Grohl says Foo Fighters not splitting, on hiatus

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lead singer Dave Grohl of Grammy-winning rock band Foo Fighters said on Tuesday the band was not splitting up but was taking a break.

Grohl, 43, fueled speculation about a split by telling fans at a New York festival on Saturday that 'this is the show where we come out and we play as many songs as we can ... I don't know when we're going to do it again,' according to MTV News.

But in a public letter sent by Foo Fighters' representative Dana West, Grohl said the band was taking a break but had no intentions of disbanding.

'I can't give up this band. And I never will. Because it's not just a band to me. It's my life. It's my family. It's my world,' Grohl said.

The singer said he did not know when Foo Fighters was going to play again, but added that 'it's a good thing for all of us to go away for a while. It's one of the reasons we're still here.'

Foo Fighters was founded in 1994 by Grohl, the drummer for grunge band Nirvana, following the death of Nirvana's lead singer Kurt Cobain.

During the hiatus, Grohl said, he will be releasing a documentary and album project called Sound City. 'It could be the biggest, most important project I've ever worked on,' he said.

The band, which also includes bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, has released seven studio albums led by singles such as 'Everlong,' 'Times Like These' and 'Learn To Fly.' It has won 11 Grammy awards.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy)



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Lena Dunham vows to put some color into "Girls"

LAGUNA NIGUEL, California (Reuters) - 'Girls' writer, director and actress Lena Dunham said on Tuesday she was adding new, more diverse characters for the next season of her HBO show, after criticism that the first season failed to portray the rich culture of its New York City setting.

And the 26-year-old, who often sheds her own clothes on the show, also acknowledged that, most of the time, 'it's not a good idea to be naked on television.'

Dunham broke out this year as one of Hollywood's hottest young stars with 'Girls,' winning four Emmy nominations for her comedy about four 20-something women who find that work and relationships in New York have little of the glamour seen in 1990s show 'Sex and the City.'

Although Dunham took home no Emmys this year, her success earned her a speaking spot on Tuesday at Fortune magazine's annual Most Powerful Women Summit.

Answering questions in front of hundreds of female business leaders, Dunham said she took seriously criticism of 'Girls' and its lack of minority characters. She said she felt 'heartbreak at the idea that the show would make anyone feel isolated.'

The show's second season next year will feature 'a multitude of new characters in the show. There are some of color. Some are not. Some are Caucasian,' she said.

Dunham said she was responding to viewers 'who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected on screen.'

'All I want to do is make women feel excited and included by the show,' she said.

Addressing her frequent nude scenes, Dunham said she felt they were appropriate because she was the person deciding when to take her clothes off in front of the camera. But she generally advised against it.

'There may be a time when I have to explain to my daughters, 'You probably shouldn't be naked on television.' Most situations, it's not a good idea to be naked on television,' said Dunham, who is single.

'I like doing it because I'm my own boss. I'm writing it. I'm directing it. I'm producing it,' she said, adding that she would refuse to strip for another TV director.

As one of the youngest people to write and star in a television show, Dunham said she feels pressure to represent younger women well so she doesn't create a backlash that would hurt others trying to blaze a path in Hollywood.

'I don't want to do anything that is going to make them think 'this is why we don't give shows to 25-year-old girls,' she said, joking that 'I'd love to have a small dog, (but) I don't think it would be good for all of us if I were to carry a small dog to set with me.'

'Girls' returns for its second season on HBO in January.

(Reporting By Lisa Richwine, editing by Jill Serjeant and Todd Eastham)



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Natalie Portman mulling several film roles

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - So what isn't Natalie Portman being courted for these days? There are several roles on offer to the 'Black Swan' actress, include 'Code Name Sasha,' which is being described as a female 'Training Day' meets 'La Femme Nikita' and 'Last Witness,' among others.

'Code Name Sasha' revolves around a single mother who has been engaged in criminal activity since she was a teenager. She is given a chance to get out when the FBI asks her to go under cover to bring down the world's largest gun-running organization. Alexandra Milchan is producing for Paramount.

At Fox, Portman is also being eyed for the film 'Last Witness' for producers Davis Entertainment. She would play a psychologist working with the sole survivor of a bombing in a café in Boston who is suffering from amnesia. Portman is also being courted for the Jackie Kennedy drama 'Jackie' at Fox Searchlight, some media outlets have reported.

A representative for the actress said that Portman has yet to make a decision about these films. Portman has already been announced for the 'Untitled Terrence Malick Project,' 'Thor: The Dark World' and 'Jane Got a Gun.'

Portman will also serve as a producer on 'Jane Got a Gun.'



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Drew Barrymore gives birth to baby girl

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Drew Barrymore has given birth to a daughter named Olive, her first child with husband Will Kopelman, the actress said in a statement on Monday.

'We are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, born September 26th, healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this most special time in our lives,' Barrymore said.

The 'Charlie's Angels' actress, 37, wed art dealer Kopelman in a Jewish ceremony at their estate in Montecito, Southern California in June.

The former child star of 'E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,' who has since forged a career in romantic comedies such as 'Never Been Kissed' and 'He's Just Not That Into You,' was last seen in whale movie 'Big Miracle,' released earlier this year.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)



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Adele lends sultry voice to Bond theme for "Skyfall"

(Reuters) - Grammy-winning British singer Adele is adding Bond girl to her superstar resume by signing on to write and sing the theme of the latest James Bond film 'Skyfall' - her first song to be released since her best-selling heartbreak album '21' - Columbia Records said in a statement on Monday.

Adele, 24, who swept the Grammy Awards earlier this year with accolades in six categories, will release the song on Friday on her official website, to coincide with the Bond film franchise's 50th anniversary and Global James Bond Day.

The sultry singer wrote 'Skyfall' with long-time collaborator Paul Epworth. She recorded it at London's Abbey Road Studios with a 77-piece orchestra. Adele said in a statement that she was persuaded to do the song after she 'fell in love with the script.'

'I was a little hesitant at first to be involved with the theme song for 'Skyfall.' There's a lot of instant spotlight and pressure when it comes to a Bond song,' the singer said.

'When we recorded the strings, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'll be backcombing my hair when I'm 60, telling people I was a Bond girl back in the day, I'm sure.'

The James Bond title songs have become a signature of the films, featuring suave British agent 007 holding a gun in a pose that has become iconic.

Singers who have performed the title songs over the past five decades include Shirley Bassey in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 1979's 'Moonraker,' Paul McCartney on 1973's 'Live and Let Die,' and more recently, Madonna on 2002's 'Die Another Day.' Jack White and Alicia Keys performed 'Another Way To Die' from 2008's 'Quantum of Solace.'

'Skyfall,' the 23rd film in the Bond franchise and the third film with actor Daniel Craig in the lead role, will see the womanizing rogue super-spy take on another mission to save the world. The film will be released in Britain and most European nations on October 26. It arrives in U.S. movie theaters on November 9.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Jan Paschal)



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George Michael cancels Australia tour, cites anxiety

LONDON (Reuters) - British singer George Michael has canceled his tour of Australia due to 'major anxiety' brought on by his recent battle with severe pneumonia, he announced on his website.

The former Wham! frontman said that he would complete his Symphonica Tour dates in Britain in October before seeking treatment.

He had been due to open in Australia in Perth on November 10 before performing in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hunter Valley on December 1.

'I have ... announced the cancellation of the shows in Australia which breaks my heart,' Michael said in a statement.

The 49-year-old 'Careless Whisper' and 'Faith' singer fell ill in Vienna last November and was treated under intensive care for a month for a life-threatening illness.

He was forced to postpone his tour but resumed it some 10 months later.

'Since last year's illness I have tried in vain to work my way through the trauma that the doctors who saved my life warned me I would experience,' Michael said.

'They recommended complete rest ... but I'm afraid I believed (wrongly) that making music and getting out there to perform for the audiences that bring me such joy would be therapy enough in itself.'

He said his return to the stage had brought him 'great happiness' and that some of his recent performances were his best to date, but concluded:

'I was wrong to think I could work my way through the major anxiety that has plagued me since I left Austria last December.

'All that's left for me to do is apologize to my wonderful Australian fan base and to promise faithfully that as soon as I completed these shows here in the UK, I will receive the treatment which is so long overdue.'

Tickets to his Australian concerts will be refunded.

Michael has sold an estimated 100 million records over his career, but he has hit headlines in recent years for his personal life more often than for his music.

In 1998 he was arrested in California for 'engaging in a lewd act' in a public toilet and has had a string of run-ins with British police for possession of narcotics. He also served a term in jail for driving under the influence of cannabis.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)



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Rushdie says writers losing influence in West

LONDON (Reuters) - Salman Rushdie believes literature has lost much of its influence in the West, and movie stars like George Clooney and Angelina Jolie have taken the place of Susan Sontag and Norman Mailer when it comes to addressing the big issues.

The British author, who has just released his account of 10 years in hiding after an Iranian fatwa was declared against him in 1989, believes the 'Arab Spring' uprisings have failed but that there is hope for freer Muslim societies in the future.

He has warm words for his elder son Zafar who was nine when the famous edict which amounted to a death sentence was announced, but the tone turns harsh when dealing with famous figures like Rupert Murdoch, the Prince of Wales and John Le Carre who he said failed to back him during the dark years.

And with the publication of 'Joseph Anton', a 633-page autobiography, the 65-year-old is finally determined to put the fatwa behind him.

'I have a sense of people thinking it (literature) is less important,' he told Reuters on Friday in a wide-ranging interview at Waterstone's book store in central London.

'If you look at America, for instance, there is a generation older than mine in which writers like Susan Sontag and Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal would have a significant public voice on issues of the day. Now there's virtually no writers.

'Instead you have movie stars, so if you are George Clooney or Angelina Jolie then you do have the ability to speak about public issues ... and people will listen in a way they would once listen to Mailer and Sontag. That's a change.'

He added that in authoritarian countries the situation was different, and literature had held on to some of its power.

'In those places literature continues to be important as you can see by the steps taken against writers,' he said, counting China among them.

FATWA AND FREE SPEECH

More than almost anyone, Rushdie sums up one of the most pressing problems facing leaders today - the tension between free speech and the desire to avoid offending people's faith.

He argues in his book that he does not feel his novel 'The Satanic Verses', which prompted the fatwa, should have been particularly offensive to Muslims in the first place.

But Rushdie said he would continue to defend even the most provocative individual's right to express an opinion.

Joseph Anton (Rushdie's pseudonym while he was in hiding) hit the shelves at the same time as a film, made in the United States mocking the Prophet Mohammad, sparked riots across the Muslim world leading to many deaths.

'It's clear that you have to defend things you don't agree with,' he said, when asked if he thought the film should have been censored in any way.

'What is free speech if it's only for people that you agree with? Often in the free speech argument you find yourself defending stuff you really dislike. I've seen this film and it's as bad as it can be. It's so incompetent that you wonder how anyone can get upset about it.'

He described what he called the 'outrage industry' in which people deliberately 'inflamed the faithful'.

Part of that 'industry' pointed the finger at him again in recent weeks, with a semi-official Iranian foundation upping the bounty on his head to $3.3 million.

Asked if he feared for his life, Rushdie replied: 'The world is a dangerous place and there's never a 100 percent guarantee, but in general for the last decade it's been really okay.'

The author who won a Booker Prize in 1981 for 'Midnight's Children' said he saw hope for a better understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim countries, but only in the long-term.

'I'm less optimistic in the short-term because I think right now the temperature is very high, but in the medium- to long-term I think it will change,' he said.

'In those countries in which Islamic radicalism has been most powerful it's also most disliked. So the people of Iran are not enamored of the Ayatollah's regime, the people of Afghanistan were not enamored of the Taliban.'

He believed the 'Arab Spring' uprisings had failed, but that the fight for a free society would not go away.

'I think in the long-term you have to believe that this very young population in the Arab world demanding a better life for itself will somehow make its views known and I don't think we've heard the last of that.'

PRAISE FOR SON

Elements of Joseph Anton are intensely intimate. It speaks of the death of close friends and family members including Rushdie's first wife Clarissa, while his second wife Marianne Wiggins is portrayed as delusional.

He points fingers at those he thought betrayed him, although in the interview he denied setting out to settle scores.

His elder son Zafar, who was nine when the fatwa was declared and who saw his father only occasionally in the first few years, features prominently.

'In a way he had a harder job than me because he had to grow up too,' he said of his son.

'He was nine when this began, he was 21 when it ended so that's an extraordinary atmosphere in which to grow up having to conceal your father's home address from your friends.

'He could easily have been messed up by it, but instead he comes out of it serene, good-natured mature, much calmer than me. I'm the arm-waver in the family. He's the sort of unflappable voice of serenity and reason.'

He said he was worried when his second son Milan was born.

'I thought, 'here I am bringing another child into this nightmare and what are we going to do? How is he going to go to school? Does he have to start lying at the age of two?

'In the end I just thought that it was a kind of act of optimism to have a child. It was a way of saying there's going to be a life after this.'

Rushdie said the fatwa was not something he would choose to live through, even though it made him one of the world's best-known writers and opened doors to the great and good from President Bill Clinton to U2's Bono and downwards.

'I would have much rather it hadn't (happened),' he said. 'But given that it did I am prepared to try and use that experience in order to say what I think about what's happening.

'If you had offered me, on February 13, 1989 for this not to happen on February 14 I would have taken you on, because I was perfectly content with my life as it was. I had a good life as a writer, I had written some books that were well-liked.

'I would much rather have my 40s back. I was 41 when it started and that decade, which is supposed to be the prime of life, for me turned into a kind of nightmare.'

WIG DISGUISE

Joseph Anton is a highly personal account of Rushdie's life on the run, of relationships which flowered and died, of swanky parties where he rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous and of years of despair and frustration.

It is tragic, funny and at times both.

Rushdie recalls scurrying to the bathroom to avoid being discovered by the cleaning lady in one of many safe houses. His guards suggest a wig as a disguise, but when he goes out wearing it a man calls out: 'There's that bastard Rushdie in a wig.'

He said he hoped Joseph Anton would help him move on from his past, and in particular the fatwa: 'I think it's a way of drawing a line under it, you know?'

With a broad smile, he concluded: 'I do think that in future, if I do publish future books and somebody wants to go back into this story I can just hit them over the head with a 600-page book.'

* Joseph Anton is published in Britain by Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Random House.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)



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