After weeks of rumors, singer Justin Timberlake and actress Cameron Diaz are officially broken up after more than three years as one of the highest-profile celebrity couples.
"It has always been our preference not to comment on the status of our relationship, but, out of respect for the time we spent together, we feel compelled to do so now, in the light of recent speculation and inaccurate stories that are being reported by the media," they said in a joint statement last week.
"We have, in fact, ended our romantic relationship and have done so mutually and as friends with continued love and respect for each other."
PHOTO: AP
The rumors of a split reached a fever pitch this week with the kickoff of Timberlake's 36-date FutureSex/LoveShow tour at which Charlie's Angels star Diaz was conspicuously absent.
According to People Magazine, Timberlake told the crowd, "Sometimes love isn't easy." The magazine said the couple often dodged breakup rumors but quoted sources as saying this time it was real.
Us Weekly said the 25-year-old Timberlake's bitter breakup with Diaz, 34, drove him into the arms of her worst enemy, 22-year-old actress Scarlett Johansson.
PHOTO: AP
While Timberlake and Diaz are trying to set the record straight, Madonna is obfuscating.
The pop diva is urging more people to adopt children from Africa, sidestepping comments by actress and fellow adoptive mother Angelina Jolie about only adopting from countries with clearly defined adoption laws.
Madonna, 48, who is in the legal processes of adopting a 1-year-old boy from Malawi, was accused by adoption groups last year of using her celebrity status to bypass laws about foreigners adopting from Malawi.
PHOTO: AFP
She has also faced criticism this week from Jolie, who has adopted children from Cambodia and Ethiopia as well as having a daughter with actor Brad Pitt. Jolie said in a magazine interview she would have steered clear of adopting from a country where there was no legal framework for adoption
But Madonna said she initiated the adoption, which she saw as "saving a life," despite the laws of adoption in Malawi being less than clear and little used.
She said only two countries in Africa — Ethiopia and Kenya — had clearly defined adoption rules with other African countries not used to dealing with such issues.
"We were basically creating the laws as we went," Madonna told TV host David Letterman on his CBS network Late Show.
Actress Lucy Lawless is good with a sword. Now, she'll take a stab at singing.
The 38-year-old actress best known for her role as Xena: Warrior Princess will make her rock concert debut at a sold out show Saturday night at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood.
Lawless recently appeared on Fox's Celebrity Duets and performed with music icons Smokey Robinson and Dionne Warwick. The appearances left her inspired to start her own singing career.
"I've become a junkie for live performance,'' she said in a statement. "I can't get enough and I can't give enough.'' Lawless plans to sing some of her own songs as well as those of Etta James, Nina Simone and Melissa Etheridge.
"This performance is the soundtrack of my life,'' she said.
Former England captain David Beckham said he sought the advice of his actor friend Tom Cruise before agreeing his big-money move from Real Madrid to Los Angeles Galaxy worth US$1 million a week over five years.
"I was on the phone to him (Cruise) for about an hour last night and an hour the night before," Beckham told reporters on Friday.
"Obviously I asked him for his advice because he is a very wise man and a very good friend of mine. It's going to be a big help for us to have friends when we arrive in LA."
Beckham announced last week that he would be joining Major League Soccer side the Galaxy in August. The Galaxy sold more than 1,000 season tickets on Thursday in the heady first hours after news broke of Beckham's signing.
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