Entertainment Roundup - Jan 11

Jan 11, 2007, 23:43 GMT

Los Angeles - Actress Meryl Streep is to star in her first musical, appearing as one of the central characters in the movie version of the popular ABBA stage musical, Mamma Mia!, The Hollywood Reporter said Thursday.

The movie will be directed by theatre veteran Phyllida Lloyd and ABBA members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus are to be among the executive producers.

The story revolves around a bride-to-be and her formerly rebellious mother, who raised her daughter on a Greek island and never disclosed the identity of the child's father. The bride locates three men who might be her father and invites them to her wedding. Streep will play the mother.

The play features 22 songs from the world-famous Swedish group, including Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me and The Winner Takes It All.

Streep has received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her starring role in the worldwide box office hit The Devil Wears Prada. She is also expected to be nominated for an Oscar for the role.

Watch out Streep and Swank: Paris Hilton's serious about acting

Los Angeles - Oscar-winning actresses like Meryl Streep and Hillary Swank had better watch out. Celebrity heiress Paris Hilton says she's serious about becoming a recognized actress.

The hard-partying heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune is currently filming the lowbrow movie The Hottie And The Nottie in which she plays a girl who refuses to marry until her less-attractive friend finds a man.

Hilton has previously starred in House of Wax, and has been spotted studying acting textbooks in an apparent bid to hone her acting skills.

'I think I can become a good actress,' she says. 'It's something I want to prove to myself and to other people. I feel I'm getting better and feeling more confident about what I can do as an actress.'

Writers nominate usual suspects for awards

Los Angeles - The Writers Guild of America on Thursday nominated several Oscar best-picture favourites for its screenwriting awards.

Nominations in the original screenplay category went to Babel written by Guillermo Arriaga, Little Miss Sunshine by Michael Arndt, The Queen by Peter Morgan, Stranger Than Fiction by Zach Helm, and United 93 by Paul Greengrass.

The adapted screenplay nominations included Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham and Dan Mazer; The Departed by William Monahan; The Devil Wears Prada by Aline Brosh McKenna; Little Children by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta; and Thank You for Smoking by Jason Reitman.

Sandra Bullock to Kiss & Tango

Los Angeles - Actress Sandra Bullock will produce and star in a film version of the memoir Kiss & Tango, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The movie will revolve around the true-life story of Marina Palmer, an American advertising executive whose life is transformed when she visits Buenos Aires, where she falls in love with an Argentinian man and the country's culture.

Beyonce, Peppers, Gnarls Barkley to perform at Grammys

Los Angeles - Beyonce Knowles is to be among the star performers at the Grammy Awards on February 11, the programme announced Thursday.

Also in the line-up are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the best- selling duo Gnarls Barkley and the Dixie Chicks. Rihanna and Pink and actors Terrence Howard and Samuel L Jackson will be among the presenters.

Soul diva Mary J Blige is the leading Grammy nominee with eight nods, while Gnarls Barkley, The Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Justin Timberlake are vying for the coveted album of the year award.

The Peppers garnered six nominations in total, while James Blunt, Chris Brown, Imogen Heap, Corinne Bailey Rae, Carrie Underwood, The Dixie Chicks, John Mayer, Danger Mouse, Prince, Rick Rubin, will.i.am and John Williams have each received five nominations apiece.

Beyonce, Bryan-Michael Cox, Gnarls Barkley, Israel Houghton, T.I., and Justin Timberlake have four nominations each.