Jackman addresses gay rumors
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Australian actor Hugh Jackman says persistent rumors claiming he is gay are starting to irritate Deborra-Lee Furness, his wife of nearly 17 years.
"Just recently, it bugs her," Jackman told The Hollywood Reporter, noting his spouse sees a lot of the gossip when she is surfing online. "She goes: 'It's big. It's everywhere!'"
"I have seen him with Deborra since the beginning of their trip to Hollywood, and I've been on five movie sets with him and have never seen him stray, have never seen him eye anyone. I met him when he did 'Oklahoma!' [at London's Royal National Theatre in 1999]. He was genuine, hugely talented. He was in love with his wife that day and still is," producer Lauren Shuler Donner, with whom Jackman worked on the "X-Men" movie franchise, told the entertainment industry trade newspaper.
Jackman is up for the Best Actor Oscar for his work in the movie musical, "Les Miserables."
Injured Lady Gaga cancels rest of concert tour; will undergo surgery
NEW YORK, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. pop star Lady Gaga has canceled the rest of her Born This Way Ball Tour after suffering a labral tear of the right hip, Live Nation announced.
The singer earlier this week scrapped three shows, explaining she is suffering from severe inflammation of the joints and can't walk.
"After additional tests this morning to review the severity of the issue, it has been determined that Lady Gaga has a labral tear of the right hip," said a statement posted on the recording artist's Little Monsters fan website late Wednesday.
"She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict down time to recover. This unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour, so she can heal. Refunds for the canceled performances will be available at point of purchase."
Paperback editions of 'Harry Potter' books will feature new cover art
NEW YORK, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Paperback editions of the "Harry Potter" bestsellers featuring new cover art are to be released in September, U.S. publisher Scholastic announced.
The new versions of the fantasy books are to hit shelves in time for the 15th anniversary of the U.S. publication of the first book in the seven-novel series, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
"The brilliant artist Kazu Kibuishi offers his unique vision of the world of Harry Potter, making each cover an incredible adventure that will transport new readers just discovering Harry Potter for the first time directly into the rich world of J.K. Rowling's imagination," Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade Publishing, said in a statement Wednesday.
"The Harry Potter covers by Mary GrandPre are so fantastic and iconic," Kibuishi said. "When I was asked to submit samples, I initially hesitated because I didn't want to see them reinterpreted. However, I felt that if I were to handle the project, I could bring something to it that many other designers and illustrators probably couldn't, and that was that I was also a writer of my own series of middle grade fiction.
"As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, 'If I were the author of the books -- and they were like my own children -- how would I want them to be seen years from now?' When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how those illustrations tend to feel. In a way, the project became a tribute to both Harry Potter and the literary classics."
GrandPre's original covers will continue to be featured on the U.S. hardcover and digest paperback editions of the books.
Scholastic also announced it will release in November the first boxed set of the complete Hogwarts Library in the United States, including "Quidditch Through the Ages," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."
'Thrift Shop' No. 1 on U.S. record chart for fourth week
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop" featuring Wanz is No. 1 on the U.S. record chart for a fourth week, Billboard.com reported Thursday.
Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 is Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven," followed by Will.i.am and Britney Spears' "Scream & Shout" at No. 3, the Lumineers' "Ho Hey" at No. 4 and Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" at No. 5.
Rounding out the top tier are Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child" featuring John Martin at No. 6, Maroon 5's "Daylight" at No. 7, Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay Z at No. 8, Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man" at No. 9 and Justin Bieber's "Beauty and a Beat" featuring Nicki Minaj at No. 10.
