Monica Bellucci to guest star in 'Mozart in the Jungle'

Actress Monica Bellucci is all set make a guest appearance in the third season of 'Mozart in the Jungle'.

Monica Bellucci

The 51-year-old Italian actress will play the role of Alessandra, an iconic opera singer who will become the next collaborator of Rodrigo, the New York Symphony Orchestra conductor played by Gael Garcia Bernal, reported Variety.

Season three will see the musicians take their talents on tour to Europe.

"Alessandra is as famous for her passionate performances as she is for her erratic life off the stage. After years away from the spotlight, she enlists Rodrigo to conduct her grand return performance," an Amazon statement said.

The show is based on the critically acclaimed memoir "Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs & Classical Music" by Blair Tindall.

midday.

Elizabeth Banks no longer directing 'Pitch Perfect 3'

Actress-turned-filmmaker Elizabeth Banks has reportedly stepped down from directing the forthcoming "Pitch Perfect" sequel.

Elizabeth Banks

The star made her directorial debut with "Pitch Perfect 2" last year and in October 2015 she signed on to reprise her role behind the camera for the next installment.

However, the project has since suffered a setback as Elizabeth is no longer attached to take charge of "Pitch Perfect 3", according to TheWrap.

A reason for her departure has yet to be revealed, but "The Hunger Games" star has a busy few months ahead of her as she is due to direct the big screen adaptation of Victoria Aveyard's young adult novel "Red Queen" and the planned reboot of "Charlie's Angels."

Elizabeth will stay on as a producer of "Pitch Perfect 3."

A replacement director has yet to be named. The news emerges days after studio bosses at Universal pushed back the movie's scheduled release from July, 2017 to December, 2017.

The new "Pitch Perfect" sequel will feature the return of leading ladies Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow, with Kay Cannon returning to write the script.

Bollywood singer Benny Dayal ties the knot with girlfriend Catherine Thangam

It was a hush-hush wedding affair for "Badtameez Dil" hitmaker Benny Dayal. The singer has tied the knot with model-actress girlfriend Catherine Thangam.

Bollywood composer and his close friend Vishal Dadlani took to Twitter to share the news and also posted an image of himself with the newly married couple.

Dadlani posted: “You guys are beautiful, Benny Dayal and Catherine Thangam! Much love and joy, always!”

In the image, the duo can be seen beaming with happiness with garlands around their necks. Benny is wearing a white kurta, Catherine is seen in a pastel coloured sari, and Dadlani in a black T-shirt and jeans.

The image also gives a sneak-peak into the marriage decor with splash of pastel yellow hued drapes.

Benny retweeted Dadlani's post.

According to an online portal, Benny met Catherine through a common friend. The couple followed the Hindu and Christian rituals in the marriage on Sunday.

Catherine, who is based in New York, has performed on several prestigious stages for a variety of artists and events in the New York City and New Jersey Area. She has trained in classical Indian dance since the age of eleven.

She had a cameo role in the 2014 online short “100: The Tribute,” a film paying homage to the past 100 years of Hindi cinema, and also worked as a dancer in the 2012 crossover feature “English Vinglish”.

There are also reports that reception will be held in Kerala soon.

Singers Mika Singh and Salim Merchant also took to the micro-blogging website to wish the couple.

"Congrats bro. Benny Dayal and dear Catherine Thangam wishing you both a happy married life," Singh posted.

Merchant also shared "Best wishes and lots of love to the newly married couple Benny Dayal and dear Catherine".

Benny has lent his musical touch to films like "Thalaivaa", "Delhi-6", "Ladies vs Ricky Bahl", "Cocktail", "2 States", "Hasee Toh Phasee" and "Bang Bang!".

midday

Studio apologises for 'offensive' 'X-Men: Apocalypse' billboard

Marketing bosses behind the new "X-Men: Apocalypse" movie have apologised for an "insensitive" billboard which depicts Oscar Isaac's titular villain strangling Jennifer Lawrence's mutant Mystique.

The chokehold image was posted around a number of major US cities to promote the 20th Century Fox blockbuster, but the violent snapshot drew heavy criticism for appearing to promote violence against women.

Actress Rose MCGowan was among those who took issue with the advertisement and made her feelings known online, and now studio officials at Fox have accepted they were in the wrong for approving such a picture, reported The Wrap.

"In our enthusiasm to show the villainy of the character Apocalypse we didn't immediately recognize the upsetting connotation of this image in print form," read the statement.

"Once we realized how insensitive it was, we quickly took steps to remove those materials. We apologize for our actions and would never condone violence against women."

Rose has yet to respond to the studio chiefs' comments.

She initially voiced her disapproval in a message on The Hollywood Reporter's Facebook page.

"There is a major problem when the men and women at 20th Century Fox think casual violence against women is the way to market a film," she wrote.

"There is no context in the ad, just a woman getting strangled. The fact that no one flagged this is offensive and frankly, stupid. The geniuses behind this, and I use that term lightly, need to to take a long hard look at the mirror and see how they are contributing to society."

midday.

Gigi Hadid, Taylor Swift 'supporting' each other post their breakups

Supermodel Gigi Hadid and singer Taylor Swift have reportedly been relying on each other for support following their recent breakups.

After news of Swift's break-up with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris emerged, it was reported that Hadid and former One Direction singer Zayn Malik have also called it quits.

"Gigi and Taylor are actually confiding in each other as best friends during this time. They can really relate," a source told eonline.com.

Hadid, 21, and Malik, 23, ended their seven-month romance, although friends believe it is likely that they will reconcile.

The pair have reportedly been on and off recently and had a fight at Hadid's birthday party in Los Angeles in April.