Victoria F(x) Biography

Song Qian (Chinese: 宋茜; pinyin: Sòng Qiàn, born February 2, 1987), better known as Victoria Song or mononymously as Victoria, is a Chinese singer, dancer, actress, model, and the leader of the five-member South Korean girl group f(x).
Victoria is one of the three members of f(x) not born in Korea, the others being Amber and Krystal.

Early life 

Victoria Song was born in Qingdao, Shandong. She left her hometown at a very young age to study Chinese traditional dance at the Beijing Dance Academy.[1] After her high school graduation, she was accepted to the Beijing Dance Academy and majored in Chinese ethnic dance.[2] In September 2007, Song was spotted by a SM agent at a Beijing dance competition and later joined the company.[1]

Biography

Song was scouted at a dance competition in Beijing on September 2007. She passed her audition for SM Entertainment and began preparing for her modeling career in South Korea.[1] She possesses native fluency in Mandarin and is also fluent in Korean.

Song's first media appearance was for a Spris commercial in early 2008 with South Korean singer-actor Lee Jun-ki. In April 2008, Song modeled for Samsung in a music video with Korean actor-singer Rain. In May 2008, she appeared in Shinee's music video Replay.

In August 2009, Song was introduced as the leader of quintet dance group, f(x).

On June 2010, it was announced Song was to be a cast member to We Got Married, pairing up with Nichkhun of 2PM (Thailand).[3] Khuntoria was the couple's name in We Got Married.

Song was a new member of G7 in Invincible Youth Season 1 replacing Sunny, Yuri from Girls' Generation and 4Minute's Hyuna.

Song has guest-starred on the Korean comedy show Running Man on episode 8 at the Seoul Museum of History, Gyeonghui Palace.[4]

In January 2012, Victoria began playing a principal role in When Love Walked In, a Taiwanese drama.[5]

In 2010, Song won the 'Popularity Award' at the MBC Entertainment Awards.[6]

On December 31, Victoria together with her We Got Married partner Nichkhun MC-ed the 2011 MBC Gayo Daejun Festival.[7]

On December 4, 2012, Victoria released a book titled ‘Victoria’s Hong-Ma‘ that will include the experiences she had while traveling in Hong Kong and Macao.[8]

source: Wikipedia

CL 2ne1 Biography

CL (Korean: 이채린; Lee Chae-rin; born February 26, 1991) is a South Korean idol singer, rapper, dancer and song-writer.[1] She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and spent much of her early life in Japan and France where she learned English, French, and Japanese.[2] In 2009, she debuted along with YG Entertainment label mates Sandara Park, Minzy, and Park Bom as 2NE1.[3]
CL has worked with Big Bang, Uhm Jung Hwa, YMGA, and Teddy Park. With 2NE1, she has released two extended plays, 2NE1 and 2NE1 2nd Mini Album, and one full length album, To Anyone, along with their Japanese releases. Her duet song with fellow member Minzy, "Please Don't Go," peaked at number 6 on the monthly Gaon Chart on November 2009.


Early life

CL, also known as Lee Chaerin or Faith Lee [English name] was born in Seoul, South Korea. Due to her father's occupation as a physics professor, she moved around as a child. She has lived in France and Japan. There, she learned English, French and Japanese.[4]
CL was once a trainee under JYP Entertainment, where she befriended Wonder Girls' Sohee and Yeeun, 2pm's Jun. K and solo artist Jay Park, Secret's Zinger and Miss A's Min.
As a teenager, her family took permanent residence again in South Korea.

Solo Activities


In August 2009, CL also collaborated with label-mates G-Dragon of Big Bang and Teddy Park of 1TYM for "The Leaders", which was featured on G-Dragon's first solo album Heartbreaker. It was revealed that CL wrote her own lyrics to the song.
In August, after finishing "I Don't Care" promotions, 2NE1 took a temporary hiatus with each member releasing their own solo singles. First, Dara released "Kiss" which featured CL. The song peaked at number five on the Gaon monthly charts.[16] CL then collaborated with fellow member Minzy for "Please Don't Go," the lowest performing of the three singles. However, it still charted at number six by the end of November.[17]
On January 27, 2011, it was reported that CL's vacation to Paris may have been to discuss her solo career. A YG Entertainment contact is said to have stated that she is to launch her solo career alongside 2NE1's comeback.[18]
On March 2012, CL featured in a new rap campaign "all Originals Make Moves" by Adidas Originals. It was reported that CL personally penned the lyrics to the rap.[19]

source: Wikipedia

Ke$ha Biography

Background


Kesha Rose Sebert (born March 1, 1987),[2] known mononymously as Kesha (pronunciation: /ˈkɛʃə/ kesh-ə, stylized as Ke$ha), is an American singer-songwriter and rapper. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to producer Dr. Luke's record label, Kemosabe Entertainment, and publishing company. Although an active musician since then, singing background vocals and writing songs for other artists, her breakthrough came in early 2009 after appearing on rapper Flo Rida's number-one single, "Right Round". Her debut album, Animal and her first extended play, Cannibal, were released in 2010. Kesha's irreverent music and image propelled her to immediate commercial success, with Animal debuting as the number-one album in the US. She also achieved two number-one singles, "Tik Tok" and "We R Who We R", and a string of top ten hits from the album and its re-release. At the same time, she continued to write songs for other artists, including "Till the World Ends" for pop singer Britney Spears. Warrior, her second studio album was released in December 2012, spawning Kesha's eighth top-ten hit with "Die Young".
Influenced by various genres and artists, Kesha primarily draws inspiration from music of the 1980s; Madonna, Queen, and Beck have been cited as instrumental to her artistry. After experimenting with country, pop rock, and electronic music, Kesha stuck with the latter. Her "talky" rap technique, yodeling, and excessive auto-tune have become her trademark, and all three have led to scrutiny regarding her vocal talent. Thematically, her music generally revolves around party antics and binge drinking, although some tracks have been noted as odes to individuality. Philanthropically, Kesha has been involved with animal rights and LGBT activism. Since her debut, Kesha has been nominated for over 40 awards, winning upwards of 10. Among these awards, she won the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act in 2010 and several Billboard Awards.

Early Life


Kesha was born in Los Angeles, California on March 1, 1987. Her mother, Patricia Rose "Pebe" Sebert, is a singer-songwriter who co-wrote the 1978 single "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" with Hugh Moffatt for Joe Sun. Pebe, a single mother, struggled financially while supporting herself, Kesha, and her older brother Lagan; they relied on welfare payments and food stamps to get by.[3] When Kesha was an infant, Pebe would often have to look after her onstage while performing.[4] Kesha says she has no knowledge of her father's identity.[3] However, a man who called himself her father approached Star Magazine in 2011 with pictures and letters, claiming them as proof that they had been in regular contact as father and daughter before she turned 19.[5] Two of her maternal great-grandparents were immigrants from Szentes, Hungary while her other maternal great-grandmother was originally from Poland.[6] Pebe moved the family to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1991 after securing a new publishing deal for her songwriting. Kesha's younger brother Louis was born shortly after. Pebe frequently brought Kesha and her brothers along to recording studios and encouraged Kesha to sing when she noticed Kesha's vocal talent.[3] Kesha claimed that she did not fit in at school in the Brentwood suburb of Nashville, which she has called the "Bible Belt", explaining that her unconventional dress sense including homemade purple velvet pants and purple hair did not endear her to other students.[7] She played the trumpet and later the saxophone in the marching band in school, and described herself in an interview with NPR as being a diligent student.[8][9]
Kesha attended Franklin High School and Brentwood High School.[10] In addition to taking songwriting classes,[11] Kesha was also taught how to write songs by Pebe, and they would often write together when she returned home from high school.[3][9] Kesha began recording demos which Pebe would give to people she knew.[11] Kesha was also in a band with Lagan.[12][13] Kesha and Pebe co-wrote the song "Stephen" together when Kesha was 16, Kesha then tracked down David Gamson, a producer that she admired, from Scritti Politti who agreed to produce the song.[13] She dropped out of school at 17, after being convinced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin to return to Los Angeles to pursue a music career, and earned her GED after.[14] Around this time, Pebe answered an ad by reality series, The Simple Life, looking for an "eccentric" family to host Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.[15] The episode aired in 2005.[16] Luke and Martin had received one of Kesha's demo from Samantha Cox, senior director of writer/publisher relations at Broadcast Music Incorporated, and were impressed. Two of the demos were described in a cover story for Billboard, the first "a gorgeously sung, self-penned country ballad" and the second "a gobsmackingly awful trip-hop track" where Kesha raps ad lib for a minute when she runs out of lyrics near the end. Dr. Luke stated in an interview for the story that it was the latter track that caught his attention, saying "[w]hen you're listening to 100 CDs, that kind of bravado and chutzpah stand out."[17]


Career

2005–09: Career beginnings
I was so happy being broke. And I’m happy not being broke. It doesn’t really affect me either way. I care about taking care of people that have taken care of me – that’s important to me. But to be honest, I’m kind of repulsed by the gluttony and excesses of a lot of people in the limelight.[18]
Kesha explaining the dollar sign in her stage name.
In 2005, at 18, Kesha was signed to Dr. Luke's label, Kemosabe Entertainment, and his music publishing company, Prescription Songs.[17] Kesha later sang background vocals for Paris Hilton's single, "Nothing in This World".[15] Dr. Luke became preoccupied with other incoming projects, having enjoyed success writing and producing for pop star Kelly Clarkson's album, Breakaway. Kesha then signed with David Sonenberg's management company, DAS Communications Inc., in 2006, hardly interacting with Dr. Luke after that. DAS was tasked with obtaining a major label record deal for Kesha in a year’s time in exchange for 20 percent of her music income, with her having the option of ending the relationship if they failed.[19] She worked with several writers and producers while at the company and ended up co-writing Australian pop group The Veronicas' single, "This Love" with producer Toby Gad.[17][20] While furthering her career in studio, Kesha earned her living as a waitress.[3] She adopted the dollar sign in her name while struggling to get by as an ironic gesture.[18]
Kesha appeared in the video for her friend, pop singer Katy Perry's single "I Kissed a Girl", and sang background vocals for the Dr. Luke-produced song, "Lace and Leather" by pop singer Britney Spears in 2008.[21] DAS soon attracted the attention of songwriter and A&R Kara DioGuardi, who wanted to sign Kesha to Warner Bros. Records. The deal fell through due to her existing contract with Dr. Luke's label. In September, she terminated her contract with DAS, reuniting with Dr. Luke.[17][19] Kesha gained exposure in the mainstream media in early 2009 after appearing on rapper Flo Rida's number one single, "Right Round".[22] The collaboration happened by accident; she had walked into a recording session for the song with Flo Rida and Dr. Luke.[23] Flo Rida wanted a female voice for the song; Dr. Luke then suggested Kesha for the part. Flo Rida liked the end result so much that they did two more tracks.[24] However, she is not credited for her feature on the US release of "Right Round" and did not collect any money for the part.[17][22] She also refused to appear in the video, explaining to men's magazine Esquire that she wanted to make a name for herself on her own terms.[21]
2009–11: Animal and Cannibal


Kesha performing live on tour (2010).
After failing to negotiate with Lava Records and Atlantic Records in 2009, Kesha signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records through Dr. Luke's imprint.[17] Having spent the previous six years working on material for her debut album,[25] she began putting finishing touches to the album with Luke and Max Martin. For the album, she wrote 200 songs.[25] The album was executive produced by Luke, who produced the majority of the songs with Martin, and producers Benny Blanco and Ammo. The album is primarily of the electropop genre with beats and synths, marking a shift in sound for Luke from then on from his signature pop-rock productions.[26] Animal debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 when it was released in January 2010.[27] It was certified platinum in the US and had sold two million albums worldwide by September.[28] The lead single of the album, "Tik Tok", broke the record in the United States for the highest single week sales, selling 610,000 digital downloads, the highest ever by a female artist since tracking began in 2003.[29] It spent nine weeks at number one and became the longest running number one by a female artist on her debut single since Debby Boone and "You Light Up My Life" in 1977.[30] Subsequent singles from the album, "Blah Blah Blah", "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Take It Off" achieved similar commercial success each reaching the top ten in Australia, Canada, and the U.S.[31] Kesha was also featured on two top ten singles by musician Taio Cruz and electro-pop duo 3OH!3.[32]
Kesha's deliberately unpolished aesthetic and juvenile stage persona,[12][33] which she described as her own personality "times ten", quickly made her a deeply polarizing figure.[12][33] Some of her critics found her output to be unsophisticated,[12] while others felt that she was manufactured and lacked credibility.[34][35][36] Kesha's former managers from DAS Communications Inc. filed a lawsuit later that month, seeking $14 million from Kesha and $12 million from Luke for commissions on her RCA Records deal, alleging that she had extended the deadline for them to get her a major record label contract and squeezed them out of her career under pressure from Dr. Luke.[19] Kesha launched her own lawsuit in October, citing the California-exclusive Talent Agencies Act and asking the California Labor Commissioner to declare her contract with DAS void because it had acted as an unlicensed talent agent while procuring work for her in California, where only licensed agents can do so.[37] The case was settled in 2012 before the release of her second album.[38] Kesha held a benefit concert on June 16, 2010 where all proceeds went to aid victims of the May 2010 Tennessee floods from her hometown Nashville.[39] She raised close to $70,000 from the event.[8] She was a supporting act on the summer North American leg of pop star Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and was awarded Best New Act at the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards.[40][41]


Kesha performing on her first headlining tour (2011).
In November 2010, Animal was re-released with a companion extended play, Cannibal.[42] The lead single taken from Cannibal, "We R Who We R" debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.[43] With two number ones and four top ten hits, Kesha was named Hot 100 Artist of 2010 by Billboard, with "Tik Tok" topping the year-end chart.[44] The follow-up single from Cannibal, "Blow" charted in the top ten on the Hot 100. As of June 2011, she has accumulated almost 21 million digital single downloads in the US alone.[45] In February 2011, Kesha embarked on her first headlining world tour, Get Sleazy.[46] The tour was expanded with a summer leg due to the first leg selling out and spanned three continents.[47] Kesha also co-wrote the song "Till the World Ends" for American popstar Britney Spears and she was featured on the remix of the song along with rapper Nicki Minaj. After meeting Kesha at the 2010 Grammy Awards and guesting at a number of her concerts, rock singer Alice Cooper asked her to write lyrics for and vocally perform as a devil character for their duet track, "What Baby Wants", on Cooper's album, Welcome 2 My Nightmare.[48]
Kesha was named rights group Humane Society of the United States's first global ambassador for animal rights, for which she is expected to bring attention to such practices as cosmetics testing on animals and shark finning.[49] She also appeared alongside rock singer Iggy Pop in a campaign for PETA, protesting the clubbing of baby seals in Canada and later wrote on behalf of the organization to fast food chain McDonald's over the conditions of their slaughterhouses.[50][51]
2012–present: Warrior

Kesha's second full length album, Warrior was released on November 30, 2012. She began writing for the album while on her own headlining tour in 2011. The album featured productions from her main collaborators Dr. Luke and Max Martin,[52] as well as a song by Wayne Coyne, the lead singer of the alternative band Flaming Lips.[53] Coyne had reached out to Kesha for a collaboration after hearing that she was a fan of the band.[54] Besides working on Kesha's albu, they recorded the song "2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)" for the band's album, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends. The first single taken from Warrior was "Die Young".[55] The song debuted at number thirteen on Billboard Hot 100 and eventually peaked at number 2.[56][57] The song also charted across Europe and the Anglosphere and reached the top ten in Australia, Canada, and Belgium.[58] To coincide with the release of the album, Kesha released an illustrated autobiography, My Crazy Beautiful Life through Touchstone Books in November. Additionally, a TV series documentary, Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life will begin airing in April 2013 on MTV.[59]

Artistry

Kesha co-wrote every song on her first two albums and considers herself a songwriter primarily,[60] writing for artists including Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.[52] She possesses a "strong, sneering vibrato",[33] with a distinct yodel-like quality to her voice;[61] she employs actual yodeling on the songs, "Tik Tok" and "Cannibal".[62][63] Having previously done country, pop rock, and hard electro,[64] she had a clear idea of the electropop sound that she wanted for her debut album.[26] The genre was popular at the time, with many of her peers releasing similar output as well.[34] Both of her albums are of the genre with catchy hooks and synthesized productions recalling Nintendo-era video game music,[33][65][66] also incorporating elements from other genres.[65] "Party at a Rich Dude's House" and "C U Next Tuesday" have 1980s derived backing,[65][67] while "Stephen" begins with "Kansas-style vocal harmonies".[68] While her vocals on the albums were heavily processed with auto-tune, often to produce rapid stuttering or over-pitch corrected vocal effects, leading to questions on vocal talent,[69] she expressed confidence in her abilities.[70] Kesha also uses a trademark talky "white-girl" rapping style with exaggerated discordant phrasing and enunciation.[33][64] Her vocal technique has led her to be credited as a rapper, a topic she disagreed with until fellow rappers Andre 3000, Wiz Khalifa, and Snoop Dogg endorsed her. On the subject, she said: "The first time someone called me a rapper, I started laughing. I was shocked, and thought it was hilarious. It's crazy and funny to me."[71] The New York Times said Kesha: "threatens to become the most influential female rapper of the day, or at least the most popular. Pretending Kesha isn't a rapper is no longer feasible."[72] Most of her lyrics chronicle her relationships and partying; the lighthearted subject matter of the latter and her unfiltered language saw many critics criticizing her for releasing frivolous and crass music.[35] Jonah Weiner of Slate, however, stated that her jarring lyrics allowed her songs to become more memorable.[33] In "Blah Blah Blah" and "Boots and Boys", she objectifies men to poke fun at how male fronted rock bands and rappers can get away with objectifying women and not vice versa.[3][18] The title track to her debut, "Animal", is more aspirational and is intended to inspire people to embrace their individuality.[73] Much more experimental than Animal, her second album, Warrior, contains dubstep elements and explores erotic experiences Kesha encountered with ghosts on the song, "Supernatural".[74][75][76] Overall, Kesha said the theme of Warrior is magic.[77]

source: Wikipedia

Eleanor Calder biography

Background

Eleanor is an only child.[2][3] She recently completed her second year at the University of Manchester where she's studying politics and sociology. She has worked as a floor model for the clothing store Hollister, but it's unknown if she's still working for them.
Her personality has been described by people close to both as a "female version of Louis".

Personal Life

Eleanor and Louis were introduced to each other by a friend of Harry's around September 2011.[4] They dated for a period of time before becoming exclusive.

Eleanor joined One Direction on their Up All Night Tour during their New Jersey, New York, Ontario (Canada), Michigan, and Illinois tour dates (May 25 - June 3).\

source: One direction Wikia

Louis Tomlinson biography

Louis William Tomlinson (born December 24, 1991) is a member of One Direction along with Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik. He is the oldest member of the group.

Early Life


Louis was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England to Troy and Johanna. His parents split up when Louis was young. When his mother remarried, Louis took on his stepdad Mark Tomlinson's name.[1] He has four younger half-sisters by his mom; Charlotte, Félicité, and twins Daisy and Phoebe. He has one younger half-sister by his father, Georgia. Mark and Jay divorced in 2011.
He was a sixth form student at Hall Cross School, a state comprehensive school and previously a pupil at The Hayfield School. While he was a student at Hall Cross, Louis starred in several musical productions such as Grease.

Musical Career


Louis auditioned for The X Factor with "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's. He received three votes out of the three judges present, and was sent to Bootcamp. At Bootcamp, he sang Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" before being rejected, and put into One Direction.
Following The X Factor, One Direction signed a record contract with Sony Music subsidiary Syco Music. They released their studio album, Up All Night.


Personal Life

Relationships
Louis and HannahHannah Walker
Louis dated Hannah Walker throughout his time on The X Factor. She attended Hall Cross Academy with Louis, and they met through the school's production of Grease. Hannah played Frenchy and Louis played Danny (view image). They started dating on March 18, 2010.
It's rumored that Hannah encouraged Louis to audition for X-Factor[citation needed]. They dated for about a year before breaking up in July 2011. Louis was busy with One Direction recording their debut album, and it became increasingly hard for him and Hannah to see each other. He reportedly decided to break it off with Hannah because he wanted to focus on the release of the band's debut single, and their upcoming album. After the break up, both said on Twitter that they were still friends.[2]


Louis with EleanorEleanor Calder
Louis and Eleanor were introduced to each other around summer 2011 by Harry.[3] Harry and Eleanor knew each other because Harry was friends/co-worker with one of Eleanor's friends. They met one day when Louis tagged along with Harry to meet up with the friend, and Eleanor came with her friend as well. On September 14, 2011, Eleanor accompanied Louis to celebrate Niall's birthday. They dated for a period of time before becoming exclusive in November 2011. Eleanor has flown out to join Louis while he is on tour with One Direction various times. They celebrated their one year anniversary on November 17, 2012.[4]

source: One direction Wikia

Selena Gomez Biography

Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992)[2] is an American actress, singer, and fashion designer. She is known for portraying Alex Russo, the protagonist in the Emmy Award-winning television series Wizards of Waverly Place. She subsequently ventured into feature films and has starred in the television movies Another Cinderella Story, Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, and Princess Protection Program. She made her starring theatrical film debut in Ramona and Beezus.

Her career has expanded into the music industry; Gomez is the lead singer and founder of the pop band Selena Gomez & the Scene, which has released three RIAA Gold certified studio albums, Kiss & Tell, A Year Without Rain, and When the Sun Goes Down, spawned three RIAA Platinum certified singles, "Naturally", "Who Says" and "Love You Like a Love Song" and charted four No. 1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.[3] Gomez has also contributed to the soundtracks of Tinker Bell, Another Cinderella Story, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Shake It Up after signing a record deal with Hollywood Records.

In 2008, Gomez was designated as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.[4]

Life and Career

1992–2004: Early life and career beginnings

Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas.[2] She is the daughter of former stage actress Amanda Dawn "Mandy" Teefey (née Cornett) and Ricardo Joel Gomez.[5][6][7] Her father is of Mexican ancestry; her mother, who was adopted, is of Italian descent.[8][9][10] Regarding her Hispanic heritage, Gomez has stated: "My family does have Quinceañeras, and we go to the communion church. We do everything that's Catholic, but we don't really have anything traditional except [that we] go to the park and have barbecues on Sundays after church."[11] Her birth parents divorced when she was five years old, and she was raised as an only child by her working mother.[5][12] In 2006, Mandy remarried Brian Teefey.[13] She was named after Tejano singer Selena, who died almost three years after Gomez was born.[14] In a 2009 interview with People, Gomez mentioned that she developed an early interest in acting from watching her mother prepare for and act in theater productions.[12] She earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010.[15] Gomez began her acting career at age seven, playing Gianna on Barney & Friends.[16] She later had minor roles in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over and the TV film Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial By Fire. Gomez also starred in the television movie Brain Zapped.

Gomez on the studio set of Wizards of Waverly Place, 2007

In 2004, Gomez was discovered by the Disney Channel in a USA-wide scouting.[17] Gomez appeared as a guest star on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and had a guest appearance – that later turned into a recurring role – on Hannah Montana from seasons two to three. Gomez previously taped two different pilots that were spin-offs to two previous Disney series.[18] The first one, What's Stevie Thinking?, was the spin-off to Lizzie McGuire. Gomez played Stevie Sanchez, Miranda Sanchez's little sister. The other show was titled Arwin!, the spin-off to The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, in which she played Alexa. Neither series was picked up.

2007–08: Wizards of Waverly Place and breakthrough

In early 2007, Gomez was cast in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place as one of the three main characters, Alex Russo. The show premiered to an audience of 5.9 million, becoming a hit. Many news outlets began dubbing Gomez the next 'Miley Cyrus' causing some controversy and a reported 'feud'. Gomez clarified that there was no feud and that she was flattered by the comparison, saying: "It's a little overwhelming, but I think really, it's a compliment. She's obviously extremely successful, and I think she's a wonderful performer ... So being compared to her, I was very, very flattered."[19] Gomez recorded four songs, one of which was a cover, for the Wizards of Waverly Place soundtrack, only one single ("Magic") from the album was released. In 2008, Gomez recorded a cover of "Cruella de Vil"—which included a music video—for the compilation album DisneyMania 6. Gomez also recorded "Fly to Your Heart" for the 2008 animated film Tinker Bell. In July 2008, before Gomez' sixteenth birthday, she signed a recording deal with Hollywood Records, a music label owned by Disney.[20] In May, of the same year, Gomez was featured, with Forever the Sickest Kids, on a duet version of the non-album song "Whoa Oh!".[21] The same year Gomez appeared in Another Cinderella Story, the direct-to-DVD sequel to the 2004 Hilary Duff film, opposite Drew Seeley. She also had a minor voiceover role as one the Mayor's ninety-six daughters in Horton Hears a Who! which released in March of that year. In April, Lacey Rose, of Forbes ranked Gomez as being fifth on their "Eight Hot Kid Stars To Watch" list; and Rose described Gomez as having been "a multi-talented teen".[22]

2009–11: Film debut and Selena Gomez & the Scene

In 2009, Gomez formed the teen pop band Selena Gomez & the Scene. Kiss & Tell, the band's debut studio album was released on September 29, 2009 by Hollywood Records. On March 5, 2010, the album was certified Gold by RIAA.[3] The album's single, "Naturally", was certified Platinum by the RIAA on July 15, 2010.[3] In February 2009, Gomez signed on to star as one of the two female leads in Ramona and Beezus, a film adaption of the children's novel series by Beverly Cleary.[23][24] Gomez stated that she felt no pressure in taking more adult roles: "I think I'm fully aware of my audience and I'm still just a kid myself. I wouldn't do a role I don't feel comfortable doing or that my audience wouldn't feel comfortable seeing."[25] She also began dating actor Taylor Lautner, whom she met in Vancouver, while filming Ramona and Beezus and while he was shooting New Moon,[26] and the two dated for a few months. However, the pressure of the media became too much for them and caused the two to break-up.[27]

In June 2009, Gomez did a guest appearance as herself in one episode of best friend Demi Lovato's Disney Channel television show, Sonny with a Chance, entitled "Battle of The Network Stars". That same month, Gomez appeared alongside Lovato in the made-for-television Disney Channel movie, Princess Protection Program.[28] The telecast garnered 8.5 million viewers becoming, at the time, the third most watched Disney Channel Original Movie.[29] One month later, Gomez, along with two cast members of Wizards of Waverly Place appeared in a television three-way cross-over episode with Hannah Montana and The Suite Life on Deck, entitled Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana.

Gomez on location in Paris filming Monte Carlo, 2010

On August 28, 2009, two months after appearing in Princess Protection Program, Gomez starred in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, a made-for-television film based on the show.[30] The film premiered to an audience of 11.4 million viewers becoming cable's No. 1 scripted telecast of 2009 and Disney Channel's second most-viewed film premiere after High School Musical 2.[31] In September 2009, Wizards of Waverly Place won "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.,[32] and in 2010, the film adaptation won the series its second consecutive Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.[32]

Gomez's first theatrical film Ramona & Beezus premiered on July 23, 2010 and met with generally positive reviews.[33] In March 2010, Variety reported that Gomez was set to star as one of the three lead roles in Monte Carlo, a film produced by Nicole Kidman, alongside Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy.[34] In the film, Gomez plays Grace, a girl who's “mistaken for a socialite while on a trip to Paris.”[35] To prepare for the role, Gomez learned how to play polo and also took two weeks of vocal training to learn two different British accents.[36][37] The same year Gomez confirmed that the fourth season of her hit Disney Channel show, Wizards of Waverly Place, would be its last.

Gomez performs at the KISS 108 Jingle Ball in December 2010

On September 17, 2010, Selena Gomez & The Scene released their second studio album, A Year Without Rain The record debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 4, selling 66,000 copies. On January 19, 2011, the album was certified Gold by RIAA.[3] As of April 2011, the band has sold 1,354,000 albums in the United States.[38] To support the album, the band embarked on the mini-tour A Year Without Rain Tour. In February 2011, TV Guide reported that Gomez would make a cameo in the Muppets film.

On March 23, 2011, Hollywood Records announced through a press release that Selena Gomez & The Scene would be embarking on their third concert tour in the United States, the We Own the Night Tour ran during the summer of 2011 and was ranked 18th in Pollstar's Top 20 concert tours.[39][40] Production for the final season of Wizards of Waverly Place came to a wrap on May 14, 2011.[41] Gomez co-hosted the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 19.[42] She also hosted the 2011 MTV EMAs on November 6, 2011, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she performed her band's single "Hit the Lights". On June 28, 2011, Selena Gomez & The Scene released their third studio album, When the Sun Goes Down, previously titled Otherside.[43] The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 78,000 copies its first week and the following week, the album rose to number 3 on the Billboard chart, becoming the band's highest charting album to date.[44][45] On November 17, 2011, the album was certified platinum.[3] The album's lead single, "Who Says" was certified Platinum by RIAA on June 23, 2011 and has become the band's highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 to date, peaking at number 21.[3][46] The second single, "Love You Like a Love Song", was certified Platinum by RIAA on December 2, 2011, and became the act's first to sell over two-million copies.[3][47]

2012–present: Focus on film

In January 2012, Gomez announced that she would put her music career on hold in order to focus on her acting career, and that the band would be taking a hiatus:[48] "my band and I are going our separate ways for a while. This year is all about films and acting and I want my band to play music wherever with whoever. We will be back but, it will be a good while."[49]

As of August 2012, Gomez has been cast in a number of films. She first appeared in Hotel Transylvania, an animated film, voicing the character of Mavis, alongside Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi. The film premiered at the 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival and was released on September 21, 2012.[50] Next, Gomez will appear in the Harmony Korine film Spring Breakers alongside James Franco.[51] The film is premiering at the 69th Venice International Film Festival and is scheduled to be released sometime in spring 2013. In addition, Gomez filmed a cameo for Aftershock, an upcoming thriller starring Eli Roth which premiered at the 37th Annual Toronto International Film Festival. On April 7, 2012, Gomez posted a video for fans in which she revealed that she would be filming a new movie called Getaway in Bulgaria with Ethan Hawke and Jon Voight.[52] The film wrapped up in May and is scheduled to be released in 2013. Gomez was considered for the role of Carrie in the remake of the 1976 horror film Carrie, although she never auditioned. The role eventually went to Chloë Grace Moretz.[53] Next, Gomez will star in the film adaptation of the Ric Browde novel While I'm Dead... Feed the Dog opposite Dylan McDermott and Nat Wolff.[54] The film, entitled Behaving Bad, will be directed by Tim Garrick. Gomez will also reprise her role as Alex Russo in a one-hour special entitled The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex, which began production on October 22, 2012, and finished filming on November 10, 2012. It will air on Disney Channel on March 13, 2013 at 8/7pm Central.[55][56]

MTV News reported, via Twitter, that Gomez is releasing a single, "Better Without You", on March 18, 2013. Gomez and Taylor Swift wrote the song together.[57]

Other ventures

Selena Gomez attending "The 6th Annual Hollywood Style Awards" Beverly Hills, 2009

Gomez was part of Sears back-to-school fashion ad campaign.[58] As part of the campaign Gomez was featured in the television commercials. In August 2009, Gomez also hosted the "Sears Arrive Air Band Casting Call" – to select five people for the first-ever "Sears Air Band", which performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.[59]

In October 2008, Gomez launched her own production company, July Moon Productions, and partnered with XYZ Films to create star vehicles for Gomez. As part of the agreement Gomez will have the opportunity to option articles, hire writers and create talent packages to shop to studios.[60][61] Also, as part of the deal, "XYZ Films will allow Gomez to star in and produce at least two films.[62] Variety reported that: "In August, XYZ [Films] inked a similar deal with Time Inc. and management-production company the Collective to finance the development of the print media giant's content for the bigscreen [...] As part of the July Moon-XYZ deal, [Selena] Gomez will have the ability to cherry-pick projects from the vast Time Inc. library, which includes Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune and Life."[61]

Gomez is a spokesperson for Borden Milk; she is featured in the campaign's print and television ads.[63] She is also a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance and is featured in their TV commercials, which air on the Disney Channel, to raise awareness of being a safe driver.[64]

In October 2009, Gomez announced her plan to launch her own fashion line, called "Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez". The clothing line launched in the fall of 2010.[65][66] The collection consists of and features bohemian dresses, floral tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, scarves and hats, all made from recycled or eco-friendly materials.[67][68] Gomez said that the line will reflect her own personal style and described the clothing as being "pretty, feminine, and bohemian," and: "With my line, I really want to give the customer options on how they can put their own looks together [...] I want the pieces that can be easy to dress up or down, and the fabrics being eco-friendly and organic is super important [...] Also, the tags will all have some of my inspirational quotes on them. I'm just looking to send a good message."[65][68] Gomez, who has no background in fashion, teamed up with designers Tony Melillo and Sandra Campos, both who have worked with big-name fashion houses.[66] Gomez said of the partnering: "When I met Tony and Sandra, I was instantly comfortable with them and now they are just like family to me ... They are so creative and I love how I can just call them up whenever and talk to them about everything, even if it's just about changing a button ... They've been so cool about everything."[65][66][67][68] The brand will be manufactured by, Melillo and Campos teamed with New York-based Adjmi Apparel and formed by Adjmi CH Brands LLC; which is the holding company for the brand.[69]

It was announced on July 14, 2011, that Gomez had signed a license agreement with Adrenalina, an extreme sports and adventure-themed lifestyle brand, to develop, manufacture, and distribute the actress' fragrance. It is expected to debut in May 2012. Chairman and C.E.O. of Adrenalina, Ilia Lekach, said, "We are incredibly enthused to be working with Ms. Gomez and will reveal more details pertaining to the fragrance as we get closer to the launch date."[70]

It was announced on July 30, 2012, that Gomez would partner with Case-Mate as part of its upcoming "Right Case, Right Occasion" marketing campaign.[71] She will be teaming up with Fergie and Common to create fashionable custom phone cases for a good cause.

Personal life

On February 27, 2011, Gomez attended the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party with Canadian singer Justin Bieber,[95] confirming several months of media speculation about a romantic relationship between the pair.[96] The relationship was Gomez's most high-profile and the two became a teen power couple.[97][98] In early November 2012, it was widely reported that the couple had ended their relationship after approximately two years together.[99][100] They reconciled later that month.[101][102][103] However, in January 2013, it was reported that Gomez and Bieber had broken up again.[104]

Gomez is the owner of six rescue dogs and describes herself as a "huge animal-lover".[105]

Her net worth is estimated between $4 million[106] and 5.5 million.[107]

source: Wikipedia

Carly Rae Jepsen Biography

Carly Rae Jepsen (born November 21, 1985) is a Canadian recording artist and singer-songwriter from Mission, British Columbia.[1] In 2007, she placed third in Canadian Idol season five's competition, and was a part of the Canadian Idol Top 3 concert tour.[2] Shortly after competing on Canadian Idol, she independently released her debut album Tug of War through MapleMusic Recordings on September 30, 2008. Three years later, she released a new single, titled "Call Me Maybe", on Canadian label 604 Records, which was followed by the release an extended play titled Curiosity on February 14, 2012. In February 2012, pop singer Justin Bieber referred her to his manager, Scooter Braun, who subsequently signed Jepsen to his Schoolboy Records label while obtaining an American deal with global distribution on affiliate Interscope Records, after "Call Me Maybe" gained popularity on YouTube by reaching 400 million views. The single reached the number one spot on both the US Billboard and Canadian Hot 100, while also topping the charts in 19 other countries. Jepsen's musical influences include James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Van Halen.[3]
Jepsen has received multiple awards and nominations; she has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and was named by Billboard as 2012's Rising Star.[4]

Life and Career

     Jepsen was born in Mission, British Columbia. She attended Heritage Park Secondary School in Mission, and has since performed there post-graduation. She later attended the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, British Columbia before auditioning for Canadian Idol. After completing the Canadian Idol tour, Jepsen went back to British Columbia to focus on writing, recording and completing her band. Her demos attracted attention and she was eventually signed a joint management deal with Simkin Artist Management and Dexter Entertainment, which led Jepsen into the studio with producer Ryan Stewart. Founder Jonathan Simkin of Simkin Artist Management, who is also co-founder of the Vancouver-based record label 604 Records, was initially reluctant to also sign her to the 604 label right away, instead opting to jointly take on her management as a first step. Jepsen struck an independent signing with MapleMusic Recordings and distribution via Fontana North.[5]


2008–10: Tug of War

     Jepsen performing on Canada Day in 2010

On June 16, 2008, Jepsen released her debut single and another single, a cover of John Denver's song "Sunshine on My Shoulders".[6] On July 21, 2008, Jepsen added two new songs from the album to her MySpace page: "Bucket" and "Heavy Lifting". In August 2008, Jepsen's MySpace page announced that the album's title would be Tug of War, and it was interdependently released on September 30, 2008 through MapleCore/Fontana North. The page also mentioned two more songs that were included on the album: "Tug of War" and "Sweet Talker". The former was released as a single on iTunes on September 16, 2008, and has been receiving radio airplay on various stations across Canada. She performed the latter as her Canadian Idol audition.[7] A music video for "Tug of War" was released in January 2009. "Bucket", her second single, was released in May 2009. A video for "Sour Candy", a duet with Josh Ramsay of Marianas Trench, who would also go on to produce "Call Me Maybe", was also released. All of Jepsen's music videos have been directed by Ben Knechtel. In spring 2009, she toured western Canada with Marianas Trench and Shiloh.[8] She then went on a cross-Canada tour with Marianas Trench, The New Cities and Mission District.

2011–present: Curiosity and Kiss

     Following the steady appeal since her debut album, Canadian label 604 Records, co-founded by Jepsen's ongoing manager Jonathan Simkin, signed Jepsen to the label. Jepsen also began recording material for her sophomore album in 2011 with previous collaborators Josh Ramsay and Ryan Stewart. One of those songs, "Call Me Maybe", was chosen as the first single and released in Canada on September 21, 2011. In January 2012, dating pop singers Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez were in Canada for the holidays and heard the track on the mainstream radio. After they tweeted about it on their personal profiles, Jepsen instantly gained international attention. Soon after in February, Jepsen visited Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun in Los Angeles where she subsequently obtained an American deal with Braun's label School Boy Records and Interscope Records, enabling her access to global distribution.[9] At the same time, 604 Records was gearing up for the release of her second studio album. Having obtained a new deal of global calibre, it was mutually decided to postpone plans for a release of a second studio album, as her new deal called for Jepsen to work with a host of in demand producers in recording additional all new material. Therefore, at the last minute, 604 Records decided to only release six of her completed tracks with producers Ramsay and Stewart as an EP, including the hit single "Call Me Maybe". The EP, titled Curiosity, was released on February 14, 2012 in Canada, coinciding with her rising popularity on YouTube and social media sites.

"Call Me Maybe" became the first song by a Canadian artist to reach the top of the digital chart since Justin Bieber's "Baby" in January 2010. It is also only the eleventh song by a Canadian artist to reach number one on the Digital Songs chart since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital download sales in 2005. The song has also peaked at number one on the Canadian Hot 100, being the fourth Canadian artist to do so.[10] Jepsen was also the first Canadian Idol contestant to enter the UK charts, when "Call Me Maybe" debuted at number one. On June 26, 2012 Jepsen's duet with Owl City, "Good Time", was released as a digital download and appears on both artists' albums.[11] The song debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later peaked at number 8. In early August 2012, Jepsen announced that her second album, Kiss, would be released on September 18, 2012.[12] She premiered her song Kiss on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Additionally, Jepsen appeared on the fifth season premiere episode of The CW primetime soap opera, 90210.[13][14] The episode premiered on October 8, 2012.[14][15] On October 25, 2012, Jepsen was named Billboard's Rising Star of 2012.[16]

Jepsen in Cannes, France, at the NRJ Music Awards ceremony, January 2013.

In October 2012, Jepsen was sued in Federal Court in Los Angeles for copyright infringement. Jepsen and Owl City's Adam Young were named in a lawsuit for the song "Good Time."[17] Allyson Nichole Burnett, a singer-songwriter from Huntsville, Ala., is suing Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City, along with Universal Music Group, Songs Music Publishing and Schoolboy Records, ACAP and SESAC. Burnett claims "Good Time" features many similarities to her 2010 song "AH, It's a Love Song." Matt Thiessen and Brian Lee, the songwriters of "Good Time", were also mentioned in the suit.[18] In a second lawsuit filed on November 8, 2012, Ukrainian pop star Aza filed a lawsuit against Jepsen in US District Court in Los Angeles in which Aza accuses Carly Rae Jepsen of sampling lyrics from Aza's song "Hunky Santa" without approval or consent.[19] Aza claims her tune "Hunky Santa" also features a "call me" call out, which Aza claims was used to create Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe."[20] Scooter Braun — Justin Bieber's manager — is also named in the suit. A representative for Jepsen has denied the allegations.[21]

As part of ABC’s 2012 Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Jepsen performed her songs "This Kiss" and "Call Me Maybe" in Times Square.[22]

Candie's announced in 2013 that Carly will be the new spokesperson for their clothing/footwear brand.[23]

Jepsen was scheduled to perform at the Boy Scouts of America upcoming 2013 National Scout Jamboree, along with the band Train.[24] In March 2013, both cited the controversy over the BSA policy on gays as barrier to their performance. Train released a statement saying they "strongly opposes any kind of policy that questions the equality of any American citizen ... We look forward to participating in the Jamboree this summer, as long as they make the right decision before then." [25] Similarly, Jepsen released a statement saying "As an artist who believes in equality for all people, I will not be participating in the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree this summer".[26]

source: Wikipedia

Daniel Radcliffe Biography

Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the title character in the Harry Potter film series. Radcliffe made his acting debut at age ten in BBC One's 1999 television movie David Copperfield, followed by his film debut in 2001's The Tailor of Panama. At age eleven he was cast as the title character in the first Harry Potter film, and starred in the series for ten years until the release of the eighth and final film in July 2011. He also began to branch out to stage acting in 2007, starring in the London and New York productions of the play Equus and in the 2011 Broadway revival of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In addition, he has starred in 2007's December Boys and the 2012 sleeper hit horror film The Woman in Black. He will play beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the 2013 indie film Kill Your Darlings.
Radcliffe has contributed to many charities, including Demelza House Children's Hospice and The Trevor Project. He also made public service announcements for the latter. In 2011, he was awarded the Trevor Project's "Hero Award".

Early life and Education

     Radcliffe was born on 23 July 1989, in West London, England.[1] He is the only child of Alan George Radcliffe, a literary agent, and Marcia Jeannine Gresham (née Marcia Gresham Jacobson), a casting agent who was involved in several films for the BBC, including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Walk Away And I Stumble.[2][3] Radcliffe's father is from "a very working-class" Protestant background in Northern Ireland.[4][5] Radcliffe's mother is Jewish; she was born in South Africa and raised in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (her family had originally come from Poland and Russia).[6][7] Radcliffe's parents had both acted, as children.[8]
Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five,[9] and in December 1999, aged ten, he made his acting debut in the BBC One's televised two-part adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield, portraying the title character as a young boy.[10]
Radcliffe was educated at two independent schools for boys:[11] at Sussex House School, a day school in Cadogan Square in Chelsea in London,[12] followed by the City of London School,[13] a day school on the North Bank of the River Thames in London's financial district, known as the City of London.[14]
Following the release of the first Harry Potter movie, attending school became hard for Radcliffe, with some fellow pupils becoming hostile. Radcliffe said it was people just trying to "have a crack at the kid that plays Harry Potter" rather than jealousy.[15] As his acting career began to consume his schedule, Radcliffe continued his education through on-set tutors. He admitted he was not very good at school, considered it useless, and found the work to be "really, really difficult";[11] however, he did achieve A grades in the three A-levels that he sat in 2006, but then decided to take a break from education and did not go to college or university.[16] Part of the reason was that he already knew he wanted to act and write, and that it would be difficult to have a normal college experience. "The paparazzi, they’d love it," he told Details magazine in 2007. "If there were any parties going on, they’d be tipped off as to where they were".

Career
    In 2000 producer David Heyman asked Radcliffe to audition for the role of Harry Potter for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the best-selling book by British author J. K. Rowling.[17][18] Rowling had been searching for an unknown British actor to personify the character; however, Radcliffe's parents did not want him to audition for the role, as the contract required shooting all seven films in Los Angeles, California, and so they did not tell him.[19] The movie's director Chris Columbus recalled thinking, "This is what I want. This is Harry Potter", after he saw a video of the young actor in David Copperfield.[19] Eight months later, and after several auditions, Radcliffe was selected to play the part.[20] Rowling also endorsed the selection saying, "I don't think Chris Columbus could have found a better Harry."[21] Radcliffe's parents originally turned down the offer, as they had been told that it would involve six films shot in Los Angeles.[22] Warner Bros. instead offered Radcliffe a two-movie contract with shooting in the UK though,[19] when signing up, Radcliffe was unsure if he would do any more pictures.[23]
The release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) took place in 2001. The story follows Harry, a young boy who learns he is a wizard and is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his education; gaining the help of friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) along the way. Radcliffe received a seven figure salary for the lead role, but asserted that the fee was "not that important" to him;[24] his parents chose to invest the money for him.[19] The film broke records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2001. With a total of US$974 million in ticket sales, Philosopher's Stone stands as the second most commercially successful in the series behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the final instalment.[25] The adaptation was met with positive reviews and critics took notice of Radcliffe:[26] "Radcliffe is the embodiment of every reader's imagination. It is wonderful to see a young hero who is so scholarly looking and filled with curiosity and who connects with very real emotions, from solemn intelligence and the delight of discovery to deep family longing," wrote Bob Graham of the San Francisco Chronicle.[27]


A year later Radcliffe starred in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second instalment of the series. Reviewers were positive about the lead actors' performances but had polarised opinions on the movie as a whole. Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post labelled it "big, dull and empty".[28] Observing that Radcliffe and his peers had matured, Los Angeles Times's staff writer Kenneth Turan believed the novel's magic could not be successfully duplicated in the film.[29] Nonetheless, it still managed to earn US$878 million, taking the second spot of the highest-grossing 2002 films worldwide behind The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.[30]
The 2004 release Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was the third film in the series. While garnering the highest critical acclaim of the series at that point[26] and grossing US$795.6 million worldwide, the film's performance at the box office ranks the lowest in the series.[25] Radcliffe's performance was panned by New York Times journalist A. O. Scott, who wrote that Watson had to carry him with her performance.[31] Next was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. The film set records for a Harry Potter opening weekend, as well as for a non-May opening weekend in the US and in the UK.[32] The film eventually grossed US$896 million worldwide, and the film was the second-highest grossing Harry Potter film at that point.[33] In a 2005 interview, Radcliffe singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie's creative success.[34]
Despite the success of the previous three movies, the future of the franchise was put into question when all three lead actors were unsure about signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes; however, by 2 March 2007 Radcliffe had signed for the final films, which put an end to weeks of press "speculation that he would be denied the role due to his involvement in Equus".[35] Radcliffe reprised his role for the fourth time in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), which details Harry's return to Hogwarts after his encounter with Lord Voldemort in the previous film. It opened to positive responses from the press;[26] IGN movie critic Steven Horn found Order of the Phoenix to be one of "those rare films that exceeds the source material"[36] and Colin Bertram of New York's Daily News dubbed it the best movie in the series.[37] Radcliffe stated that director David Yates and actress Imelda Staunton made Order of the Phoenix the "most fun" film in the series to work on.[38] His performance earned several award nominations, and he received the 2008 National Movie Award for "Best Male Performance".[39] As his fame and the series continued, Radcliffe, Grint and Watson left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.[40]
In July 2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released, the series' sixth instalment. The film did considerably better than the previous movie, breaking the then-record for biggest midnight US showings with US$22.2 million at 3,000 theatres,[41] and was the biggest ever Wednesday-opening in the UK, with US$7.6 million at 1,305 screens.[42] Half-Blood Prince achieved a total of US$933 million ticket sales[25] and was one of the most positively reviewed of the series among film critics, who praised the film's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music.[43][44][45] Radcliffe received nominations for "Best Male Performance" and "Global Superstar" at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards.[46]


Radcliffe, Watson and Grint at the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 premiere in London
For financial and scripting reasons the last book was divided into two films, shot back to back,[47][48] which drew criticism from the series' fanbase. Radcliffe defended the split, pointing out that it would have been impossible to properly adapt the final novel into a single film.[49] He added that the last movie was going to be extremely fast-paced with a lot of action, while the first part would be far more sedate, focusing on character development; he added that, had they combined them, those things would not have made it to the final cut.[50] Filming lasted for a year, concluding in June 2010 and on the last day of shooting, like most of the cast and crew, Radcliffe openly wept.[51] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) was about Harry, Ron and Hermione leaving Hogwarts to track down Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, objects in which Voldemort has left part of his soul. The film was released in November and grossed over US$950 million.[25] Its most lucrative territory was the UK, where it reportedly had the highest-grossing three-day opening in history; while its earnings of US$205 million, in 91 markets, made it the highest ever top-grossing non-US opening for a non-summer picture, and "the fourth-biggest-grossing international opening ever".[52] The movie received mostly favourable reviews in the media.[26]
The final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, was released worldwide starting on 13 July 2011 in Australia. The film concerns the battle against Voldemort's followers in Hogwarts, along with Harry's final climactic duel with Voldemort. Radcliffe, along with the film,[26] was critically acclaimed: Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post asked, "Who could have predicted that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson would turn out to be good actors?";[53] similarly, Rex Reed said: "Frankly, I’m sorry to see [Radcliffe] go";[54] while Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers commented on Radcliffe: "Well played, sir."[55] Among those who were less favourable, Roger Ebert said that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were "upstaged by the supporting [actors]".[56] The film broke several box office records, including biggest midnight release,[57] biggest first-day opening,[57] and biggest opening-weekend.[58] Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is currently the 4th highest-grossing film of all time with more than US$1.3 billion worldwide.[59]
Radcliffe admitted that some people would never be able to separate him from the character, but also said he is "proud to be associated with this film series forever."[60] Despite positive feelings about the movies, he has no interest in doing more Harry Potter films. After Rowling hinted about writing an eighth book, Radcliffe was asked if he would do another film to which he replied: "[It is] very doubtful. I think 10 years is a long time to spend with one character."[61] Despite devoting so much time to the series, Radcliffe has asserted that he did not miss out on a childhood like other child actors: "I’ve been given a much better perspective on life by doing Potter."[62]
2001–2009


Radcliffe at December Boys premiere in 2007
Radcliffe made his film debut in The Tailor of Panama, an American 2001 film based on John le Carré's 1996 spy novel, and a moderate commercial success.[25] In 2002 he made his stage debut as a celebrity guest in a West End theatre production of The Play What I Wrote, directed by Kenneth Branagh – who also appeared with him in the second Harry Potter film.[10][63] In 2007 he appeared in the film December Boys, an Australian family drama about four orphans that was shot in 2005 and released to theatres in mid-September 2007.[64] Also in 2007, Radcliffe co-starred with Carey Mulligan in My Boy Jack, a television drama film shown on ITV on Remembrance Day. The film received mostly positive reviews,[65] with several critics praising Radcliffe's performance as an 18-year-old who goes missing in action during a battle.[66][67][68] Radcliffe stated, "For many people my age, the First World War is just a topic in a history book. But I've always been fascinated by the subject and think it's as relevant today as it ever was."[69]


Radcliffe in Theater District, New York, 13 December 2008
At age 17, in a bid to show people he was not a kid any more,[1] he performed onstage in Peter Shaffer's play Equus, which had not been revived since its first run in 1973, at the Gielgud Theatre.[19] Radcliffe took on the lead role[63] as Alan Strang, a stable boy who has an obsession with horses. Advance sales topped £1.7 million, and the role generated significant pre-opening media interest, as Radcliffe appeared in a nude scene.[19][70] Equus opened on 27 February 2007 and ran until 9 June 2007.[63] Radcliffe's performance received positive reviews[71] as critics were impressed by the nuance and depth of his against-type role.[72] Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph wrote that he "displays a dramatic power and an electrifying stage presence that marks a tremendous leap forward." He added: "I never thought I would find the diminutive (but perfectly formed) Radcliffe a sinister figure, but as Alan Strang ... there are moments when he seems genuinely scary in his rage and confusion."[73] The production then transferred to Broadway in September 2008, with Radcliffe still in the lead role.[74][75] Radcliffe stated he was nervous about repeating the role on Broadway because he considered American audiences more discerning than those in London.[76] Radcliffe's performance was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.[77]
2010–present
After voicing a character in an episode of the animated television series The Simpsons in late 2010,[78] Radcliffe debuted as J. Pierrepont Finch in the 2011 Broadway revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, a role previously held by Broadway veterans Robert Morse and Matthew Broderick.[79] Other cast members included John Larroquette, Rose Hemingway and Mary Faber.[80] Both the actor and production received favourable reviews,[81] with USA Today commenting: "Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members, but by working in conscientious harmony with them – and having a blast in the process."[82] Radcliffe's performance in the show earned him Drama Desk Award, Drama League Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.[83][84][85] The production itself later received nine Tony Award nominations.[86] Radcliffe left the show on 1 January 2012.[87]
His first post-Harry Potter project was the 2012 horror film The Woman in Black, adapted from the 1983 novel by Susan Hill. The film was released on 3 February 2012 in the United States and Canada, and was released on 10 February in the UK. Radcliffe portrays a man sent to deal with the legal matters of a mysterious woman who has just died, and soon after he begins to experience strange events and hauntings from the ghost of a woman dressed in black.[88] He has said he was "incredibly excited" to be part of the film and described the script as "beautifully written".[89] Radcliffe's godson Mischa, the son of Thea Sharrock, who co-directed the revival of Equus with Radcliffe, portrayed Arthur's son in the film.[90]
He will portray American poet Allen Ginsberg in the upcoming thriller drama Kill Your Darlings, directed by John Krokidas.[91][92] Radcliffe's upcoming roles also include Wallace in The F Word,[93] Ig Perrish in Alexandre Aja's Horns,[94][95][96] and the character Igor in Frankenstein.[97]
From June 2012 to August 2013, Radcliffe performs at the Noël Coward Theatre in the stage play revival of Martin McDonagh's dark comedy The Cripple of Inishmaan as the lead, Billy Claven.[98]

In 2008, Radcliffe revealed that he suffers from a mild form of the neurological disorder dyspraxia. The motor skill disorder sometimes gets so bad that he has trouble doing simple activities, such as writing or tying his own shoelaces. "I was having a hard time at school, in terms of being crap at everything, with no discernible talent," Radcliffe commented.[99] In August 2010, he stopped drinking alcohol after finding himself becoming too reliant on it.[100]

In a 2012 interview, Radcliffe stated, "There was never [religious] faith in the house. I think of myself as being Jewish and Irish, despite the fact that I’m English."[8] He has also said, "I'm an atheist, and a militant atheist when religion starts impacting on legislation",[101] and that he is "very proud of being Jewish".[102][103][104]

Radcliffe is a supporter of the Labour Party.[105] Until 2012 Radcliffe had publicly supported the Liberal Democrats,[106] and before the 2010 UK general election Radcliffe endorsed Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader. In 2012, however, Radcliffe switched his allegiance to Labour, citing disappointment with the performance of Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems in government, and approving of the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.[105] At the age of sixteen, Radcliffe became the youngest non-royal ever to have an individual portrait in Britain's National Portrait Gallery (NPG). On 13 April 2006 his portrait, drawn by Stuart Pearson Wright, was unveiled as part of a new exhibition opening at the Royal National Theatre; it was then moved to the NPG where it resides.[107]

He is a fan of underground[108] and punk rock music,[109][110] and is a keen follower of cricket, including cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.[111][112] Writing short stories and poetry is also a passion.[113] In November 2007 Radcliffe published several poems under the pen name Jacob Gershon – a combination of his middle name and the Jewish version of his mother's maiden name Gresham – in Rubbish, an underground fashion magazine.[104][113] He enjoys a close friendship with his Harry Potter co-stars Tom Felton[108] and Emma Watson,[114] and is tight-knit with his family, whom he credits for keeping him grounded.[115]

Personal Life

     Radcliffe at the film premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 in Alice Tully Center, New York City in November 2010

Speaking out against homophobia, Radcliffe began filming public service announcements in 2009 for The Trevor Project, promoting awareness of gay teen suicide prevention.[116][117] He first learned of the organisation while working on Equus on Broadway in 2008[117] and has contributed financially to it.[118] "I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it," he said in a 2010 interview. In the same interview, he spoke of the importance of public figures advocating for equal rights.[117] Radcliffe considers his involvement to be one of the most important things in his career and,[116] for his work for the organisation, he was given the "Hero Award" in 2011.[116]

Radcliffe has supported various charities. He designed the Cu-Bed for Habitat's VIP Kids range (a cube made of eight smaller ones which can be made into a bed, chaise-longue or chair)[119] with all the royalties from the sale of the bed going directly to his favourite charity, Demelza House Children's Hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent.[120] Radcliffe has urged his fans to make donations, in lieu of Christmas presents to him, to the charity's Candle for Care program. In 2008 he was among several celebrities who donated their old glasses to an exhibit honouring victims of the Holocaust.[121] During the Broadway run of Equus he auctioned off a pair of jeans he wore in the show for "thousands of dollars", as well as other items worn in the show, for the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS "a New York-based nonprofit HIV/AIDS grant-making organisation".[122] He has also donated money to Get Connected UK, a London-based free confidential national helpline for troubled youth.[123]

Sources disagree about Radcliffe's personal wealth; he was reported to have earned £1 million for the first Harry Potter film[24] and around £15 million for the sixth.[11] Radcliffe appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List in 2006, which estimated his personal fortune to be £14 million, making him one of the richest young people in the UK.[124] In March 2009 he was ranked number one on the Forbes "Most Valuable Young Stars" list,[125] and by April The Daily Telegraph measured his net worth at £30m, making him the 12th richest young person in the UK.[126] Radcliffe was considered to be the richest teenager in England later that year.[11] In February 2010 he was named the sixth highest paid Hollywood male star[127] and placed at number five on Forbes's December list of Hollywood's highest-grossing actors[note 1] with a revenue of US$780 million, mainly due to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being released that year.[128] Despite previous predictions that Radcliffe would have amassed £70m by the time the Harry Potter series concluded,[126] the actor was reported to only have a wealth of £28.5 million in 2010. This still makes him richer than Princes William and Harry.[129] Despite his wealth, Radcliffe has said he does not have expensive tastes and that his main expense is buying books: "I read a lot."[130] He also stated that money would never be the focus of his life.[11]

source: Wikipedia

Emma Watson biography

Synopsis 

     Emma Watson is a British actress best known for her portrayal of Hermione in the hugely successful Harry Potter film franchise.


Early Life

     Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson was born on April 15, 1990, in Paris. Her parents, both British lawyers, are Jacqueline Luesby and Chris Watson. Her brother, Alex, was born three years later. Her parents divorced when Watson was five, and she moved back to Oxfordshire in England when Emma with her mother and brother.

Watson's natural instinct for acting first came out when she was seven, when she won a poetry competition for reciting James Reeves' "The Sea". 

Watson attended the Stagecoach Theatre Arts school at Oxford. She studied singing, acting and dancing, and performed in school plays. Watson had never acted professionally when her theater teachers suggested her to agents looking to cast an upcoming movie based on the first novel of the best-selling Harry Potter series. 

Nine-year-old Watson auditioned eight times for the role that would make her an international star. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who was deeply involved in the film process to make sure it stayed true to the book, wanted Watson for the role of Hermione from her first screen test.

Hermione Granger

     Watson sufficiently impressed casting agents and the film's producers, and won the role of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter's smart, bossy best friend and voice of reason. Harry Potter was portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint was cast as Ron Weasley, Harry's other best friend. The trio of British child actors would become known around the globe for their roles as young wizards fighting a battle between good and evil. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was released in November 2001.

Eleven-year-old Emma Watson's film debut was an enormous success. It grossed more than $974 million worldwide. On opening day in the United States, the film made a record-breaking $33.3 million.  It was nominated for three Academy Awards, and seven BAFTA Awards. Watson's performance received critical praise, and her status as an up-and-coming young film star was made.

For the next decade Watson stayed busy filming the Potter series. In 2002 she reprised the role of Hermione for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in 2004 for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and continued to star in the eight-part series through the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, in 2011.

Coming of Age

Though Watson's been closely identified with her Harry Potter character, as an adolescent the young actress wanted to be seen as more. In 2007 Emma Watson starred in another film based on a children's novel, Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield. The film was aired on BBC One, and with Watson in the lead role, garnered decent, if not stellar, reviews.

In 2008, Watson branched out into animated work, voicing the character of Princess Pea in The Tale of Despereaux.

Though they spent their adolescence on film sets, Watson and costars Radcliffe and Grint kept up with their lessons, with five hours of tutoring each day.  She took high school equivalency exams, and made high scores in every subject. Watson took a year off from school to film the final two Potter movies, but maintained that she was committed to furthering her education. Watson has tried hard to shed her child star image,

one that's so closely tied to the Potter franchise. “I have lived in a complete bubble. They found me and picked me for the part. And now I’m desperately trying to find my way through it,” she said in an interview with Vogue.

New Directions

As a teenager coming of age as an established movie star, Watson has also emerged as a fashionista. Her style has caught the eye of many major figures in the fashion industry. "I love fashion. I think it`s so important, because it's how you show yourself to the world," said Watson.

In September 2009 Watson announced that she was working with People Tree, a fashion label that promotes fair trade.  Watson catapulted into the world of high fashion and modeling when she was chosen as the face of Burberry's Autumn/Winter 2009 collection, and again for the 2010 Spring/Summer collection.

Watson took fans by surprise when she chopped off her long locks, and debuted a pixie haircut in August 2010. The new 'do helped her shed the child star image of her Potter days, and in July 2011, Watson graced the cover of Vogue. The next month, she starred in a commercial for Lancôme perfume.

Maintaining her commitment to her education, Watson enrolled as a freshman at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in the fall of 2009. Watson claimed she chose an American university over a British education because the American system allows students to study many subjects at once. Brown was also a place, Watson said, where she could more easily blend in. “I want to be normal,” she said. "I really want anonymity."

In March 2011 Watson announced that she was deferring her schooling to work on the Potter finale. In July 2011, Watson announced her plans to return to Brown for a year to complete her degree after studying at Oxford University in the fall. 

Whatever Watson chooses to do in the future, she has a head start on her peers, having earned $15 million a piece from just the last two Harry Potter films. Watson will star in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, slated for release in 2012— alongside her actor beau Johnny Simmons.

© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
source: http://www.biography.com/people/emma-watson-20660247

Infinity

   


     Infinity (symbol: ∞) refers to something without any limit, and is a concept relevant in a number of fields, predominantly mathematics and physics. The English word infinity derives from Latin infinitas, which can be translated as "unboundedness", itself derived from the Greek word apeiros, meaning "endless".[1]
In mathematics, "infinity" is often treated as if it were a number (i.e., it counts or measures things: "an infinite number of terms") but it is not the same sort of number as the real numbers. In number systems incorporating infinitesimals, the reciprocal of an infinitesimal is an infinite number, i.e., a number greater than any real number. Georg Cantor formalized many ideas related to infinity and infinite sets during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the theory he developed, there are infinite sets of different sizes (called cardinalities).[2] For example, the set of integers is countably infinite, while the set of real numbers is uncountably infinite.

History

Ancient cultures had various ideas about the nature of infinity. The ancient Indians and Greeks, unable to codify infinity in terms of a formalized mathematical system, approached infinity as a philosophical concept.

Early Greek

The earliest attestable accounts of mathematical infinity come from Zeno of Elea (c. 490 BCE? – c. 430 BCE?), a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher of southern Italy and member of the Eleatic School founded by Parmenides. Aristotle called him the inventor of the dialectic. He is best known for his paradoxes, described by Bertrand Russell as "immeasurably subtle and profound".

In accordance with the traditional view of Aristotle, the Hellenistic Greeks generally preferred to distinguish the potential infinity from the actual infinity; for example, instead of saying that there are an infinity of primes, Euclid prefers instead to say that there are more prime numbers than contained in any given collection of prime numbers (Elements, Book IX, Proposition 20).

However, recent readings of the Archimedes Palimpsest have hinted that Archimedes at least had an intuition about actual infinite quantities.

Early Indian

The Isha Upanishad of the Yajurveda (c. 4th to 3rd century BCE?) states that "if you remove a part from infinity or add a part to infinity, still what remains is infinity".

The Indian mathematical text Surya Prajnapti (c. 400 BCE) classifies all numbers into three sets: enumerable, innumerable, and infinite. Each of these was further subdivided into three orders:

Enumerable: lowest, intermediate, and highest

Innumerable: nearly innumerable, truly innumerable, and innumerably innumerable

Infinite: nearly infinite, truly infinite, infinitely infinite

In the Indian work on the theory of sets, two basic types of infinite numbers are distinguished. On both physical and ontological grounds, a distinction was made between asaṃkhyāta ("countless, innumerable") and ananta ("endless, unlimited"), between rigidly bounded and loosely bounded infinities.

source: Wikipedia