With the death in a car crash of series co-star Paul Walker last year, you might have thought that Furious 7, which was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi this year, would be the final chapter in the Fast & Furious franchise. Think again. Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley has told The Hollywood Reporter that the series can continue for a while yet. "We think there are at least three more," she said. "Paul is, and always will be, an integral part of the story. But there are many other great characters, and it's also an opportunity to introduce new characters. I think it's still a growing franchise. We'll see what happens with Furious 7, obviously, but our box office has grown over the past three or four films and internationally, in particular." – The National staff
Clooneys might adopt orphan
George and Amal Clooney are reportedly considering adopting an orphan from a war-torn country. An unnamed source told Woman's Day magazine that the 53-year-old American actor and the 36-year-old British-Lebanese lawyer want to to use the "adoption to highlight the plight of orphans in countries like Syria". – The National staff
Stars pay tribute to Elaine Stritch on Broadway
Actors Nathan Lane, Bernadette Peters, Laura Benanti and Holland Taylor and writer Liz Smith lead a tearful and raucous tribute on Monday to Broadway legend Elaine Stritch. “This event would have pleased her to no end because, for one, it’s all about her,” deadpanned Lane, who called her “a brilliant force of nature” and hoped she was in “God’s house seats.” The show, Everybody, Rise! A Celebration of Elaine Stritch, was directed by George C. Wolfe at The Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York. Stritch died on July 17 at her home in Birmingham, Michigan, at age 89. Her friends and colleagues told stories of her dogged refusal to pay for theatre tickets, her generosity with her time and her knack for accessorising her outfits with high-end department-store bags. Director and producer Hal Prince said: “I don’t know how originals originate but I expect she was born one.” Peters, Benanti, Christine Ebersole, Betty Buckley, Michael Feinstein and Lena Hall performed songs from the icon’s catalogue, including Broadway Baby and You’re Just in Love. The Tony and Emmy Award-winning Stritch found new fans towards the end of her life as Alec Baldwin’s mother on TV sitcom 30 Rock, but was best known for her stage work – especially her candid one-woman show At Liberty and in the Stephen Sondheim musical Company. The tribute ended with Strich having the last word – a video of her singing her famous rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s The Ladies Who Lunch from Company. - AP
McConaughey gets Walk of Fame star
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey capped off a blockbuster year on Monday when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“It’s a special day, great moment in my career and for my family,” said McConaughey, accompanied by his Brazilian wife Camila Alves and their three children, Levi, Vida, and Livingston.
The 45-year-old actor was joined by producer Don Phillips and Christopher Nolan, who directed McConaughey’s latest film Interstellar. Hundreds of fans also turned out.
“McConaughey works harder than anybody else. He deserves this,” said Nolan.
Interstellar co-stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain, added their star quality to the glittering red-carpet event.
Receiving the star caps off a particularly memorable year for McConaughey during which he won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of an AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club.
He also starred in The Wolf of Wall Street, The Wedding Planner and the hit HBO TV series True Detective. - AP
Stars survive hectic 24-hour charity challenge on Broadway
About two dozen celebrities – including Melanie Griffith, Amanda Seyfried, Peter Dinklage and Pablo Schreiber – threw themselves onstage Monday with little rehearsal and little sleep – and survived.They appeared in the 14th annual benefit The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, which asked the actors and several writers and directors to come up with six original short plays over the course of a single day. Proceeds will help the Urban Arts Partnership. One play was set in a furniture store. Another was at a casting agency looking to hire an actor for a beer commercial. A third was in a hotel lobby with two sisters – one communicating only through a kazoo – waiting to meet a wizard. The playwrights gathered at 10pm on Sunday and had to write a 10-minute play by 7am the next morning. The actors then rehearsed for 12 hours. At 8pm on Monday, the plays were performed for a live audience at the American Airlines Theatre. The one-night-only show benefited the Urban Arts Partnership, an organisation that brings arts education into New York City classrooms. The 24-Hour play project is backed by German luxury penmaker Montblanc, which has helped fund the project for almost a decade, as well as the Montblanc Young Writers Program. - AP
