Jul 23, 2013

Break Out Films That Turned Actors Into Stars

The household names of the famous actors, that we have come to know and love, all started somewhere.  Typically, to become a superstar actors have to have an awe-inspiring portrayal in a film that elevates them to such notoriety. Look at our favorite actors, and the roles they started in that catapulted them from actor to a star.

Marlon Brando – Marlon Brando remains one of the most captivating actors of the mid-1900s, who has constantly served as inspiration for other actors since. The film attributed to Brando’s breakout was A Streetcar Named Desire, making him America’s leading man for years.

Clint Eastwood – Even today, Clint Eastwood remains an in-demand actor and director. Eastwood hasnever disappointed his fans. His breakout role came in the 1964 film A Fistful of Dollars, which marked him as an actor destined for greatness.

Mel Gibson – While Mel Gibson is a name that most movie-goers have heard numerous times, many fail to realize that his role in a 1970s film made him the actor we know today. Starring in the film Mad Max, Gibson was a young, fresh-faced actor that lit up the screen and captivated audiences.

Hugh Jackman – Hugh Jackman is widely acclaimed as Hollywood’s hottest hunk, but the role that helped to get him this title was Wolverine in the original X-Men. Even though he played a hairy man with a temper, his portrayal in the movie catapulted him to be an A-list star.

Jennifer Lawrence – As the youngest actor on our list, Jennifer Lawrence has come to make a name for herself in recent years. While she was cast in films such as The Beaver and X-Men: First Class, she didn’t become a household name until 2012 when she portrayed Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.

Al Pacino – Considered a masterpiece of a film, The Godfather couldn’t have been portrayed by anyone better than Al Pacino. This gritty gangster film not only made him a well-known actor but continues to keep him in high regard, decades later.

Julia Roberts – If you asked anyone what was Julia Roberts’ most successful film you are likely to hear the same response, Pretty Woman. Not only was she able to play the street walker role well, but able to play a classy lady opposite Richard Gere too. The film came out in 1990 but Roberts is still one of Hollywood’s most recognized faces.

Sharon Stone – Even though we might not hear much about Sharon Stone these days, in the 1990s she was one of the most widely recognized actresses in the United States. Thanks to one revealing scenes in Basic Instinct, she became a hit with many, especially the male viewers.

Barbra Streisand – She may not be as young as she once was, but Barbra Streisand has been the leading lady in films for decades. Her role as Fanny Brice in the 1968 film Funny Girl took her from being just an actor to one of Hollywood’s most respected women.

While these are just a few of the actors that have make names for themselves in Hollywood with just a single film, it is important to recognize that talented stars can ‘make’ a movie. Who knows you might be watching a breakout star in your favorite new film and not even know it!

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Sergeo is a professional videographer based in Sydney, Australia. He runs a start-up company Edictive that produce production management software for the industry. 

Jul 19, 2013

All-TIME Top 5 Icons In Fashion, Style And Design

The world of fashion and art has no shortage of all-time icons. Their style is a benchmark, their gowns are being sold on auctions for millions of dollars, and their memoirs immediately become best sellers. Fashion icons are all artistic souls: photographers, models, singers, designers and muses. Take a look at list of top 5 icons in fashion, style and design to get some inspiration.

1. Coco Chanel

In the minds of many people the very word ‘fashion’ is closely associated with Coco Chanel. Gabrielle "Coco" Bonheur Chanel was an exceptional woman who revolutionised fashion industry significantly. She’s the only fashion designer mentioned in the list of the 100 most influential persons of the 20th century. And this is for a reason. Coco was a very hardworking woman with an incredible sense of fashion and style. Her silhouettes embody elegance, femininity and simplicity. No modern wardrobe would be complete without her great inventions: a little black dress, quilted bag with a chain strap, Chanel No. 5, tweed blazer and other iconic products.

2. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

This brilliant woman was never just First Lady. She was one of the most elegant and feminine public persons. Jacquelineis the embodiment of the sophistication and style of the 60’s. Many women all over the globe have adopted her classical look: three-strand pearl necklace, impeccably tailored suits, elbow-length gloves and other tiny details.

3. Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick

The famed painter, photographer and movie director Andy Warhol is always in the lists of the iconic personalities of the past century. His somewhat wacky Campbell’s soup cans and other paintings are still widely discussed. He’s the inventor of what we call a ‘factory look’ girl: giant accessories, short hemlines, smoky eyes, dominating black-and-white palette. This look was based on a real person - Edie Sedgwick, Andy’s muse and long-time companion.

4. Princess Diana

Diana, the Princess of Wales, has changed the traditional regal look into something more public, yet elegant and very feminine. She rejected her advisers’ tips and created a completely new look herself. She was simultaneously modest and bold in her outfits: she loved different colors (from white to crimson and sparkling orange), and she wasn't afraid to experiment with materials. She always kept up with the top trends of the day: polka dots, bright floral prints and voluminous sleeves.

5. Michael Jackson

This list wouldn’t be full without this great, insanely popular singer. He has managed to create his exceptional, otherworldly, recognizable image: the glittering glove, leather jacket, curly hair and his head-turning legwork. His flamboyant wardrobe was a very bold fashion statement. Like his songs, it was very well thought-out, unique and exceptional.

Of course, the list of the most influential fashion, style and design personalities doesn’t end here. There are many more exceptional figures to adopt their style: Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, Madonna and Michelle Obama, just to name a few.

You can find some of the signature accessories following the style of these personalities on the official Primark website. Visit this resource to see that even the most desirable, fashionable wardrobe pieces can be purchased at affordable prices.

Aleksey is a fashion adviser who regularly contributes his reviews to http://onlineshopsreview.com/primark/primark-online-catalogue. Visit this website to learn the freshest tendencies in fashion sphere.

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Jul 15, 2013

Pixie Lott - Steal Her Style

Coming up with a look that is both cute and sexy can be a very difficult thing indeed, and it’s something that many of us strive for when putting outfits together. In the world of celebrity, no one has pulled it off quite like Brit singer Pixie Lott, who always manages to look super sexy and flirty at the same time as being innocent and ultra-cute. How on earth does she do it?

Pixie Lott’s natural attributes help quite a lot, namely her long, shapely legs and big brown eyes. However, it’s the clothes she chooses that help to create her cute-sexy image, and this is something we can steal for ourselves. If you want Pixie’s look, here’s all you need to know to steal her style:

  • Go for playful accessories. Pixie is often pictured teaming her outfits with playful, fun accessories, such as bunny ear hair bands, heart-shaped sunglasses, hippy chic floral headbands and cute headbands. The way to avoid looking too childish with these accessories is to stick to just one per outfit, and keep the rest of your look grown-up.
  • Wear wedges. Although she is occasionally pictured in heels, Pixie often sticks to wedges. Chunky, cute and easy to walk in, wedges make the most of a great pair of legs like Pixie’s.
  • Brogues are best. Another shoe that Pixie seems to love is the classic brogue, which again shows off her legs whilst also being a sexy look for daytime.
  • Show off a little skin. Pixie tends to stick to the fashion rules when it comes to showing off some skin – either legs or cleavage, but never both. She loves showing off those pins, but also likes to wear swimsuits, tops and dresses with cut-out sides. Another way to show off a sexy bit of skin is to go for a midriff-baring top, which also happens to be a big trend right now. Wear it with a high-waisted pair of shorts, trousers or skirt on the bottom half and flash only an inch of flesh if you want – the look will still be both cute and sexy.
  • Throw on a blazer for a night out. To avoid showing off too much (or freezing to death) on a night out, Pixie is often pictured in a fitted blazer jacket, usually with rolled-up sleeves. The simple addition of a grown-up jacket is all that’s needed to inject some sophisticated sexiness to a cute outfit.
  • Keep your look young and fresh in shorts. Pixie wears lots and lots of teeny tiny shorts, some high-waisted and some bum-baring, like the ones she wore on-stage when first breaking into the music scene. Even though some pairs of hotpants and shorts may be a little revealing, injecting your look with a touch of sexiness, they also help to keep your look fresh and youthful. If you have great pins like Pixie, wear as many shorts, minis and skater skirt styles as you can get your hands on!

Missy White is a Writer at Fashion Union provider of on trend women’s clothing in the UK.

Image Credit: 1.

Jul 4, 2013

3 Celebrities That Almost Died Through Their Love Of Extreme Sports

If you were a celebrity you would likely want to do whatever you could to keep your name out there right? Well why do you think this is? Well celebrities know that if they are not doing whatever they can to keep their name out there it is going to be tough for them to remain relevant. Celebrities have to do what it takes to create some kind of buzz about themselves.

One way they do this is by taking part in extreme sports. Now some celebrities genuinely love extreme sports, to the point where it has almost cost them their lives. Why would some celebrities engage in such risky behavior when it seems like they have everything anyone could ever want?

  • Celebrities might get bored with the life they have because they know anything they want they can have. This means it is hard for them to experience any real sense of accomplishment. If they are making lots of money through movies or music, then it is tough for them to aim higher because they might feel they have already reached their ceiling. Extreme sports gives them the chance to experience a feeling few others do.
  • Celebrities who take part in extreme sports might do so because it becomes easy for them get bored with regular sports, plus they might not be good at regular sports and this is something they do not like. Extreme sports are usually sports a person can take part in with very few people and most often alone. There are celebrities that relish this and might even see it as a way to push themselves to become better in other areas of their lives.
  • Celebrities who take part in extreme sports might suffer from depression at times and these sports give them the chance to deal with the problem. These types of sports can be great stress relievers, plus when they are done on a regular basis the might help to make a person less vulnerable to bouts of depression or even anxiety. This is beneficial when you are a celebrity, because celebrities are constantly at risk for these issues.
  • Celebrities who take part in extreme sports to the  point where they are willing to risk their lives might do so as a way to prepare for a movie or simply get over whatever fears they might have that are holding them back. Think about it, if you were nervous about something or you had to take on a certain role then taking part in extreme sports would numb you to the demands placed on you by these things.

With all of this being the case, celebrities taking part in extreme sports and risking their lives is not going to stop because other celebrities hear of near death experiences. Here are 3 celebrities who have had close run ins with death because of their love of extreme sports and stunts.

Jackie Chan

How many of you have heard of Jackie Chan? Chances are most of us. He is almost as well known as Bruce lee, but for different reasons. Jackie Chan is known most for the daring stunts he performs in a lot of his movies. This is what he hangs is hat on is the fact that he never used a stunt double. In one movie he took part in an extreme sport stunt in 1991. The name of the movie was called Armour of God 11: Operation Condor. He starred and helped direct this movie.

The stunt he performed in this movie became known as Zorbing and it is really popular now. He was the first to do it. The fact is Jackie Chan has almost been killed several times from performing extreme stunts and other high risk maneuvers. The only reason he has been able to escape with his life is because he is very good at what he does and he knows how to keep risk to a minimum.

Jack Osborne

Jack Osborne is hard to not notice when you see him on television. He is the chubby kid who looks adopted when you see him with his family. He has certainly come a long way from what a lot of remember from seeing him on the Osbornes. In any case, Jack loves all things extreme sports. He once took a trip to Africa where he took part in a bungee jump and a white water rafting adventure. He also likes to do rock climbing.

Jack is considered to be a quintessential adrenaline junkie who just cannot seem to get enough. Other extreme sports he has done would include a 100' free dive, sky diving, leaping off of ocean ledges, surfing in some of the roughest parts of Hawaii, running with the bulls in Pamploma, taking Muay Thai training in Thailand, ran in a 150 mile marathon, which took place in the Sahara desert, went through a tough jungle expedition in Central America and has even done hard core combat training in India.

Jack has never never really been injured to the point where his life is on the line, but he has been seriously hurt several times. Is this enough to make his stop? No way.

Richard Branson

If you know anything about Richard Branson then you know he is one of the most extreme sports enthusiasts in the world. We have seen some of the things he is willing to do on television. He is probably more known for his love of extreme sports more then his business success. One of the reasons why he does so many extreme sports and stunts is to sometimes create appeal for some of the products he he trying to market.

Even with this being the case he truly enjoys extreme sports and he does them on his personal time. Some of the things he does would include skydiving, rappelling down skyscrapers, and even kite surfing through some of the largest waves around the world. He has even tried to break a few world records on many occasions. Has he almost died because of the stunts and extreme sports he does, yes. But doing them is part of his identity and his brand overall. He has no plans to stop.

Even though these celebrities might have almost died because of their love of extreme sports, do you believe this is going to make them stop taking part in them. The answer is a resounding no. Celebrities that take part in these types of sports feel the risk is worth it and when they have the ability to have whatever they want it is just too easy to get bored. Maybe they might be a little bit safer in the future, but not to the point where they take away the thrill they get when they are engaged in extreme sports.

Jake Smith is a freelance writer who is passionate about traveling, sports and free running. He also works for Box13 among many other similar establishments.

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Jul 2, 2013

The 6 Most Popular Jewish Celebs

The menorah, yamaka and Star of David are some of the most recognizable signs of Judaism. While those signs are easy to spot in any setting, not everyone who's part of the Jewish faith realizes that one of their favorite celebs is as well. 

To give you an idea of some of the big names that share your faith, here are six of the most popular Jewish celebs: 

Natalie Portman 

In the 2005 book Stars of David, Natalie Portman was one of several dozen notable public personalities who openly discussed her thoughts on Judaism and the role it's played throughout her life. While her husband has not converted to Judaism, she has stated on multiple occasions that she plans to raise her kids within the Jewish faith. 

Adam Sandler 

Recently, Sandler has had a few stumbles at the box office. But with the upcoming release of Grown Ups 2, it looks like he will be returning to the top. And even though a few of his latest movies haven't fared well at the box office, the fact that he has a lifetime box office gross of over $2 billion means he will continue to receive plenty of support from studios for his movies. In addition to his box office power, one of the reasons he's on this list is thanks to his classic The Chanukah Song, complete with a reference to putting on a yamaka.

Daniel Radcliffe 

Many people are actually surprised to learn that Radcliffe is Jewish. Not only are many people surprised by that fact, but it can also be hard to believe that a 23 year old who's parents were a literary and casting agent already has a reported net worth of $80 million. 

Dustin Hoffman 

Since he used to be discreet about his faith, you probably won't find a picture online of Dustin Hoffman wearing a yamaka. Fortunately, thanks to the continued success he's enjoyed, he's now comfortable talking about his faith in public interviews

Woody Allen 

Since the beginning of his career all the way back in 1950, Judaism has played a role in Allen's comedy. With over forty films under his belt, Allen has enjoyed a career that most actors, directors and writers could only dream of. What's truly impressive is at the age of 75, he got to enjoy the best box office performance of his career thanks to Midnight in Paris. 

James Franco 

Of every celeb on this list, James Franco may be the most polarizing. The reason is while some people love his easygoing sense of humor and the fact that he always seems to be juggling a dozen different projects a time, other people can't stand anything about his brand of humor. Even though he's probably aware of the large number of detractors he has, judging by his performance in This is the End, it doesn't appear that he's ever going to let their negativity get under his skin. 

If you were worried that the Jewish faith was underrepresented in the celebrity world, now you know that there are plenty of very successful celebs who identify with Judaism.

Don Schlossberg is an orthodox jewish rabbi, avid writer and published poet. In his spare time he can be found spending time in the great outdoors with his family and living a kosher lifestyle.

Image Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.