Taylor Swift holds her own as an actress, Nicole Scherzinger doesn't watch TV, Chris Rock doesn't want to host the Oscars, and other Hollywood Updates

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Kevin Spacey appears in court, pleads not guilty

Actor Kevin Spacey has pleaded not guilty of allegedly groping an 18-year-old at a bar in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 2016.

The House of Cards fame star was on Monday arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery, a felony charge that comes with up to five years in prison, reports leading publication.

The alleged victim is the son of former television news presenter Heather Unruh, who spoke publicly about the incident in 2017.

She accused Spacey of buying her then 18-year-old son alcohol -- the drinking age in Massachusetts is 21 -- and then groping him.

According to the report, Spacey has been ordered to stay away from the alleged victim and his family by Nantucket District Court Judge Thomas Barrett.

Also, Defense attorneys asked the court to preserve cell phone data and other text messages from the victim from the date of the incident until six months afterward, which defense attorneys said would be "likely exculpatory" for Spacey.

The next court appearance is scheduled for 4 March.  

 Chris Rock doesn't want to host the Oscars

 Comedian Chris Rock has denied any interest hosting the Oscars.

The denial came on Monday night at the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards dinner in Manhattan, reports leading publication.

"If it was five years ago, I could say something really offensive and funny right now, but I can't do that anymore, so... hey!" Rock said, as he took the podium at the NYFCC Awards where he was on hand to present director Bo Burnham with the award for best first film for Eighth Grade.

Continuing to do some impromptu standup of sorts, Rock looked into the audience at Steve Martin, who was at the award show to present the best supporting actor award to Richard E. Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me? - and brought up the very topical subject of hosting the Oscars.

"Steve Martin is here. You should host the Oscars. You're the best. Steve Martin should host the Oscars! Because I am not doing it, goddammit! You are not getting me," Rock said.

Rock's comments come amidst the continuously developing actor Kevin Hart saga, as the Academy's search for an Oscars host continues.

Rock has hosted the Oscars twice - first in 2005 and in 2016.

Rock was one of many big names at the Monday night dinner, held each year by the NYFCC. Martin Scorsese presented First Reformed director Paul Schrader with the best screenplay award; Gayle King introduced Regina King, who won best supporting actress for If Beale Street Could Talk.

The intimate event is an annual favourite for stars, who enjoy thanking (and playfully scolding) film critics for their support (or lack thereof) of their films. Ethan Hawke, won best actor for First Reformed.

'Emmerdale' child stars correct their senior co-stars on set: Chris

Veteran actor Chris Chittell, who has portrayed Eric Pollard in the show Emmerdale since 1986, says the child actors correct their senior co-stars if they get their lines wrong.

In an interview to Daily Star, Chris talked about the behaviour of young actors with the senior actors on sets, reports leading publication.

He said, "If you get it wrong, they (youngsters) chip in and start telling you what your line is."

Not only Chris, his Emmerdale co-star Lesley Dunlop spoke about the younger actors saying some of the "child stars are becoming divas."

"Someone piped up on set recently, 'How long is this scene going to go on for?' I turned around and it was a child who was not more than knee high. He was like, 'Oh come on'," added Dunlop.

Taylor Swift holds her own as an actress

Singer Taylor Swift "holds her own" as an actress, according to her Cats co-star Idris Elba.

Speaking to Access Hollywood backstage at the 76th Golden Globes on Sunday evening, Elba said, "Taylor and I have known each other for a couple of years and we're cool you know. She is a good girl; she is a great artiste and she has got a really great heart.

"I'm so excited to work with her in this film, she is going to be amazing. And not only is she a musician but she is an actress as well. I'm an actor, she has got chops. She holds her own. There is no doubt."

Swift previously gushed about her fans and how she feels "so lucky" to have fans that "care" about her, reports leading publication.

Nicole Scherzinger doesn't watch TV

Singer Nicole Scherzinger says she doesn't really watch television.

Speaking on US radio, Scherzinger said, "I did not see it, to be honest with you. I don't watch television, so I'm not being shady towards X Factor. I just do not watch TV."

Scherzinger had earlier opened up about the importance of "laughing and having fun", reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She said, "I try to get as much sleep as possible. When I don't get the ideal amount, I try to drink as much water as possible and get a good sweat in just to feel at my best.

"Laughing and having fun are also so important for you to feel good about yourself, so just remember it's never that serious!"

The former Pussycat Dolls singer also wants everyone to "feel confident in their own skin".

Brie Larson is diligent secret-keeper

Actress Brie Larson says she became a "diligent secret-keeper" after working on Avengers: Endgame as she worried about spoiling the movie for Marvel fans.

"I just never wanted to feel like I was going to slip up or that I was going to say the wrong thing. I was like, 'I can't live with myself being the one that spoils something.' So I really just deleted it.

"I tried my best to journal it if I want to recall it and go, 'Oh yeah, that was a crazy time.' And I'm excited when the movie comes out to finally be able to talk about it and go, 'Yes, this was crazy.' But my family doesn't know. I haven't talked to anybody about anything because I'm just a very diligent secret-keeper," Larson told USA Today.

Meanwhile, Larson had said she did "nine months" of training for Captain Marvel, reports leading publication.

She said, "I did nine months of just training and three months of stunt training with the stunt team where we spent two hours every day, five days a week.

"It wasn't until we started shooting and I started doing all my own wirework, stunts and flips and stuff that people were like, 'You know, nobody... now we'll tell you; nobody actually does this.' I was like, 'Huh.' But I love it. It definitely makes things more complicated in certain ways because I can be taking a lot more naps than I am."

Golden Globes 2019 steers away from politics, celebrates diversity, womanhood

From Egyptian-American star Rami Malek winning the top honour to a film about the relationship between an African-American pianist and his Italian-American driver Green Book scooping away multiple trophies and Sandra Oh making history for Asians -- the 76th annual Golden Globes ceremony celebrated the power of diversity, and was devoid of any political comment.

"I said 'yes' to the fear of being on this stage tonight because -- I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change," Sandra Oh said while opening the award gala with Andy Samberg.

Oh, who herself became the first Asian host of the Golden Globe Awards and the first woman of Asian descent to win multiple Golden Globes supported with her win of Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series -- Drama trophy for Killing Eve, was referring to the most diverse slates of nominees in the history of the awards.

The night turned out to be an eventful affair for people of colour as they took home the top awards. Freddie Mercury's biopic Bohemian Rhapsodyand the fact-based comedy Green Book won top honours.

While Malek took home the Golden Globe in Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama category for tracing the life of late Queen singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, the film -- which explores the rise of the band with a focus on Mercury's personal life, his sexuality and the way he dealt with his fame -- emerged as the Best Motion Picture, Drama.

The diversity extended to the stories which unfolded on the screen.

Green Book won Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie earned Best Screenplay - Motion Picture honour for the project. And "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse", which follows African-American/Puerto Rican Brooklyn teen Miles Morales as Spider-Man, was named Best Animated Feature film.

Mahershala Ali also won Best Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture trophy for Green Book. Alfonso Cuaron's black-and-white Mexico-set period drama Roma scored a twin win -- for the Best Foreign Language Film Award and also the Best Director - Motion Picture honour at the ceremony, which was aired in India on Colors Infinity, Vh1 and Comedy Central.

Actor Darren Criss, who won Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television award for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, acknowledged the wave of change as he said "this has been a marvelous year for representation in Hollywood".

"I am so enormously proud to be a teeny, tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this," Criss added.

Girl power, women empowerment and the need to stand with one another were other themes which kept the spark of activism at the ceremony ignited. A slew of celebrities also flaunted new 'Time's Up x2' wristbands and ribbons in support of the movement.

Actress Regina King accepted the statuette in Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role category for If Beale Street Could Talk with a promise to produce projects with 50 per cent women.

"I'm going to use my platform to say right now that in the next two years, everything that I produce and I am making a vow and it's going to be tough to make sure that everything that I produce, that it's 50 per cent women," she said, throwing in a challenge for "anyone out there who is in a position of power, not just in our industry, in all industries".

"I challenge you to challenge yourselves and stand with us in solidarity and do the same," King concluded.

In an evening in which inclusion and representation were frequently brought up in speeches, actress Glenn Close, while accepting the Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama category for her role in The Wife, urged women to chase dreams.

"We have to follow our dreams. We have to say, 'I can do that and I should be allowed to do that'," she said in a speech which earned the loudest applause at the ceremony, which honours the best of films and television.

Actress Rachel Brosnahan, who won Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy award for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, also celebrated the women of the series while accepting her award.

Actor Christian Bale scored a Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy victory for his performance as former US vice president Dick Cheney in Vice. The Favourite's Olivia Colman was honoured with Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy award.

This year's awards ceremony also marked the debut of Carol Burnett Award -- a Lifetime Achievement in Television recognition. Comedy icon Carol Burnett, who has made the audience laugh for decades altogether, became the eponymous award's inaugural recipient.

Actor Jeff Bridges, whose showbiz career spans six decades, was feted with the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award. He expressed gratitude and said artistes can create a difference.

(Source: IANS)