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Michelle Pfieffer’s dangerous cult past

Michelle Pfieffer’s cult past

Celebrities are known for trying controversial weight-loss techniques, but Michelle Pfeiffer has revealed she used to follow a cult that allowed her to only “gain” nutrients from air and sunlight.

The 55-year-old says she became a “breatharian” and began to believe the “philosophy” that food was unnecessary and that humans should solely rely on air and sunlight for nutrients.

The star said it all began when she came under the influence of a couple she saw as personal trainers when she first moved to Hollywood, aged 20.

“They were very controlling,” she told the UK’s Sunday Telegraph.

“I wasn’t living with them but I was there a lot and they were always telling me I needed to come more. I had to pay for all the time I was there, so it was financially very draining.”

Fortunately, The Fabulous Baker Boys star was saved by Peter Horton, her boyfriend at the time and later her husband, who was preparing for a film role about cults.

While helping him research the role, Michelle says “it just clicked” as she suddenly realised she was involved in a cult herself and began working her way out.

But Michelle, who is now married to writer/producer David E. Kelley, held on to one habit she picked up on while in the cult. To this day she is still a strict vegan, a practice that began during that time in her life.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas ‘back together’

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have reportedly reunited just six months after announcing their separation.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas.

The UK’s Daily Mirror has reported that Catherine, 44, has moved back into the couple’s New York apartment, while US newspapers report Michael, 69, has been overheard telling friends about the reconciliation.

Both actors are wearing their wedding rings again, and people who attended the premiere of Michael’s new film Last Vegas claimed he spent the whole evening talking about his wife.

“People kept asking what’s going on with Catherine. Michael said, ‘We are doing great, she’s better than ever and the kids are doing great’.”

The reported reconciliation comes just two weeks after Michael told The Tonight Show that his marriage was “on the up”.

“Things are going good,” he said. “I’ve been away for a while, but everything should hopefully be on the up and up.

“Sometimes people take a little bit of a break, but [it] doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the end. So, I’m very hopeful.”

Michael and Catherine met in 1999 and married the following year in a lavish wedding at New York’s Plaza hotel.

They have two children, Dylan, 13, and Carys, 10.

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Derby Day’s best dressed celebs

The stars stepped out in style for Victoria Derby Day this weekend, to celebrate the beginning of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

While the women showed off some amazing ensembles and attention-grabbing fascinators (err, Lara Bingle), there were plenty of well-dressed, handsome men giving the ladies a run for their money this year.

Check out Australia’s hottest celebrity fashion, as well as sizzling International supermodels Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford.

Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall

Lara Bingle

The Veronicas

Rachael Finch

The Bachelors Tim Robards

Naomi Campbell

Danielle Spencer

Melanie Brown

Tyson Beckford

Natalie Barr and Samantha Armytage

Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster

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Beyonce Knowles reunites with ‘Aussie angel’ Chelsea James

Beyonce Knowles has reunited with the Australian cancer patient she first met in 2009.
Beyonce Knowles with Chelsea James.

Last Thursday, terminally ill Newcastle teen Chelsea James travelled to Sydney for a special backstage meeting with her favourite singer.

“I was so excited to meet Beyonce again,” Chelsea, now 15, said. “I actually got to meet her backstage and talk to her and laugh with her, which was so cool. I’ll never forget this.”

Chelsea first met Beyonce in 2009, when the singer performed a special version of her hit single ‘Halo’ during a Sydney concert, changing the words to “Chelsea I can see your halo – I pray you won’t fade away”.

The special performance captured the attention of the world, getting more than one million hits on YouTube and featuring on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

When cancer charity Camp Quality found out Beyonce would be returning to Australia this year, it organised a reunion between the singer and Chelsea, who is now in palliative care after her 14th relapse.

After their meeting, Beyonce wrote Chelsea a card that read: “My beautiful angel. You have no idea how happy you made me. I will see you the next time I’m in Australia.”

Chelsea is living with a rare form of cancer known as a primitive neural ectodermal tumour, which comes with a one per cent chance of survival.

Chelsea has undergone many rounds of treatment without success and is now living in palliative care.

Camp Quality also arranged for two other girls living with cancer to meet Beyonce.

“This was a special, one-off intimate meet and greet that our three girls living with cancer and their mums will never forget,” Camp Quality spokesman Gary Nunn said.

“Even though she was about to go on stage in front of thousands, Beyonce made the time to chat to the girls and their mums, putting them at ease and telling each of them ‘You’re absolutely beautiful.’

“Beyonce is all about female empowerment and she was so inspired by the confidence-building support Camp Quality offers to kids who may look and feel differently from others their age as a result of cancer treatment, that she wanted to be part of that confidence-boost. I think it’s safe to say it worked!”

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Reunited: Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

Re-united: Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

Hollywood power couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have rekindled their romance as Catherine moves back into their New York apartment just six months after their marriage separation.

The 44-year-old Chicago actress made the move shortly after Michael, 69, was spotted wearing his wedding ring again at the premiere of his new movie, Last Vegas.

“He’s back with estranged wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and he couldn’t be happier,” a US report said.

“He was overheard telling pals that the two have reconciled.”

The famous couple split in May this year and have been living separately since, but recently Hollywood heavyweight Michael told NBC host Jay Leno he believed it was not the end for the loving pair.

“Sometimes people take a little bit of a break, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the end. I’m very hopeful,” Michael said.

When prompted further by Jay as to how his relationship with Catherine was going, the star was positive.

“Good I hope. I’ve been away for a while but everything should hopefully be on the up and up,” he said.

The star-studded love affair began in 1998, when Michael and Welsh actress Catherine, who is 25 years his junior, met in France. The couple married in November 2000 and have two children together, Dylan, 13, and Carys, 10.

The US source at the centre of reconciliation claims says their time apart has not distanced the two but instead helped them make each a priority in the other’s life again.

“They know they have some problems but are speaking every day and scheduling future projects with each other in mind,” the source said.

“They’re both wearing their rings; what more is there to say?”

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Diana’s family home up for rent for $40k/night

Want to live like royalty? Thanks to Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, you can. For only $40,000 per night.

Want to live like royalty? Thanks to Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, you can. For only $40,000 per night.

The family’s ancestral home is being rented out for exclusive events for groups of up to 50 people through exclusive real estate agency Loyd & Townsend Rose.

The sprawling Northamptonshire home, Althorp Estate, is set over 14,000 acres, with the main property boasting a series of staterooms, an ornate picture gallery, and a dining area seating up to 200 where guests can enjoy dinner for a further $500.

The grand estate is also the location where the late Princess of Wales is buried, and Princes William and Harry are regular visitors.

Princess Diana’s ancestral home, Althorp Estate near Northampton.

The saloon at Althorp house, which is described as great for parties.

One of the bedrooms at Althorp House.

The Oak Bedroom, one of 17 available for rent at Althorp.

One of the interior rooms at Althorp House.

The exquisite picture gallery, which doubles as a dining room.

The grand staircase, one of the main entertaining areas at Althorp House.

The chapel devoted to Diana’s memory, close to where her body lies at Althorp.

A snapshot of the grounds of Althorp Esate.

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Miranda and Orlando: All for show

Miranda and Orlando: All for show

The pair play happy families as she fears her brand will be affected by their split.

They’ve been separated for months and in that time we barely saw them in the same city, which makes Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom’s constant public displays of togetherness since they announced their split all the more intriguing.

Orlando was quick to tell reporters, “We’re not friends, we’re family,” but Woman’s Day’s sources close to the former couple explain the real reason they’re so keen to put on a show for the cameras: Miranda’s eagerness to “maintain her brand”.

In the week since the A-list couple revealed the end of their marriage, they’ve been working overtime to ensure a wave of good PR. Miranda, 30, and Orlando, 36, have led photographers on a succession of happy family outings with their son Flynn, 2, even kissing one another on the cheek in front of the cameras.

But in reality, the split is far less amicable than it seems and there are already reports suggesting that both parties have long checked out of their marriage. Most recently, Orlando fuelled rumours he shares more than just a working relationship with his Romeo And Juliet co-star Condola Rashad.

Read more about Miranda and Orlando’s united front in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, October 28, 2013.

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Shane and Liz’s wedding back on despite secret texts

Shane and Liz’s wedding back on despite secret texts

Retired Aussie cricketer Shane Warne and British screen siren Elizabeth Hurley have patched up their differences and are headed back down the altar, despite more scandalous text message claims.

The overtly public couple have become hush, hush of late. Their twitter accounts – which are usually littered with love for each other – are silent, and while we wondered what had gone down between the pair it seems the fast-talking spin bowler was up to his old tricks, text messaging the ladies.

Warney, 44, was caught red-handed by Liz, 48, when she found a mysterious mobile phone nestled away in his suitcase packed for a trip back to Australia.

The UK Mail claims the phone contained intimate text messages, the details of which have yet to emerge.

“The row between them was a bad one after Elizabeth came across a mobile phone,” a source told UK Mail.

“When she took a look there were things which made her a bit suspicious – including some text messages to people she didn’t know.”

Despite his bad behaviour, the Bedazzled star has chosen to overlook this latest indiscretion and is going ahead with their wedding plans after their brief two-month separation.

“But everything has been glossed over now – Elizabeth has forgiven him. They’re very happy as a couple and desperate to make things work,” the source continued.

This isn’t the first time the retired vice-captain has been caught neck-deep in dishonour – in 2005 his wife-of-10-years Simone Callahan called time on their marriage after years of humiliating text messages showing her husband’s cheating ways. After re-uniting, they finally split in 2007 after she discovered even more lurid text messages.

These included a crude text message sent to a British nurse, a picture message of Shane in his underwear with two 25-year-old models and the final nail, an erotic text message sent directly to Simone which was meant for another woman.

Warne and Simone, who have three children together, remain amicable friends, with Simone adamantly denying she had anything to do with the star couple’s split in September.

“There are definitely no feelings there. Shane and I gave it a good shot and we’re much better the way things are as friends,” she said.

The rest remains to be seen but it looks like the once loved-up, twitter-happy couple will get to visit the chapel after all, if only Shane can supress his trigger-happy texting urges.

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Aussie student’s Kenyan horror: ‘I thought I would die’

Aussie woman's Kenyan horror: 'I thought I would die'

Sarah Williamson was inches from death when terrorists stormed a Nairobi shopping centre.

With her eyes glued to a CCTV screen, Sarah Williamson’s heart was beating so hard she thought the killers prowling just metres away might be able to hear it.

In front of the Victoria University student, a tiny monitor showed six men shoulder to shoulder, machine guns aimed, making their way towards the tiny room in which she and her dad and other terrified shoppers sat huddled, hiding for their lives.

“I sat there and thought, ‘My God, they’re coming for us,’ Sarah tellsWoman’s Dayin an exclusive interview. “I was just terrified and thought I was going to die right there and then.”

Just hours earlier, Sarah, 24, her father Carl, a counter-terrorism officer, and his workmate Quinn, had gone to the high-end Westgate Mall in Nairobi to buy some curtains, use the complex’s wi-fi and get a new phone. Carl, 54, had moved to the Kenyan capital a month prior for work and he and Sarah had spent a blissful month of quality father-daughter time.

Read more about Sarah’s incredible story of survival exclusively in this week’s issue ofWoman’s Day, on sale Monday, November 4, 2013.

Related video: Melbourne woman survives Kenyan massacre.

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Mahalia’s amazing makeover: “I’ve lost 30 kilos!”

Mahalia’s amazing makeover: "I've lost 30 kilos!"

Shedding a third of her body weight and feeling happier than ever, Mahalia Barnes is one hot mama.

The last time rock royal Mahalia Barnes splashed out on a bikini she was in high school. “I was a teenager when I bought one,” laughs the gorgeous singer, who vowed just 12 months ago she’d never be photographed in a bikini.

But that was when she topped the scales at 93kg. Pregnancy had left her with stretch marks and she hated shopping for everyday clothes, let alone swimsuits. “I definitely wouldn’t even have tried on a white swimsuit 12 months ago,” she says of one she wore in our shoot.

And what a difference a year makes. Now hitting the scales at 62.5kg, Mahalia has lost a third of her body weight and, at our photoshoot in the beautiful Cook Islands, the singer was only too happy to model swimming costumes in all shapes and sizes and in a rainbow of colours.

Looking more Marilyn Monroe than the Mahalia we saw on The Voice when she was at her largest last year, the 31-year-old oozed confidence and glowed with happiness, modelling both one-pieces and bikinis. “A two-piece swimsuit is hard to wear when you’re a little on the soft side,” she says.

Read more about Sarah’s incredible story of survival exclusively in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, November 4, 2013.

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