Ava DuVernay is on track to become the hottest director this year. And she has now has another notch under her belt. The Selma director is set to head the crew for the upcoming adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. The announcement comes shortly after word spread of Ava, Ryan Coogler and Hannibal Buress‘ upcoming #JUSTICEFORFLINT benefit taking place Feb. 28. Ava is truly going to be one busy woman this year. It was also announced that the film will be written by Frozen’s writer and co-director Jennifer Lee. We’re excited to see what these two ladies come up with. [Complex]
In a not surprising celebrity endorsement, Spike Lee has broken his silence and proclaimed his vote will be for Sen. Bernie “Feel the Bern” Sanders. In a radio ad, we hear Spike’s reasoning behind his endorsement. He says in the spot, “Ninety-nine percent of Americans were hurt by the great recession of 2008, and many are still recovering. And that’s why I am officially endorsing my brother Bernie Sanders. Bernie takes no money from corporations. Nada. Which means he is not on the take. And when Bernie gets into the White House, he will do the right thing.” Listen to the endorsement in its entirety up top. [Deadline]
As Kobe Bryant‘s final NBA season comes to an end, the world will get an in-depth perspective on the man we’ve all come to know as the “Black Mamba.” In an interview with Andrea Kramer, Kobe reflects on being a pillar for his team and also his relationships with other celebrities, most notably, Michael Jackson. The Lakers’ vet recalls a time when the pop legend called him up to offer some advice for his game. Check out the preview for the interview up top and catch the full version Tuesday night on HBO’s Real Sports. [Complex]
In newly revealed information, sources speculate Rihanna‘s “bronchitis” story may not be the 100 percent truth. According the Page Six, the real reason Rihanna pulled out of her scheduled Grammys performance was due to the fear of delivering a lackluster performance. The source told the publication, “She felt like her performance couldn’t compare [to some of the other artists’], and she was trying to avoid the embarrassment because she knew it wasn’t the right comeback performance.” Adding, “She said, ‘I’m not doing this.” [Page Six]
SOURCE: Complex, Deadline, Page Six | PHOTO SOURCE: Getty
20 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Michael Jackson
20 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Michael Jackson
1. MJ was a victim of physical abuse from his father as a child. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he shed tears and claimed that he was so terrified of his father that he would often vomit when he saw him.
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2. His favorite animated character from childhood was Pinocchio.
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3. When MJ listened to the songs from his days in The Jackson 5, he said he sounded like "Minnie Mouse."
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4. His middle name was Joseph - Michael Joseph Jackson.
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5. "Billie Jean" is allegedly based on a true story. MJ claims an obsessive fan tried to say he was the father of her child.
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6. His first song to hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart was "Ben" in 1972.
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7. MJ was a huge Beatles fan. He paid $47 million for the publishing rights to the Beatles back catalogue in 1985 and sold a share of it to Sony in 1995 for $95 million.
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8. Get this… The costumes for the "Thriller" video came from the Salvation Army.
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9. Jackson invented and owns the patent for the special anti-gravity boots he wore that allowed him to lean forward extremely far in live performances of "Smooth Criminal."
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10. MJ loved animals, and had several…strange pets. He had a python called Crusher, two llamas called Louis and Lola, and his most famous pet was Bubbles, the chimpanzee.
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11. Sources say MJ "borrowed" the Moonwalk from street dancers he saw outside a hotel.
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12. The original song title for "Thriller" was "Starlight."
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13. Sources say MJ slept in an oxygen tent to live longer and for cosmetic purposes.
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14. MJ was a proud owner of a 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch that has a theme park, a menagerie, and a movie theater.
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15. "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin was one of MJ's closest friends, and is the godfather of two of Jackson's children.
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16. MJ's estate signed a deal with Sony that gave them access to his unreleased recordings for $250 million.
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17. MJ often wore a black armband to remind people of the suffering of children around the world.
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18. The Los Angeles mansion he was renting just before he passed away once belonged to Sean Connery.
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19. MJ was allegedly a pretty avid reader… He was once accused by a library of owing $1 million in overdue book fines.
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20. Wikipedia, Twitter, and AOL's Instant Messenger all crashed at 3:15PM on the day MJ died: June 25, 2009.
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Continue reading 20 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Michael Jackson
20 Interesting Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson has been famous longer than most of us have been alive, so it feels like we know everything there is to know about him — but that couldn't be further from the truth. In honor of the King of Pop's 59th birthday, check out these 20 interesting things you probably didn't know about the star.
Late Night Roundup: Ava DuVernay To Direct “A Wrinkle In Time” & More was originally published on globalgrind.com
