Actress Who Suffers Permanent Brain Injury During A Stunt Scene In Transformers 3 Gets $18MILLION Payout

Gabriella Cedillo

Gabriella Cedillo, pictured in hospital, has received $18.5million after suffering a brain injury

A young woman who was left with a permanent brain injury while working as an extra on the movie Transformers 3 received an $18.5 million settlement today.

Gabriella Cedillo, then 24, was airlifted to hospital after being hit in the head as she drove a car during a stunt in September 2010.

A cable under tension snapped and smashed through the windshield of the Toyota driven by Miss Cedillo on location in Hammond, Indiana.

The young woman was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital and underwent emergency surgery for serious head injuries. The 26-year-old suffered irreversible damage following the incident.

Her attorneys said a 'completely inadequate superficial weld had been applied in a failed effort to secure the bracket to the [stunt] car' according to NBC.

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D'banj And Kanye West To Star In New Movie

Dapo Oyebanji a.k.a D’Banj Cum Daniel Anderson , and his American label boss Kanye West has just shot an untitled movie, coming out soon.

The said to be hard core thriler movie was shot in far away Qatar in the middle East. The musicians are playing the roles of bandits in their debut movie careers.

This new development to most people buttress the growing bond and relationship between Kanye and D’Banj,as both artistes have been in the news lately.

While D’Banj has been the centre of media blitzs and attention owing to his break up with his co-label owner Don Jazzy over the ownership of Mo’Hits and other sundry issues,Kanye West on his part has been painting the cities of United States with his latest relationship with Tv Reality Show star Kim Kardashin.

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Jackie Chan To Retire From Action Movies

Jackie Chan is landing his last punch as an action star, but says he is stepping into retirement having made one of the most important films of his career.

The Hong Kong actor told the AP on Friday that his latest film "Chinese Zodiac" will be his last action movie.

Chan, launching the movie at the Cannes Film Festival with co-stars Kwone Sang Woo, Yao Xingtong and Liao Fan, said that people don't believe him when he says he is going to retire.

"They say, 'No, you're still young, you can still do it,' but I have to stop one day."

The 58-year-old says he is bowing out with "Chinese Zodiac" - in which he plays a fortune hunter, travelling the world trying to track down missing astrological antiques - because it is one of the "most important" films in his career.

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Bobbi Kristina Wants To Play Mother, Whitney Houston In Movie Biopic Amidst Tough Competition From Rihanna And Jennifer Hudson

The life of the late queen of pop, Whitney Houston who met her tragic end some months back is set to be made into a film biopic, with a familiar face vying to play the music legend.

According to reports, Whitney's daughter Bobbi Kristina is keen to portray her mother - who tragically died by accidental drowning caused by heart disease and cocaine use in February - in the film, which is currently being discussed by a number of studios. 

A source told TMZ.com: 'Bobbi feels like she is the perfect person to play the part of Whitney - telling friends that no one knew her better' and as an aspiring actress who was recently casted in Tyler Perry comedy series For Better Or Worse.

However, Bobbi has some stiff competition in the likes of Rihanna. Who said recently: 'That would be something I would have to give my entire life to do, because I would really want to pull it off. Whoever does it has to do a good job.'

Also apparently in running for the role is Jennifer Hudson, who performed a musical tribute to Whitney at the Grammy awards, the day after she died and how has already won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls.

Who do you think will get the role? Is it Bobbi which some think Whitney would want her daughter to play her, if it makes her happy.

Or Is it Rihanna which some say is the definition of a manufactured artist and they won't watch the movie if Rihanna is in it! Maybe because of the way she butchered one of Mariah Carey's songs on youtube.

Or Jennifer Hudson who can sing (don't know about the acting, never seen anything of hers) but even her tribute to Whitney sounded nothing like her.

Or better still No one should be playing her because they shouldn't be making a movie about her in the first place since this woman has not even been dead for 5 mins and people are already trying to turn her life into some film and make money of her life.

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Winner Of "Next Movie Star", Tamara To Star In New Soap Opera

WINNER of the 2011 Next Movie Star reality television show, Tamara Eteimo, has hit the ground running with her burgeoning acting career.

In the new season of the soap, Tamara plays the role of Ibinabo, a cunning, spiteful, egoistic, pretentious and avaricious student who relies on men for her needs.

According to Tamara, "Acting a bitchy, thieving girl was really very tough because those were qualities I do not possess ordinarily. I grew up with very strict, religious parents. However, I had to shed my natural toga of a good girl to adorn the garb the producers wanted me to adorn.

It was tough but I'm sure I gave it my best shot considering the accolades the director heaped on me." Shot on locations in Ogun State, some of the finalists in the recently concluded 2011 Next Movie Star show like witty and articulate Tomiwa Kukoyi; beautiful and soft-spoken Aisha Alli-Balogun, sultry Vivian Egbon, who incidentally were first, second and third runners up respectively; and a host of others feature prominently in the soap which will start airing in April.

Produced by Digital Interactive Media, D8, now in its fourth season, is directed by cinematographer and voice over specialist, Dotun Taylor. The executive producer, Sola Fajobi says, "Dormitory 8 is a family drama series; it's funny and exciting and each episode touches on the lifestyle of students and still teaches didactic life lessons.

It is an experiential showcase of the wits, twists and happenings around the campus while communicating how students live together in one common hostel despite coming from different backgrounds."

Vanguard

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Ejike Asiegbu Plans Documentary And Feature Film On Late Odumegwu Ojukwu

Former President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ejike Asiegbu, has started making plans for a documentary and feature film on the late Odumegwu Ojukwu. Ejike intends to pay tribute to his former boss whom he once served as Personal Assistant.

Ejike is also organising a 'Night of Tributes' in honour of Okukwu which is slated to hold at the popular O'jez, in Surulere, Lagos before the end of the month.

He said, "I am talking with a lot of concerned Nigerians about how we can come together to pay our last respects to the late Ikemba. It will hold at the National Stadium."

On that day, we will wear his T-Shirts and caps, and also reflect on those things which Ikemba stood for, while he lived. What is happening in Nigeria today is part of what Ikemba saw over 30 years ago."

He described Ikemba as an illustrious leader, hero and mentor who lived and sacrificed his life and happiness for the well being of the Igbo nation.

"Ikemba was a humane and meticulous being. He was very thorough and highly principled. I enjoyed the time I spent working with him and I learnt a lot from him," Ejike said.

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Esosa Edosomwan Produces "One Night in Brooklyn" Which Explores TransAfrican Identity

Actress, Writer, “Directress” Esosa Edosomwan who was recently named a “Young African Visionary” by Obaasema Magazine and included in Applause Africa’s list of “30 Most Intriguing Africans in NY” will be directing her first feature film, “One Night in Brooklyn.”

The film is about a group of Brooklyn bohemians whose bonds of friendship and love are put to the test when they decide to throw a TransAfrican independence day party. The multi-cultural cast will bring to life characters of Nigerian, Ethiopian, Haitian, Afro-Latino, and African American backgrounds. “One Night in Brooklyn,” an independent production, is set to launch a fundraising campaign online through Indiegogo.com on February 15, 2012 and has the goal of beginning production in July 2012.

“At the core of "One Night in Brooklyn" is the idea of the TransAfrican community," Esosa, who is a first generation Nigerian born in the United States, says. "I define the TransAfrican community as a group of people within the African Diaspora--who are not afraid to honor where they come from and let this inform how they express themselves where they are today. I realized how many others of varying
multi-cultural backgrounds shared similar experiences. This film is for the generation worldwide that is looking to consume content that reflects their experiences as TransAfricans living abroad."

Esosa’s recent projects include the television pilots "Brooklyn Shakara," and "An African City," and roles in the independent films "Ma George," "Unguarded," "The Exposure," and "The Imperialists Are Still Alive." Her work as an actress has appeared on VOX Africa, BET, BET-J, and MTV and screened in numerous festivals and art circles worldwide including: Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Milano Festival, the MOMA, and the Whitney Biennial.
In January 2012, Esosa debuted her one woman show "Hatshepsut" in Ithaca, NY as a part of the Actors Workshop of Ithaca Theater Company's season. As a filmmaker, Esosa has written and directed several short films including: "Simple As Blk & White," and "50 Bucks in Argentina," which was an official selection in the 2011 Cannes Film Short Corner, was MTV-U Film of the Week, and won Best Short at the Nigerian Entertainment Film Festival. She was handpicked by Hollywood Producer/Director Joel Schumacher as the winner of the filmmaker competition on the 2007 MTV-U reality show “Meet or Delete."

Esosa studied Directing, Producing, and Marketing Management at Columbia University and Textiles & Apparel Design at Cornell University. For more updates and to support the film find "One Night in Brooklyn" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/onenightinbrooklyn, and Twitter: @ONIBFilm.

For more information or to support the project:

Website: www.onenightinbrooklyn.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/onenightinbrooklyn

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Producer Of GHETTO DREAMZ (The DAGRIN Story) Sues Virgin Atlantic N1billion For Infringing On His Company's Right

Virgin Atlantic Airlines is currently swimming in mud waters as it was recently slammed with a one billion naira (N1, 000, 000, 000) lawsuit for infringing on the company's rights of Stingomania over one of Nollywood movies, Ghetto Dreams by the managing director and chief executive officer,Mr Ope Banwo.

Ghetto Dreams is a movie released under the platform of Stingomania, a movie which was produced to celebrate the life and times of Dagrin (Olaitan Olaonipekun).

According to JimmySonde.com:

The Stingomania boss alleged that the full length of the movie was played on over 71 international routes of the airline, the video content and soundtracks were also played in their office, they uploaded a trailer and exhibited a poster of the movie on two of their websites including:

www.virgin-atlantic.com/ng; http://virginatlantic.mymovies.net; seatback@fly.virgin.com and the contents of the movie and particulars were also published in their inflight magazines circulated across all routes, travel agencies and inflight.

Justice Adah of the Federal High Court sitting at the Ikeja Judicial Division, Alausa, Lagos, only this morning granted an exparte order restraining the Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd whether by themselves, agents, privies, management, directors, pilots, flight crew etc from infringing or continuing to infringe the copyright in any audio, performance, soundtrack, cinematograph rights and audio-visual musical recordings of the plaintiff, Ope Banwo, as well as his literary rights particularly as contained in his work being the movie titled ''Ghetto Dreamz'' as particularly described in the schedule to the application on the Defendants international air fleet as presently aired in – flight, as published in Seat-Back Magazine and websites pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.

Mr Banwo sued for N1, 000, 000, 000 (One billion) as compensation; N5, 000, 000 (Five Million Naira Only) as the cost of prosecution while he also requested for the court to mandate the Defendants to publish apologies in three national newspapers, on the Defendants' websites and in their inflight magazine. The court has granted the exparte order while the matter is adjourned to the 12th of March, 2012.

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Nollywood Producer/Director, Dickson Iroegbu To Release Nigeria Gay Movie

Nollywood producer and director, Dickson Iroegbu is set to release his latest movie titled- 'Law 58'.

Law 58 is a movie about homosexuality in Nigeria and its consequences. The movie which features Kanayo O Kanayo, Clarion Chukwurah, Halima Abubakar etc will be released in February 2012.

When asked why a movie about homosexuality, the producer replied:   

When I saw the National Assembly debate on Gay Marriage, I thought it was prophetic because at the time, I produced the movie, we hadn't engaged ourselves constructively on how to address the issue of gay. We pretended then as if it didn't exist in our society.  Not knowing that it was gradually eating into the fabrics of the society. 

So, one saw it at that time and set out to discuss it via the tube. I may sound very judgmental about it but I have no apologies whatsoever. Homosexual is an evil act that our culture and religion as Africans prohibits,  and so, speaking against it as a film maker is to re-echo what my society has been saying about the ugly practice."

"At the time, I was shooting the movie, most of my colleagues frowned at the project because it was rumour then that some of them were involved in the act. I thought it was time to take a stand, given the fact that I was once called a gay, just to discredit my personality."

"Today, I want the society to feel my purse differently, so that when the film is finally released into the market, they will be able to reconcile it with the Dickson Iroegbu they have known for several years. The world will also ascertain whether I'm a homosexual or not.

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Photos Of Benin Nollywood Actor Who Was Murdered By His Wife While Asleep

Late Daniel Iyamu

The Benin Nollywood chapter is currently mourning the loss of one of its very dear once again, this is coming barely two weeks after the burial of Nollywood actor and comedian, Sam Efe Loco and the previous gruesome killing of Ukeke and Erhajiro.

Tragedy has again struck the Benin axis of the entertainment industry on Tuesday, following the alleged murder of one of the Benin based actors; Daniel Iyamu in his sleep by his wife.

Late Daniel Iyamu

The incident which occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday at their Agonse Street, Ugbihoko quarters in Egor local government area, threw the entertainment industry in Benin into confusion, as many of the members refused to comment on the issue.

More.....

Iyamu was found lifeless in a pool of his blood on his bed

Iyamu was found lifeless in a pool of his blood on his bed after neighbours forcefully broke his door open.

Sources said his children cried to neighbours that their father was yet to get up at about 10am, which prompted them to break the door.

It was learnt that injuries were found on his head which suggested that he might have been hit on the head while asleep.

One of the children of the late actor, Faith, a student of Federal Polytechnic Auchi, told journalists that their mother has been suffering from suspected mental illness, which their father has been treating since last year.

She was allegedly found unconscious in another room in the house, and was revived before she was taken away by the police who prevented angry residents from lynching her.

The wife has reportedly made statements to the police amidst tears, saying that she hit her husband with a pestle which led to his death.

When contacted, acting spokesperson for the Edo State police command, ASP Ahwara Ejiroro confirmed the incident but promised to provide further details later.

Daniel Iyamu is well known for his contributions and unparalleled performances in most of the popular Bini Dance Drama.

May his soul RIP.

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