Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Robbie Williams begged Hugh Jackman to do a duet with him on album

Robbie Williams begged Hugh Jackman to sing with him on latest album Swings Both Ways
Robbie Williams

The singer says he was desperate to sing with Hugh, the singing-dancing-acting sensation and Hollywood’s man of the moment, but Jackman’s filming commitments didn’t allow it.

“I love Hugh Jackman, I really want to work with Hugh Jackman and I wanted him for the Swing album but he was between Wolverine and his next blockbuster,” Williams said.

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman breaks into song at Jay Leno’s delight. Photo: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

The British pop sensation clearly enjoys collaborating in his music and has previously enlisted other top Australian exports, Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman to appear on his albums.

In his most recent Swings Both Ways he teams up with Michael Buble, Lily Allen and Kelly Clarkson among others.

Arriving in Australia for a promotional blitz to launch his Swing Tour later this year, Williams revealed that he was anxious about how he would be received in Australia, having last been here in 2006.

“I get on the plane and I come down here and open my curtains in the bedroom and it’s a bit rainy and I think to myself ‘Have you lot gone off me, does anybody know me here, is the security pointless, is this just dressing now to just buffer my ego now?’”

But his appearance on the Today Show to screaming and cheering fans reassured of his popularity.

“Then I turn up at the TV show this morning and get all that energy from all these beaming faces who were just incredibly pleased to see me.”

Williams will perform at the Perth Arena on September 11, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on September 16, Brisbane Entertainment Centre on September 22 and Allphones Arena on September 27.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Price of stamps to rise to 70c

Australia Post was given the go ahead for the price rise yesterday by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Consumers with a concession card will still be able to buy stamps for 60 cents until 2017.

Australia Post blamed the price rise on the rapid decline in the number of people sending letters, telling a recent senate enquiry that its letter business had lost more than $400 million in the past three years.

It argued a 10 cent increase would reduce the size of that loss and help make the letter business more viable.

Australia Post has increased the basic postage rate three times in the past 22 years, most recently in 2010. During this time, the cost of posting a standard letter has gone from 45 cents to 60 cents.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Julia Roberts stars in loneliness campaign

Two weeks after the tragic death of her half-sister, Julia Roberts has starred in a new anti-loneliness campaign.
Julia Roberts

Entitled “Just Say Hello”, the video campaign – organised by talk show queen Oprah Winfrey – encourages people to reach out to others.

Julia appears alongside a host of stars, including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Hanks, in the clip.

It was a fairly easy job as far as acting goes, with Julia only having to say two words: “Hi babe!”

The timing of the campaign’s release was poignant for Julia – it occurred on the same day her half-sister Nancy Motes’ death certificate was released. Nancy was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in her Santa Monica apartment on February 9.

In the weeks before her death, she’d tweeted several messages about Julia, accusing her of abandoning her.

It’s been a tough start to the year for Julia – she revealed this week that her mother is suffering from lung cancer.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Jennifer Hawkins hits the catwalk for Myer

Myer unveiled its autumn-winter collection at its Bourke Street store in Melbourne last night with Jennifer Hawkins starring on the catwalk.

Myer unveiled its autumn-winter collection at its Bourke Street store in Melbourne last night with Jennifer Hawkins starring on the catwalk.

In a dark and edgy show that featured plenty of black and white with some feature pinks and greens, Myer showed off its key brands for the season including Sass & Bide, Leona Edmiston and Aurelio Costarella.

A VIP crowd was in attendance, including Rebecca and Chris Judd, Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s daughters, Bridget and Frances, and soccer star Harry Kewell and his wife.

Designer Peter Alexander walked the red carpet holding a cute pooch and Jennifer Hawkins looked equally stunning on the red carpet as on the catwalk.

Jennifer Hawkins wearing Aurelio Costarella. Photo: Getty Images

A model wearing Kate Sylvester and Jennifer Hawkins in Maticevski. Photos: Getty Images

Models wearing Yeojin Bae and Leona Edmiston. Photos: Getty Images

Models wearing Tome. Photos: Getty Images

Models wearing Bul and Manning Cartell. Photos: Getty Images

Models wearing Basque and Morrison. Photos: Getty Images

Jennifer Hawkins in Yeojin Bae. Photo: Getty Images

Models wearing Sass & Bide. Photos: Getty Images

Models wearing Brent Wilson. Photo: Getty Images

Jennifer Hawkins arriving at Myer Mural Hall and a model in Peter Alexander. Photos: Getty Images

AFL player Jimmy Bartel with Nadia Coppolino and Peter Alexander and his dog. Photos: Getty Images

Kris Smith with Maddy King and Laura Dundovic. Photos: Getty Images

Models walk the finale. Photo: Getty Images

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

The other Modern Family member

Sarah Hyland is hot property right now, but what really caught our eye when the 23-year-old graced our shores this week was the man on her arm.

Matt Prokop, also 23, has been an honourable member of the Modern Family, er, family for some time.

The pair got together in June 2009, when Modern Family first went to air and they were both making a name for themselves on the big screen, starring in Disney comedy Geek Charming. Since then they’ve been inseparable.

Check out this gallery of the loved-up couple’s on-set snaps and red-carpet moments and click through for more pics of Modern Family in Oz.

One of the family: Matt posing with some of the cast on the way to Sydney.

Disney approached Matt and Sarah to star in the movie *Geek Charming* in 2009.

Disney approached Matt and Sarah to star in the movie Geek Charming in 2009.

Matt’s first big gig was in *High School Musical 3: Senior Year*

Matt’s first big gig was in High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Matt played Jimmie “The Rocket” Zara, alongside Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.

The couple love to pose for cameras on the red carpet together.

Adorable: Taking selfies in matching pyjamas. Instagram

Going as The Walking Dead stars for Halloween. Instagram

Hyland posted “My little LA family” with this pic on Instagram.

Celebrating New Years Eve with an Instagram picture.

They have a maltipoo, which they named Barkley Bixby. Instagram

The pair celebrated four-years together on February 11. Instagram

Sarah Hyland arrives at Sydney Airport ahead of filming.

Sofia Vergara and Rico Rodriguez preparing for their flight to Oz.

Sofia Vergara arrives in Sydney.

Ty Burrell waves to fans at Sydney airport.

Onscreen mother and daughter duo Julie Bowen and Ariel Winter arrive.

Ed O’Neill is surrounded by waiting media as he arrives in Sydney.

Nolan Gould and Rico Rodriguez stride into Sydney together.

Eric Stonestreet was the first to arrive.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson at Sydney airport.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Aubrey Frances Anderson-Emmons before they arrived!

Jesse Tyler Ferguson clutches his passport and boarding pass.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Kylie and Dannii Minogue steal the spotlight at the BRIT awards

Kylie and Dannii Minogue steal the spotlight at the 2014 BRIT Awards
Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue

Kylie and Dannii Minogue were sisters stealing a spotlight together as they walked the red carpet at the 2014 BRIT Awards in London last night.

Each wearing a little black over the shoulder number and without a wrinkle between them, Kylie, 45, and Danni, 42, were a poster for the phrase ‘forever young’.

Kylie wore a bold black latex dress featuring black and white bows designed by London based William Wilde and Dannii wore a black dress by J’Aton Couture.

Dannii and Kylie Minogue

The siblings shot to fame in the early eighties when they appeared on Young Talent Time and have both forged global careers since.

The mega-star sister Kylie co-presented the Best International Male award with Pharrelle Williams to pop sensation Bruno Mars.

Other BRIT Awards included British Male Solo Artist which was awarded to David Bowie who was a no show on the night, resulting in supermodel Kate Moss accepting the award on his behalf whist wearing one of his Ziggy Stardust playsuits.

Kate Moss

Ellie Goulding won British Female Solo Artist and the British Group award went to Arctic Monkeys.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Jerry Hall cuts her hair for the first time in 40 years

Jerry Hall has spontaneously cut her hair after having the same haircut for 40 years
Jerry Hall hair

After 40 years with the same long blonde curls, Jerry Hall has chopped her “Veronica Lake” inspired do and opted for a shorter, chicer style.

The 57-year-old former top model was getting ready for a L’Oreal Professional photo shoot when she made the impulsive decision to undergo a hair makeover.

Unsentimentally, she ditched the long, blonde waves that she has been known for for decades.

Jerry Hall

She took to Twitter to announce the news and made it official by uploading a photo of her new do with a caption to follow “#Surprise !! .. I have cut off my long locks and got the short ‘Lob’ haircut. Thanks to the @lorealpro team!”

Followers and fans duly approved, saying she looked “gorgeous”.

Hall has said in the past that all the girls in her family – including her mother – were mad about glamour; “I styled myself on Veronica Lake and Marlene Dietrich.”

Jerry Hall’s long locks

French actress and model Loan Chabanol also took the chance to have a makeover whilst at the L’Oreal shoot and later posted a photo on Instagram beside Hall writing “With legendary Jerry Hall on set for L’Oreal Professionnel. Thank you to #lorealprofessionnel for choosing us as your “It Girls” #jerryhall”.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Taboo? Fur features at NY Fashion Week

Fur at NY Fashion Week. Still Taboo? - FUR is tipped to make a comeback after featuring heavily on models strutting the runways at New York Fashion Week this month.
Khloe Kardashian makes a fur statement and Katya Zol fur

In a trend that has provoked the ire of animal rights campaigners, a clutch of respected designers used fur hoods, collars and coats in their winter collections for 2014.

Flamboyant furs and feathers were also a recurring feature on the backs of carefully-dressed fashionistas attending the shows.

Designs by Ralph Rucci, Katya Zol and  Diane Von Furstenberg

However, not everyone is embracing the move back towards real fur, which became almost taboo in the 90s when some activists began throwing buckets of red paint on models who wore it.

The Australian arm of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) raised concerns about cruel methods of skinning animals in China, which is the world’s biggest exporter of fur.

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian was photographed in a full body fake fur coat emblazoned with the words “F**k you fur” sprayed over the back in red paint.

And young British designer Hannah Weiland who produces high quality faux fur under her label Shrimps is enjoying a boom in the lead up to London Fashion Week. Fans include actress Helena Bonham Carter and model Laura Bailey.

Fake fur designs by Shrimps

Claire Miller, of PETA Australia, told aww.com.au fur had become widely socially unacceptable in real life, away from the runways.

“Eighty-five percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living captive in fur factory farms,” she says. “These farms can hold thousands of animals, who are crammed into barren, wire cages for their entire lives, often driven insane by their confinement.”

“We encourage the public to refuse to support the cruel industry and wear faux fur which is a much more compassionate option.”

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Bali drug suspect left secret note, dashed for ‘holiday’

Ms Ormsby and her flatmate James with the note she left. Pictures: Supplied

Ms Ormsby and her flatmate James with the note she left. Pictures: Supplied

Bondi clothing store assistant Leeza Ormsby left Sydney for Bali unexpectedly, reports JONATHAN MARSHALL

It was the trip that party girl Leeza Ormsby told no-one about.

Planned in secret, the first time anyone knew she was headed for Bali was when Leeza’s flatmate arrived home from work to find a note from her left in the kitchen.

“I’m away for 7 days, see you soon,” reads the handwritten letter obtained exclusively byWoman’s Day.

Two weeks after the surprise note was left, the attractive 37-year-old Sydney woman was arrested at a luxury villa when Indonesian police found 132.2g of MDMA and 27.06g of hashish.

Do you know Leeza? Email us atWoman’s Day.

Leeza is already being compared to Schapelle Corby, released from prison just two days before New Zealand-born Leeza was arrested for alleged drug possession.

In the note, Leeza says she would leave rent money to cover her absence, but she only left a fraction of the promised amount before she went to Bali.

In an exclusive interview today, Leeza’s flatmate James said he had no idea his flatmate was going to Bali but says she spoke about needing to “get away”.

“She said she was stressed and needed to get away from everything, life was getting too much,” he says. “But she was also one of those people who made a big deal about everything so I didn’t pay too much attention.”

In the weeks before leaving for Bali, James noticed a change in her behaviour.

“She stopped going to work, I can’t work out whether she lost her job or just left,” he says. “But she was staying at home during the day.”

One of Leeza’s workmates, Mark Lenczycki, 26, toldWoman’s Daythat the New Zealand-born shop assistant left her job without any reason a couple of weeks ago.

“I didn’t know where she had gone or what she was doing; I certainly didn’t know she was off to Bali,” says Mark, who describes his co-worker as “a good salesperson, a great chick”.

Related video: Sydney woman arrested in Bali on drug charges.

Related stories


Advertisement
Home Page 4497

Jessica Biel to open family-friendly restaurant Au Fudge

Jessica Biel to open family-friendly restaurant in Santa Monica called Au Fudge
Jessica Biel restaurant

American actress Jessica Biel is taking on a new role this year as she reveals plans to open her first restaurant.

The family-friendly restaurant called Au Fudge in Santa Monica, has been labelled “Soho House for kids” and will be the new place for celebrities to dine comfortably with their children.

Stars might also take part in the cooking activities that will be offered to guests.

The official Au Fudge Instagram page (@aufudge) left followers drooling after it gave a sneak preview of just a few goodies A-lister diners can expect to see on the pastry menu, including apple pie, lemon slice and chocolate coated macaroons.

Aside from a life filming and being married to singer Justin Timberlake,Biel will definitely have a lot on her plate. She told Jay Leno that she would help with the baking, although she admitted she’s still only a novice.

This proved true when she shared an Instagram snap of an attempt to bake cinnamon buns as she attached the caption “I mistook the salt for sugar & these cinnamon bun beauties were so gross! Moral of the day: Don’t let looks deceive you!”

Hopefully she will have more baking lessons before opening day, but we can’t wait to see which stars and their famous children are lining up to try the much awaited sweet treats.

Related stories


Advertisement