scoop (2006) and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). Johansson has appeared in other successful films, such as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (2006) and the summer blockbuster Iron Man 2 (2010)

The 2010 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge gave Johannson some of her best reviews for her acting, and she received a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. On May 20, 2008, Johansson debuted as a vocalist on her first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, which comprises mostly cover versions of Tom Waits songs. Her second album, Break Up, with Pete Yorn, was released in September 2009. Johansson has been selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012.


Source article: Wikipedia

Miranda Kerr

Miranda May Kerr (born 20 April 1983) is an Australian model. Kerr rose to fame in 2007 as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. She is the first Australian to participate in the Victoria's Secret campaign and also represents Australian fashion chain David Jones. Kerr began modeling in the fashion industry when she was 13, starting at Chaay's Modelling Agency, and soon after winning a 1997 Australian nationwide model search hosted by Dolly magazine and Impulse fragrances. She is married to English actor Orlando Bloom.

Contents
    1 Early life and family
    2 Career
        2.1 1997–2006
        2.2 2007–present
    3 Public image
    4 Personal life
    5 References
    6 External links

Early life and family
Kerr was born in Sydney and raised in the small town of Gunnedah, New South Wales. She is the daughter of Therese and John Kerr. She has a brother, Matthew, who is two years younger. In an interview, Kerr stated she is of English, French, and Scottish descent. During her childhood, Kerr "raced motorbikes and rode horses on her grandmother's farm." She describes her early life in the Australian countryside as "very grounding ... there wasn't any pretentiousness and no one really cared what you were wearing. You could just be you." Her family moved to Brisbane to allow Kerr and her brother to experience city life. She graduated from All Hallows' School in 2000. Kerr went to university and majored in nutrition and health psychology before pursuing modeling.

Career
1997–2006
At age 13, Kerr entered and won the 1997 annual Dolly Magazine/Impulse Model Competition. She was flown to Sydney a week before her 14th birthday to shoot for the magazine. Upon Kerr's win, local media expressed "concerned outrage" at her young age. The controversy raised concerns about the glorification of young girls within the fashion, beauty, and entertainment industries. Some media outlets claimed her Dolly shoot (including images of a 14-year-old Kerr in bathing suits) constituted a form of paedophilia. Of the press, Kerr said: "In the media at the time they were trying to cling on to anything remotely to do with paedophilia. Dolly is a magazine for teenage girls, not for old men. And I was fully clothed! Doing a winter shoot! They just made something out of nothing." Kerr signed to Chic Management's Sydney division. She received considerable commercial exposure after a series of beachwear ads predominantly for Australian surf chain Billabong, in which Kerr modeled surf brands Tigerlily, Roxy, Billabong Girls, and One Teaspoon. This increased her profile in the Australian and Asian markets, after which Kerr relocated to New York where she became co-owner of the Bowery Ballroom. Miranda Kerr in 2004 for Ober Jeans.

In New York, Kerr had a multitude of runway appearances and then signed with NEXT Model Management in early 2004. From there, she was booked for runway and print campaigns for major labels, including Alex Perry, Baby Phat, Lisa Ho, Voodoo Dolls, Levi's, Bettina Liano, Nicola Finetti, L.A.M.B., Heatherette, Betsey Johnson, Trelise Cooper, Jets, John Richmond, Blumarine Swimwear, Neiman Marcus, Seafolly Swimwear, Anna Molinari, Rock and Republic, Roberto Cavalli, and Ober Jeans.Kerr was also booked for print in magazines such as Elle, Australian Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and was featured in television advertisements for brands like Portmans, Bonds, and Veet. In early 2006, Kerr appeared in the finale episode of the TV show Project Runway, modeling clothes for contestant Daniel Vosovic's final collection. She was the first woman to walk down the catwalk. She debuted with the United States market when she signed a lucrative cosmetics contract with Maybelline New York. The campaign ran in a series of internationally sold women's beauty magazines, including Cosmopolitan, CLEO, and Elle, and was eventually featured in Victoria's Secret catalogues. She (along with several other Victoria's Secret and Next agency models) was also featured in a music video for the American hip-hop single "Number One" by artists Kanye West and Pharrell.

2007–present
Following her success with Maybelline, Kerr became the first Australian model to be offered a contract with Victoria's Secret in 2007, replacing Gisele Bündchen. Upon her acceptance, she became the first ever Australian Victoria's Secret Angel joining the stable of models already signed to the lingerie giant, including Alessandra Ambrosio, Karolína Kurková, Adriana Lima, Selita Ebanks, Izabel Goulart, and Heidi Klum. Before becoming an Angel in 2007, Kerr was already picked to become the successor of Alessandra Ambrosio as the face of PINK in 2006. Kerr's popularity continued to increase as one of the globally recognized Angels when she appeared in the Victoria's Secret 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 televised runway shows, which aired on four continents.Miranda Kerr at the Louis Vuitton Red Carpet Launch 2011

In 2007, Kerr had signed on as the face of Californian fashion retailer Arden B. After debuting in their Spring and Summer ad campaigns, Kerr returned for their Fall 2007 campaign, shot by fashion photographer Diego Uchitel. Following her modeling success with Victoria's Secret, Kerr made a small guest appearance in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother alongside fellow Angels: Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio, Heidi Klum, and Selita Ebanks.She also became the new face of Clinique Happy and signed a lucrative six-figure deal to be the new face of Australian department store David Jones, replacing model Megan Gale.In 2008, having earned an estimated $3.5 million in the past 12 months, Forbes placed Kerr tenth in the list of the world's top-earning models.

Since 2009, Kerr was in the spring/summer ad campaign for XOXO. She was in Forbes 2009 list of the world's highest-paid models, ranking 9th with estimated earnings of $3 million. She left NEXT Model Management and signed with IMG Models. Kerr posed nude on the cover of Rolling Stone Australia's July 2009 issue.She then ended the year walking in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
In October 2009, Kerr launched her own brand of organic skincare products, Kora Organics, with George Moskos,and become the face for Kora Organic Skincare.

In June 2009, Kerr posed naked, chained to a tree, for an issue of Rolling Stone Australia magazine, in order to raise awareness for the endangered koalas. Her charitable work includes Wildlife Warriors Worldwide and Children International. In August 2010, Kerr released an inspirational self-esteem, self-help book, Treasure Yourself. Treasure Yourself is aimed at female teenagers.She appeared in the 2010 Pirelli Calendar photographed by Terry Richardson in Bahia, Brazil.Previously better known for her Victoria's Secret status rather than her high fashion work, Balenciaga is credited for launching her high fashion modeling career when casting directors Ashley Brokaw and Nicolas Ghesquière chose her to walk exclusively for the brand's spring 2010 runway show. It was her first designer fashion show, aside from Victoria's Secret, since 2007. A season later she walked for design company Prada for their Fall 2010 collection in Milan alongside fellow Angels Doutzen Kroes and Alessandra Ambrosio. Kerr then modeled for campaigns for Prada and Jil Sander, and was shot by Steven Meisel for the cover of Italian Vogue for September.

In January 2011, Kerr became the first pregnant model for Vogue when featured in Vogue Australia, being six months pregnant at the time of the shoot. In March she hit the catwalk for Balenciaga's Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear collection as part of Paris Fashion Week, two months after giving birth. Kerr also posed nude for a 2011 Harper's Bazaar photo shoot. In October at Paris Fashion Week SS12 she walked the runway for Christian Dior, Lanvin, Chanel, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf and Loewe. Kerr was chosen to present the $2.5 million Victoria's Secret Fantasy Treasure Bra for their fashion show in November 2011.In January 2012, she was named ambassador for Qantas.Public image

Kerr in Perth on 21 February 2009. Models.com ranks her number 4 on the Top 20 sexiest models.She has been ranked in FHM's '100 Sexiest Women' poll at #56 in 2009, #36 in 2010, and #44 in 2011.She was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health. Kerr's model trademark is her dimples. Celebrity photographer Russell James said of Kerr, "The US has fallen in love with her. We love her because she has the most incredible girl-next-door look and she's also insanely beautiful. It means women are not intimidated by her looks and guys think they might be able to talk to her. It's a fantastic combination ... people want to be around her; she's fun on a shoot … and she's not stupid, which can be a very annoying trait among some models." Model agent Ursula Hufnagl described Kerr as "the perfect endorsement", citing her ability to "truly sell a product".

In early February 2010, Kerr inadvertently became the subject of global headlines when David Kiely, a banker at Macquarie Bank in Sydney, was caught viewing more explicit photos of her on his computer while in the background of a colleague's live television interview with Channel 7. Within days, a clip of the interview uploaded onto YouTube received over 1.3 million hits. Eventually, Kiely was suspended and an internet campaign launched on his behalf. Kerr herself gave him her backing: "I am told there is a petition to save his job, and of course I would sign it." The incident prompted a 100% increase in the number of Google searches for Kerr's name.A few days after the incident, Macquarie Bank announced that Kiely would keep his job.Personal life

Kerr practices Nichiren Buddhism and believes "we have a responsibility to bring peace and harmony to our lives and the world." As part of her Nichiren beliefs, Kerr reportedly chants every morning and night for 20 minutes, practices yoga, meditates, and reads widely on spirituality. She maintains her physique through daily yoga, light jogging, and a diet of steamed vegetables, fresh fruit, and fish.Kerr's mother Therese has been the General Manager of KORA Organics since February 2010.The company is based in Sydney. Kerr's brother Matt also works for the company. In 2003, Kerr began dating finance broker Adrian Camilleri. Following an Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigation, Camilleri was found guilty on five counts of fraudulent behaviour from February 2003 to February 2004. Kerr subsequently ended the relationship. A 2007 newspaper report claims that Kerr suffered financially "after taking her boyfriend's financial advice" but chose not to take legal action. She formerly dated Jay Lyon (Brent Tuhtan), the lead singer of the band Tamarama, who has made appearances on season one of the MTV series The City. Kerr starred in Tamarama's video clip for "Everything To Me". The two began dating in 2003 and had a four year relationship, which ended on mutual terms in mid-2007.

Kerr began dating actor Orlando Bloom in late 2007. He is also an SGI member. On 12 February 2009, Kerr and Bloom participated in the "Australia Unites" fundraiser to raise money for the victims of the Australian bushfires on 7 February 2009.In 2009, the Bling Ring broke into Bloom's home. The group stole luxury brand clothing and jewelry. In this case, the ringleader allegedly wanted Kerr's Victoria's Secret lingerie. The couple's engagement was announced on 21 June 2010. Kerr released a statement on 22 July 2010, confirming that she and Bloom had married in "an intimate ceremony." On 6 January 2011, Kerr gave birth to their first child, a son named Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland Bloom. The middle name Christopher comes from Kerr's ex-boyfriend, Christopher Middlebrook who died in a car accident in 1998 when they were 15. The two were still dating at the time. Kerr told readers of Australian Cosmopolitan that coconut oil was the key to her clear skin, shiny hair and trim figure, saying she ingests four tablespoons a day, either on salads, in her cooking or in her cups of green tea. US health experts warned against consuming large amounts of saturated fats such as coconut oil.

Source article : Wikipedia

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Natalie Portman





Natalie Hershlag (Hebrew: נטלי הרשלג‎; born June 9, 1981), better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (released in 1999, 2002 and 2005). In 1999, she enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology while still working as an actress. She completed her bachelor's degree in 2003.

In 2001, Portman opened in New York City's Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. In 2005, Portman received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture for the drama Closer. She won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance, and a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her starring role in V for Vendetta (2006). She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya's Ghosts (2006) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). In May 2008, she served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury.Portman's directorial debut, Eve, opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival's shorts competition in 2008. Portman directed a segment of the collective film New York, I Love You. In 2011, Portman won the Academy Award, the Golden Globe Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, Independent Spirit Awards, and the BAFTA Award for her lead performance as Nina Sayers in Black Swan.

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