Sam Smith unveiled as new face of Balenciaga

British gay-singing superstar, Sam Smith lands his first big luxury goods campaign tarring as new face of Balenciaga FW15 Menswear collection. And boy he made it his own, turning drool-worthy coats and bags into a smorgasbord of chic and dramatic interpretations.

The ad campaign was lensed by Josh Olins featuring edgy tailoring by its creative director, Alexander Wang. The pairing of Smith and Wang is being referred to as a “creative collaboration” accompanied by video.

This isn’t Smith first dalliance with fashion. He appeared as Vogue’s Today I’m Wearing star in April, sharing his outfit choices every day for a month.

Apple bows to Taylor Swift on paying for all music streaming

Taylor Swift accepts the Milestone Award at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Arlington, Texas April 19, 2015.

(REUTERS)–  Apple Inc reversed its policy and said it would now pay artists during free trials of its new Apple Music streaming service, after pop star Taylor Swift said she would hold back her latest hit album “1989” from the service.

Apple is offering users a three-month trial of its new service and had said it would not pay artists for the use of their music during that time.

Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue announced the change of heart through Twitter (@cue).

“We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple,” Cue tweeted. (twitter.com/cue)

Swift, 25, said in a Tumblr post on Sunday that she would hold back her album as she found Apple’s policy of not paying artists during free trial shocking and disappointing as it would hurt young artists just starting out. (bit.ly/1eAa3Ys)

CREDIT: marmalad.net

After the backflip from Apple, she turned to Twitter to thank both Apple and her supporters, telling her 59 million Twitter followers: “I am elated and relieved. Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us.”

Swift has fought with music streaming services before. She pulled her entire catalog of music from online streaming platform Spotify last November and refused to offer “1989” on streaming services, saying the business had shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically.

However she has supported Apple’s drive to supplant advertising-based free streaming services with one funded by user subscriptions.

An Apple spokesman confirmed Cue’s tweets and that the company would pay artists during the three-month trial period.

Woman on Top: Taylor Swift Tops Maxim’s Hot 100 List 2015

Photographs by Thomas Whiteside / Trunk Archive

Taylor Swift is having a fit. No, she is not complaining. At this year’s Billboard music award, she swept the board, winning eight of the 14 categories in which she was nominated, and kissed Calvin Harris four times. The girl is on a roll! I mean, her album, aptly titled 1989, is the biggest selling album in the US chart for 2014, her super-hyped Bad Blood video is breaking some serious ass, and what is there to complain if you just been named the hottest woman on the planet? AT least, for Maxim Magazine, she is!

The newly-revamped men’s magazine is doing sexy thingy in a different level. It means goodbye to those sexy women in bikinis and enough masturbatory mood for men everywhere.

Newly-appointed editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear is changing the game for Maxim and the world of men’s magazine. She was hired to the position last September and faced a daunting task — using her background in women’s fashion to sell a men’s magazine.

Photographs by Thomas Whiteside / Trunk Archive

“Celebrating sexiness is the essence of the brand. We’re not going to change that, but I think we can experiment with how we show sexiness,” Maxim’s editor-in-chief Kate Lanphear told CBS.

“I think it’s a great testament to the rebrand that we can attract people of Taylor’s caliber,” says Lanphear, she also added, “Taylor was chosen based on her accomplishments and I was determined to have someone whose talent really transcended their beauty.”

The Maxim June/July 2015 issue marks Swift’s first appearance on the cover of a men’s magazine. It also includes a hot list of the most famous women in entertainment and fashion including Dakota Johnson, Joan Smalls, Emilia Clarke, Lupita Nyong’o and Italian actress Monica Bellucci, marking the first time a 50-year-old has been included.

Lupita Nyong’o is 2014’s red-carpet queen!

credit: lancome

In less than a year, Lupita Nyong’o has achieved what many Hollywood newcomers been dreaming about. She won an Oscar for best-supporting actress in “12 Years a Slave”, starred in a fashion campaign for Miu Miu, named world’s most beautiful person of 2014 by People magazine, and landed a major beauty contract with cosmetic giant, Lancome. A major fete for the Mexican-Kenyan actress, who once worked as a production assistant for many Hollywood films.

After graduating from Yale School of Drama in 2012, she auditioned for Steve Mcqueen’s historical drama, in a role that catapulted her to superstardom and became one of Hollywood’s hottest properties.

Her red-carpet appearances stunned everyone and she has become a style icon virtually overnight, earning a spot on just about every best dressed list on the planet. And we couldn’t agree more.

Sorry Kim Kardashian, breaking the internet is such a pathetic ambition. Style-wise, no one has done it like Lupita Nyong’o.

Take a peek at Lupita’sgreatest fashion moments:

Kim Jong-un vs. Kim Kardashian: Who’s Winning the War for the Internet?

credit: telegraph.uk

credit: British GQ

A whole load of fun thrown in the mix and you are ready to burst into tiny bubbles. Vanity Fair’s BRUCE FEIRSTEIN wrote a funny article on the ambitious and often hilarious endeavour of two of the world’s most annoying personalities. Kim Kardashian, of the “famous for being famous” social media vixen  and Kim Jong-un, North Korean leader and enemy of the world, starred in this tug-of-war death race of climbing thesocial zenith:

One broke the Internet (or, at least she tried). The other broke Sony’s will (by hacking) .Here’s a  side-by-side comparison of an era’s defining Kims as told by Bruce Feirstein.

Enjoy!

” Both are hell-bent on nothing short of Global Worldwide Domination. As the year draws to a close, Vanity Fair offers a handy chart to compare and contrast the two Kims—one of Calabasas, the other of Pyongyang—in their ruthless, take-no-prisoners race to break the Internet.”- Vanity Fair

reporting from: Vanity Fair

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS 2015 NOMINATIONS

Awards season is heating up. And looks like Hollywood Foreign Press Association is doing a great job with some nominees left-out (and should get a nomination) from the SAG announcement last Tuesday.

If you might recall, the Golden Globe awards almost mirrored the Oscars last year, when 12 Years A Slave won for Best Picture , and also handing out top acting awards to Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett.

The 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards will be presented Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and airing live on NBC.

THE NOMINEES FOR GOLDEN GLOBES 2015

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

BOYHOOD

FOXCATCHER

THE IMITATION GAME

SELMA

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

JENNIFER ANISTON – CAKE

FELICITY JONES – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

JULIANNE MOORE – STILL ALICE

ROSAMUND PIKE – GONE GIRL

REESE WITHERSPOON – WILD

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

STEVE CARELL – FOXCATCHER

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH – THE IMITATION GAME

JAKE GYLLENHAAL – NIGHTCRAWLER

DAVID OYELOWO – SELMA

EDDIE REDMAYNE – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

BIRDMAN

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

INTO THE WOODS

PRIDE

ST. VINCENT

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

AMY ADAMS – BIG EYES

EMILY BLUNT – INTO THE WOODS

HELEN MIRREN – THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY

JULIANNE MOORE – MAPS TO THE STARS

QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS – ANNIE

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

RALPH FIENNES – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

MICHAEL KEATON – BIRDMAN

BILL MURRAY – ST. VINCENT

JOAQUIN PHOENIX – INHERENT VICE

CHRISTOPH WALTZ – BIG EYES

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

BIG HERO 6

THE BOOK OF LIFE

THE BOXTROLLS

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

THE LEGO MOVIE

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

FORCE MAJEURE TURIST – (SWEDEN)

GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE – (ISRAEL)

IDA – (POLAND/DENMARK)

LEVIATHAN – (RUSSIA)

TANGERINES MANDARIINID – (ESTONIA)

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

PATRICIA ARQUETTE – BOYHOOD

JESSICA CHASTAIN – A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY – THE IMITATION GAME

EMMA STONE – BIRDMAN

MERYL STREEP- INTO THE WOODS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

ROBERT DUVALL – THE JUDGE

ETHAN HAWKE – BOYHOOD

EDWARD NORTON – BIRDMAN

MARK RUFFALO – FOXCATCHER

J.K. SIMMONS – WHIPLASH

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

WES ANDERSON – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

AVA DUVERNAY – SELMA

DAVID FINCHER – GONE GIRL

ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ – BIRDMAN

RICHARD LINKLATER – BOYHOOD

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

WES ANDERSON – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

GILLIAN FLYNN – GONE GIRL

ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ – BIRDMAN

RICHARD LINKLATER – BOYHOOD

GRAHAM MOORE – THE IMITATION GAME

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

ALEXANDRE DESPLAT – THE IMITATION GAME

JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

TRENT REZNOR – GONE GIRL

ANTONIO SANCHEZ – BIRDMAN

HANS ZIMMER – INTERSTELLAR

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

BIG EYES — BIG EYES

Music by: Lana Del Rey

Lyrics by: Lana Del Rey 

GLORY – SELMA

Music by: John Legend, Common

Lyrics by: John Legend, Common

MERCY IS — NOAH

Music by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye

Lyrics by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye

OPPORTUNITY — ANNIE

Music by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck

Lyrics by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck

YELLOW FLICKER BEAT — THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1

Music by: Lorde

Lyrics by: Lorde

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

THE AFFAIR – SHOWTIME

DOWNTON ABBEY – PBS

GAME OF THRONES – HBO

THE GOOD WIFE – CBS

HOUSE OF CARDS – NETFLIX

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

CLAIRE DANES – HOMELAND

VIOLA DAVIS – HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

JULIANNA MARGULIES – THE GOOD WIFE

RUTH WILSON – THE AFFAIR

ROBIN WRIGHT – HOUSE OF CARDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

CLIVE OWEN – THE KNICK

LIEV SCHREIBER – RAY DONOVAN

KEVIN SPACEY – HOUSE OF CARDS

JAMES SPADER – THE BLACKLIST

DOMINIC WEST – THE AFFAIR

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

GIRLS – HBO

JANE THE VIRGIN – THE CW

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK – NETFLIX

SILICON VALLEY – HBO

TRANSPARENT – AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

LENA DUNHAM – GIRLS

EDIE FALCO – NURSE JACKIE

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS – VEEP

GINA RODRIGUEZ – JANE THE VIRGIN

TAYLOR SCHILLING – ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

LOUIS C. K. – LOUIE

DON CHEADLE – HOUSE OF LIES

RICKY GERVAIS – DEREK

WILLIAM H. MACY – SHAMELESS

JEFFREY TAMBOR – TRANSPARENT

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

FARGO – FX

THE MISSING – STARZ

THE NORMAL HEART – HBO

OLIVE KITTERIDGE – HBO

TRUE DETECTIVE – HBO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL – THE HONORABLE WOMAN

JESSICA LANGE – AMERICAN HORROR STORY:FREAK SHOW

FRANCES MCDORMAND – OLIVE KITTERIDGE

FRANCES O’CONNOR – THE MISSING

ALLISON TOLMAN – FARGO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

MARTIN FREEMAN – FARGO

WOODY HARRELSON – TRUE DETECTIVE

MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY – TRUE DETECTIVE

MARK RUFFALO – THE NORMAL HEART

BILLY BOB THORNTON – FARGO

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

UZO ADUBA – ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

KATHY BATES – AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW

JOANNE FROGGATT – DOWNTON ABBEY

ALLISON JANNEY – MOM

MICHELLE MONAGHAN – TRUE DETECTIVE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

MATT BOMER – THE NORMAL HEART

ALAN CUMMING – THE GOOD WIFE

COLIN HANKS – FARGO

BILL MURRAY – OLIVE KITTERIDGE

JON VOIGHT – RAY DONOVAN

Disney’s The Glow by Sarah Geronimo

Sarah Geronimo. World-class vocal. A true Filipina artist.

Watch and Listen!

21st Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations announced.

The battle for the Oscar glory is blazing like a wildfire. And to all the Hollywood A-listers who aimed for the highest honor in film and television, the Screen Actors Guild Awards is just a primer. But do not underestimate the power of SAG, as nominations were selected by a panel of 2,100 randomly selected  members for films and another 2,100 members for the TV nominations.

“The SAG nominations are closely watched by awards trackers since actors represent about 20% of the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences” -according to Variety. And almost “80% of the winners at SAG Awards with nods on the individual acting category have gone on to win the Oscars, past winners includes  Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto for “Dallas Buyers Club,” Cate Blanchett for “Blue Jasmine” and Lupita Nyong’o for “12 Years a Slave”. All four took home the Oscar statuette.

Ansel Elgort and Eva Longoria made the announcements Wednesday morning at the Pacific Design Center.

The winners will be announced in ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium on Jan. 25 following voting by the 165,000 members of SAG-AFTRA. The telecast will be live on TNT and TBS.

SAG AWARDS: 2015 NOMINEES 

FILM

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton, Birdman

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jennifer Aniston, Cake

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Rosmund Pike, Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Robert Duvall, The Judge

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood

Edward Norton, Birdman

Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game

Emma Stone, Birdman

Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Naomi Watts, St. Vincent

TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire

Downton Abbey

Game of Thrones

Homeland

House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Big Bang Theory

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Modern Family

Orange is the New Black

Veep

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Woody Harrelson, True Detective

Matthew McConaughey, True Detective

Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Claire Danes, Homeland

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Robin Wright, House of Cards

 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Louis C.K., Louie

William H. Macy, Shameless

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black

Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries

Adrien Brody, Houdini

Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow

Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge

Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart

Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries

Ellen Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic

Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman

Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge

Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart

Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

 photos courtesy of their respective owners/news sites.

Terminator: Genisys trailer

A sneak peek on the upcomingTerminator: Genisys, in case, you Geek might be interested.

The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke (yes, Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO series Game of Thrones), Australian actorJason Clarke (the hero in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes),  Jai Courtney (he is Eric of Divergent), English actor Matt Smith and the hunky Korean actor Lee Byung-hun (as the  T-1000).

The film will be released on July 01, 2015.

Check it out below.

Filipina beauty queen, Jamie Herrell, bags Miss Earth 2014 crown

credit: (Dante Diosina Jr/NPPA IMAGES

“The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.

– Chanakya

Manila, Philippines– Miss Earth crowned Filipina beauty Jamie Herrell as its titleholder at the coronation held Saturday at the University of the Philippines Theater, Quezon City.

The 19-year-old beauty from Cebu succeeded last year’s winner, Alyz Sabimar Henrich Ocando from Venezuela. She bested 84 beauties from other countries and territories.

credit: rappler.com

Miss USA Andrea Neu took home the Miss Earth Air title; Miss Venezuela Maira Alexandra Rodriguez, Miss Earth Water; while Miss Russia Anastasia Trysova, Miss Earth Fire.

Jamie’s victory cemented the Philippines’ standing as beauty powerhouse considering that the environment-centered pageant is dubbed as one of the world’s Big Four Beauty Pageants (along with Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International).

rappler.com

During the question-and-answer round, Miss Philippines was asked about her plans to help reverse the effects of global warming if she wins the crown.

“Global warming has been known to be a long, overdue issue. I will use my title to inspire others, help our environment. And we should start with the kids as they are the people of tomorrow,” she replied.

Here’s the complete list of finalists:

TOP 8
Brazil
Mongolia
Slovak Republic
Venezuela
USA
Philippines
Russia
Spain

TOP 16
Tahiti
Russia
Korea
Colombia
Scotland
Mongolia
Zambia
Brazil
Slovak Republic
Venezuela
Thailand
USA
Egypt
Philippines
Mexico
Spain

 

 

Reports from: @yahooph/  Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom