'Jack' kills at the weekend box office
LOS ANGELES, March 3 (UPI) -- "Jack the Giant Slayer," starring Nicholas Hoult and Ewan McGregor, slew the competition, winning the weekend box office race with $28.01 million.
"Identity Thief," starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, was second with $9.706 million.
All studio estimates of gross North American receipts are via Box Office Mojo.
"21 and Over" was third with $9 million; "The Last Exorcism Part II" fourth with $8.03 million; "Snitch" fifth with $7.7 million; "Safe Haven" sixth with $6.3 million; "Escape From Planet Earth" seventh with $6.276 million; "Silver Linings Playbook" eighth with $5.941 million; "'A Good Day to Die Hard" ninth with $4.5 million.
"Dark Skies" was 10th with $3.556 million.
'Downton Abbey' adds 6 actors to cast
LONDON, March 3 (UPI) -- "Downton Abbey" producers said they have hired six new actors for the show's fourth season.
The new cast members will include Tom Cullen as Lord Gillingham, an old Crawley family friend, Nigel Harman as a visiting valet and Dame Harriet Walters as Lady Shackleton, a friend of the Dowager, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will be playing a singing house guest, Joanna David will guest star as the Duchess of Yeovil and Julian Ovenden will star as the aristocrat Charles Blake, The Reporter said.
"'Downton Abbey' has seen many great characters visit the house over the years and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome the new faces that will be joining the regular cast of Downton in series 4," Downton executive producer Gareth Neame said Saturday in a statement. "We hope audiences will be as excited about them as we are."
"Downton Abbey" is produced by NBC Universal's Carnival Films has has won two Emmys, two Golden Golbes and a Screen Actors Guild award.
Bieber gets over 'worst birthday'
LONDON, March 3 (UPI) -- After having the "worst birthday," pop star Justin Bieber cheered himself up by performing at Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England, officials say.
While celebrating his 19th birthday Friday, Bieber and his entourage were booted from London club Cirque du Soir after an employee at the club smelled marijuana, The Mirror reported.
After the incident, Bieber tweeted "worst birthday," and retreated to his hotel room.
A spokesman for the club said the incident was actually over some members of Bieber's crew being under age.
"We, like all clubs in London, operate a strict age policy," the spokesman told E! News. "As a few of the members of the party were under the suitable age of 18, the security team at Cirque Du Soir, London, clearly explained this rule and refused entry to the club for anyone who could not provide us with adequate proof of age."
"Justin Bieber visits Cirque Du Soir regularly, and he and his friends are always welcome, as long the members of the group are legally old enough to enter the club. This was simply a matter of regulation that we must adhere to," the spokesman added.
On Saturday, the singer donned gold gloves and metal wings to perform in front of thousands of screaming fans at Capital FM Arena, The Mirror said.
Afterward, Bieber tweeted: "Nottingham thanks for being there for me to tonight. Love u. #BELIEVEtour."
'Modern Family' cast gets stuck on elevator
KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 3 (UPI) -- Three "Modern Family" cast members were rescued from an elevator at a Kansas City, Mo., hotel after being stuck for about an hour, officials said.
Actors Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson were at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center Friday night for a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City when they became stuck in an elevator with 12 other people, The Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported.
Officials said rescue workers had to work their way down from the 40th floor to reach and free the trapped people.
The stars of the ABC comedy were supposed to appear on stage at 9 p.m., but were not freed until 10 p.m.
Once on stage, they thanked the Kansas City Fire Department for getting them out of the elevator.
As he left the stage, Stonestreet said: "Have a great night and don't use the elevators!"
