AMY ADAMS TO PLAY JANIS JOPLIN

Yes!  At long last the much-talked about Janis Joplin Biopic tentatively-titled Piece of My Heart, has founded Janis!  Prior to her death, Brittany Murphy was rumoured to be attached to the project, as was Oscar winner Renée Zellwegger.  Separately, Zooey Deschanel and P!nk were also said to be considered at one point too for other Joplin-related films, but all have failed to surface.  Alas, it will be Oscar nominee Amy Adams in the coveted role of the ill-fated singer according to Access Hollywood. 

Although I am a huge fan of Adams, I'm not quite sure how she will be in this role, but The Academy loves to see actors transform come Oscars time and I'm sure the actress will be up to the unflattering challenge.

(Photo credit: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott/Vanity Fair)

SIMON MONJACK, WIDOWER OF BRITTANY MURPHY DIES

This is absolutely tragic.  Simon Monjack, widowed husband of Brittany Murphy, passed away last night in the couple's home just five months after Murphy's untimely death.  Monjack had a history of heart problems and the Los Angeles Police had indicated he died of "natural causes", not "criminal activity" or "foul play".  This hasn't stopped many sources and blogs from pointing quickily to his death being the result of a Drug Overdose.  It's cruel that we live in a world in which media still continue to feed off of death instead of respecting life and its fragility.

This is an example of life imitating art.  Monjack's obsession with Celebrity and untimely death was illustrated in his screenplay for The Weinstein Co.'s excellent film Factory Girl (2006).  The film followed the story of socialite Edie Sedgwick and her quick rise to fame.  She was manipulated and used by Pop Art Guru Andy Warhol, the same man who made her a star; she fell subsequently due to drug and alcohol dependency.  Like Sedgwick, both Murphy and Monjack passed away far before their time and were victims of the cruel, ugly side of Celebrity.  To read a non-assuming, less-biased accounting of the incident, click here. (Photo credit: Associated Press)

SO LONG, BRITTANY MURPHY

This is really sad news. Brittany Murphy is reported first by quasi-reliable source TMZ.Com, to have passed away this morning in Los Angeles due to cardiac arrest. Her mother discovered her body in the shower. The 32 year-old actress had starred in some of the most important films of our generation including Girl Interrupted, 8 Mile, Clueless and Sin City. A few of her recent films featured some of her best work yet including romantic comedy Love and Other Disasters which never saw a North American release, but fared very well at TIFF '06 and The Dead Girl, in which she won a fair amount of acclaim despite few people seeing it. Above this, she also scored a number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 2006 with her Paul Oakenfold collaboration, Faster Kill Pussycat. A talented young woman and grossly underrated. You will be remembered, Brittany.