George Michael writing new album
George Michael is writing a new album while he recovers from head injuries sustained during a car accident last month. The 49-year-old former Wham! frontman has been recuperating at home after nearly two weeks in hospital. British media reported that Michael fell out of a car at speed on a busy motorway outside London during rush hour on May 16. "He's doing extremely well," said Michael's spokeswoman. There was no release date for the new material. * Reuters
Hawke to play Macbeth on Broadway
Ethan Hawke plans to return to Broadway this year to play the title role in Macbeth. The Shakespeare tragedy will mark a reunion for Hawke with the director Jack O’Brien at Lincoln Center Theatre, where he starred in Henry IV and The Coast of Utopia, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. Hawke is currently starring in the horror film The Purge and the romantic drama Before Midnight. Performances of Hawke’s Macbeth begin on October 24. * AP
Taylor Swift on Hollywood prospect
Taylor Swift, who recently appeared on the Fox sitcom New Girl, said that while she likes acting, she has no plans to put aside her guitar. "I love to write music. And I love to put an album together and take two years to do it and put everything I have into it. Except if there was something, some script that came along that was so enticing that I couldn't walk away from it, that I became obsessed with that the way I obsess over music," said the 23-year-old singer. "If you see me commit to a film, it's only because I couldn't focus on anything else." * AP
New Kanye West album leaks
Kanye West's new album Yeezus leaked online Friday, four days before its official release, but the US rapper appeared unconcerned as the internet went crazy over his latest record. The much-anticipated album – due to be officially released on Tuesday – immediately became a top Twitter trending subject, while instant reviews were largely positive. The album includes contributions from Daft Punk, Frank Ocean, Justin Vernon and Kid Cudi. Rolling Stone called the album "the darkest, most extreme music Kanye has ever cooked up ... Every mad genius has to make a record like this at least once in his career". * AFP
Iron Man calms upset toddler
Robert Downey Jr may not be a real superhero, but he sure acted like one for a little Massachusetts boy. Heather Denno took her 1-year-old son Jaxson to watch filming for the movie The Judge, starring Downey, in her hometown of Sunderland this week. Downey spotted the little boy and went over to say hello. Denno told Jaxson that Downey was Iron Man. Confused because of the lack of the trademark metallic red-and-gold suit, Jaxson burst into tears. Downey put a comforting hand on the boy and calmed him. Denno tells The Boston Globe that Downey was "sweet and nurturing", and she could tell he's a dad. * AP
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