Los Angeles, Sep 7 - Actor Eddie Murphy, popular for films like "Beverly Hills Cop" and the "The Nutty Professor", will host the 84th Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Beverly Hills Feb 26, 2012.

Telecast producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer made the announcement through a statement on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' official website.

This will be Murphy's first stint as the host for Oscars, and he hopes to do a good job.

Los Angeles, Sep 6 : Actress Hilary Swank has adopted a pet dog from an animal shelter.

The Oscar winner took her boyfriend John Campisi's eight-year-old son Sam to the East Valley Animal Shelter and chose the dog, reports dailystar. co. uk.

Later, Swank was pictured smiling with joy as she stroked the dog and walked off clutching its leash.(IANS)

Los Angeles, Sep 5 - Actress Sarah Jessica Parker wants to travel around the world and says she will happily quit her career if she could go on an adventure tour with her family.

"I often have a fantasy about packing up the family and travelling. If it was an adventure, sure, I'd leave all this behind. But I'd never do it without them," Parker told Style magazine.

Los Angeles, Sep 5 - Actor Eddie Murphy is in talks to host the 84th Annual Academy Awards.

According to Deadline. com, Oscar producer and movie director Bret Ratt Ratner will be meeting the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Tuesday to pitch for Murphy.

Murphy is said to be "showing interest". (IANS)

Los Angeles, Sep 5 - Troubled actor Charlie Sheen celebrated his 46th birthday with estranged wife Brooke Mueller and their kids.

The former couple went on a family outing to Buca di Beppo Italian restaurant in Encino, California, Saturday with their twins - Bob and Max.

Los Angeles, Sep 4 - Actor Leonardo Dicaprio has urged his fans to support a bill to ban the sale of shark fins in California state.

The actor, who is a passionate animal rights campaigner, previously wrote a letter to officials in support of the bill, which would make it illegal to possess, sell or trade sought-after fins. DiCaprio has now stepped up efforts for the cause, reports contactmusic. com.

Los Angeles, Sept 3 : Lawyers for Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, appealed to the court late Friday seeking to overrule a judge''s refusal to sequester jurors in his upcoming manslaughter trial, calling the order an “abuse of discretion.”

Los Angeles, Sep 3 - Musician Marc Anthony has laughed off rumours of a relationship with Will Smith's wife Jada Pinkett.

"When something like that happens, it's laughable. We've been friends for years. Jada, Jennifer, me, Will Smith, for years," he told Nightline news show.

Anthony, who recently parted ways with wife Jennifer Lopez, says people are trying to sensationalize his split, reports People. com.

Los Angeles, Sep 3 - Lindsay Lohan is miffed with actress Mena Suvari after she mocked her in a parody.

Suvari paired up with Dania Ramirez to film "Ass And T*tties", a mock music video which ridicules Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj and also pokes fun at Lohan's much-publicised legal woes.

Lohan has branded the spoof "pathetic", reports contactmusic. com.

Los Angeles, Sep 2 : Socialite Kim Kardashian, who recently got married to basketball player Kris Humphries, is hoping to start a family soon.

"Hopefully soon. Being a mom is something I've always wanted, so I would love to be one some day," people. com quoted her as saying.

Meanwhile, the reality TV star is enjoying being a wife to Humphries.

Los Angeles, Sep 1 - Actor Mel Gibson will pay his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva $750,000 in order to settle their custody battle over two-year-old daughter Lucia.

They were going through a bitter dispute over custody of Lucia and related finances for over a year.

Los Angles, Sep 1 - Singer Rihanna has filed a lawsuit against the former owner of her mansion following water leakage in the house.

According to TMZ, the 23-year-old has filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles County Superior Court claiming that the woman knew about the problems in the building, including numerous waterproofing defects, evidence of water intrusion and construction issues.

Los Angeles, Sep 1 - Teen sensation Justin Bieber was reportedly involved in a minor accident here after his black Ferrari collided with a Honda.

Dailystar. co. uk reports that Bieber and his car are fine and undamaged.

However, it is not clear who was at fault, but neither party is expected to be charged with any traffic offence. (IANS)

Los Angeles, Aug 29 - Pop singer Lady Gaga has landed her first MTV Video Music Awards honour.

Her "Born This Way" promo was named best video at the award ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday, reports contactmusic. com.

She defeated the likes of Pink, Katy Perry, Eminem and Rihanna to land the award.

However, the pop superstar was unavailable to pick up her prize because she was preparing for her opening number. (IANS)

Los Angeles, Aug 29 - Singer Ashlee Simpson reportedly wants to reunite with her estranged rocker husband Pete Wentz.

Ashlee, who filed for divorce from former Fall Out Boy rocker in February after two years of marriage, is said to have made a late night phone call to Pete to tell him that she "misses" him.

"Ashlee was telling Pete how much she misses him and wants him back," showbizspy. com quoted a source as saying.

Los Angeles, Aug 29 - Actor Mark Wahlberg is planning to open a burger restaurant with his brothers Donnie and Paul Wahlberg.

"It just works, it's a good sounding brand we could put out the product with, a great name people could relate to" Mark's business partner Ed St. Croix told Boston Herald.

Los Angeles, Aug 25 : Actor Jason Bateman and wife Amanda Anka are expecting their second child together.

Amanda's father, singer Paul Anka, confirmed the news to ET Canada: "I'm going to be a grandfather again. It's another baby girl."

The couple got married in July 2001 and have a four-year-old daughter Francesa Nora, reports usmagazine. com.(IANS)

San Jose (California), Aug 25 : Cuba's Los Van Van, dubbed "the Rolling Stones of salsa", will perform in Los Angeles Sep 15.

The concert was originally set for Aug 4, but had to be postponed when US authorities refused to issue a visa for one of the band's members, a press release said.

Los Van Van has found another musician to replace the drummer barred by the State Department.

Los Angeles, Aug 23 - Socialite Kim Kardashian's wedding celebrations were cut short after the neighbours complained to the police of loud music.

"Around midnight DJ Cassidy, who had been spinning for an hour, was ordered to shut down because the neighbours were complaining about the volume of the music. The neighbours didn't come over, but they called the police," showbizspy. com quoted a source as saying.

Los Angeles, Aug 22 : Singer Lil Wayne is being sued by another rapper who alleges that he has stolen the beat of his track "How to Love".

Rapper Rich Rick filed legal documents in Los Angeles County Superior Court saying he had bought several master recordings from a group of rap producers called Drummer Boyz between 2006 and 2009, which includes the beat that Wayne has used in his song.

Los Angeles, Aug 20 : Actor Matthew McConaughey has been roped in to star in new film "Magic Mike" along with actor Channing Tatum.

The "Sahara" star will portray the owner of a strip club where Tatum's character works as a male stripper, reports variety. com.

Demi Moore and actor Alex Pettyfer are also on board the film to be directed by Steven Soderbergh.(IANS)

Los Angeles, Aug 19 : Warner Bros. has chosen Mexico's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu to direct a 19th-century western titled "The Revenant", the filmmaker's first project since the critically acclaimed "Biutiful", Variety magazine reported on its web site.

The film, to be produced by Anonymous Content, will be based on the 2004 novel "The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge" by Michael Punke. The screenplay was written by Mark L. Smith.

Los Angeles, Aug 18 : Argentine singer-songwriter Noel Schajris has confessed that he does not believe in conventional marriage or in promising eternal love, something that he says strikes him as "nice" and "romantic" but "unreal".

Los Angeles, Aug 17 : Justin Timberlake is all praise for his ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz for playing the character of a foul-mouthed teacher effortlessly in "Bad Teacher".

The two are paired together in this movie and Diaz plays a teacher who hurls abuses, smokes marijuana and drinks alcohol and eventually tries to win over Timberlake, who plays a rich guy.

Los Angeles, Aug 17 - Singer Taylor Swift was left embarrased when she suffered a wardrobe malfunction during a concert.

While performing "You Belong With Me," the 21-year-old Grammy winner's blue dress blew up in the middle of the song, revealing her nude innerwear however, Swift quickly swatted down her skirt and continued on with her lyrics, reports usmagazine. com.