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Thurman Stalker Found Guilty
7 May 2008 (WENN)
Obsessed Uma Thurman fan Jack Jordan has been found guilty of stalking and harassing the Hollywood star. The jury at New York's Manhattan Supreme Court delivered its verdict shortly before midday on Tuesday. Jordan, 37, was found guilty of fourth-degree stalking and one count of second degree aggravated harassment. He was acquitted on two other aggravated harassment charges - but could still face jail time. Stalking can carry a 90-day sentence, and aggravated harassment can lead to 12 months behind bars, reports Tmz.com. Thurman, her mother and father testified at the week-long trial - during which it was revealed Jordan bombarded the trio with notes and letters, and threatened to kill himself if her parents refused to pass on messages. He was arrested outside Thurman's New York home in 2005 after attempting to force his way into her movie trailer, while she was shooting My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

Thurman Stalker Letters Released
6 May 2008 (WENN)
New York court officials have released the detailed notes Uma Thurman's alleged stalker sent her, including heartfelt love letters. The intimate writings were found in 37-year-old Jack Jordan's car, where he had been living during a period in 2005, when he is accused of harassing the star. Jordan, who is standing trial on charges of stalking and aggravated harassment, wrote, "I'm a shy man, Uma, and always had a pretty low self-esteem. In my memory, I have never asked a woman on a date. I could tell you about my life, my dream, play you my music. If you think you love me, then how sad that your kids and you and me would have to spend another holiday apart. Now it's the end of September and I live in my car. The thought of being away for more days, months and even year frightens me and makes me very sad." Jordan was arrested outside Thurman's New York City apartment, after attempting to force his way into her trailer during a movie shoot in the city. Thurman testified at Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday, that she "feared for the lives" of her two children. Jordan insisted he has felt close to the star for many years during his own defense on Friday, when his attorney told jurors that his client has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and bipolar. Closing arguments are set to take place Monday before the case is handed to the jury for verdict. Jordan faces up to a year in prison if he's found guilty.

Accused Stalker Felt Close To Thurman
5 May 2008 (WENN)
The man accused of stalking actress Uma Thurman took the stand in New York on Friday, insisting he has felt close to the star for many years. Jack Jordan faces up to a year in jail if he's found guilty of stalking and aggravated harassment charges. In New York's State Supreme Court on the fourth day of the trial, Jordan told jurors he never threatened to harm or harass Thurman, despite sending her disturbing letters and notes and threatening to commit suicide if her parents didn't pass on messages to her. The accused took the stand a day after a trembling Thurman testified, refusing to look at Jordan as she spoke to jurors about the terror she experienced at the hands of her alleged stalker, claiming he harassed her, assistants and her family from 2005 to 2007. In his defense, Jordan's attorney told jurors that his client has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and bipolar, insisting jail would be the wrong place for the accused. The jury is expected to return a verdict on Monday.

Thurman Testifies In Front Of Accused Stalker
2 May 2008 (WENN)
Uma Thurman took the stand and faced her accused stalker in Manhattan State Supreme Court on Thursday, calling her experiences with Jack Jordan a "nightmare." The actress, who stood trembling on the witness stand, admitted she was "freaked out" when the accused allegedly delivered a card bearing a picture of an open grave and a man standing on the edge of a razor blade. Thurman said, "It was like a nightmare. It was scary." She recalled the disturbing note also featured the line "My hands should be on your body at all times." The Pulp Fiction star also told the court that when she called her parents, who testified in the case earlier this week, to alert them about what she had received, her father informed her that he had also received e-mail messages from Jordan. Thurman said, "I felt a stone drop in my stomach. The idea that this had a history made it even more terrifying." The actress refused to look at Jordan, who is accused of trailing and attempting to contact Thurman from early 2005 until 2007, as she testified. He faces a year in jail if he's found guilty of stalking and aggravated harassment charges. The trial continues.

Alleged Stalker Made Thurman "Shake With Terror"
30 April 2008 (WENN)
Uma Thurman cried and shook with terror after Jack Jordan tried to force his way into her movie set trailer, the actress' wardrobe assistant testified on the first day of the alleged stalker's trial on Monday. Joseph La Corte told the jury at New York's Manhattan Supreme Court how two minders had to block Jordan, and how Thurman was left hysterical by the episode in November 2005. He said, "Her hands were shaking, she was soaked (from tears). She couldn't sit still." Thurman's former personal assistant Lisa Grondin also revealed how the trauma caused her to take up smoking again. Jordan is also accused of sending letters and notes to Thurman while she shot My Super Ex-Girlfriend in the city; in one, threatening to kill himself is she didn't date him. Another read, "My hands should be on your body at all times." After pleading not guilty to misdemeanor stalking, aggravated harassment and felony coercion, Jordan's lawyer contended that his letters were not illegal, telling the court, "(Jordan) does not think the way you and I think. He doesn't know the boundaries you and I know. He thinks it's romantic." Thurman is scheduled to testify on Tuesday. The case continues.

Thurman To Take Stand In Stalker Case
25 April 2008 (WENN)
Actress Uma Thurman is scheduled to appear in a New York court on Monday as a witness in the trial of her alleged stalker. Jack Jordan, 35, is charged with misdemeanor stalking, aggravated harassment and felony coercion. He is accused of behaving bizarrely towards the star, threatening to kill himself if the Kill Bill actress began dating another man. He is also alleged to have presented Thurman with odd drawings, including a cartoon sketch of himself "walking along the edge of a razor blade," and sent a letter reading, "I feel afraid that if I see you out again with another man, I will want to kill myself, maybe even after we meet." Jury selection began on Thursday and the trial will kick off on Monday at Manhattan's Supreme Court.

Nine-Year-Old Australian To Play Eloise
24 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Following a search spanning four continents, a nine-year-old Australian actress, Jordana Beatty, has been selected to star in the forthcoming Eloise in Paris. Handmade Films announced Wednesday that Jordana had been selected from more than 4,000 girls who had auditioned for the part, based on Kay Thompson's beloved fictional character (whose painting hangs in New York's Plaza Hotel). She will costar with Uma Thurman, who will play the character's nanny. Charles Shyer (The Parent Trap) will direct.

Thurman Does Jury Duty
18 April 2008 (WENN)
Uma Thurman landed back in court this month as she awaits the trial of a man accused of stalking her - she has been put on jury duty. The Gattaca actress was recently forced to undergo jury selection in New York City with other randomly-picked members of the public. Thurman wasn't selected and admits she was disappointed to miss out, although it would have caused her career chaos, as she is currently busy promoting new movie The Life Before Her Eyes. The star reveals, "I was on jury duty downtown. it was a misdemeanor case. I wasn't selected. but I got quite excited by the thought of it. But I was nervous, because if it's been a long case it would have caused problems. How do you tell that to the producers of a movie?" Thurman will get her day in court when the delayed trial of Jackson Jordan kicks off. Jordan, 36, stands accused of attempting to gain entry to Thurman's trailer on a New York movie shoot, and sending her letters and drawings, including a sketch of the actress digging his grave.

Thurman "Stalker" Trial Delayed
13 March 2008 (WENN)
The New York trial of a man accused of stalking Uma Thurman has been delayed until next week. Jackson Jordan, 36, stands accused of attempting to gain entry to Thurman's trailer on a New York movie shoot, and sending her letters and drawings, including a sketch of the actress digging his grave. One letter allegedly read, "I feel afraid that if I see you out again with another man, I will want to kill myself." Jordan has turned down the offer of enrolment in a mental health program - which would have shortened any custodial sentence he is given - because he wanted to see her in court. The defendant's lawyer George Vomvolakis has revealed he intends to argue in court that "he was just a romantic pursuing the woman that he loved." If convicted, Jordan faces a minimum sentence of one year in a mental health institution. Jury selection will now begin on March 17.

Jackson Named As Face of Virgin Media
6 March 2008 (WENN)
Samuel L. Jackson has been named as the new face of British cable TV company Virgin Media. The actor is the latest in a long line of Hollywood celebrities to promote the telecommunications brand, and will take over the role from fellow Pulp Fiction star Uma Thurman later this year. James Kydd, of Virgin Media, says, "We are extremely excited about working with Samuel for our new ad campaign, as he has such massive appeal with young and old alike. He is the epitome of cool and is an unmistakably powerful narrator who never fails to grab the attention of the viewer. We couldn't think of anyone better to talk about the best TV service in the UK." The adverts featuring Jackson will air in the U.K. in April.

Thurman: "I'm Not Pregnant, But I Want Kids"
13 February 2008 (WENN)
Actress Uma Thurman is keen to have kids with partner Arpad Busson. Busson was recently forced to deny claims the star is already pregnant, after she was spotted sporting a fuller figure than usual - instead putting the weight gain down to the Kill Bill star quitting smoking. But Thurman insists she hasn't given up hoping on adding to her two kids with ex-husband Ethan Hawke - Maya, nine, and six-year-old Levon - and at 37, she's not too old either. She tells Redbook magazine, "I'd like more children. I asked the doctor, she tells me there's still time."

Thurman Given "Stalker" Case Court Date
7 February 2008 (WENN)
Uma Thurman will stand face-to-face in court with the man accused of stalking her next month. A judge at Manhattan's Supreme Court in New York has set a tentative trial date of March 11 for Jackson Jordan, 36, who is charged with harassment and felony coercion. He is accused of attempting to gain entry to Thurman's trailer on a New York movie shoot, and sending her letters and drawings, including a sketch of the actress digging his grave. Another letter read, "I feel afraid that if I see you out again with anther man, I will want to kill myself." Jordan has turned down the offer of enrolment in a mental health program - which would have shortened any custodial sentence he is given - because he wanted to see her in court. The defendant's lawyer George Vomvolakis has revealed he intends to argue in court that "he was just a romantic pursuing the woman that he loved." If convicted, Jordan faces a minimum sentence of one year in a mental health institution.

Hawke's Girlfriend Is Pregnant
31 January 2008 (WENN)
Actor Ethan Hawke is celebrating after learning his girlfriend Ryan Shawhughes is pregnant with his third child. The Training Day star, who has two children with his ex-wife Uma Thurman, met Shawhughes when she reportedly worked as a nanny to his kids. Hawke's spokeswoman Mara Buxbaum says, "I can confirm (the pregnancy) and they are thrilled."

Thurman To Meet "Stalker" in Court
14 January 2008 (WENN)
A man accused of stalking Kill Bill star Uma Thurman rejected a plea deal to enroll on a mental health program - because he wanted to see the actress "close up." Jack Jordan is facing charges of harassment and felony coercion - which stems from an incident in which he allegedly told Thurman he would kill himself if he saw her with another man. The 35-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges at Manhattan's Supreme Court in New York, turned down the prosecution's offer of enrolment in a mental health program - a deal which would have seen him serve a minimum of one year in an institution. And according to his lawyer, George Vomvolakis, Jordan purposely rejected the offer so he could see Thurman at his trial. Vomvolakis tells the New York Daily News, "My client has expressed a serious desire to go to trial."

Spacey To Replace Jones at Nobel Concert
10 December 2007 (WENN)
Actor Kevin Spacey has stepped in to replace Tommy Lee Jones as host of next week's Nobel Peace Prize concert - after the Men In Black star pulled out. Spacey will now co-host the concert - to be aired across 100 countries worldwide - with actress Uma Thurman in honor of recipients Al Gore and the United Nation's climate change panel. Jones, who was former U.S. vice-president Gore's roommate at Harvard University, pulled out "for personal reasons." Kylie Minogue, Alicia Keys and Annie Lennox are due to perform at the show, which will be held in Oslo, Norway, on December 11 - the day after the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Also on the bill are British pop star Kt Tunstall, Earth Wind & Fire, A-ha singer Morten Harket and Junoon, one of Pakistan's most popular rock bands.

Thurman Stalker Rejects Plea Deal
6 December 2007 (WENN)
A man accused of stalking Kill Bill star Uma Thurman has rejected a plea deal to check into a mental health facility after protesting his innocence over charges of coercion. Jack Jordan is facing charges of harassment and felony coercion - which stems from an incident in which he allegedly told Thurman he would kill himself if he saw her with another man. The 35-year-old, who last month pleaded not guilty to the charges at Manhattan's Supreme Court in New York, turned down the prosecution's offer of enrolment in a mental health program on Wednesday - a deal which would have seen him serve a minimum of one year in an institution. His felony charge would then have been reduced to a misdemeanor upon completion of the program. But Jordan now faces up to four years in prison if convicted. He is currently free on $10,000 bail.

Thurman Goes Public With Elle's Ex
12 October 2007 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has gone public about her romance with model Elle Macpherson's ex Arpad Busson, after turning up to a tsunami charity benefit hand-in-hand with the businessman. The new couple stepped out together at the Happy Hearts Fund charity event in New York on Wednesday, marking the first time the pair have posed for photographs in an official capacity since they started dating after meeting at a party in Italy in July. Twice-wed Thurman split from hotelier boyfriend Andre Balazs last year; Arpad was engaged to Macpherson for nine years before they split.

Thurman Finds Love With Macpherson's Ex
2 August 2007 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has found love again in the arms of supermodel Elle Macpherson's ex. American magazine Us Weekly has published photos of the Kill Bill star kissing Swiss banker Arpad 'Arki' Busson and speculates they've been dating for a month, after hooking up at the 45th anniversary parties in Rome for designer Valentino. A source tells the New York Post's Page Six column, "With their arms wrapped around each other, the couple seemed oblivious to everyone around them." Thurman has been single since splitting from hotelier Andre Balazs in March. Busson and Macpherson parted ways in 2005, after having two children together.

Thurman Finds Love?
22 June 2007 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Uma Thurman has reportedly found love with an actor/filmmaker named David White. U.S. gossip publications claim the Kill Bill beauty has started dating White - just four months after ending her on/off relationship with hotelier Andre Balazs. A source tells America's People magazine, "They look good together. They are very, very, very happy."

Winslet Is New Face of Lancome
12 June 2007 (WENN)
Kate Winslet has been named the new celebrity spokesperson for cosmetics giants Lancome as part of an Internet launch in Paris, France. The Little Children star greeted a crowd of fans in Paris yesterday after she was announced as the new face of the Tresor fragrance. Winslet was chosen as the successor to actress Isabella Rossellini, who appeared in ads for the fragrance last year. Previous star faces for Lancome include Uma Thurman and movie hunk Clive Owen.

'300' & 'Dead Man's Chest' Lead MTV Movie Award Nominations
1 May 2007 (WENN)
War epic 300 and sequel Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest are leading the nominations for the 2007 MTV Movie Awards with five and four nods apiece. Both films have been nominated for the Best Movie award, alongside Blades Of Glory, Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan and Little Miss Sunshine. 300 star Gerard Butler is up for Best Performance and Best Fight, while Lena Headey and Rodrigo Santoro have been nominated for Breakthrough Performance and Best Villain respectively. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest actors Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley have also both picked up nods for Best Performance, while Bill Nighy is up for Best Villain. The nominations are:

Best Movie: 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: 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; Beyonce Knowles - Dreamgirls; Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happyness

Breakthrough Performance: 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: 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: 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: 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: Jack Black & Hector Jimenez 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: Evan Almighty ; Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer ; Hairspray; Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix ; Rush Hour 3 ; Transformers

Thurman Splits from Boyfriend
20 March 2007 (WENN)
Uma Thurman and her hotelier boyfriend Andre Balazs have ended their three-year romance, less than a week after tabloid reports in the US had the couple planning a summer wedding. The couple began dating in 2003, but have split up twice. Thurman and her aides aren't commenting on the latest split, but the actress confirmed the pair had split last year when she turned up at the Oscars without him. She said then, "Unfortunately, it is true... but we remain close friends." The couple reconciled last year, and recent reports suggested Thurman's ex-husband, Ethan Hawke, had been overheard telling friends the actress was planning a summer wedding in the Caribbean.

Lost in Translation
19 March 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Efforts by overseas film distributors to cut costs by outsourcing subtitle translations to such countries as India and Malaysia have resulted in creating dialog that makes little sense to local audiences, according to today's (Monday) London Times. The newspaper observed that translators with little understanding of the nuances of English are taking the place of British subtitlers, many with long careers in the business. Kenn Nakata Steffenson, who translates English films into Danish and Japanese films into English, cited one film in which the line "Jim is a Vietnam vet" became "Jim is veterinarian from Vietnam" in the farmed-out Danish subtitles. In another film, the words "flying into an asteroid field" became "flying into a steroid field." In yet another, "She died in a freak rugby accident" became "She died in a rugby match for people with deformities." In My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Uma Thurman's line, "We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment" was translated into Taiwanese as "We hold the highest standards for sexual harassment." The Times said that Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro was so upset with the English subtitles for his 2001 film The Devil's Backbone that he himself worked on the subtitles for last year's award-winning Pan's Labyrinth.

Director Perelman Escapes Sexual Assault Charges
23 October 2006 (WENN)
Ukrainian movie-maker Vadim Perelman has been placed on "accelerated rehabilitation" after being accused of sexually assaulting of two women in July. The House Of Sand And Fog director allegedly groped the women and punched another at a South Norwalk nightclub in Connecticut on July 22, but escaped a guilty plea at Connecticut Superior Court last week by agreeing to undertake a special form of probation for first-time offenders. Perelman, who was directing Uma Thurman film In Bloom at the time of his arrest, must instead donate $1,000 to charity and do 100 hours of community service. His lawyer, Paul Callan, tells PageSix.com, "He bears no grudge against the people of Connecticut."

Thurman and Balazs' Danish Delight
1 September 2006 (WENN)
Uma Thurman and Andre Balazs' romance is definitely back on - they have been spotted vacationing together in Denmark. The Pulp Fiction actress, 36, officially split from the 48-year-old hotelier in March - confirmed by her publicist last month. Thurman stunned fans when she turned up the Oscars in March without Balazs, bringing her publicist Robert Garlock instead. But during recent promotional work in the UK for her film My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Thurman hinted their relationship was back on, declaring, "How do you know I've broken up with him? It might very well just be on-and-off again. Who knows?" And the pair were spotted walking hand-in-hand in Danish capital Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Gardens amusement park on Wednesday. After enjoying the sights of Tivoli, the couple were invited by restaurateur Paul Cunningham to dine in his eatery The Paul. Following their meal, the pair rented a pair of bicycles and pedalled through the city, despite the heavy rain. When asked by a photographer if she was on business in Copenhagen, Thurman replied, "I'm just on holiday." Thurman and Balazs - owner of Hollywood's famed Chateau Marmont hotel - first started dating in December 2003, three months after the actress split from her now ex-husband Ethan Hawke. When the pair split in March, Thurman insisted they remain "close friends", while Balasz said they were simply "taking a break".

Thurman's On-Off Love?
31 July 2006 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has reignited rumors she is dating hotelier Andre Balazs again, after suggesting their relationship is "on-and-off again". The Pulp Fiction beauty has frequently spotted with the millionaire businessman since their March split, with her publicist recently insisting they were not together. However during interviews with the British press to promote her new film My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Thurman remains coy over her relationship status. The actress says, "How do you know I've broke up with him? It might very well just be on-and-off again. Who knows?"

Thurman Splits From Boyfriend
13 July 2006 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has split with hotelier Andre Balazs after dating for two years. The couple were recently photographed enjoying a summer holiday in Saint Tropez, France, but the Kill Bill star has moved on. In an interview with US publication Parade she says, "I've been in and out of a relationship with a wonderful man, and I'm out of it now." The interview was conducted on June 2 and the couple were photographed on July 7 frolicking on the beach, leading some to believe they had reconciled once again. But Thurman's representative insists her client hasn't had a change of heart: "The quote is still correct."

Thurman Reunites with Balazs
3 April 2006 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Uma Thurman and hotelier Andre Balazs have rekindled their romance - after announcing their split last month. The pair have been photographed enjoying passionate embraces on the beaches of celebrity Caribbean hideaway, St. Barts. The Kill Bill actress declared the end of their relationship on March 6 after her lone appearance at the previous day's Academy Awards sparked speculation their two-year romance was over. However, new pictures show their passion is very much alive. Thurman has two children, Maya and Roan, from her six-year marriage to Ethan Hawke and was previously married to English actor Gary Oldman.

Lohan Named New Face of Louis Vuitton
20 March 2006 (WENN)
Lindsay Lohan is set to replace model Gisele Bundchen as the face of fashion label Louis Vuitton. The label's head designer, Marc Jacobs, has asked her to pose for the Autumn/Winter 2006-07 collection. The Mean Girls star will follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Lopez and Uma Thurman, who have also represented the company. A source tells American magazine Us Weekly, "She just got asked to be in the ads. She's going to say yes." Lohan is a long-time fan of the company and is "extremely excited" according to the source. The move has raised fashionista eyebrows, as some insiders believe the 19-year-old isn't sophisticated enough to represent the prestigious fashion house. Jacobs has stated that he wants his next ad campaign to be young and "cartoony."

Thurman and Balazs Split
9 March 2006 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Uma Thurman and hotelier Andre Balazs have split up after dating for over two years. The Kill Bill star, 35, and property tycoon, 48, began dating in December 2003 - only four months after the actress separated with ex-husband Ethan Hawke. After attending the Oscars on Sunday alone, Thurman confirmed speculation she was single again. A statement to the New York Post confirms, "Unfortunately it's true. But we remain close friends." In January, Thurman gushed about Balazs in interviews, declaring, "Everyone constantly taunts you that rebound relationships aren't a good idea and they don't work. But mine is working, surprisingly." Thurman has two children, Maya and Roan, from her six year marriage to Hawke and was previously married to English actor Gary Oldman.

Valentino Left Red-Faced by Oscars Boast
8 March 2006 (WENN)
Designer Valentino was left as red-faced as the Oscars red carpet on Sunday when the three superstars he boasted would be wearing his gowns, chose other outfits. Valentino issued a press release to the media the day before the Academy Awards, claiming Keira Knightley, Jennifer Lopez and Uma Thurman would hit the red carpet wearing his dresses - but the three lovely ladies opted for Vera Wang, vintage and Versace, respectively.

Thurman Awarded French Honor
9 February 2006 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has been made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (Commandeur Dans Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres) by the president of France's Cannes Film Festival. The Pulp Fiction star has been recognized for her work as an actress. Presenting the prize, on behalf of France's Culture Ministry, Gilles Jacob told Thurman she was "admired throughout the world", adding her career would "make her the favorite actress of an entire generation." Thurman replied, "I'm so flattered and touched by your comments." The Order of Arts and Letters is given out twice annually to a few hundred people worldwide. Previous winners include Robert Redford and Meryl Streep.

Lions Gate's Blood Money
1 November 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The surprisingly strong performance of Lions Gate's horror flick Saw II gave shares in the Canadian-based company an 8 percent boost Monday, cutting almost in half the stock's year-to-date loss of 16 percent. Saw II opened with $31.7 million in ticket sales, much of it derived from teenagers getting into the mood for Halloween. The film cost an estimated $4 million to make. Second place went to The Legend of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The film took in a middling $16.3 million but is expected to have strong sales on DVD. Two other new releases fared poorly. Prime, starring Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep, placed third with $6.2 million, while The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage, drew a paltry $4.2 million. Overall sales for the top 12 films dropped 6.5 percent to $86.3 million from the comparable weekend last year.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Saw II, Lions Gate, $31,725,652, (New); 2. The Legend of Zorro, Sony, $16,328,506, (New); 3. Prime, Universal, $6,220,935, (New); 4. Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story, DreamWorks, $6,132,856, 2 Wks. ($17,374,339); 5. Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, DreamWorks, $4,302,316, 4 Wks. ($49,694,983); 6. The Weather Man, Paramount, 4,248,465, (New); 7. Doom, Universal, $4,228,385, 2 Wks. ($23,034,930); 8. North Country, Warner Bros., 3,560,238, 2 Wks. ($12,109,718); 9. The Fog, Screen Gems, $3,108,668, 3 Wks. ($25,311,280); 10. Flightplan, Disney, $2,727,697, 6 Wks. ($81,277,630).

'Saw II' Wins Duel with 'Zorro'
31 October 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The blades that audiences wanted to see over the weekend did not belong to the dashing hero in The Legend of Zorro but to the slashing villain in Saw II. The horror movie grossed, you'll excuse the expression, $30.5 million -- well above most forecasts by box-office analysts. It was the biggest Halloween weekend opening in history and the best opening for any Lions Gate film, exceeding the $23.9 million earned by last year's Fahrenheit 9/11. By contrast, The Legend of Zorro earned just $16.5 million, well below the $22.5 million earned by the original The Mask of Zorro in 1998. Two other new films were not expected to draw much of a crowd -- and they didn't. The Meryl Streep-Uma Thurman comedy Prime picked up a not-so-prime $6.4 million, while the Nicolas Cage film The Weather Man washed out with $4.2 million, slightly above last week's winner, Doom, which sank to $4.1 million. Once again, the overall box office total slipped below the comparable week a year.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Saw II, $30.5 million; 2. The Legend of Zorro, $16.5 million; 3. Prime, $6.4 million; 4. Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story, $6.3 million; 5. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, $4.4 million; 6. The Weather Man, $4.3 million; 7. Doom, $4.1 million; 8. North Country, $3.65 million; 9. The Fog, $3.3 million; 10. Flightplan, $2.6 million.

Movie Reviews: 'Prime'
28 October 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Reviews for Prime, starring Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep fly in every direction. For example, there's Claudia Puig, who writes in USA Today: "Despite its title, Prime is not a cut above. This romantic comedy's predictability and rather dull love story make it the cinematic equivalent of a slightly stale hamburger." Then there's A.O. Scott in the New York Times, who dismisses it as "pleasant, but not very memorable." On the other hand, Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times calls the movie flawed, "yet I must recommend it, because in its comedy of errors are actors who bring truth at least to their dialogue. Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman have line readings that work as delicate and precise adjustments of dangerous situations." And Philip Wuntch in the Dallas Morning News gives the film a primo review, writing that it's "often a riot, with laughter growing out of identifiable human behavior. Unlike many contemporary romantic comedies, it even ends with a warm, satisfying glow."

Arnie Stuns at Stunt Awards But It's Tarantino's Big Night
27 September 2005 (WENN)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stunned fans at the Taurus World Stunt Awards in Hollywood on Sunday night when he showed up to present pal, stuntman icon Vic Armstrong, with a Lifetime Achievement prize. Movie veteran Armstrong, whose film credits include Raiders Of The Lost Ark and War Of The Worlds, took a break from making Mission: Impossible 3 with Tom Cruise to accept his honor. Schwarzenegger's Planet Hollywood pal Sylvester Stallone also made an appearance - to pick up the night's Honorary Action Star award and movie-maker Quentin Tarantino took home the award for Best Action Movie Director. Meanwhile's Tarantino's fight sequence between Uma Thurman and Daryl Hannah in Kill Bill Vol 2 claimed the fifth annual prize's Best Fight honors, while the film's stand-ins Zoe Bell and Monica Staggs took home the Best Stuntwoman prize.

Stiller Lays an Egg at MTV Movie Awards
6 June 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Although the rock group Nine Inch Nails dropped out of the MTV Movie Awards after producers refused to allow them to display a photo of President Bush during their planned performance, the awards show was not totally free from protests Saturday night. Ben Stiller, who won the Best Villain award (for Dodgeball), appeared at the podium with an egg in his hand and displayed it to the audience. "Take a look at this little fella. He's killed more people than all the Hollywood bad guys combined," Stiller said. "Crush cholesterol now!" The award for Best Movie of the year went to a film that cost just $400,000 to make but grossed $44.5 million -- Napoleon Dynamite. It also won for Best Musical Performance (by star Jon Heder) and Breakthrough Performance by a Male (also Heder).

Other awards: Best Movie: Napoleon Dynamite; Best Male Performance: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Best Female Performance: Lindsay Lohan, Mean Girls; Best On-Screen Team: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried, Mean Girls; Best Kiss: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, The Notebook; Best Breakthrough Female: Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls; Best Fight: Uma Thurman vs. Daryl Hannah, Kill Bill: Vol. 2; Best Frightened Performance: Dakota Fanning, Hide and Seek; Best Comedic Performance: Dustin Hoffman, Meet the Fockers; MTV Generation Award: Tom Cruise; Best Video Game Based on Movie: Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay; Best Action Sequence: Roland Emmerich, Destruction of Los Angeles, The Day After Tomorrow. (The MTV Movie Awards is scheduled to air on Thursday.)

Brooks Slams Rumors of Unrest on 'The Producers'
28 April 2005 (WENN)
Film legend Mel Brooks has hit out at reports of a crisis on the set of the movie remake of his hit Broadway show, The Producers: The Movie Musical, insisting rumors he is unhappy with director Susan Stroman are nonsense. Sources claimed Brooks had stepped in to re-shoot comedy scenes because he was dissatisfied with the efforts of Stroman, who directed and choreographed the Broadway smash hit version of The Producers, but is making her first movie. An insider told Pagesix.Com, "Stroman hasn't quite yet mastered the art of directing comedy in a feature film - at least not to Mel's liking. So Mel had to step in and re-shoot a number of non-dancing scenes. But there have been no problems with the dance numbers. Mel is apparently very happy with those." But Brooks' spokesman Peter Graves refutes the claims, maintaining all is well on the set of the film, which stars Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell. He says, "Mel is the producer of the film. He's there almost every day, as good producers are. They've worked collaboratively over the years but the idea that he is out there redirecting or re-shooting anything is absolute nonsense."

Hawke Nervous About Thurman Watching His Play
19 April 2005 (WENN)
Actor Ethan Hawke is hoping Uma Thurman doesn't turn up to see him in his Broadway play Hurlyburly - because his character says a lot of harsh things about his ex-wife. The Training Day star, who co-stars with Parker Posey in the New York City production, split with Kill Bill beauty Thurman in 2003, and admits it would be a highly uncomfortable situation if she decided to show up for one of his shows. Hawke says, "I would love to have her come, but she hasn't come and I don't think she should. My character rants so much about his ex-wife that I think it would make the audience so uncomfortable, or at least the 10 people sitting near her. She's so tall, and everybody would be looking at her. Every night, sometimes when the house isn't very responsive, that's the first thing that goes through my mind: 'Is she here tonight? Why's everybody so quiet?'"

Thurman Hopes To Sing For Real on 'Producers'
1 April 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood actress Uma Thurman is vying to show off her singing skills in the forthcoming remake of The Producers, despite rumors she may be dubbed. The Pulp Fiction star, 34, admits she is better on the dance floor than crooning on stage, but doesn't believe her voice is so bad that film producers need to arrange for a professional to sing her character Ulla's vocals. Thurman tells the New York Post newspaper, "I can dance, and now I'm calling myself a passable singer because they haven't talked about overdubbing me yet. I sang with an orchestra for the first time the other day, and it was wonderful. I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my entire life."

Thurman Learns From Her Mistakes
23 March 2005 (WENN)
Uma Thurman loves to watch her poorly received performances, because she can only improve herself as an actress by learning from her mistakes. Thurman remains upbeat about playing Poison Ivy in much-maligned 1997 movie Batman & Robin - even though her co-stars look back on it as a dark moment in their careers. She tells British magazine Hotdog, "I can't be responsible for the whole picture. Me and Poison Ivy, we had a good time. We got down, I liked my costume. And, though it didn't work for a lot of people, I loved the high camp that Joel Schumacher tried to blow the Batman franchise out on. It was really bold of him." Kill Bill beauty Thurman has no regrets about starring in films mauled by movie critics because when she chooses more successful roles it proves her sound judgment. She adds, "Whenever I look at the list of things I've made, I never really want to diss any of them. Are there mistakes? Are there things that were less than great experiences? Yes. But if you never make mistakes, you never get informed on your good judgment. I obviously, like anybody, learn more from my mistakes than from my luckier moments."

Thurman and Hawke Hammer Out Divorce Details
28 January 2005 (WENN)
Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke met in a New York City courthouse on January 21 to finalize their divorce. During the 30-minute conference at the Manhattan Supreme Court one of the issues which came up for discussion was their two children Maya, six, and Roan, three, reports Star magazine. The screen stars went their separate ways in the summer of 2003, after a five-year marriage.

Madonna To Host Tsunami Telethon
12 January 2005 (WENN)
Pop superstar Madonna has agreed to host a Us TV benefit show to raise money for the American Red Cross's tsunami-relief efforts in south east Asia. The Material Girl - who has been attacked for donating 10,000 bottles of Kabbalah Water to areas hit by the December 26 tidal wave - will take part in American TV network NBC's Tsunami Relief Telethon on January 15. She will be joined by "Dirrty" singer Christina Aguilera, soul star Diana Ross, rockers Maroon 5 and actors including George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Uma Thurman.

Thurman To Take Kidman's Place in 'Producers'
23 December 2004 (WENN)
Uma Thurman will take Nicole Kidman's place in the forthcoming movie version of The Producers. Kidman was forced to pull out of the role of busty Swedish secretary Ulla in the film - which is due to begin shooting in February - because of scheduling difficulties. South African beauty Charlize Theron was reportedly considered for the role, but producers have opted for fellow blonde Thurman, according to PageSix.Com. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick will reprise the roles they took to great critical acclaim in the Broadway, New York stage version of Mel Brooks' tale of crooked theatre producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom.

Thurman and Balazs Buy a Home Together
23 November 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill star Uma Thurman is solidifying her romance with hotelier Andre Balazs by purchasing a New York state mansion with him. The lovebirds, who got together after Thurman's marriage to Ethan Hawke crumbled, have purchased the former Hudson Valley estate of Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione. George Cole Auctions sold off the contents of Guccione's former summer house at the end of the summer. Auctioneer George Cole, who is also a licensed real estate broker, says Balazs and Thurman attended the auction, expressed interest in the property and have a contract to buy it. Cole has declined to disclose the purchase price. The 55-acre estate boasts a 16-room mansion which is situated in the hamlet of Staatsburg. Guccione lost the property, which he called The Willows, in February after defaulting on a $14.5 million loan. Last year he resigned as chief executive of Penthouse International, three months after the publishing arm of the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Thurman and Balazs Not Marrying
18 November 2004 (WENN)
Uma Thurman has slammed rumors she is engaged to hotelier boyfriend Andre Balazs, because she's not divorced from husband Ethan Hawke yet. American magazine In Touch this week claimed Balazs had proposed to the Kill Bill star with a four-carat diamond ring, and Thurman was now looking for a Prada wedding dress. But representatives for the pair assure Pagesix.Com a wedding is a long way off, because they are both still married - Thurman to Hawke and Balazs to model Katie Ford.

Russell Bases Character on Thurman's Dad
8 November 2004 (WENN)
Director David O. Russell is so grateful to Uma Thurman's father Robert Thurman for inspiring his latest movie I Heart Huckabees, he based the central character on him. The Kill Bill star's dad taught Russell ancient texts at college, and was such a profound influence on the young film-maker, Russell used Dustin Hoffman's detective character to pay homage to him. He tells British magazine Empire, "I was taught by Robert Thurman. He's one of the most brilliant scholars in the world, completely unpretentious but an expert in Sanskrit and all these ancient texts. The detective played by Dustin Hoffman is actually based on him."

J.Lo's Ex Make-Up Artist Threatens Scandalous Book
13 September 2004 (WENN)
Jennifer Lopez's former make-up artist has threatened to write a scandalous book about the Latina star if she continues to criticize him in public. Scott Barnes was ditched by Lopez after four years, when she discovered he was leaking private information about her to the press. But Barnes, who has worked with Kate Hudson and Uma Thurman, denies the reports and is considering revealing secrets about her faith healer who allegedly purifies her houses by ridding "bad auras" and curses people who cause her distress. An insider tells website Pagesix.Com, "He knows everything. He knows all about Jennifer and her faith healer (Merle Gonzalez). After Ben Affleck left Jennifer, Merle went in to expel bad auras and cleanse her house. Merle also blessed the Shall We Dance set and some people say Jennifer has had Merle put hexes on people she feels have done her wrong." Lopez's representative said, "We don't comment on personal matters."

J.Lo's Former Make-Up Artist Speaks Out
9 September 2004 (WENN)
Jennifer Lopez's former make-up artist insists he and the superstar have gone their separate ways because she has yet to pay him for work he did the day she wed Marc Anthony. Reports recently emerged that Scott Barnes was ditched by Lopez after four years, when she discovered he was leaking private information about her to the press. But Barnes, who has worked with Kate Hudson and Uma Thurman, denies the reports, claiming their dispute is over the cash he's waiting to be paid for the work he did at Lopez's June 5 surprise wedding in Beverly Hills, California. Although he arrived thinking he would be getting her ready for the 2004 MTV Movie Awards, he found himself instead preparing Lopez for her third trip down the aisle. He tells Us Weekly, "I came over on the pretence of business and ended up doing five times the work and wasn't paid. I've moved on. I'm working on numerous projects. All I really wanted was an apology, and it's sad that after four years I can't even get that."

Hawke Drinks Alone
22 August 2004 (WENN)
Newly single Ethan Hawke stunned onlookers at Manhattan's Trailer Bar last Sunday by spending most of the night "downing drinks" alone. The Before Sunset hunk - who separated from wife Uma Thurman last year - caused raised eyebrows as he consumed beverage after beverage at the bar in the city's trendy Chelsea district. And onlookers were even more stunned when, later that night, he phoned a mystery woman and begged her to join him. The lady obliged and, according to Page Six.com, the couple put on a lusty display and drank solidly until the bar closed.

Tarantino's Fears for Oscar Chances
12 August 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino fears he has ruined Uma Thurman's chances of landing an Oscar nomination because he split his Kill Bill story into two films. The stunning actress plays The Bride who seeks vengeance for the murder of her wedding party in last year's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and this year's Kill Bill: Vol. 2. Tarantino split the movie in two after failing to cut it to an acceptable length - but he now fears the decision could backfire, come the Academy Awards. He explains, "If I tried to turn it into a three-hour or two-and-a-half-hour movie, all the scenes that would go would be scenes I think give the movie its weight, its resonance. If I truly, truly believed the film would have had more impact shorter, I would have done it that way. I think the only thing that might have been lost in that decision is we could have gotten considerably more awards play if the film had been one big, giant epic. As one big movie, Uma would have gotten a best-actress nomination, for sure. I'm still hoping we're going to do good at the Oscars in 2005."

Tarantino: Splitting 'Kill Bill' Hurt Its Oscar Chances
11 August 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Quentin Tarantino speculated Tuesday that the decision to split Kill Bill into two movies may have hindered its Oscar potential. He told the Associated Press that "if the film had been one big, giant epic," is star, Uma Thurman, "would have gotten a best-actress nomination, for sure."

Hawke Parties It Up in Los Angeles
23 July 2004 (WENN)
Single hunk Ethan Hawke proved he's getting over his split from Uma Thurman by partying it up in Los Angeles with a mystery brunette. The Before Sunset actor - who separated from Thurman in September last year - flew out of the movie capital to attend a script reading but was soon at the city's Sunset Marquis Hotel with Dead Poet's Society pal Josh Charles. And, as the two men enjoyed a boozy night out together, they were joined by two mystery brunettes who accompanied them back to Hawke's one-bedroom bungalow after the bar closed. The party finally broke up at 5am when the two women were spotted leaving Hawke's property before he headed back to New York to watch a performance of Much Ado About Nothing in Central Park.

Hawke Marriage Meltdown Inspired 'Sunset' Script
9 July 2004 (WENN)
Ethan Hawke's shock split from wife Uma Thurman inspired the bittersweet musings of his character Jesse in eagerly-anticipated sequel Before Sunset. According to director Richard Linklater, when he, Hawke and leading lady Julie Delpy got together to collaborate on the screenplay, the Training Day hunk was aiming to "blur the line between performer and character". And Linklater admits he found the plot, in which Jesse tells old flame Celine how he is trapped in a loveless marriage because of his children, "scary". Linklater explains, "It was a little scary. Current events had caught up with us. To Ethan's credit, I think it informed the making of the film. It definitely informed some of his feelings."

MTV To Edit Sandler Too
10 June 2004 (WENN)
Comic star Adam Sandler is the latest celebrity whose MTV Movie Awards appearance is being threatened with the axe, after he thanked Hawaiians for providing him with drugs on the set of 50 First Dates. It's already emerged rapper Eminem's bare bottom flash at Hollywood beauties including Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Carmen Electra, Queen Latifah and Halle Berry at the star-studded bash at Culver City, California on Saturday has been cut from the televised broadcast of the event tomorrow. And now MTV bosses are poised to drop Sandler's drug comment, which he made after his 50 First Dates co-star Drew Barrymore suggested they praise Hawaii during their acceptance speech for the Best Onscreen Team award. Instead, Sandler sparked laughter when he hailed the locals for supplying him with "weed" during the shoot.

Eminem's Bottom Out of MTV Movie Awards
9 June 2004 (WENN)
Hip-hop superstar Eminem's naked backside has been edited out of this year's MTV Movie Award broadcast. The "Slim Shady" star flashed his bare bottom at celebrities including Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Carmen Electra, Queen Latifah and Halle Berry at the star-studded bash at Culver City, California on Saturday. After the uproar following Janet Jackson's infamous Super Bowl breast exposure earlier this year, MTV have decided to remove Eminem's derriere from the broadcast, which hits TV screens on Thursday.

Hawke Back with "Other Woman"
8 June 2004 (WENN)
Actor Ethan Hawke has rekindled his romance with Jen Perzow, whom he infamously dated as his marriage to Uma Thurman was crumbling. Hawke - who met Perzow on the set of Taking Lives last year - stunned diners last Tuesday by treating his young lover to a romantic dinner at top restaurant Sassafras, reports website Pagesix.Com. And dumbfounded onlookers in Toronto, Canada - the location of his movie remake Assault On Precinct 13 - claim their intense physical appeal for each other was made abundantly clear to the locals. One says, "They couldn't keep their hands off each other. They were making out in the street!" The next morning, Perzow was reportedly spotted on the streets wearing the same blue skirt and white shirt she had on the night before.

'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' Kills Rivals at MTV Movie Awards
7 June 2004 (StudioBriefing)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was voted best film at Saturday's MTV Movie Awards, but Kill Bill: Vol. 1 was the real killer, winning for Best Female Performance (Uma Thurman), Best Villain (Lucy Liu) and Best Fight (Thurman with Chiaki Kuriyama). Johnny Depp won for Best Male Performance (in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl). Jack Black took home the award for Best Comedic Performance for his role in School of Rock. This being MTV, Adam Sandler touched off little initial controversy (the awards show will not air until June 10) when, in accepting the Best Team award with Drew Barrymore for 50 First Dates, he thanked the people of Hawaii, where the movie was made, for supplying him with marijuana ("weed," as he put it).

'Kill Bill' and 'Return of the King' Win at MTV Awards
7 June 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill: Vol 1 and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King took home most of the major honors at the MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles last night. Uma Thurman won Best Female Performance and Lucy Liu was named Best Villain for their roles in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol 1. The revenge epic was also awarded the Best Fight prize, for the clash between Thurman's character and schoolgirl Chiaki Kuriyama. A grateful Thurman praised Tarantino as she collected the award: "Quentin spent many years writing this for me and wants to be honored as if he were dead tonight. We don't have time, so I'll have to honor you as if you were living. Thank you, Quentin." The Return Of The King, the third film in director Peter Jackson's blockbusting Lord Of The Rings trilogy, won Best Movie and Best Action Sequence. Elsewhere, Johnny Depp's part in The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was voted Best Male Performance, and Jack Black won the Comedic Performance award for School of Rock. Lindsay Lohan took home Breakthrough Female for Freaky Friday and X2's Shawn Ashmore won Breakthrough Male. Best Kiss went to the smooch shared between Owen Wilson, Amy Smart and Carmen Electra in Starsky & Hutch, while Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore were named the Best Onscreen Team for their partnership in 50 First Dates. Superstars including Tom Cruise and Snoop Dogg presented awards at the glitzy bash, which is to be screened on MTV this Thursday.

Thurman and Hannah Continue Feud
19 May 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill co-stars Uma Thurman and Daryl Hannah have again demonstrated their ill-feeling towards each other at the Cannes Film Festival. Reports of a feud between the pair surfaced following the British premiere of Kill Bill: Vol 2 last month, when the actresses reportedly instructed hotel and cinema staff to ensure they were kept separate from each other. The blonde stars were again at odds on Sunday at the screening of Quentin Tarantino's violent epic at the French bash. Firstly, Thurman attempted to take Tarantino away from Hannah as the pair posed for pictures, and then sources revealed they had ordered separate areas to be created at the after-show party so they wouldn't clash. An insider says, "Each star had their own tent at the bash but seating organizers were told that Daryl and Uma's areas couldn't be next to each other. They don't appear to be the best of pals."

Angelina Tells Uma To "Grab Happiness with Both Hands"
18 May 2004 (WENN)
Movie superstar Uma Thurman has reportedly accepted a proposal from lover Andre Balazs - on the advice of new confidante Angelina Jolie. The gorgeous duo bonded over drinks at the Cannes Film Festival this week, where Uma poured out her heart to the Tomb Raider star over her failed marriage to Ethan Hawke. But sage Angelina - who was left heartbroken when husband Billy Bob Thornton left her - told Uma not to dwell on the past and to grab happiness with the smitten hotelier. And Uma allegedly took her words to heart, by telling Balazs she will marry him. A source tells British newspaper the Daily Star, "Angie wanted Uma to feel like a woman and not just a wronged wife or single mother. After the circus of Kill Bill, the end of her relationship with Ethan and the birth of her children, it's now finally all about her."

Jolie Avoids Jen at Cannes Showbiz Bash
17 May 2004 (WENN)
Angelina Jolie avoided a star studded party at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday - to stop fellow actress Jennifer Aniston from feeling uncomfortable. Aniston was reportedly upset following speculation her husband Brad Pitt had grown close to Jolie whilst filming new movie Mr And Mrs Smith earlier this year. Although the reports were vehemently denied by both parties, Jolie decided to stay in her hotel room with son Maddox instead of joining Pitt and Aniston and stars including Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Will Smith and Uma Thurman at the bash at the exclusive Hotel Du Cap. A source tells Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, "She didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable and thought it best to stay in her suite - and eliminate any chance of bumping into Jennifer."

Thurman's 'Worst Dressed' Accolade Comes Back to Haunt Her
7 May 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Uma Thurman's accolade of 'Worse Dressed' at this year's Oscars is returning to haunt her - wacky designers are sending her dozens of ugly garments. Thurman topped most magazine and entertainment program's lists of the most unattractive Academy Awards gowns, after she walked down the red carpet in a white tulle Christian Lacroix dress. Now, according to friends of the Kill Bill star, the blonde actress is being inundated with bizarre clothes. A pal says, "She's been getting all sorts of offers. "One was all leather and another came with a mask. Uma likes to be different, but she's not that different." Thurman recently admitted she'd picked the gown so she could stand out from her peers, saying, "Everyone looked the same. Everyone had it down to such a perfect tee in their spaghetti-strapped, sequined or chiffon, body-hugging, gym-hour promoting things. "You get bored. I'm glad it was me they panned."

Thurman to Be a Bond Girl?
5 May 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood movie-maker Quentin Tarantino is set to cast his muse Uma Thurman as a Bond girl if he lands the next 007 director role. The Kill Bill director is desperate to helm the 21st James Bond film - a remake of Ian Fleming's original story Casino Royale - and is keen to keep Irish heart-throb Pierce Brosnan on for one more spy outing. A source told British tabloid Daily Star, "Quentin wants Pierce as his Bond and Uma as a Bond girl. The thing is that Uma doesn't like the idea of being just another girl for Bond, so she's said she'll only ever do it if she gets to kick 007's a*s."

Tarantino Cancels Australia Trip
29 April 2004 (WENN)
Quentin Tarantino has cancelled a trip to Australia to promote his new movie Kill Bill: Vol 2, starring Uma Thurman, David Carradine and Daryl Hannah, because he is suffering from exhaustion. The maverick director was due in Sydney this week to help publicize the sequel after its release there last week, and was also due to attend a question and answer session at the Sydney Opera House. But Tarantino has returned home to America to rest after a hectic promotional tour of Asia and Europe.

Bored Thurman Opted for Worst-Dressed Oscars Honor
29 April 2004 (WENN)
Uma Thurman set out to be crowned the worst-dressed celebrity at the Oscars this year - because she's sick of looking just like her peers. The usually-stylish star became an object of ridicule when she took to the red carpet at the Academy Awards in an outlandish, billowing Christian Lacroix evening gown, but Thurman knew she'd be criticized for her choice. She says, "The dress didn't do that thing that people are in the mood for, which is what most people had. We've gotten so savvy with stylists that it's like a kind of warfare of defensive dressing out there. Everyone looked the same. Everyone had it down to such a perfect tee in their spaghetti-strapped, sequined or chiffon, body-hugging, gym- hour promoting things. You get bored. That's when you have to say, 'I will be worst dressed. I'm glad it was me they panned. I think I deserve it, and I can take it. I need a good panning every so often or I wouldn't really recognize my life."

Thurman and Hannah Kept Apart?
23 April 2004 (WENN)
Uma Thurman and Daryl Hannah reportedly asked to be kept apart when staying in a London hotel for the premiere of their new film Kill Bill: Vol 2 - because they don't get on. According to a British newspaper the two actresses mirror the animosity their two characters display in the Quentin Tarantino film, and made sure they were housed in separate wings of the Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday. A source tells the Daily Star, "When the arrangements were made for the Kill Bill party it was made clear that Uma and Daryl were not to be allocated rooms near each other because they often bristle and snap at each other."

Tarantino: Thurman Deserves Oscar
22 April 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino insists Uma Thurman deserved to clinch the Best Actress Oscar which went to Charlize Theron in February. While stunning Theron picked up the coveted award for her efforts in Monster, Tarantino believes Thurman's demanding role in the Kill Bill movies made her more deserving of an Academy Award, even though she wasn't even nominated. He says, "As far as I'm concerned, the Academy should've just walked up to her door, knocked on it and put the Oscar in her hand. Kill Bill: Vol 2 - there's a whole other year, a whole other crack at it."

Thurman Slams Beckham "Mistress"
22 April 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill: Vol 2 star Uma Thurman has slammed David Beckham's alleged mistress Rebecca Loos for being a "tramp" - after the kiss-and-tell beauty turned up at the film's London premiere last night. Gorgeous Uma - who split with husband Ethan Hawke in September - was left unimpressed by brazen Loos, who arrived at the glitzy event with her former girlfriend Emma Basden dressed up like the soccer superstar. And the 33-year-old superstar was shocked to see Loos courting the media so readily, showing little regard for Beckham's wife Victoria Beckham. She exclaims, "It sounds pretty low. I don't know the facts though - I wasn't there. I'm not sure whether she's trash or a tramp. I'd say tramp, though. She can't get enough PR."

Uma: Ethan Doesn't Blame Me for Split
16 April 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill beauty Uma Thurman has shrugged off suggestions ex-husband Ethan Hawke believes her career ambitions led to their marriage breakdown - insisting he was "misinterpreted". The superstar couple, who announced their separation last September, have both spoken out about the rift in their five-year-marriage, but Ethan's comments seemed to implicate his successful wife. And Uma blames her ex's desperation to quash rumors that his fling with model Jen Perzow led to the split for provoking him to say, "I don't know if it's just too hard to be married to a woman who wants to be a movie star." Uma explains, "If I was younger I'm sure I would have been spattered all over a beach somewhere with big swollen eyes. But I don't think Ethan was blaming me. I think his intentions are better than that. These quotes can be interpreted in many ways. I think he had to explain himself. It's all been difficult, but, of course, I respect him as the father of my children."

Original 'Kill Bill' Is a Killer in Home Video Sales
15 April 2004 (StudioBriefing)
More good news for Disney: Only days before Friday's debut of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2, the home video version of Kill Bill Vol. 1, starring Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu, sold 2 million copies in its first 24 hours in the store, according to Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment. In a statement, Miramax COO Rick Sands said, "It is an extraordinary achievement and reaffirms that Quentin's films are true movie events."

Hawke Admits To Emotional Baggage
13 April 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke hopes to get his personal life on track - even if he is "becoming harder and harder to date". The Taking Lives star, 33 - who split with wife Uma Thurman last year - concedes it will take a strong woman to capture his heart. Handsome Hawke says, "I've got a lot of baggage now. I'm a famous actor, I've got two kids, and I'm becoming harder and harder to date." The media interest in the reasons for Hawke and Thurman's break-up - that he cheated on her with a 22-year-old model - has left the actor slightly shell- shocked. He adds, "Hopefully, all this stuff I've been going through personally will translate into making me a better man. That's all you can hope to get from any kind of suffering."

Uma Not Bitter Over Divorce
2 April 2004 (WENN)
Movie beauty Uma Thurman refuses to be bitter about the end of her six year marriage to Ethan Hawke - as it would only damage their children. The Kill Bill star split with Oscar nominee Hawke in September last year, following reports he had been cheating on her with Canadian model Jen Perzow. But, rather than hit out at her estranged spouse through the media, Uma prefers to remember the good times with hunky Hawke. She says, "It's not fun but, like any great change or trauma or shock or loss, you know you have to look at things as an opportunity for growth and a chance to reinvent yourself in some fashion. Sometimes the good memories might make you sad but they're still precious. I don't feel like anything was wasted. I've had a really rich life and I'm grateful for the last eight years. They were so much better than the eight years before that."

Hannah Nabs Hotel Tycoon
31 March 2004 (WENN)
Daryl Hannah has taken a leaf out of Kill Bill co-star Uma Thurman's book - by dating a wealthy hotelier. The Splash beauty, 44, is enjoying a passionate romance with Sean McPherson, the boss of New York's Maritime Hotel, after failing to find love with previous beaus David Blaine and John F. Kennedy Jr. Hannah's new romance comes hot on the heels of Thurman's love match with tycoon Andre Balazs, who she has been dating since splitting with husband Ethan Hawke in September last year.

Ethan and Uma to Reconcile?
19 March 2004 (WENN)
Movie superstars Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman could be on the verge of a reconciliation - they've reportedly put their divorce on hold. According to friends, the couple have remained in constant contact for the sake of their two young children - Maya and Levon - and relations between them have thawed considerably. And Britain's Daily Sport newspaper reports that many sources close to Gattaca co-stars believe there is still hope for their floundering five-year marriage. One says, "They are in a holding pattern. They're talking all the time." The news will come as a shock to Uma's new lover Andre Balzas, who took the Kill Bill beauty and her kids to the Caribbean for a romantic holiday over Christmas. Thurman walked out on Hawke in October last year amid reports he had been cheating on her while filming Taking Lives in Canada. The actor has since denied his infidelity was the cause of their split.

Hawke Upset by Uma Romance Question
9 March 2004 (WENN)
Ethan Hawke fired off at a nosy TV interviewer when pressed about his feelings after seeing estranged wife Uma Thurman getting romantic with other men. American broadcaster Chris Connolly was granted a candid chat with the Training Day star for a segment on magazine show 20/20, but after answering questions about his failed marriage - which he blamed on movie ambitions - Hawke became agitated when the interviewer probed deeper. After showing photographs taken of Thurman cavorting on the beach with hotelier Andre Balzas at Christmas, Connolly asked if he was hurt by the romance. Upset Hawke fired back, "That's a leading question. How am I supposed to answer that, man? Do you think it's tough? It's very tough." Hawke then calmed down to reveal he misses the "dream" of marriage and is desperately trying to be mature enough to cope with the bitter split for the sake of his kids. He added, "You gotta think about your kids. I love my kids so much that it breaks my heart to have anything negative said about Uma or me. I'd rather it be about me, frankly. What are you gonna do, man? I'm trying to be a grown up."

Hawke Blames Marriage Break-Up on Ambition
5 March 2004 (WENN)
Movie star Ethan Hawke has blamed ambition on the breakdown of his marriage to Uma Thurman in a new TV interview. The actor has admitted it's hard being married to "a woman that wants to be a movie star", in a revealing chat taped for Friday's 20/20 news show in America. In the interview, Hawke insists he still feels "beaten up" by the failure of his five-year marriage, admitting it was a tough period of his life. He says, "It is very difficult for any couple who are married if both people are very ambitious." Hawke also admits that being famous has made the break-up extremely difficult. He adds, "While I'm sitting here my marriage is not working. Everybody knows it. You hate to have your grandfather read about it. That's what makes you feel ashamed, you know. It's like, this is our marriage... and now there's all these other voices in the room."

Hawke: Uma and I Will Divorce
23 February 2004 (WENN)
Actor Ethan Hawke has confirmed his marriage to Uma Thurman is over for good and they will divorce. The couple split last year amid reports Hawke had had an affair with a model while making movie Taking Lives in Canada. Hawke has never confessed to adultery, but he insists the couple's five year marriage was in trouble long before the press caught on. He tells Details magazine, "We'll probably get a divorce. The story of us breaking up over infidelity has been an annoying one. If our problems were that simple, we'd still be together. Uma and I were having troubles long before the press got a hold of us." But Hawke hints reports he was unfaithful may have been accurate in a bizarre tribute to adulterous political leaders: "Martin Luther King Jr. suffered from infidelity, so did John F. Kennedy. You're more likely to find great leadership coming from a man who likes to have sex with a lot of women than one who's monogamous."

Tarantino Hints at Romance with Thurman
6 February 2004 (WENN)
Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino has hinted at a romance with pal Uma Thurman - despite recently declaring his joy for her new relationship with hotelier Andre Balazs. The eccentric film-maker had been rumored to be dating statuesque Thurman after her marriage to Ethan Hawke dissolved last year, but Tarantino dispelled any suspicions of such a relationship when he confirmed her romance with Balazs. But now Tarantino says on whether he and Thurman have advanced their relationship past the friendship stage, "I'm not saying that we haven't, and I'm not saying that we have. We love each other, but we're almost too close now to be a couple. We had out life together on Kill Bill. It was like a marriage in every way."

Lonely Hawke Worries Pals
2 January 2004 (WENN)
Recently-separated movie hunk Ethan Hawke has become so depressed and withdrawn since his split from wife Uma Thurman, pals are fearing for his health. The Training Day actor split with the Kill Bill beauty in September after he was caught cheating on her with model Jen Perzow on the Canadian set of upcoming movie Taking Lives. After unsuccessfully trying to woo back the mother of his two children, Ethan has had to rely on his pet dog for company - while Uma enjoys a romantic holiday with new love Andre Balzas. Spies in Hawke's native New York have spotted the lonely star dining out with his pet pooch and then pouring out his troubles to a pal while walking the mutt in the trendy Chelsea district, saying it was a "really painful breakup". Also, sources on Hawke's new film Billy Dead have told gossip website Page Six.com he is so down that he is failing to return phone calls and finding it difficult to concentrate. Hawke and Thurman married in 1998 after meeting on the set of sci-fi thriller Gattaca.

Uma Gets Serious with New Love
29 December 2003 (WENN)
Screen beauty Uma Thurman is so smitten with her new man Andre Balzas - they spent a romantic Christmas together in St. Barts. The Kill Bill star, currently separated from husband Ethan Hawke after his reported infidelity with Canadian model Jen Perzow, lapped up the attention from attentive hotel tycoon Andre on the Caribbean island. Uma has been friends with Andre for years, but their blossoming romance only began shortly after Uma separated from Ethan in September. Uma and Andre were also accompanied by her children with Ethan - Maya Ray, five, and Roan, 22 months - on the relaxing break. A fellow holidaymaker says, "While the kids were playing, Uma and her man couldn't keep their hands off each other."

Affleck Visits Navy in Persian Gulf
26 December 2003 (WENN)
Benevolent movie star Ben Affleck paid a visit to American troops in the Persian Gulf Monday - to tell them they are loved and missed at home. The Paycheck hunk - who flew back to New York to spend Christmas with fiancee Jennifer Lopez - boarded the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier and was greeted by the 5,300 men and woman working there. And Affleck - an avid Democrat - spent his time dining with the sailors and cracking jokes about the capture of fallen Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Troops stationed on the craft also got a sneak preview of Paycheck - which stars Affleck and Kill Bill beauty Uma Thurman. Affleck told the Soldiers, "Thank you for your dedication, your service to the navy and to this country. You are loved and missed back home and we await your safe return." Those working aboard USS Enterprise will spend the festive season away from family and friends. Affleck later moved on to USS Gettysburg, a guided- missile cruiser stationed nearby.

Thurman's Ease with 'Paycheck' Scenes
22 December 2003 (WENN)
Uma Thurman loved filming upcoming action movie Paycheck with Ben Affleck - because it was a welcome relief from the grueling regime she had to endure for Kill Bill. The statuesque actress admits the months of training she went through for the Quentin Tarantino films was so punishing, the action scenes in Paycheck took very little effort. She says, "I'm Ben's sort of co-star - I'm the 'girl' in the movie and it was so fun just to be the girl. (Affleck) got to the do all the big work and I just got to show up and be the girl, so it was kind of really nice as a juxtaposition. Compared to Kill Bill it was a walk in the park. I was like, 'Kick that person? Sure, no problem! What kinda kick do you want? Do you want a slap kick, a roundhouse kick, what kinda kick you want? Tell me the kick and I'll give you the kick.'"

Ben Without Jen at Film Premiere
19 December 2003 (WENN)
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez appear to be sticking to their vow to keep their relationship out of the limelight - J.Lo has stayed away from the premiere of her beau's new movie. Affleck strolled the red-carpet at this week's Paycheck premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, without the Latina superstar on his arm - but he still managed to wow the crowds with co-star Uma Thurman. Ben and Jen have tried to reduce the amount of publicity surrounding their high- profile relationship, which they blame for the postponement of their planned September wedding.

Thurman Embarks on New Romance
15 December 2003 (WENN)
Ethan Hawke's hopes of winning back estranged wife Uma Thurman have been dealt a severe blow - the actress has found a new man. The Kill Bill star is reportedly romancing New York hotelier Andre Balazs, who is a long-term acquaintance, after separating from Hawke in September. Hawke's affair with Canadian model Jen Perzow on the set of upcoming thriller Taking Lives caused Thurman such heartache, her brothers threatened to "kill" the Reality Bites hunk. But now Uma - who has two children Maya and Roan with Hawke - is said to be resisting her ex's attempts to salvage their marriage. A source close to Uma says of Balazs, "They've known each other for years, but they just started seeing each other about a month and an half ago. It's very recent, but they seem intense."

Hawke Moves Out of Family Home - Again
9 December 2003 (WENN)
Movie hunk Ethan Hawke has moved out of the home he shares with estranged wife Uma Thurman and their two young children again - and checked into a hotel with a mystery woman. The Training Day star had hoped to rekindle his romance with the Kill Bill beauty after she kicked him out amid claims he was openly dating Canadian model Jen Perzow in Montreal this summer. But sources at New York's Chelsea Hotel tell gossip site Page Six that Hawke moved his belongings back in last Tuesday and was accompanied by a sexy young woman called Christine. An insider whispers, "When they checked in, Ethan asked for two keys. They were definitely together." But Hawke's representatives have immediately moved to quash the rumors stating: "The only women who have been in Ethan's room are his mother and the nannies. There is no Christine."

Hawke Plans Christmas Reunion with Uma
3 December 2003 (WENN)
Movie hunk Ethan Hawke is planning to win back estranged wife Uma Thurman by spending Christmas with her and their two young children, Roan and Maya. The couple - who met on the set of 1997 movie Gattaca - split in September amid claims that Hawke had been openly romancing Canadian model Jen Perzow while filming upcoming thriller Taking Lives in Montreal this summer. Sources close to the Training Day heart-throb, 33, say that he is desperate to rekindle his marriage with the Kill Bill beauty but she remains unconvinced that he can curb his womanizing ways. An insider says, "They're going to give Roan and Maya the best Christmas and put everything else aside. It's going to be hard for both but they've made a pact to try and be friendly for the kids' sake. At the same time Ethan is secretly hoping it will be a chance for them to sort out their issues."

Ralph Fiennes & Uma Thurman Voted Worst Double Act
2 December 2003 (WENN)
The Avengers stars Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman have been voted the worst movie double act of all time, by critics at a British film magazine. The pair were universally panned when they appeared in box-office flop in 1998, and experts at Total Film deem Fiennes' performance "stiff" and Thurman's "robotic". In second place came the Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty pairing up in 1987's Ishtar, while Sylvester Stallone and Estelle Getty's Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot came third. Total Film's Ceri Thomas says, "There's a lot of competition for the worst film duo, but you have to go a long way to beat Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes. They look as if they've never even met before, just plonked on the set together on the day of the shoot and told to flirt. Completely unconvincing."

Ethan Is Still Fighting for His Marriage
24 November 2003 (WENN)
Actor Ethan Hawke is fighting to save his marriage amid claims it's already over. The actor reportedly cheated on wife Uma Thurman with a Canadian model this summer and friends of the couple say their relationship is in ruins. But speaking to the press at a party on Thursday night , Hawke insists he hasn't given up on his marriage. He says, "I love my wife. Anybody who's married knows it's a tough life sometimes. Sometimes it's a great life. We'll do our best."

Uma: Put Bush on TV
20 November 2003 (WENN)
Sexy actress Uma Thurman is a big fan of American President George W. Bush - but only because she finds him "entertaining". The Kill Bill stunner - famous for her liberal views - is deeply disappointed with the political achievements of America's premier but is sure he could redeem himself as a television personality. She jokes, "He should have his own show. He's a very charismatic guy. He's funny. I really wish he wasn't running the country. I didn't want him to be elected, but I hoped he wouldn't do a bad job. I have to say it's been less than impressive."

Uma Takes Time Off To Save Marriage
23 October 2003 (WENN)
Kill Bill beauty Uma Thurman has cleared her diary for the next few months to spend time trying to save her marriage to fellow superstar Ethan Hawke. The Gattaca co-stars announced their separation last month after it emerged that Hawke had been openly romancing Canadian model Jen Perzow. But hopeful Uma tells Vanity Fair magazine she has committed to trying to rebuild the relationship for the sake of their children Maya, five, and Roan, one. She says, "I am with the kids, and I am committed to taking the Fall off. Then we will see what happens." Thurman admitted that she and Hawke have not yet had a proper discussion about their floundering romance and that she remains unconvinced that their love can survive.

Ethan's Lover: I Didn't Wreck Marriage
20 October 2003 (WENN)
The lover of movie hunk Ethan Hawke insists she didn't wreck his marriage to Kill Bill stunner Uma Thurman - because the couple had already separated. Gorgeous Jennifer Perzow insists Ethan - who has two children with Uma - told her about his marital problems from the moment they first met on the Montreal, Canada set of new movie Taking Lives. The 22-year-old says, "I'm no home-wrecker. All this stuff that I broke up their marriage is just not true. "The truth is, it's Uma who wanted out of the marriage, not Ethan. He's very much a family guy and this hasn't been an easy thing for him. The very first night I met him, he told me he was no longer with his wife - that they were having problems and he was separated. I had no reason to doubt him. Ethan didn't hide me from his public, the people on set or even his best friends. He introduced me to all his close pals, including Leonard DiCaprio. There has to be a reason why Ethan was so open about his relationship with me. And it wasn't because he was being an a**hole and cheating on his wife. It's because there was already something wrong with their marriage long before we met. Ethan's a very down-to-earth, intelligent and caring guy. And very romantic. What we had in Montreal before everything broke loose was great."

Ethan Cheated After Hearing Gossip About Uma & Quentin
13 October 2003 (WENN)
Ethan Hawke cheated on his wife Uma Thurman because he reportedly felt sure she was having an affair with movie maker Quentin Tarantino. The Reality Bites actor strayed with model Jen Perzow, 22, while he was working in Canada, and, as he and Thurman attempt to save their marriage, friends claim he thought his wife had already been unfaithful - with her Kill Bill director. A source tells American tabloid National Enquirer, "Ethan was really ticked off because he always thought Quentin had a thing for his wife. Quentin and Uma are longtime pals and there's a real chemistry there since they made Pulp Fiction together. When people around the set (of Kill Bill) tattled to Ethan, he was really upset. Now Quentin feels he's going to get dragged into this nasty mess." Meanwhile, Tarantino, who wrote Kill Bill as a birthday present to Thurman, is desperately trying to separate himself from the couple's marital problems. In a new Rolling Stone interview, the maverick movie maker insists Uma is nothing more than a muse, adding they have "a total partnership," and "there is nothing to that," when responding to questions about his involvement in the couple's problems.

Uma's On-Set Baby Hell
8 October 2003 (WENN)
Uma Thurman was driven to despair by the pressure of juggling a new-born baby and her first major film role since 2000 on the set of Kill Bill. The leggy actress jumped at the chance to play the lead in Quentin Tarantino's latest effort, but admits that filming so soon after giving birth to son Roan - her second child with estranged husband Ethan Hawke - was difficult. She says, "In the first week, I ended up in the bathroom crying. There were a couple of moments when I was on my knees. I was breast-feeding and sleep deprived because I'd been up all night with the baby. I was exhausted. I'd never realized how hard it would be. It was unlike anything I'd ever done before. But I had the will to do it - it was empowering to make it out alive with my joints semi-intact."

Uma Thurman and Lancome Part Company
7 October 2003 (WENN)
Kill Bill star Uma Thurman has been dropped by cosmetics giant Lancome - who have not renewed her $14.4 million contract after just two years. The leggy actress, who has just split from husband of five years Ethan Hawke, has refused to comment on the matter other than to say, "It's all over. I'm finished working for Lancome." Previously, the make-up company sacked Italian actress Isabella Rossellini after declaring her to be too old for their promotions.

Drunk Quentin
2 October 2003 (WENN)
Quentin Tarantino shocked late night TV viewers in America on Monday by appearing drunk on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show. The movie maker slurred his way through an interview with Leno, who eventually asked him, "Have you been drinking today?" after wafting his alcohol-soaked breath away when Tarantino got too close. The film-maker giggled, "I'm bringing a little bit of old Johnny Carson onto the show when Oliver Reed would be a little drunk. You have an open bar backstage, which I was not aware of. The bar's funny." Tarantino didn't stop there after. Leaving The Tonight Show, he turned up at the Hollywood premiere of new movie Kill Bill - still very merry - alongside actress Uma Thurman, in a flame-painted pick-up truck dubbed 'The Pussy Wagon'.

Uma Holds Up in Wake of "Difficult" Ethan Split
2 October 2003 (WENN)
Kill Bill star Uma Thurman is "holding up" in the wake of her devastating split from cheating spouse Ethan Hawke, and remains philosophical about the distressing situation. Hawke was revealed two months ago to have strayed with Canadian model Jen Perzow on the set of his latest movie Taking Lives, despite being married to the Pulp Fiction beauty, with whom he has two young children. And although Thurman is currently trying to work her way through her own heartache, she insists she wouldn't change the past. Uma says, "I'm holding up. I don't know what to say because it is a difficult time and I am not exactly sure what to make of everything myself. As it is, I'm just trying to figure things out. To be a successful person you have to be willing to grow and take your blessings and your knocks in your stride. You have to be brave. It's very difficult. But the pros of having a family have been amazing for me. I basically slipped into having a family five years ago and they've been some of the happiest years of my life. It has been an opportunity for me to rebuild myself and I almost feel I have been born again. The strength I get from that and the love that I feel for being a mother is pretty unlimited and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Single Uma Consoled by Ex Cusack
22 September 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood star Uma Thurman has been spotted cozying up to former love John Cusack in the wake of her devastating split from cheating husband Ethan Hawke. The Kill Bill actress was reportedly spotted at New York restaurant Tokyo Bay being consoled by Grosse Point Blank star Cusack, whom she briefly dated after splitting from her first husband Gary Oldman 11 years ago. And, according to British paper The Daily Express, a source says, "She looked miserable and he was being very attentive. They were huddled together deep in conversation all evening." Cusack, whose most recent celebrity romance was with Meg Ryan, was said to be devoted to Uma following their brief love affair. The source adds, "He's carried a torch for her all these years and never believed she'd be free after she married and had children. But now he's thanking the gods and moving in fast."

Hawke Targeted by Thurman's Vengeful Brothers
12 September 2003 (WENN)
Cheating actor Ethan Hawke is in hot water if he ever runs into estranged wife Uma Thurman's brothers - because they want to kill him. The showbiz world was shocked three weeks ago when the seemingly happy couple called time on their five year marriage amidst reports of Hawke's affair with Canadian model Jen Perzow. And Thurman, who has two children with Hawke, is reportedly distraught at her husband's behavior - especially as he is refusing to accept the blame for the demise of their union. Now brothers Mipam and Ganden have spoken of their fury over the Training Day star's treatment of their stunning sister. Model Mipam is quoted on the Peoplenews website as saying, "I want to kill him. He's a piece of s***. I can't believe what he's done to my sister. Ethan is blaming Uma. He says the marriage wasn't great and that he was forced to go turn to other people. He's compounded the problem with this affair. He still hasn't apologized. At least Uma has gotten two beautiful children out of the marriage." Gandan adds, "Anger may be the proper reaction to what Ethan's done. I side with my sister categorically. (But) this is a matter for Uma and Ethan. I really want to encourage them to come to an amiable resolution. Human beings are fallible. I wish them all the best."

Thurman: 'Kill Bill' Is Too Violent for Oscars
10 September 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood star Uma Thurman has blasted Kill Bill's chances of winning any Oscars next year, insisting that it's far too violent. The Quentin Tarantino film, which has been split into two for a staggered cinematic release, has been the subject of much Academy Awards gossip - because Oscar rules state each episode must be nominated individually. But Uma - who picked up an Oscar nod for her role in Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction - is convinced the martial arts saga has no hope of winning any awards next March. She says, "It will be highly unlikely that happens again this time. "The story is split and it's so violent I don't think the Academy will like it. It doesn't pander to the Oscar community."

'Kill Bill' To Enter Oscar Race - Twice
2 September 2003 (WENN)
Maverick director Quentin Tarantino's upcoming two-part movie Kill Bill will be eligible for awards in two separate Oscar years - effectively meaning the film could win two best picture gongs. The marital arts revenge saga starring Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu was originally planned as a single movie, but because of its length, Tarantino and Miramax Films decided to split it in two, and open the first part in America this October. Originally studio insiders believed the second installment would follow soon after, qualifying it for the same Academy Awards ceremony next March. However, Miramax have confirmed the second volume will be released on 20 February, meaning it can only be considered for nomination at the Oscars in 2005. The decision to split the film has angered American critics, who argue the decision is just a money-making ploy to earn twice as much in ticket sales. Miramax has hit back, insisting the movie was too long to remain a single entity.

Thurman and Hawke Split
29 August 2003 (WENN)
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