I love the Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation trailer that Sarah posted yesterday – click here for a refresher. As she wrote, it’s pure ridiculous action movie fun. It knows exactly what it is. It doesn’t aim to be anything more. And Tom Cruise’s level of frustration when he…      

I love the Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation trailer that Sarah posted yesterday – click here for a refresher. As she wrote, it’s pure ridiculous action movie fun. It knows exactly what it is. It doesn’t aim to be anything more. And Tom Cruise’s level of frustration when he…      

Natalie Dormer covers the April issue of Self magazine. She’s wearing a cut-out dress by Prabal Gurung and looks stunning. Self’s shoots are often a little more fitness-y, but Nat does plenty of talking about her exercise habits. She’s promoting Game of Thrones and talks about how she’s been typecast in fearless female roles. But she feels very good and knows there are much worse problems to have. No complaints here at all. Natalie knows that nearly every actor gets pinned into a box, and she’s happy to be working:

On being typecast: “It got to the point where if there was a manipulative femme fatale who was going to be seducing the leading mem, it was ‘Call Natalie Dormer!’ Every actor, wherever they are on the hierarchy, gets put in a box to a certain extent. And isn’t it wonderful when people like Matthew McConaughey can turn around and go: ‘You thought I was this, but look what I can do!’ You have to start challenging people’s perceptions of you, and the perceptions you have of yourself, really.”

On fashion: “I think women should have style, but it should be undermined by a slight casualness. Like they haven’t tried that hard, because the minute you’re self-conscious about it, it doesn’t really work anymore.’”

Running her first 26.2 at 33: “I look back on it now and think, F***ing hell, how did I do that? In Mockingjay – Part 2, I’m basically running around in heavy armor while carrying a semiautomatic rifle. I don’t know how I would have kept up with Liam Hemsworth or Sam Claflin if I hadn’t been in the best cardiovascular shape of my life. This amazing thing happens where people come out of the woodwork. Suddenly someone in the camera department is giving you tips on nutrition, or the catering guy is giving you recipes. And everyone on-set in the morning is, like, ‘How far did you run this weekend?’ The support was really wonderful.”

On cross training: “My yoga mat will always be in my luggage. Yoga is invaluable when you’re on long-haul flights a lot. But I do it for my mind as much as my body. Actually, that’s true of my relationship with all exercise. I’m open to new experiences. I just did aerial yoga for the first time, and there’s a kayak club that I’ve been meaning to try.”

[From Self]

I always enjoy reading Natalie’s thoughts on fitness because she works hard at it. Nat shall soon train for her second marathon in NYC. She’s correct about the strong support network amongst runners, but I’ve noticed it swings in both directions. You can’t talk about running in front of non-runners, or virtual tomatoes will be tossed. I no longer tweet about the sport for that very reason. Local running clubs are a nice refuge, and Nat is lucky to have worked with people who share that interest.

Here are photos of Nat at last week’s Dior and I film premiere in London. At least Dior is still doing coats well on the regular.

Photos courtesy of Self & WENN

Orlando Bloom has been volunteering with UNICEF since 2008 and was officially named a Goodwill Ambassador in 2009. In his latest role, Bloom became the first celebrity to visit Liberia since the region became decimated by an Ebola outbreak last year. While the deadly disease is largely considered under control, there is still a risk of contracting the virus. Bloom spent four days meeting with survivors and learning how the communities are trying to rebuild after the crisis.

In a video released by the UN, Bloom dons a protective suit to show the precautions that must be taken by healthcare workers, who are at greatest risk. In another scene, he meets with a 29 year-old father who lost his wife and four of his children to Ebola. The dad is raising his six year-old son alone and explains that people in his village are still afraid to play football (soccer) with him. On camera, Bloom reflects on his meeting and you can tell that he is moved by the plight of the single dad and all the people he met. Here’s more, thanks to People:

“Everyone I met was determined to beat Ebola so that they can resume their normal lives,” Bloom said in a UNICEF statement after meeting with religious and youth leaders in the capital city of Monrovia. “Communities have been at the center of the fight against Ebola and must continue to be supported because of their crucial role in getting to zero cases.”

In a touching video from his trip, Bloom is shown meeting with Ansu Anderson Turay and his 6-year-old son, Abraham.

Turay – who lost his wife, two sons and two daughters in the Ebola outbreak – is raising his son alone, and says that many in his village are still fearful to come in contact with him.

“It’s quite hard to comprehend such a loss,” an emotional Bloom said following their meeting. “They’re all just dealing with loss like that at such a profound level.”

Bloom praised the efforts of Ebola-affected communities in combatting the deadly virus, and the actor is shown in a video getting outfitted in protective gear, including two pairs of rubber gloves, full body suit and goggles.

[From People]

The UN also released second video of Bloom touring a slum in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, called West Point. In Monrovia, Bloom visited with the A-Life project, which works to raise awareness of Ebola prevention. He also visited a school near the Sierra Lionne border and learned about their Ebola safety procedures.

People has two videos of Orlando’s visit, and the UN has two more that are available for download on their site. I’ve included the additional videos here. There’s a real gem of a video where Orlando visits a school, reads a story to the children, holds hands with a little girl, and gushes over babies in a clinic. He’s such a natural.

And here’s a video of Orlando talking about his visit. You can tell that he was so affected by the people he met. I have so much respect for him and the work he’s doing with the UN. You can learn more about UNICEF and help contribute to their work by visiting UNICEF.org.

photos credit: UNICEF/Jallanzo

Cinderella star Cate Blanchett covers the April issue of Vogue Australia and opens up about family life with husband Andrew Upton and their four children: sons Dashiell, 13, Roman, 10, and Ignatius, 6, and newborn daughter Edith.

On how motherhood has changed her: “Children certainly teach one about compromise. I think before having children the idea of compromise rubbed shoulders with weakness or deception in some way. Children are spirited, passionate, political, demanding. They are also heartbreaking. They constantly extend parents and so parents are constantly confronted with their failures, don’t you think? I’d rather presently live life this way than not.”

On gender inequality in Hollywood: “Female audiences are driving the change, I think. Women don’t stop consuming cultural product once they stop menstruating…. There are countless industries around the world where women in top positions are not equally remunerated for equal work.”

For more from Cate, go to Vogue Australia…

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View image | gettyimages.com

Last year, Mo’ne Davis took the sporting world by storm. Mo’ne was only 13 years old at the time, and she is the first girl to throw a shutout in Little League World Series history. She’s an inspiration for girls and boys, a poster girl for community athletic programs and for gender equality in sports. She’s also just a really cool young lady, and obviously, Hollywood has come knocking. Disney has already announced that they’re going to make a TV movie about Mo’ne called Throw Like Mo. Great story, right? Who could say anything negative about that, right?

Well, meet Joey Casselberry, a student at Bloomsburg University and a player on the college baseball team. Over the weekend, Casselberry tweeted: “Disney is making a movie about Mo’ne Davis? WHAT A JOKE. That slut got rocked by Nevada.” Yes. He seriously wrote that. Was it that he calls every female a “slut”? Or was it something more personal about this 14-year-old girl? Well, we don’t even have to care because the university kicked him off the team. He deleted the tweet and then his Twitter, and he issued this apology:

“An example that one stupid tweet can ruin someone’s life and I couldn’t be more sorry about my actions last night. I please ask you to forgive me and truly understand that I am in no way shape or form a sexist and I am a huge fan of Mo’ne. She was quite an inspiration.”

Eh. Not a great apology. But what did you expect from a guy who uses “slut” to describe any woman or girl? Anyway, Mo’ne decided to show more grace and class than most of us would be capable of and she issued a statement about the situation:

“Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance. I know he didn’t mean it in that type of way. I know people get tired of seeing me on TV. But sometimes you got to think about what you’re doing before you do it. It hurt on my part, but he hurt even more. If it was me, I would want to take that back. I know how hard he’s worked. Why not give him a second chance?”

[Via E! News]

This made me ache a little bit. That she would be this gracious in the face of such douchebaggery is stunning. And no, it’s not about “people get tired of seeing me on TV.” Don’t ever apologize for existing, Mo’ne.

And here’s the happy ending: Bloomsburg University heard Mo’ne’s request and they think she’s an awesome person, but that douchebag is still suspended from the team. The university issued a statement saying: “Her request demonstrates the type of person she is, her level of maturity and the empathy that her family and coach teach her. Bloomsburg University stands firm on our decision; however, his consequences will be reviewed as is common in disciplinary actions like this.” I love that the university is all “she’s amazing but NOPE, this bro is a d-bag.”

View image | gettyimages.com

Photos courtesy of Sports Illustrated, Getty.

After having a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 to reduce the risk of getting cancer, mom-of-six Angelina Jolie – who lost her mother, grandmother and aunt to the disease – got a troubling phone call from her doctor two weeks ago.

In a New York Times op-ed piece published early Tuesday, Jolie, 39, says she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed last week because she carries a gene that gave her a 50 percent risk of developing ovarian cancer.

“I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt,” Jolie writes. “I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn’t live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.”

After hearing the news, she called her husband, Brad Pitt, who was on a plane within hours.

“The beautiful thing about such moments in life is that there is so much clarity. You know what you live for and what matters. It is polarizing, and it is peaceful,” she shares.

The Academy Award-winning actress went to see the surgeon who had treated her mother Marcheline, who died in 2007 of ovarian cancer.

“She teared up when she saw me: ‘You look just like her,’ ” Jolie writes. “I broke down.”

Jolie had to wait another five days for test results that would reveal whether there was cancer somewhere in her body. “I passed those five days in a haze, attending my children’s soccer game, and working to stay calm and focused.”

When the wait was over, she learned that the tumor test was negative.

“I was full of happiness, although the radioactive tracer meant I couldn’t hug my children,” she shares. “There was still a chance of early stage cancer, but that was minor compared with a full-blown tumor. To my relief, I still had the option of removing my ovaries and fallopian tubes and I chose to do it.”

That said, the surgery would push her into forced menopause.

“It is a less complex surgery than the mastectomy, but its effects are more severe,” she writes. “It puts a woman into forced menopause. So I was readying myself physically and emotionally, discussing options with doctors, researching alternative medicine, and mapping my hormones for estrogen or progesterone replacement.”

Last week Jolie had “a laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.” The surgery revealed a small benign tumor on one ovary but no signs of cancer in the other tissues. The mom-of-six chose to keep her uterus because there is no history of uterine cancer in her family.

She now wears a small clear patch that delivers bio-identical estrogen and has a progesterone IUD inserted in her uterus that will help her maintain a hormonal balance.

“Regardless of the hormone replacements I’m taking, I am now in menopause,” she shares. “I will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared.”

She goes on to say that having the surgery has not removed all risk. “The fact is I remain prone to cancer.” She writes that she is looking for natural ways to strengthen her immune system.

“I feel feminine, and grounded in the choices I am making for myself and my family,” she writes. “I know my children will never have to say, ‘Mom died of ovarian cancer.’ “

I’m still loving the fact that FKA Twigs got to wear the Birds of Paradise dress to the Alexander McQueen exhibit. Apparently, Kate Moss was impressed too! According to The Daily Mail’s gossip girl, Moss told her modeling agency that they should sign FKA Twigs and get her some modeling contracts. But Twigs isn’t so sure about that, even though she appreciates that Kate Moss is trying to get her some money. A source told the Mail that Twigs “only wants to be famous for singing. She’s not actually sure she wants to do it.”

Meanwhile, Twigs has released a new music video for her song “Glass & Patron.” The video is NSFW, even though it really doesn’t show crazy nudity or anything (FYI: there are NSFW lyrics). It’s weird and somewhat macabre, but if you want to see Twigs “give birth” to some rainbow scarves, here you go:

Something nice… I like that Twigs directs her own videos and that this is really HER vision. I loved her video for “Two Weeks” (and I love that song too), but I’m not really on board with this song and video. Yet. Maybe it will grow on me.

And Twigs has a new interview with the BBC Radio 1. She talks about the torrent of online abuse she got last year, mostly from crazy Twihards spewing racist crap at her. She told Radio 1 that she responded to her haters because she wanted her fans to see her standing up for herself.

“I didn’t want them to see me being bullied and not stand up for myself. It wasn’t just for me. It was for people who listen to my music and feel how I was feeling at that time. I didn’t want them to see me being bullied and not stand up for myself because ultimately I’m ten times stronger than somebody hiding behind a weird name on Twitter. I wanted to show that I can stand up for myself so then hopefully another person will see that and want to stand up for themselves.”

She says she tries not to let online comments affect what she does creatively but admits tabloid stories can be difficult for her.

“It doesn’t affect me at all or what I create. Sometimes it’s just frustrating because those sorts of tabloids are just looking for a headline. That headline is often so far from the truth.”

She admits to reading what people are saying about her.

“I remember at the height when things were really bad for me. I remember lying in bed at 3 o’clock in the morning and it’s embarrassing but I was just reading through everything, reading every single comment. I just couldn’t believe the world was like that. I guess I’m quite naive for someone who’s come through the internet, I don’t engage with it that much. I just couldn’t believe people think like that or say things like that. It was morbidly fascinating.”

[From BBC]

What I like about Twigs is that she admits that she fell down a dark hole of reading online comments and she managed to come out of it with some perspective. I like that she admits to being affected by the racist crap that was thrown her way, but she wanted to be a positive role model to her fans in standing up for herself. I like her! She seems like a woman who has her sh-t together, you know?

Photos courtesy of WENN.

If I’m Justin Bieber, 21 years old, trying to “man up” at every opportunity, I’m loving the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio, founding member of the Pussy Posse, wants to hang out with me. On Saturday night, the two were at a club together in West Hollywood. The pictures are sh…      

Happy Birthday Erin R in Montreal with love from Amber who can’t wait for the baby meet-up in April! By request, this is vintage Billy Corgan which sent me into a 90s nostalgia music hour this morning so thank you for that. I really enjoyed revisiting James Iha’s beauty.