Spike Lee at the Sundance Film Festival
Photo: MTV News

The combination of Barack Obama, Will Smith and Spike Lee sounds like a winning ticket on any ballot, be it at the box office or beyond.

But according to the noted Brooklyn filmmaker — despite Obama's comments about his and Smith's similar ears and the Fresh Prince's own lobbying to play the president-elect — a movie involving all three would never happen.

"Not doing it," Lee told MTV News on Friday (January 16) during the Sundance Film Festival. "Everybody and their mama is doing a documentary on Obama."

The "Do the Right Thing" director also added that he's not interested in doing a project on Vice President-elect Joseph Biden either. "It's not an interest for me," he said. "I'd love to see them, but it's not something that I want to do."

Besides, Lee noted, Smith doesn't actually want to portray Barack Obama in a movie — he actually wants to be the president of the United States.

"Will wasn't joking," Lee said, laughing.

In past interviews, Smith has often explained that if he sets his mind on something, he truly believes he can achieve it.

"Obama beat him to the punch," Lee said. "They'll still let him run, though, if he wants. You gotta speak to Will, I guess. I can't speak for him."

Lee is set to host a symposium on Monday at Howard University centered on the inauguration of America's first black president.

"Be the Change: Live From the Inaugural" will air live on MTV on Tuesday, January 20, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. MTV News will have wall-to-wall coverage of the event and of the scenes in Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Kenya in the days leading up to the event and in the days that follow.

• MTV Rough Cut: 2009 Sundance Edition

• Will Smith

Will Smith at the premiere of "Seven Pounds" on Tuesday
Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage

The "Seven Pounds" premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday night brought out everyone from the movie's stars, Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, to Smith's "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" co-stars Tatyana Ali and Alfonso Ribeiro, who revealed that he and Smith are still tight, even though their show ended in 1996.

"Will has the same core group of friends that he had when he started, all the guys from Philly," Ribeiro told MTV News. "We worked together for many years, and we maintained our friendship ever since. Will's not that guy [to leave people behind]. He really cares. If you're a part of the family, you're in forever — you can't get out."

The pair made everyone laugh on the sitcom, but Ribeiro said that Smith's performance in the movie is light-years away from the wacky kid from Philly he played on "Fresh Prince." "I think it's probably one of the most tender performances Will has ever given," Ribeiro said.

Smith also got serious for a moment when he talked about how the film has changed him. "One of the central ideas of this film is, it's a man who made a huge mistake," he told MTV News. "The film is the process of him trying to get his life back together."

He added that playing a guy who is trying to atone for his sins by helping strangers has taught him that "if you can attach to a higher purpose, your life has a meaning, your life has a connection to other people, that because you woke up today, somebody else's life is better — that is the key to that ultimate joy and the ultimate self-esteem."

He disputed the gossip claiming that he found the love scenes with his co-star Rosario Dawson hard to shoot. "No, no that's a rumor, man!" he joked.

But someone who wasn't joking about their intimate moments together onscreen was Dawson. She's currently hard at work on the movie "Parts Per Billion" with Robert Pattinson, whom she calls "amazing."

"[Will's] actually really shy. Not [about] his physique, but doing the love scene was a revelation," she told MTV News. "It was very sweet to see him being like, 'What should I do? ... Maybe my wife should be there. I'm a little nervous. I don't want to be that guy.' "

She said she was afraid he was delaying their onscreen love-fest because he wasn't attracted to her. "It was the thing we talked about consistently when making this film. He kept pushing it until the end of the schedule. He rescheduled our kiss, like, twice. I was starting to get to the point where I thought maybe it was me," she said. "It was getting really weird. And then on the day, he was like, 'Yeah, we're going to get this scene.' And I was like, 'You're just really nervous.' ... And that's just so endearing."

Check out everything we've got on "Seven Pounds."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, More At The "Seven Pounds" L.A. Premiere
• "Seven Pounds"

• Will Smith

Will Smith
Photo: Chris Gordon/ Getty Images

Forget "Frost/Nixon" and "W." There's only one presidential biopic worth talking about as far as Will Smith is concerned, and that's "Obama."

For months now, the president-elect and the world's biggest box-office star have been joking about a potential movie, which will probably never be made. Or will it?

"That would be fantastic," Smith said of the prospect of playing Barack Obama. The actor, who is no stranger to iconic portrayals of historical figures (see "Ali"), told MTV News, "There are so many aspects of that story that people don't know — that people would love to."

Sounds cool, right? Well, don't order your tickets just yet for this flick. You've heard of movies being in development hell? The cause of this delay will be a four-year term or, if Smith has his way, even longer. "We'll release it at the end of eight years," laughed the actor, currently promoting his latest film, "Seven Pounds."

Of course, this isn't the first time Smith has shared his enthusiasm for the project. When MTV News discussed the potential film with Smith over the summer, the superstar was intrigued by the idea of portraying the then-candidate but said it was premature. Asked what it would take to get him onboard, Smith replied, "As soon as he writes the end of the story."

When MTV News recently talked to Smith about his promise, he insisted that while the ending has been written, he wants to give Obama some time to, you know, be president. "He wrote a fantastic ending. I'm going to give him eight years, though," he said. "I don't know if I'll be too old in eight years, but we'll give it a shot."

There is one particular body part that Smith is sure makes him a shoo-in for the part. "It's right here," Smith said over the summer, pointing to his prominent ears. "That's the key. America loves ears, you know? Mickey Mouse started it; Goofy and Dumbo followed behind. And America just loves the ears."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• Will Smith

Will Smith
Photo: MTV News

Will Smith has played Muhammad Ali, a man in black keeping the world safe from alien invaders, the last person on Earth and, in his new movie "Hancock," a boozy superhero with image problems.

But is the king of the Fourth of July opening ready for the biggest role of his career: Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama? In a word, yes.

	Who do you think should play Barack Obama? Comment below, or upload your response video at fnmtv.com. We'll put the best comments and videos on TV!

"It's right here," Smith said, holding up his legendarily prominent ears, which are not unlike Obama's lobes. "That's the key. That's the key. America loves ears, you know? Mickey Mouse started it; Goofy and Dumbo followed behind. And America just loves the ears."

All kidding aside, Smith said he's more than willing to sign on for a biographical retelling of the Obama life story, but, he said, not until the tale has a Hollywood-worthy third act. "As soon as he writes the end of the story," Smith said.

Unlike some of his fellow action brethren, though, such as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Smith said he's content to keep his political aspirations confined to the screen. Reminded that Obama has yet to pick a running mate, Smith demurred, saying that's not his game. "Naw, I ... you know, I enjoy being in the movie-star position," he said. "Movie stars tend to have a little bit higher approval rating than politicians."

Back in November, during his MTV/MySpace Presidential Dialogue, Obama was asked who he would like to see play him in a biopic. After asking forum co-host and MTV VJ Sway if he'd be interested in the gig — who turned him down when Obama said he'd have to get a haircut — the senator said Smith would be the right choice, if only because "his ears match mine."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• Will Smith

Jessica Alba
Photo: Simon Fergusson/Getty Images

'Tis the season to get engaged, apparently. A day after it was revealed that Fergie and Josh Duhamel are going to be wed comes news that Jessica Alba is engaged to producer Cash Warren, the father of the child the "Awake" actress is expecting. The couple are expecting their first child in late spring or early summer, although a wedding date has yet to be revealed. ...

Miley Cyrus has donated a personalized, autographed Philadelphia 76ers jersey to an auction benefitting charities chosen by the NBA team. The singer/actress also known as Hannah Montana recently performed at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center, the same arena where the Sixers play. At press time, bidding for the jersey was at $520. ...

What do Jay-Z, Sammy Hagar, Mel Gibson, Hugh Grant and 50 Cent have in common? All five made the cut on Forbes' list of Biggest Celebrity Paydays of 2007. Fiddy came in second, thanks to the Vitamin Water deal that netted him $100 million, while Jay-Z made $82 million (before taxes) when he sold Rocawear to Iconix Brand Group. Hagar earned almost as much — $80 million — when Gruppo Campari bought his Cabo Wabo tequila brand. ...

Madonna's directorial debut will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, which will take place in Germany on February 7-17. Madge's short-form comedy "Filth and Wisdom" counts among its stars Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hutz, who also starred alongside Elijah Wood in "Everything Is Illuminated." ... In related news, there's cause for Madonna and Green Day to celebrate: Amazon's DRM-free downloads store began selling tunes from the Warner Music Group catalog starting Thursday (December 27), according to Billboard.biz. The development means all four major labels have now committed to eliminating DRM from their catalogs. WMG will also sell additional digital products, including album bundles with exclusive tracks, through Amazon. ...

Don't mess with Trey Songz. Videos circulating online show the R&B singer lashing out at a fan who apparently threw ice at him during a recent concert. As seen in the clips, Trey Songz tells the DJ to cut the music after the objects are thrown, and he then leaps into the crowd with his bodyguard to go after the fan. He is later seen apologizing to the women in the crowd for the disruption. ...

Good news for Brandy: An unnamed California Highway Patrol source reportedly told TMZ.com that the woman who died in a 2006 car crash involving the singer may have actually caused the crash herself. As officials continue to consider filing vehicular manslaughter charges over the December 2006 accident that took the life of Awatef Aboudihaj, the source told TMZ that rather than being the cause of the accident, Brandy may have been a victim of the pileup. According to the sources, Aboudihaj struck the vehicle in front of her and then slammed on her brakes, which caused Brandy to hit the woman's car. The city attorney has until the end of the day Friday to file criminal charges against Brandy in the incident. In the meantime, Brandy is still facing a $50 million wrongful-death suit from Aboudihaj's family. ...

Never afraid to take the unpopular position, TV physician Dr. Phil McGraw told People magazine that he thinks Lynne Spears is doing a great job raising her kids, despite the current controversy over 16-year-old Jamie Lynn's pregnancy. "We know the Spears family, particularly the parents," he told the magazine. "An asset that Britney and Jamie Lynn both have is a great and dedicated mother." McGraw admitted that his friend Lynne Spears is "troubled right now" but is "really looking for the positives in this." The good doctor's wife, Robin, said of the Spears clan, "They're a very strong, close-knit family. ... They're relying on each other." Just days later, Us Magazine reported that the father of the Spears girls, Jamie Spears, was still so "furious" with reports that his ex-wife arranged a $1 million deal with OK! Magazine for the story on Jamie Lynn's pregnancy, that he didn't spend Christmas with his ex-wife or daughter and instead stayed in Los Angeles and worked. ...

It sounds like Rivers Cuomo may have a bigger vault than we thought. The Weezer frontman told Billboard that he would like to release a sequel to Alone -- The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, the solo demos disc that came out last week. "I would love to put out at least one more," he told the magazine. "I'm talking with the record company [now] to figure out what's the best way for me to get more of this stuff out, and if they're gonna be involved or not. But it's certainly my hope to put out as much of this stuff as I can." Cuomo is also working on what he called a "deep and detailed" memoir covering the years from Weezer's formation in 1992 to the release of their self-titled debut in 1994. He expects to spend another year working on the book before turning it in to the publisher. ...

A man who adopted a rock-star alter ego pulled a gun at a Vancouver, Washington, convenience store on Christmas Eve, after several hours of harassing patrons in the quick stop and other local businesses. According to Portland, Oregon's KPTV, the man — who has not been identified — called himself "Ozzy Osbourne" when he pulled out the gun and threatened to shoot a clerk at the convenience store. Paramedics transported the man to a nearby hospital. ... Dredg have begun writing material for their next album. A statement from the band claims the recording should start before the end of winter, and the group will be on tour in the spring. Songs expected to make the final cut include "Gathering Pebbles," "Mourning This Morning" and "McGuffin." ...

The Anti-Defamation League has come to the defense of actor Will Smith following comments he made about Adolf Hitler during a recent interview with a Scottish newspaper. Smith has claimed his words were twisted, and the ADL has accepted the actor's explanation. "We welcome [his] statement that Hitler was a 'vicious killer' and that he did not mean for his remarks about the Nazi leader to be mistaken as praise," the group said in a statement, according to multiple reports. The ADL also praised Smith for taking "immediate steps to clarify his words and condemn Hitler."

12.27.07

Josh Duhamel is about to "transform" into Fergie's husband — the couple are engaged, according to TMZ.com. The actor reportedly popped the question recently to the singer. ... Radiohead and Al Gore, a match made in heaven? The band has taped an hour-long performance of In Rainbows and other material that will air Tuesday exclusively in the U.S. on Current TV, which was co-created by the Nobel Peace Prize winner. The pre-recorded performance will air commercial-free at midnight, 1 a.m., 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., with Current.com also broadcasting it at 12 a.m. ...

With a not-so-subtle message, My Chemical Romance appear to have pulled the plug on their alter-ego band, the Black Parade. The Web site for the fictional group, which MCR toured as in support of the album of the same name, now depicts a ghostly flat-line on a heart monitor, the phrase "00 BMP" and the word "Flatline" in the title bar of the page. MCR do not reference the cryptic message on their own site, and a spokesperson could not be reached for comment at press time. The medical terminology on the Black Parade site ties in with the album's iconography and story line, which revolve around a central character called "the Patient" who dies during the course of the album. ...

Paris Hilton has voiced a desire to participate in philanthropic efforts, but charity might be coming in the way of her potential inheritance, Reuters reports. The hotel heiress' grandfather Barron Hilton is reportedly planning to put 97 percent of his $2.3 billion fortune into a charitable trust. ...

Lindsay Lohan insists she did not drink before the 2005 car crash for which she is being sued. According to The Associated Press, the starlet said in a mid-December declaration that she "did not consume an alcoholic beverage or any type of medication or drug" before or during her visit to the Ivy, a restaurant located in West Hollywood, California. Upon leaving the location, Lohan hit a parked van owned by Raymundo Ortega, who later accused her of negligence and drinking. Attorneys for the restaurant filed Lohan's declaration Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, and they also filed a declaration by Adam Novicki, the waiter who served her that night and has claimed Lohan — who was underage at the time — didn't order alcohol. Ortega is seeking $200,000, while Lohan is asking more than $75,000 in a countersuit she filed in October. ...

Hinder frontman Austin John Winkler was arrested in Jonesboro, Arkansas, last week on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to the Jonesboro Sun. The 26-year-old singer was stopped by police on Friday after his SUV was spotted driving late at night with no headlights. Police reportedly smelled a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle, and Winkler told them he had drank two glasses of wine. He later confessed to consuming four glasses of wine in a four-hour period and was booked. He's scheduled to appear in Craighead County District Court on January 2 to answer to the charge. ...

Though she's no star, Chicago native Jean Johnson also had a recent run-in with police — she spent Christmas in jail after being busted for using her cell phone to snap photos of of R. Kelly in the courtroom last week. AP reports that the 49-year-old pleaded guilty to contempt of court on Monday, after landing in jail over the holiday weekend, and though a judge sentenced her to five days in jail, she was released and given credit for time served. The judge also ordered that the self-described "biggest fan" of the singer destroy the cell phone she used to take the pictures. "I feel stupid," Johnson said. "I just got carried away. I'm a big fan of R. Kelly. I wanted it so that every time my phone rang, I could open it up and he'd be right there." Johnson said she didn't realize cameras weren't allowed in courtrooms. ...

Even with high-profile (and high-priced) reunion tours by the Police, Van Halen and Genesis that brought in big bucks, the North American concert business had its worst year since 2004. Preliminary data from Pollstar reports that the top 20 tours rang up $996 million, which was down more than 15 percent from 2006. Ranking fourth on Pollstar's list of top-grossing tours of all time, the outing by the Police topped the 2007 chart with tickets sales of $131.9 million, followed by Kenny Chesney with $71.1 million and Justin Timberlake with $70.6 million. Pollstar editors credited the dip to a combination of some major acts setting conservative ticket prices and the fact that only two acts (the Police and Chesney) sold more than 1 million tickets in 2007, versus four hitting that mark in 2006. And though it got the most press, the impossible-to-get-tickets-for tour by Miley Cyrus came in at #15 on the year-end chart, at $36 million, with Pollstar suggesting that tickets were possibly underpriced at an average of $54 a piece. Frantic parents who paid scalpers five or six times that much per ticket might disagree. ...

Toby Keith and members of his family have been awarded $2.8 million in damages over the vehicle crash that claimed the life of his father, H.K. Covel, in 2001. The chartered bus that hit Covel's truck was in urgent need of brake repairs, and its owners had been advised of the problem, the lawyer who represented Keith's family had argued, according to AP. ... Actor Will Smith has gone on the defensive following recent comments he made about Adolf Hitler. The "I Am Legend" actor was quoted in Scottish newspaper the Daily Record as saying, "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.' " The comments were preceded by the sentence, "Remarkably, Will believes everyone is basically good." Smith claims his words were misinterpreted and has issued a statement, saying, "It is an awful and disgusting lie. It speaks to the dangerous power of an ignorant person with a pen. I am incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such ludicrous misinterpretation. Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous, vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet." ...

Chuck Norris is not amused. The tough guy actor and booster of Republican Mike Huckabee's bid for the White House filed suit against Penguin Books on Friday over the satirical book "The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World's Greatest Human." The book contains such "facts" as "Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried," and "Chuck Norris is the only person on the planet who can kick you in the back of the face." According to Reuters, the lawsuit claims that the book — which was released in November and is based on a popular list that's been bouncing around the Internet since 2005 — unfairly exploits the born-again action star's famous name and that some of the facts are "racist, lewd or portray Mr. Norris as engaged in illegal activities." The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages for trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and privacy rights.

• Brandy
• Britney Spears
• Rivers Cuomo
• Will Smith
• Jay-Z

Madonna
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Time to pucker up for Madonna's next album — Billboard.com reports that the singer has settled on the title for it: Licorice. The effort, which will reportedly feature "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On" (featuring Pharrell), is due in late April and will be Madge's last effort for longtime label Warner Bros. Kanye West is said to be a guest on "The Beat Goes On," according to the site, which also reports that Madonna's vintage track "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" will get an update on the new disc. ...

Jessica Sierra pleaded not guilty on Thursday (December 6) to charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest and violating conditions of her parole on earlier felony battery and possession charges, according to The Associated Press. The former "American Idol" finalist was arrested early Sunday morning outside a bar in Ybor City, near Tampa, Florida, after causing an unspecified disturbance while working inside the establishment. Sierra's lawyer reportedly said he is consulting with doctors to map out a comprehensive drug and alcohol plan for the ex-"Idol" contestant, who is currently being held without bail. Sierra is to remain in jail at least until her next hearing on December 20. ...

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is ... and Relient K will help anchor next year's Warped Tour, according to Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last and the Bronx are also among the first 18 bands named for the summer trek, with the dates yet to be announced. ... Speaking of summer fests, Bonnaroo will take place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tennessee, Billboard.com reports. The lineup will be revealed in late January or early February. ... Your chance to download Radiohead's In Rainbows is about to end. The band has announced that the InRainbows.com Web site will close Saturday. But you can still plunk down $80 for the box set at Radiohead's online w.a.s.t.e. store, while supplies last. ...

Ne-Yo and Macy Gray are joining Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and others as they pitch in for presidential aspirant Senator Barack Obama. Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls will play at an Obama fundraiser in Universal City, California, on Monday, while Gray, Tweedy and others will perform at the senator's Friday event in Obama's hometown of Chicago. On a related note, Wilco will set out for a two-week U.S. tour in February. ... Paris, you've got nothing on Britney — Spears outdid Hilton on eBay in terms of related items sold this year. AP reports that 34,345 Brit-related items were sold, compared with 27,377 for Paris. A mere 8,099 items related to Lindsay Lohan were auctioned, while on the movies front, "Transformers" beat out Harry Potter with 442,342 and 344,825 related items sold, respectively. ...

Indie-rockers, state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists are finding themselves on the same side, oddly enough — some of them are reportedly peeved about an ad for Camel cigarettes that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue, Pitchfork reports. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has stopped promotions for its "The Farm" marketing campaign after nine attorneys general sued the company over the ads, according to North Carolina's Winston-Salem Journal. More states are reportedly expected to also sue R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., which could face a fine of more than $100 million for violating a 1998 agreement between 46 states and tobacco manufacturers. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement banned the use of cartoons to sell market cigarettes in 1997, effectively killing off Joe Camel. Also being debated, according to Pitchfork, are Camel-sponsored concerts that have featured the Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and the Faint. ...

Alicia Keys will ring in the new year with a performance on the roof of New York's Rockefeller Center as part of Carson Daly's shindig on NBC, People.com reports. The show, which will air December 31 at 11:35 p.m. ET, will also feature Lenny Kravitz performing in Times Square. Keys will sing two songs from her latest album, As I Am. ... LL Cool J, Rev Run, Petra Nemcova, Brett Ratner and other celebs have ponied up items for an ongoing online charity auction staged by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. "Diamonds Give" features 15 lots of donated diamond pieces and runs through December 16 on eBay. ...

It sounds like U2 might be going back to the future on their upcoming album. The band, which flirted with dance beats and techno on such albums as 1991's Achtung Baby, is incorporating trance, metal and Moroccan influences on its new disc, according to an interview with Bono in The Independent. The singer said fans will "feel the difference. ... Normally when you play a U2 tune, it clears the dance floor. And that may not be true of this. There's some trance influences." He also said the yet-untitled and unscheduled album has some "very hardcore guitar" and "real molten metal" from guitarist the Edge that doesn't sound "like anything we've ever done before, and we don't think it sounds like anything anyone else has done either." Though he wouldn't categorize the album as "world" music, Bono said its sound was inspired in part by a religious music festival the guys attended in Fez, Morocco, where they were exposed to Sufi music. "It was a real humbling thing for a punk-rock shouter, listening to these people who just close their eyes for 40 minutes and sing the most sophisticated melodies." So far, U2 have recorded enough material for two records, he added. ...

Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson recently hung with locals, bathed in an irrigation ditch in their boxers and visited an orphanage in Peru this week, according to AP. An image that surfaced shows the two, who reportedly stayed at a cheap hotel room that cost less than $50 per night, smiling and waving in Cuzco. Cameron Diaz, Bill Gates and others visited the area earlier this year. ... Courtney Love has a new video on her hands ... kind of. A clip featuring manga character Princess Ai — whose universe of properties was co-created by Love — will premiere at the New York Anime Festival on Saturday. "Princess Ai: Broken Leash," which includes live action, animation and music, will appear as part of a CD/DVD anthology due in fall 2008. ... It's hard to keep old punks down. After their recent reunion tour of England this year, punk grandfathers the Sex Pistols will hit the road again next summer, according to Reuters. Guitarist Steve Jones did not give any specifics about the 2008 tour on his Los Angeles radio show on Wednesday, other than to say that the group might play an upcoming charity show at London's Royal Albert Hall organized by Who singer Roger Daltrey. ...

And the battle over James Brown's estate goes on. According to AP, two former trustees for the late singer's estate say the judge who is handling the disputes made them resign in late November. In recently filed court documents, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley reportedly said they want to retract their resignations and that South Carolina Circuit Judge Jack Early used "improper judicial influence." They are also seeking for the appointment of their successors to be overturned.

12.5.07

Unlike Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie, Kiefer Sutherland is not getting off easy with his DUI — the "24" actor has been sentenced to 48 days in a Los Angeles County jail for his September 24 arrest and violating his probation. The actor must start serving his sentence at the Glendale City Jail prior to March 30, UsMagazine.com reports. He has also been sentenced to five years of probation, must finish a year-and-a-half-long alcohol-education program and go to weekly therapy sessions for a half-year. Sutherland, who had a previous DUI before his fall arrest, had been pulled over by police after making an illegal U-turn and reportedly blew twice the legal blood-alcohol level during a breathalyzer test. He issued a statement after entering a no-contest plea in early October, saying, "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox." ... Contrasting with Sutherland's devastating news, Richie caught a break on Wednesday when her court-mandated anti-drinking program granted the socialite a leave of absence, according to People. Coordinators at the program were reportedly worried for Richie's safety, with her rep saying such leaves of absence are granted to people with medical conditions and that she did not get special treatment. Richie is eight months pregnant and has to complete the 18-month program as part of her DUI plea deal ...

Bad news for Vanessa Hudgens: A Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday (December 5) that a breach-of-contract suit by her former lawyer can go forward, according to CBS News. Brian L. Schall is suing the "The High School Musical" star for breach of contract, although Hudgens has argued that she was a minor at the time she signed the agreement and therefore isn't bound to it. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Tricia Ann Bigelow said the matter of Hudgens disaffirming her contractual obligations within a reasonable time period is a "factual issue," and that Hudgens' decision to wait until she was 18 years and 9 months old to reject the contract is an issue for either a jury decision or a motion for summary judgment. The next hearing in the case is slated for January 15. ... Lindsay Lohan might be facing another setback too: Raymundo Ortega, the busboy who is seeking $200,000 in damages stemming from Lohan's collision with his van in October 2005, says he has proof the starlet was drinking before the crash, according to The Associated Press. He reportedly filed papers Tuesday. ...

An interview with T.I. that was conducted prior to his October arrest on gun charges appears in the December/January issue of Rap-Up magazine, which features him and Nicole Scherzinger on alternate covers. The rapper said he has a new urban-clothing line on the way — called "A King of Oneself" — and also revealed his interest in a different type of endeavor: commercial construction. "I want to build a Home Depot or a Wal-Mart, shopping centers," he told the mag. Tip cited Tupac as the rapper who had the most influence on him growing up — and called out some other big names for keeping him out of trouble. "Sometimes I be wildin' out, then [Suge Knight says,] 'Man, you got too much going on, you can't do that. It ain't like the old days,' " said the rapper, who is currently under house arrest. "[Jay-Z] will tell me the same thing, [Diddy] tell me the same thing, Kevin Liles — everybody trying. Wyclef is another one. People, I guess, just care." ...

For her part, Nicole Scherzinger named Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson as the singers she admires the most. She also talked about someone else you may have heard of — Kanye West — and why the tracks he produced for her solo debut didn't make the cut. "I wasn't able to really finish them in time," said the singer, whose Her Name Is Nicole LP is due January 29. "When I have the right time and the right album, I wanna finish those songs. There was talks of putting Common on one of them." Scherzinger also talked about shooting her "Whatever U Like" video with the other Rap-Up cover artist, T.I. "When we did the video it was crazy 'cause we were all up in each other's grills, like [director] Paul Hunter really made us go there, but it was great. He's a professional. Paul was making us tug on each other; we were hard-core for a hot second." ...

Jay-Z celebrated his 38th birthday with Beyoncé in Paris on Tuesday, according to People.com. The couple reportedly holed up in a hotel suite, took a drive around the city, ate at L'Avenue restaurant and caught a cabaret show. ... Pete Wentz, Chris Brown, the Jonas Brothers and Corbin Bleu all made Teen magazine's list of the 50 Hottest Guys in Hollywood — but Zac Efron takes the cake by topping the bunch. ... Keira Knightley stripped down for the revealing cover of the latest issue of Interview magazine. "How does that always happen?" the "Atonement" actress asked herself, in the interview, of taking off her clothes. "Because I say yes, I suppose." ...

Styles P, Hurricane Chris and Fabolous will bring some yuletide cheer to Russell Simmons and Rev Run's eighth annual Youth Holiday Party in New York on Tuesday, with MTV News' own Sway acting as one of the emcees. For the festivities, the Simmons brothers and their Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation will turn the Fillmore at Irving Plaza into a winter wonderland, raffling off prizes like an Xbox 360 and tickets to a taping of "106 & Park." Kids will also get Target gift cards. ...

Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

Deerhunter, Black Dice, Fischerspooner and others have chipped in unreleased new songs for Living Bridge, a two-CD collection of songs by bands who have previously recorded at Brooklyn, New York's Rare Book Room Studio. The 25-song package will hit stores February 26 and christen Rare Book Room Records, a new label. ... The Breeders will be back in '08 with a new disc hitting stores April 8. Mountain Battles will arrive six years after the band's previous effort, Title TK, which the band took nine years to put out following its most successful album, 1993's Last Splash. The Pixies-affiliated group is also due to tour throughout the year, hitting up South by Southwest and Coachella along the way. ... Peaches will sweeten up New Year's Eve this year by counting down the clock in downtown Los Angeles as part of Hard NYE's bash. She will also perform, as will Justice. ...

Paula Abdul was a "disaster" on "Saturday Night Live" when she hosted the show two years ago — so says Tina Fey in the January issue of Playboy. "I was pregnant at the time and probably a little moody, but I remember thinking, 'She's a disaster!' " Fey said. ... Vivica A. Fox booked herself on Wednesday on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports. A judge ordered on Monday that the actress be booked or face a bench warrant. ... Charges were dropped against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers after he apologized for creating a drunken fracas at an airport in Ireland earlier this year. The actor, who faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace, said through his lawyer that he intends to make a donation to an unspecified charity. ...

The one guy who seemed kind of charmed by Borat's antics in last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has joined the parade of people suing the fake Kazakh reporter. According to Reuters, driving instructor Michael Psenicska's suit against the film's makers and star Sacha Baron Cohen claims that he was tricked into participating in a film that he was led to believe was a "documentary about the integration of foreign people into the American way of life." Psenicska said he was paid $500 in cash to give Borat a driving lesson and described the experience as "surreal," saying Cohen drove erratically down residential streets, drank alcohol and yelled to a female pedestrian that he would pay her $10 for "sexy time." Psenicska is seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages for being misled, and for the emotional harm he allegedly continues to suffer. Psenicska said if he had known the true nature of the film, he never would have participated. The studio behind the flick said the suit had no merit and that Psenicska was a willing participant in the film. ...

Eddie Vedder is making his first video appearance since his spot in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" clip 15 years ago. Mr. Ed is supporting his soundtrack to "Into the Wild" with a video for "Guaranteed." ... Saosin can't get enough of the road — the band, which toured for most of 2007, has rolled out a new 2008 itinerary. The California rockers will take Armor for Sleep and the Bled along for their jaunt, which starts January 21 in Tucson, Arizona, and ends February 14 in Chico, California. ... The sounds made by the creepy creatures in Will Smith's new movie "I Am Legend" might seem familiar to Faith No More fans — Mike Patton is the one behind them. The always-busy musician, who previously lent his voice to video games like "The Darkness" and "The Portal," is also delving into the film world with "A Perfect Place," a noirish short film for which he composed the music. ...

The family of Justin Barker, the white student who was allegedly beaten by six black classmates last year in Jena, Louisiana, has filed a civil lawsuit against the teens, their parents, the local school board and a seventh student who was not charged in the case, USA Today reports. The lawsuit claims that the attack on Barker was of "such extreme nature so as to require emergency medical care and treatment for the harm inflicted by the attack, and resulting in extensive and permanently disabling injuries." The suit, filed Thursday, also alleges that employees of the LaSalle Parish School Board were not adequately supervising students or maintaining discipline. ...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will flex his rock muscle on Friday at a fundraising show featuring Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy performing solo alongside buzz band the Cool Kids, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, Jill Sobule and local indie bands the Changes and Canasta. The "Change Rocks" show will take place at the Riviera Theatre in Obama's hometown of Chicago, with tickets ranging from $50 to $500 apiece. ... Hillary Clinton's campaign has had a change of heart. Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, Clinton has dropped her controversial campaign theme song, "You and I" by Celine Dion, and replaced it with "Blue Sky" by Colorado 1990s college faves Big Head Todd and the Monsters, according to ABC News. ...

We can see now why comedian Dave Chappelle might have walked away from that $50 million Comedy Central deal: He'd rather be doing stand-up. Chappelle broke his own endurance record on Sunday with a set at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California, that lasted six hours and 12 minutes, besting his previous mark, set in April, by a good five minutes. Club owner Jamie Masada told AP that Chappelle was on a mission. "Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break [his] record," Masada said. ... R&B singer Avant has signed to Capitol Records to release his next album, due in the summer. The multiplatinum crooner was previously signed to MCA, before the label folded into Geffen Records, through which he released four albums and a string of hit singles, including his breakout "Separated." Avant's yet-untitled next album is expected to include production from Rodney Jerkins and Mr. Collipark, among others.

• Madonna
• Gym Class Heroes
• Alicia Keys
• Radiohead
• The Academy Is...

Will Smith
Photo: Getty Images/ Franco Origlia

BEVERLY HILLS, California — You might be up on the latest action-movie news regarding "Iron Man," "Justice League of America" and "Watchmen," but have you heard about that other superhero? The alcoholic, homeless guy in the flip-flops? If not, it might be time to put Will Smith's postmodern comic flick on your radar, because it could be on the verge of creating another "John Hancock" revolution.

"We're halfway through it right now," explained director Peter Berg this week, giving us some exclusive details on the film. "Will Smith plays an alcoholic, suicidal superhero [whose actions are] destroying the city of Los Angeles, and he's trying to rehabilitate his image."

"It comes out next summer," added Daeg Faerch, the young actor who landed a role in the flick after he was chosen to star in "Halloween" as the young Michael Myers. "It was called 'Tonight, He Comes,' but now it's called 'John Hancock' because he's a drunk and [when a fan] asks him for his John Hancock, he signs it 'John Hancock.' "

Currently shooting around Los Angeles, the big-budget film — which has also been known simply as "Hancock," but whose title is still up in the air — puts Smith alongside Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman in a dark story that explores the flipside of being a superhero. So if the Venom-suited scenes from "Spider-Man 3" or the peanut-flicking bar moment in "Superman III" were among your favorites, "John Hancock" has your name written all over it.

"Will plays a down-and-out superhero — a drunk, homeless superhero that the [public] doesn't like because he's so drunk that when he solves crime, he creates a lot of collateral damage," Bateman explained of the movie, which has been dangling Smith on wires 50 feet over L.A. streets. "Early in the film he saves my life, and I say to pay him back I'll revamp his image for him because I'm in corporate PR. We're well into that, and I'm buying him a cape and telling him how to do news conferences and all that crap — and then he falls for my wife, Charlize Theron."

"There's a real intelligence to it," said Theron, who reportedly has some steamy scenes with Smith. "[The script] was fun yet smart, complicated [and] had a lot of conflict. I don't see a lot of that coming from Fourth of July movies. I like that."

While the "Pursuit of Happyness" star certainly has the build to play a high-flying hero, don't start imagining him in tights just yet. "He wears, for the most part, a pair of old ratty surf shorts, an old 1958 Philadelphia Eagles hat, a T-shirt and flip-flops," said Berg, promising he'll make the character seem very real.

"I'm a French punk who cuts him off," Faerch said. "He throws me into outer space."

When asked what kind of powers Smith's character has, Bateman replied, "He's got 'em all. He's like Spider-Man, Superman and whatever. He's the kind of superhero that we all live with, like in 'Spider-Man' and 'Superman,' where it's a normal world but he's just one guy that has superhero powers."

Originally written in 1996 and coinciding with Hollywood's blossoming love affair with comic books, "Hancock/ John Hancock/ Tonight, He Comes" has passed through the directorial hands of everyone from Tony Scott ("True Romance") to Michael Mann ("Heat") to Jonathan Mostow ("Terminator 3") and more. Behind-the-scenes talents had various takes on which of two directions the flick should go for it to properly send up the modern superhero: silly (à la "Mystery Men") or serious (like "Watchmen").

Berg, however, saw the script as something in between. "I don't think it's either. It's a pretty straightforward superhero film," he said. "We're introducing a new superhero; it's just that he's got some problems. But at its core, this is an attempt to create a brand-new superhero."

"It's got a lot of interesting, different tones — it's action, it's drama, it's comedy," Bateman agreed. "And with Pete Berg directing it, they definitely wanted to embrace those multiple tones, as opposed to having somebody come in to just deliver this popcorn, commercial film. I hope, I think, it feels like we're executing and delivering them well — it won't just be a typical summer popcorn movie, but it will hold up to high-brow scrutiny."

"I find 'John Hancock' a challenge because it's not something I'm familiar with; it's not a comfort zone with me," Theron said of her work on the set so far. "You throw me in a drama, and I know I can swim — but I like the idea of doing this and looking at Will and saying, 'I don't know, "Men in Black 4," you tell me [how to do it]. I don't do these!' "

"Charlize Theron and I know each other from 'Arrested Development,' so we're getting along incredibly well," Bateman said of the Oscar winner who had a brief story arc on his now-defunct ratings-challenged TV show. "And Will Smith — the guy could run for mayor, governor and president, and I'd vote for all three of them."

"It's a really well-written piece that isn't just fluff," Theron promised. "And it's not just silly comedy. There's a lot of really, really heavy stuff in this."

Whatever the film is eventually called, it will simultaneously soar and stumble into theaters on July 2.

Check out everything we've got on "John Hancock."

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• Will Smith

Ben Stiller
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

What do Tom Hanks and Pauly Shore have in common? About as much as Paul Newman and Jamie Foxx — and no, they're not the cast for "Wild Hogs 2."

They're some of the prominent Hollywood types who've ponied up big bucks in the first six months of 2007 to support the presidential candidacies of Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, respectively, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

A glance at the hundreds of pages of donor lists for the top Republican and Democratic presidential wannabes is full of surprises — like, who knew Ben Stiller was the type to throw heavy chips down on several candidates? — but mostly it confirms the old myth that Tinseltown is a bastion of Democratic good feelings.

Among the actors and singers who've donated between $250 and the $4,600 maximum to Clinton's campaign are: Danny DeVito, Tobey Maguire, Stiller, "Star Trek" actor George Takei, "The Office" actor Ed Helms, Michael Jackson spokeswoman Raymone Bain, Howard Stern regular Dominic Barbara, fashion icon Vera Wang and "The Nanny" star Fran Drescher. They join a list that includes the expected mix of bankers, real estate and insurance moguls, as well as former HBO boss Chris Albrecht and Madeleine Albright, the secretary of state during the Bill Clinton administration.

The list for top Democratic money-hauler Barack Obama is equally star-studded, including Foxx and Newman, as well as Jennifer Aniston, Jodie Foster, Cedric the Entertainer, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, former "Grey's Anatomy" castmember Isaiah Washington, Edward Norton, Eddie Murphy, Zach Braff and Rancid singer Tim Armstrong. Albrecht also doubled-down on Obama, alongside Netscape/Ning founder Marc Andreessen, songwriter Johnta Austin (Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige) and Interscope TV and Film division head Polly Anthony.

In some cases — such as Maguire, Stiller, Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson — the actors donated to Obama in the first quarter and to Clinton in the second, exercising a rule that allows donors to give up to $4,600 ($2,300 each for the primary and general election) to as many different candidates as they choose.

Though his prospects are not as bright as the leading Democrats, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has some big-name firepower behind his campaign as well, including Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer, double-dippers Newman and Foster, Steven Steven Spielberg — who is officially endorsing Clinton — model Christie Brinkley and Bette Midler.

The star wattage dips a bit by the time you get to 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, who got $500 from controversial director Oliver Stone, as well as a $4,600 bump from Stiller and contributions from Albrecht, Dave Matthews Band member Boyd Tinsley, longtime Kiss manager Doc McGhee and Eagles singer Don Henley.

For now, the bottom-tier Democratic candidates have to settle for a "Surreal Life"-worthy cast of supporters, with Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich getting nods from "Will and Grace" actress Shelley "Rosario" Morrison, "Baywatch" co-star Alexandra Paul and "Days of Our Lives" actress Deirdre Hall; while Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd has to make do with modest donations from John Lithgow and the voice of "Kim Possible," Christy Romano. And while his acting cred is solid, it doesn't seem likely that the $700 from "In the Cut" actor Mark Ruffalo is going to do much to help Alaska Senator Mike Gravel.

What about the top Republican candidates? They haven't been totally dissed by Hollywood, though we couldn't find any bold names on the list for one of the leading GOP candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani might be sitting pretty at the polls, but so far his celebrity donations are thin, including Adam Sandler, ex-"Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer, "Dancing With the Stars" hoofer John O'Hurley, "Sopranos" co-star Tony "Paulie Walnuts" Sirico and ex-"Little House on the Prairie" star Melissa Gilbert.

And, in keeping with his rapidly fading profile, Arizona Senator John McCain's star list is short, comprised most prominently of über-producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("Pirates of the Caribbean") and his wife.

Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Want trailers? Visit the Trailer Park for the newest, scariest and funniest coming attractions anywhere.

• Will Smith

Gerard Butler in "300"
Photo: Warner Bros.

They've battled bloodthirsty Persians, supernatural pirates and a seemingly endless charge of soldiers, spooks and sea monsters. Now, 300 surly Spartans and the Pirates of the Caribbean will face their greatest adversaries yet: each other.

"300" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" are the most-nominated flicks for this year's MTV Movie Awards, leading all films with five and four nods, respectively (see "Sarah Silverman To Host MTV Movie Awards; Promises 'Pinch Of Fun' "). The adrenaline-fueled action flicks will vie for Best Movie, while stars from the films will battle in the Best Performance and Best Villain categories.

But will either group be able to survive a naked wrestling match with the crazy man from Kazakhstan? The exhaustingly titled "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" has also been nominated for Best Movie, while star Sacha Baron Cohen is also throwing three individual noms into his wedding sack: Best Comedic Performance, Best Fight (the infamous wrestling match with Ken Davitian) and Best Kiss (Cohen's smooch with Will Ferrell in his other comedy, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby").

Not to be outdone, Ferrell himself will be on hand during the ceremony on Sunday, June 3, to battle Baron Cohen in the same four categories. His crotch-slamming ice-skater comedy, "Blades of Glory," was nominated for Best Movie, while Ferrell received nominations in the Best Comedic Performance, Best Kiss and Best Fight (for his take-no-prisoners tussle with Jon Heder) categories. No matter how their epic battles shake out, however, at least we can take solace in knowing Ferrell and Baron Cohen have already kissed and made up.

Rounding out the list of nominees for Best Movie is the sugar-sweet Sundance hit "Little Miss Sunshine." Abigail Breslin, who played the precocious center of the Hoover family, will also compete for Breakthrough Performance.

That category will hardly be a beauty pageant, but there's stiff competition nonetheless. Breslin's fellow nominees include Lena Headey ("300"), Columbus Short ("Stomp the Yard"), Jaden Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness"), Justin Timberlake ("Alpha Dog") and Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada").

We can only assume that the 24-year-old Blunt will be wearing Prada when she shows up at Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheatre to join Baron Cohen and Ferrell in vying for Best Comedic Performance. To pull out a win, she'll also have to take down Adam Sandler ("Click") and Ben Stiller ("Night at the Museum"), who round out the nominees.

The real devil, of course, is none other than Meryl Streep, whose Prada-wearing ways struck fear in the hearts of homebody heroines (and interns) everywhere — and earned her a nod for Best Villain. But, c'mon, how bad can you really be when you haven't even killed anyone? It's a question her competition won't have to ask — it includes nefarious "Saw III" torturer Tobin Bell, dastardly "Departed" star Jack Nicholson, infernal "Pirates" ghost Bill Nighy and Rodrigo Santoro, the monstrous slayer of the "300" Spartans.

With so many good baddies around, there's bound to be some unforgettable fisticuffs. Along with Heder/Ferrell and Baron Cohen/ Davitian, the nominees for Best Fight are Jack Black and Héctor Jiménez vs. Los Duendes ("Nacho Libre"), Gerard Butler vs. the unchained Uber Immortal ("300"), and the catfight between Uma Thurman and Anna Faris ("My Super Ex-Girlfriend)."

Among the behind-the-scenes battles viewers will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on is Beyoncé vs. Jennifer Hudson, the "Dreamgirls" co-stars who spent the early months of this year competing for adulation and Oscars; prepare for round two, as both are nominated for Best Performance. Other nominees in the category are A-listers Johnny Depp ("Pirates"), Keira Knightley ("Pirates"), Butler and Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness").

From songstress disses to grinning kisses, the nominees for Best Kiss should lighten up the evening. Aside from the Baron Cohen/ Ferrell smooch, nominees include Cameron Diaz and Jude Law ("The Holiday"), Columbus Short and Meagan Good ("Stomp the Yard"), Mark Wahlberg and Elizabeth Banks ("Invincible"), and Marlon Wayans and Brittany Daniel ("Little Man").

Also vying for Golden Popcorn trophies this year are the mtvU Best Filmmaker on Campus nominees (including students from the University of Southern California, Columbia University, Columbia College, University of Central Florida and Savannah College of Art & Design), as well as the new-category competitors for Best Summer Movie You Haven't Seen Yet ("Evan Almighty," "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," "Hairspray," "Transformers," "Rush Hour 3," "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" and "The Simpsons Movie").

The irresistibly irreverent awards show will be broadcast live for the first time ever June 3 and will be hosted by foulmouthed funny lady Sarah Silverman. Tune in to see whether the Pirates take home the booty, or if dining in hell earns the "300" men their just desserts.

The complete 2007 MTV Movie Award nominees:

Best Movie (vote now!)
» "300"
» "Blades of Glory"
» "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
» "Little Miss Sunshine"
» "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"

Best Performance (vote now!)
» Gerard Butler, "300"
» Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
» Keira Knightley, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
» Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls"
» Beyoncé Knowles, "Dreamgirls"
» Will Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness"

Breakthrough Performance (vote now!)
» Emily Blunt, "The Devil Wears Prada"
» Abigail Breslin, "Little Miss Sunshine"
» Lena Headey, "300"
» Columbus Short, "Stomp the Yard"
» Jaden Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness"
» Justin Timberlake, "Alpha Dog"

Best Comedic Performance (vote now!)
» Emily Blunt, "The Devil Wears Prada"
» Sacha Baron Cohen, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
» Will Ferrell, "Blades of Glory"
» Adam Sandler, "Click"
» Ben Stiller, "Night at the Museum"

Best Kiss (vote now!)
» Cameron Diaz & Jude Law, "The Holiday"
» Will Ferrell & Sacha Baron Cohen, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"
» Columbus Short & Meagan Good, "Stomp The Yard"
» Mark Wahlberg & Elizabeth Banks, "Invincible"
» Marlon Wayans & Brittany Daniel, "Little Man"

Best Villain (vote now!)
» Tobin Bell, "Saw III"
» Jack Nicholson, "The Departed"
» Bill Nighy, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
» Rodrigo Santoro, "300"
» Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"

Best Fight (vote now!)
» Jack Black & Héctor Jiménez vs. Los Duendes (Wrestling Match), "Nacho Libre"
» Gerard Butler vs. "The Uber Immortal" (The Spartan/Persian Battle), "300"
» Sacha Baron Cohen vs. Ken Davitian (Naked Wrestle Fight), "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
» Will Ferrell vs. Jon Heder (Ice Rink Fight), "Blades of Glory"
» Uma Thurman vs. Anna Faris (Super Girl Fight), "My Super Ex-Girlfriend"

Best Summer Movie You Haven't Seen Yet (vote now!)
» "Evan Almighty" (June 22)
» "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (June 15)
» "Hairspray" (July 20)
» "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (July 13)
» "Rush Hour 3" (August 10)
» "Transformers" (July 4)
» "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" (July 20)
» "The Simpsons Movie" (July 27)

mtvU Best Filmmaker On Campus (vote now!)
» Robert Dastoli, "Southwestern Orange County vs. The Flying Saucers"(University of Central Florida)
» Maria Gigante, "Girls Room" (Columbia College, Chicago)
» Josh Greenbaum, "Border Patrol" (University of Southern California)
» Alexander Poe, "Please Forget I Exist" (Columbia University)
» Andrew Shipsides, "Bottleneck" (Savannah College of Art & Design)

Catch the latest on the 2007 MTV Movie Awards, including exclusives from host Sarah Silverman, nominee and presenter announcements, photos, highlights from years past and much more at MovieAwards.MTV.com.

[This story was originally published 04.30.2007 at 9:00 a.m. ET]

• '300,' 'Pirates' Lead MTV Movie Awards Noms

• 2007 Movie Awards Nominees: Pirates And Spartans And Borats, Oh My!

• Beyoncé
• Justin Timberlake
• Will Smith
• Jennifer Hudson

Mandy Moore in "Because I Said So"
Photo: Universal Pictures

Mandy Moore is part of a select group of pop stars who can call themselves actors with a straight face.

"Because I Said So" stars Diane Keaton as a meddling mother who tries to help her daughter (Moore) find Mr. Right. While Moore began her career as a teen-pop singer, from her breakout performance in 2002's "A Walk to Remember" through a stint on the HBO sitcom "Entourage" she has managed to become that rarest of Hollywood feats, the actor/singer who can lay claim to equal footing in both worlds.

Normally, when a pop star makes a foray into the movies, their roots perpetually show. While Elvis Presley starred in 31 films between 1956 and 1969 (!!!), nobody ever took him seriously as an actor, probably because the King never really tried to act. Whatever role he was playing, be it ex-con/singer Vince Everett in "Jailhouse Rock" (1957), soldier/singer Tulsa McLean in "G.I. Blues" (1960), boxer/singer "Kid Galahad" (1962) or race-car driver/singer in a buncha films including "Viva Las Vegas" (1964) and "Speedway" (1968), the emphasis was always on the singing (and hip-shaking, of course).

As it turned out, Elvis' final film, 1969's "Change of Habit" — in which the King plays an inner-city doctor who falls in love with a nun — featured less singing and more acting than any of Presley's prior movies. Too bad it was such a stinker.

If there's any contemporary correlation to Elvis, it's probably Madonna, who has appeared in nearly 20 films starting with 1985's "A Certain Sacrifice." The key difference is that Madonna tries to be a serious actor, most notably taking on the role of Argentinean actress/ first lady/ spiritual leader Eva Perón in the 1996 adaptation of the play "Evita." While that performance earned Ms. Ciccone some good reviews, the star was still bigger than the role. Madonna's, shall we say, limited acting instrument, combined with her iconic, hyper-actualized persona, has (as with Elvis) made it impossible to ever buy her as anything other than Madge in costume.

Conversely, Cher surprised everyone by turning in a series of acclaimed film performances in the 1980s, distancing herself from the cartoony image she had built as singing/wisecracking partner to husband Sonny Bono in the '60s and '70s. When the duo split up, a number of ill-fated new directions in music led Cher to pursue acting. She took on a string of challenging roles beginning with 1982's monologue-heavy "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" and followed by turns in the dramas "Silkwood" (1983) and "Mask" (1985). Her performance in 1987's "Moonstruck," as a middle-age widow fending off the advances of a younger man while engaged to someone she doesn't love, won her the Oscar for Best Actress, cementing a level of acclaim in acting that she'd never come close to as a singer.

The similarly iconic Barbra Streisand is as known for her film work as her music, but that's been the case with Babs since the beginning. In the '60s and '70s, Streisand's albums were charting at the same time she was acting and singing in films like "Funny Girl" (1968) and "The Way We Were" (1973).

Perhaps the most successful singer/actors of all time were two crooners from an era long before "synergy" was even a word. In the early '30s, the already-famous Bing Crosby was appearing as himself in motion-picture showcases like "Hollywood on Parade" and "The Big Broadcast." Der Bingle's laid-back charisma played well on the silver screen and soon he was playing bigger parts. Teaming up with Bob Hope in the highly successful "Road" pictures of the '40s, starring in iconic holiday fare like "Holiday Inn" (1942) and "White Christmas" (1954), earning an Oscar for his portrayal of a progressive priest in "Going My Way" (1944) and more critical raves as an alcoholic in "The Country Girl" (1954), Crosby became one of the most successful stars in the history of film.

Crosby was also an inspiration to the skinny kid from Hoboken who would become one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century: Frank Sinatra. While Sinatra's film career doesn't quite match his recording legacy, he nonetheless starred in some iconic films and gave plenty of indelible performances. Sinatra's considerable charm served him well in both lightweight musicals like "On the Town" (1949) and "Guys and Dolls" (1955) as well as serious dramas such as "Suddenly!" (1954) and "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962). Still, despite an Academy Award for best supporting actor for 1953's "From Here to Eternity," some cynics dismiss Sinatra's abilities as an actor, concentrating on the slight (but still fun) Rat Pack films like "Ocean's Eleven" (1960). But anyone who's ever seen Frank as a tormented heroin addict in "The Man With the Golden Arm" (1955) can't deny that when he wanted to, he knew his way around a script as well as anything from the great American songbook.

Tom Waits' musical career is itself a cinematic oeuvre of whiskey-soaked portraits of colorful characters. With his wiry looks and distinctive, gravelly voice, you'd think Waits might never get lost in a film role, but he's proven every bit as adroit as an actor as he has a musician. In movies as disparate as Jim Jarmusch's tragicomic road trip, "Down by Law" (1986); the ensemble drama "Queens Logic" (1991); and Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 big-budget misfire, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (of which Waits' Renfield was by far the best part); the singer has brought intelligent, thoughtful portrayals to sometimes underwritten roles.

It's one of the great crimes of rock history that the seminal L.A. punk band X aren't better known, but odds are you've seen one of their leaders in his side gig. Over the past two decades, John Doe has managed to balance a musical career — both solo and with the intermittently regrouping X — with small but memorable acting jobs in movies like "Road House" (1989), "Boogie Nights" (1997) and "The Good Girl" (2002), as well as dozens more movies and TV shows. But you should still buy his records.

While it seems as if most hip-hop artists have aspirations of being movie stars as well, there have been only a few for whom acting has become more than a side (or vanity) project. Ice-T took a breakout performance in 1991's "New Jack City" and turned it into a full-time career. In the 26 years since that film, T has starred in scores of films and TV shows, including his current job as Detective Fin Tutuola on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," while releasing a mere handful of albums.

Former N.W.A rapper Ice Cube likewise garnered critical praise for his turn in John Singleton's seminal gangsta flick, "Boyz N the Hood" (1991). Since then, Cube has proven himself adept in numerous genres: drama (1999's "Three Kings"); comedy (the "Friday" and "Barbershop" series); action (2005's "xXx: State of the Union"); sci-fi (2001's "Ghosts of Mars"); and even kiddie-friendly family fare (2005's "Are We There Yet?"). Cube's musical career hasn't slowed quite as much as Ice-T's, but acting (and producing and directing) seems to be taking up most of the multimedia mogul's time these days — next up is a big-screen version of "Welcome Back, Kotter."

With his squeaky-clean, kid-friendly rapper image, Will Smith was a natural to cross over to TV sitcoms, and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was the vehicle that propelled him to mainstream stardom. Films soon followed, and blockbusters like "Bad Boys" (1995), "Independence Day" (1996) and "Men in Black" (1997) solidified Smith's place as a bona-fide movie star. While he hasn't completely left music behind, it does feel as if Smith mostly gets the urge to head into the studio if he has a movie coming out that needs a theme song (as in "Men in Black II," which featured "Black Suits Comin' " from his 2002 album, Born to Reign).

Mark Wahlberg was pretty much a joke in his former life as pop-rapper Marky Mark (with his Funky Bunch). Marky was known more for his buff body and Calvin Kleins than any musical aptitude. So his remarkable performance as a porn star whose ego sends him on a self-destructive decline in 1997's "Boogie Nights" was a revelation. Since then, Wahlberg has left music (and ridicule) behind, building an impressive film résumé culminating in last year's "The Departed," for which he has been nominated for an Oscar.

In the world of country music, the star who shines brightest onscreen is the one who never really topped the charts. Maybe that's why Dwight Yoakam has been able to immerse himself in his film roles. Even people who knew of Yoakam didn't recognize him as the abusive alcoholic in "Sling Blade" (1996). Since then, he's been practically chameleonic in movies like "The Newton Boys" (1998), "Panic Room" (2002) and "Wedding Crashers" (2005) while maintaining a prolific music career.

In our current era of synergistic multimedia stars, more pop stars are making the crossover attempt than ever before. The jury's still out on Beyoncé, Eminem and Björk. As for Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, 50 Cent and those American Idols? Well, we'd wager that calls from Martin Scorsese will not be forthcoming. But then again, who'd have ever guessed that Marky Mark would be mentioned in the same breath as Oscar?

See everything we've got on Mandy Moore, Ice Cube and Mark Wahlberg.

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