GeekSugar

The 10 TV Characters We'd Like to Get Valentines From

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:28:23 PST

Valentine's Day is coming up, and it doesn't matter if you have your own squeeze or not, because TV has plenty of lovable leading men to go around. Everyone has their small screen crushes, and we have a particular affinity for a few too, whether it's because the character is so sweet, charming, funny, or all of the above. Check out our list to see which TV guys we'd love to spend V-Day with, and why.

Kristen Stewart Talks Badass Fairy Tales, Bella Swan, and Her New Leading Man on Snow White Set Visit

Molly Goodson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:01:00 PST

Last October, we were so excited to pay a visit to the set of Snow White and the Huntsman outside London. We got a sneak peek into the amazing world Kristen Stewart and her costars, including Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Charlize Theron, and more, inhabited while shooting the action-packed fairy-tale movie. We have tons to come from our day poking around the remarkable set and learning about everything from the costumes to the fight scenes. While we were there, we even got to see the aftermath of Kristen accidentally actually punching Chris Hemsworth in the face filming a scene. Check out our chat with Kristen and stay tuned for lots from the set:

Is there something you admire about Snow White?

Yes. It’s strange playing a character that you actually could never truly embody. Her spirit affects people. . . I can’t have Snow White’s effect on people. I can’t actually be completely selfless because nobody is. You can only really play a character like that in a fairy tale and play it with an awful load of integrity. She’s very fully formed, but very farfetched-from-the-reality-that-we-live-in type of person. She also is strong in a very different way than you’d expect. Strength, yeah, but also gusto. I mean, she’s strong. She can kick ass. It hurts very much to do so and so it’s not like you’re watching her go take down a kingdom. You’re not watching going, "Yeah! Kill him!" Really it’s more like you’re watching someone having to do something that doesn’t just go against your sensibilities or that you agree with. It’s gutting. It’s physically gutting, literally. A million reasons, but she’s special.

Do you like that she’s not like your prissy fairy tale?

Yeah, because that’s just a very surface, though she is prissy sometimes. That’s the other thing. It takes her the whole movie basically to become who I’m talking about now. I’m really sort of talking in retrospect. It’s strange. It’s a total identity movie. It’s all about not finding yourself, but actually just being OK with who you always have been and not being ashamed of being the only one who sees the light. It’s an enormous burden and she’s so stunted. She was put away when she was 7 years old and your mother and your father were killed basically right in front of you. We’re not doing the version of a fairy tale that wouldn’t deal with all of those things, where you just sort of skim over all those things, and it's like all of these things are actually really important to the characters. She literally bleeds for her land and her people, and that’s just such a cool concept for me because it’s other people caring about people. It’s very simple, but it’s so common. Every day all the time you see people not caring about each other, and this is just about that.

She learns to be a leader or she’s born a leader inside, do you think?

She’s definitely a born leader. I mean, it’s literally pumping through those veins, but it’s been taken from her. She’s been so stolen from.

To read the rest of the interview, including her thoughts on Bella vs. Snow White and what it was like to punch Chris just

read more. Is it helping you get into the character's mindset to wear those cool costumes? Absolutely. If you look down and something doesn’t feel like you would definitely be wearing it, or if you go to grab your knife and it flops around or - basically [Colleen Atwood] thinks about every detail. It’s so wearable. I also have puffy sleeves. Somehow she manages to make puffy sleeves look butch. I was always expecting to personally wind up in a - basically what I’m wearing underneath it, like that little blue dress, which is just thin and wispy. I was really happy that she’s got something heavy on - a bit of armor before she actually finds her own armor. How did you feel the first time you put on the armor? Did you feel more badass? Yeah. That’s the first thing you want to [pound your chest]. Also, my armor doesn’t have a huge top on it. All the guys, unfortunately, they [raise their arms] and they hit themselves in the head. I can run around in mine. Somehow the armor on the men - unless they’re on horseback and they look amazing, but there’s also something kind of dainty about it, too, like pointy toes. It fits a woman’s body better, I feel. I don’t know, the guys running around suddenly look like little toys - slightly feminine little toys. Both Snow White and Bella had traumatizing experiences in the woods - being led out to die or have her heart broken - compare those two experiences? Well, it’s funny. I think [Snow White] genuinely lacks that innate fear of death that we all have. She’s got a serious, fierce survival - not skills, but insights. But she isn’t afraid of anything. What’s harder is to have dreams and hopes that you lived your whole life sort of be just shattered in front of you. So I think probably it’s totally impossible to compare the two. And I know that doesn’t make sense, but I kind of can’t compare. Can you compare the movies in general? Are there similarities at all? Bella and Snow White both come to find that they’re leaders. I mean, that’s definitely a similarity. They’re different. They’re very, very, very, different people. Also, I guess in a very sort of righteous way as well it’s all very like - everyone’s telling them “no” and both of them I guess see the light. Both of them are sort of a little more intuitive and spiritually, for whatever reason, connected and their gut is always sort of dead right. What about working with Chris surprised you? Did you have any preconceptions of him? Before I met him, I was like, "gosh, so charming." You know what I mean? Like he’s so ridiculously, seemingly nice. Movie-star caliber nice. But he really actually just is. But then again, it’s strange working - cause I mean it’s not a secret. It was completely different part before. It was totally like a rethought. So when he came in it was like "Wow! This is f*cking interesting!" I mean, it was like they really elevated it. Chris is an amazing, nice guy and also [has] great instincts and he can roll with everything on set. He’s really relaxed, whereas I’m always like, "oh my god!" I use my anxiety to do this and he’s always sort of like - he’s a good energy for me. I really like working with him. You actually punched Chris filming a scene and gave him a black eye? It’s actually a very confidence building experience. I don’t like punching anyone. So, you know, when you dream and your hand just slides right down their face, it doesn’t do that in real life. It really works. God, that really made me feel horrible, though. I mean, like instantly hot tears and I was like "oops!" We were watching it. It looks - it’ll be in the movie. Favorite fairy tale as a kid? I honestly don’t - somebody asked this the other day. I wasn’t here til the end of fairy tales. I really liked The Jungle Book. I was obsessed with The Jungle Book. Chris said Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and he was always like humming Enya as we were trudging up the mountain. I was saying basically, "You should make a remake of Lord of the Rings. Why are you doing this? . . . We’re doing Snow White and the Huntsman, Chris!" Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

25 of Our Favorite Romances - and the Stylish Looks We Want to Steal

Marisa Tom — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:23:08 PST

Our favorite romantic movies - rom-coms included - have the ability to transport us from our couch to falling in love aboard the RMS Titanic, to sipping lattes in a quaint café in Montmartre, to attending Beverly Hills High with best friends Dionne and Tai, and beyond. In a nutshell, it's pretty great. To add to their cinematic charm, these flicks not only have us daydreaming of modern-day knights in shining armor, but they've also made quite the stylish impression. We can't help but call to mind An Affair to Remember's dreamy '50s wardrobe, Ali MacGraw's classic American style in Love Story, or even Cameron Diaz's Winter-luxe looks in The Holiday. From period pieces to last year's Ryan Gosling takeover, we've rounded up a sweet mix of Valentine's Day-perfect flicks that just so happen to flaunt some fun fashion, too. Click through to see our editors' picks and shop your favorite looks.

5 Things to Know About Joy Williams of Grammy-Winning Duo The Civil Wars

Tara Sharp — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:48:00 PST

If you didn't know who Joy Williams was before tonight, we guarantee you will be hearing a lot more about her in the months to come. Joy's one half of folk duo The Civil Wars with Johnny Depp lookalike John Paul White, and the first-time nominees won two Grammys tonight: best folk album and best country duo/group performance for their 2011 album Barton Hollow. They are also one of the performing groups to hit the Grammy stage tonight! Here are five things you should know about this woman who rocks (including her Taylor Swift and Adele connection!):

Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, Joy was 17 when she signed a recording contract with Reunion Records, balancing a singing career with finishing up high school. She began her career as a contemporary Christian music artist before leaving Reunion and founding Sensibility Music with her husband. Then one of her first songs on her own label, "Charmed Life," appeared on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy in 2009.
Joy's been married since 2004, and it's not to her Civil Wars partner. Joy's happily paired up with her manager and Sensibility Music cofounder Nate Yetton.
In 2009, Joy formed The Civil Wars with John Paul White, whom she met at a songwriting session in 2008. Their first studio album, Barton Hollow, was released in 2011 and debuted at No. 1 on iTunes's album sales chart and at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. The band even opened for Adele's 2011 North American and UK concert tour.
Joy, 29, and her husband are expecting their first child in June. Joy announced the pregnancy on Twitter Friday, saying, "My baby bump & I will see you on the red carpet."
Fellow singing starlet Taylor Swift gave Joy and The Civil Wars a helping hand when she included the band's song "Poison and Wine" on her official iTunes playlist, saying, "I think this is my favorite duet. It's exquisite." And now Joy and Taylor have a song together for The Hunger Games soundtrack called "Safe and Sound." The music video debuts tomorrow!

Check out photos of Joy and The Civil Wars at the Grammys now!

Casa Capsule: Sofia Coppola's Loft, Big News About Domino, and Valentine's Day Decor

CasaSugar — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:52 PST

Snowbirds should head to Arizona to enjoy the rainbow hues of the Saguaro Hotel.

Take a look at some inventive Anthropologie window displays.

Learn about the Domino magazine launching this Spring!

Steal the look of the charming San Francisco shop, March.

Find out more about Scandinavian woodburning stoves.

Shop for ruby-hued Valentine's Day decor.

Stephen Sills designs an art- and antique-filled New York apartment.

Learn how you can get the look of Sofia Coppola's loft apartment.

Watch Oscar Nominee Jean Dujardin Audition For Every Villain Role Ever

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:30:34 PST

Best actor nominee Jean Dujardin has a good chance of winning the Oscar for his performance in The Artist, and this Funny or Die video has a very specific idea for his career trajectory. Two Hollywood types inform Dujardin that many foreign Oscar winners go on to play memorable villains, so the good-natured Dujardin agrees to audition for a bad guy role - in every possible upcoming movie. Watch the ultra-charming star and his French accent try out every clichèd villain threat (and catch all the hilarious titles for sequels that aren't real . . . yet).

Jean Dujardin's Villain Auditions from Jean Dujardin

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "The Spanish Teacher"

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:01:05 PST

Glee goes Latin this week when guest star Ricky Martin stops by to shake it and teach Mr. Schue a thing about Spanish (which, despite being a Spanish teacher, he does not know). A couple more people find out about Finn and Rachel's engagement, though Mercedes and Sam are still far more unclear about their relationship. Sue also announces a highly frightening desire to be a mother while clawing at the chance to be a tenured teacher.

There are some fun numbers this week, but they couldn't distract from the fact that this episode is all over the place. A couple of the subplots are just plain ridiculous, but it's not totally without its highlights, so let's go over them after the jump.

The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer: Andrew Garfield Flies, Fights, Romances Emma Stone

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:30:18 PST

The full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man is finally here, and it answers a lot of the questions we were wondering about when the teaser came out last Summer. While we get a long, satisfactory look at the adorable Andrew Garfield as Spidey, in and out of the suit, we also have more insight into Rhys Ifans's villain character, The Lizard. The initial teaser focuses on how Peter Parker transforms into Spider-Man, but this preview shows us what happens after he gets his powers (lots of agile crime-fighting and confounding the police).

There's also plenty of blond Emma Stone as love interest Gwen Stacy, and her cozy scenes with Parker are adorable (and a little jealousy-inducing). Garfield is as winning as I hoped he'd be, whether he's being cheeky about using his abilities to climb Gwen's building ("your doorman's intimidating") or trying to do the right thing as a vigilante. With his charm and what seems like an exciting setup, I have faith that this new installment can live up to the earlier franchise. The movie comes out July 3, and to watch the trailer now, just keep reading.

Pilot Scoop: Smash

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:04:40 PST

NBC is getting in on musical madness with new show Smash, a drama that follows the production of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and the two ingénues vying for the lead. With high production value and an ensemble cast that includes Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston, the show is a colorful, splashy, and tune-filled entrant into the midseason lineup. Before you check out tonight's premiere, check out my first impressions below.

What it's about: The first episode charts the early development of the musical Marilyn, the brainchild of a few theater producers (including Messing and Huston). As the idea germinates, the showrunners have to make the difficult decision of who to cast as Marilyn Monroe: the seasoned, Ivy (Megan Hilty), who's also a dead-ringer for Marilyn, or inexperienced Karen (Katharine McPhee) who comes in at the last minute and knocks their socks off.
Where it works: Former American Idol contestant McPhee is an inspired choice here; we've all heard her sing, but it turns out that she can also act. She's charming and plucky as Karen, the girl who's a waitress by night so she can nurture her dream of making it big on Broadway. I also enjoyed seeing her home life with her supportive (and dashing) boyfriend played by Raza Jaffrey.
Where it doesn't: It's unclear how much of the musical the series will be. In the opener, we hear numbers from Marilyn and familiar tunes like "Beautiful" in auditions, but when Ivy and Karen break into song at the end of the hour, it doesn't feel that organic - or necessary.
When it's on: Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC, starting Feb. 6
You might like this show if: You like Glee, but this show is even more appealing to theater fans.

See a preview for Smash and photos after the break.

Ga Ga or Gag: Mother-Daughter Jewelry From Samantha's Charms

Kate Stahl — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:02:10 PST

Just in the last week, I've experienced a new phenomenon of motherhood: whatever I have, my daughter wants. She's only nine months old, but whether it's my sparkling water, hummus, pendant necklace, or magazine, if mama's eating, wearing, or using it, she'd like it, too - and she knows how to get it. (I'm already terrified for her teenage years.) Before she can raid my jewelry box in a few years, I'm thinking I should consider investing in the Cuties collection from Samantha's Charms. Designed by Samantha Freedman, a former attorney based in Boston, Cuties is a collection that includes necklaces and bracelets featuring animal charms in two sizes - a larger one for mommy and a smaller one for daughter. The matching bears, giraffes, ducks, elephants, and pigs come in 14k rose gold-plated, yellow gold-plated, and sterling silver, and range from $60 to $85 each. So what do you think about Samantha's take on mommy-daughter jewelry? Weigh in below!