Andra Day Lost 39 Pounds, Started Drinking and Smoking to Play Billie Holiday

Avril Lavigne gave fans a reason to be excited as she began a countdown to a big moment in her career with her latest social media posts.MORE: Avril Lavigne stuns in daring neon-green outfitThe singer took to her Instagram Stories from her lush Malibu mansion to begin the countdown to the release of her new album Love Sux. She excitedly remarked that the album would be out in a mere ten days and then began to play a snippet from a yet unreleased song.WATCH: Avril Lavigne provides special preview of new albumAvril sang along to the pop-punk track, which consistently used the refrain "you make me nauseous," sticking her tongue out and flashing her bright orange nail job as well.The album is the pop-punk superstar's seventh full-length record and her first since released exactly three year ago in 2019's Head Above Water.MORE: Avril Lavigne poses in fishnets for major new photos you have to seeReleasing on 25 February, 2022, Avril opened up in a recent interview with Nylon about the different direction the record took, saying: "This is the first one that’s just rock all the way through.A post shared by Avril Lavigne (@avrillavigne)Avril's seventh album is slated to come out on 25 February"There was a point in music where the label was like, 'Radio don't want to hear guitars anymore.' Live drums went away.

Mark Wahlberg dropped the ball on Valentine’s Day! The actor shared that things didn’t go exactly as planned after he and his wife, Rhea Durham, decided not to celebrate the holiday. Wahlberg, who has been married to Durham since 2009, said that he normally has a sweet gesture for his love.  “I’ll send flowers from each child leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Linda Evangelista isn't hiding anymore. Nearly five months after the 56-year-old supermodel filed a lawsuit claiming she was «brutally disfigured» by a fat-freezing procedure, she's no longer covering up.«I loved being up on the catwalk. Now I dread running into someone I know,» Evangelista tells.

Cynthia Nixon is not backing down when it comes to her support of the HBO Max reboot . The first season of the series has now aired in its entirety, with Nixon's character, Miranda Hobbes, receiving the majority of the online criticism for her decision to divorce her husband, Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), and to start a romance with non-binary comedian Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez). And though she stands by her character's actions, Nixon does have one regret in regard to the series. “If I could do anything differently, I would have made sure we said to people in letters 10 feet tall: This is not Sex and the City.

Pregnant Jess Wright looked absolutely glowing as she headed to an event with her mother, Carol.The mother to be, who is expecting her first child with her husband William Lee-Kemp, looked sensational as she dressed her blossoming bump in a chic black fitted midi-dress.The former The Only Way Is Essex star added to her glamorous maternity style with a cream-coloured white coat that was effortlessly draped on her shoulders. Sporting sleek brunette locks and a glamorous coat of bronzed make-up, the stylish 33 year old couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she strutted along in nude-coloured high heels.

TV personality Stephen Bear has been arrested for breaching his bail conditions and discussing his ongoing revenge porn case on social media. Stephen, 32, is currently facing trial after being accused of secretly filming himself have sex with a woman in August 2020, and later distributing the footage online without her consent. The former Ex on The Beach star was first granted bail in July 2021 after the case was moved to Crown Court.

Emilio Mayorga Spain’s trendiest twosome, Claudia Costafreda and Ana Rujas, are co-creators of “Cardo,” the series on everyone’s lips since launching last fall on Atresplayer, the OTT platform run by Spanish media conglom Atresmedia, last fall and one of Variety’s best international TV shows of 2021.Rujas stars in the furious tirade against external, bogus beauty standards and Costafreda directs with Lluís Sellarès also heading two episodes. “Cardo” is co-produced by Atresmedia’s production arm Buendía Estudios and Suma Content (formerly Suma Latina), the outfit setup by iconic multi-hyphenate partners Los Javis (“Veneno”), selected by Variety as talents to track, as was Costafreda.

The perils of being a gentleman pirate are on full display in the first trailer for the new comedy series “Our Flag Means Death”.

Khloe Kardashian is showing the world the sisterly love between the Kardashians.

Dolph Lundgren, 64, has been a beloved actor for decades. Since reaching a mainstream audience in 1985 with his role as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, the Swedish actor has been an international star. Throughout his career, he’s dabbled in directing, and he’s taken on plenty of well-known roles over the decades including He-Man in the Masters of the Universe series and returning the big screen for the all-star cast of The Expendables. During his life, he’s been married twice, and he proposed to his current fiancée Emma Krokdal in 2020. Find out more about Dolph’s two marriages and his current engagement here!

Tom Cruise proved once again that there is no stunt he can’t tackle himself! While filming the next installment of Mission Impossible, 59-year-old actor attempted death-defying feats in South Africa on Wednesday (Feb. 16). The hunky action star showed off his bulging biceps and toned physique in a tight tee and jeans before he hopped in a helicopter to flaunt his aviation experience and bravery for Mission Impossible 8, as seen in photos here, via Daily Mail.

A Paisley charity has launched a plea for volunteers to sign up to help deliver a vital service which helps hundreds of older people in the community.

Ahead of her new, eye-opening documentary, reality star Gemma Collins has opened up about her experience with therapy over the years. During the Channel 4 show, Gemma Collins: Self-Harm and Me, audiences are afforded an insight into Gemma's sessions with long-term therapist Mandy Saligari. Over the course of the film we see Gemma open up to Mandy as well as share her story with her best friend, mum and fiancé Rami Hawash.

Emmerdale has viewers hooked currently, as Meena's killing spree continues. And caught up in the drama is Olivia Bromley, who plays Dawn, but when the cameras aren't rolling the actors actually have a lot of fun. Meena recently kidnapped Dawn in a limo, during her Valentine's Day wedding and drove to a remote viaduct as she revealed that she had groom Billy in the boot.

The Royal Family are facing more controversy as an investigation into Prince Charles’ charity has been launched.The Prince’s Trust is facing allegations that a knighthood was offered to a Saudi billionaire in exchange for a large donation to the charity. Metropolitan Police are investigating the alleged offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.The investigation comes after a letter was reportedly penned by Prince Charles' former valet Michael Fawcett in 2017, which came to light last year. In the letter, Michael allegedly said he was willing to help a charity donor have his CBE upgraded to a knighthood.

Kirk Norcross paid tribute to his late father Mick as he rang in his son Harry's fifth birthday. In January 2021, aged just 57, Mick was found dead in his home, with an inquest ruling his death as suicide.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will travel across the globe to the Caribbean next month – but their trip won't be all fun and games, OK! can reveal. The visit to the Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize will be Kate Middleton, 40, and 39 year old Prince William's first trip together since the coronavirus pandemic began, which also coincides with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. When the couple will be touring the beautiful region for 12 days, many would assume the pair might manage to have some quality time on their own.

As “Peacemaker” wraps up its first season on HBO Max, it seems like only a matter of time before we get official word about Season 2. James Gunn, even before the series began airing, hinted that he would like to do more episodes.

A man has been charged following the death of James 'Chucky' Ross in Cumbernauld after a murder investigation was launched.

X Factor star Ella Henderson has opened up about how Rylan Clark helped her through dark times after struggling with her mental health.The singer, 26, explained on Rylan’s podcast how she can relate to the presenter, who’s also a former X Factor contestant, and the struggle to appear “bubbly” in the public eye. Speaking about the process of making her second album, Ella said that it took her a “long time” to feel comfortable expressing how she really feels.

Hundreds of motorists applying for updates to their driving licence through the post are facing a three month wait due to a backlog of applications, DVLA figures have shown.

Gemma Collins first burst onto our TV screens back in 2011, and she's remained a staple to our screens ever since. Former The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma, 41, has appeared on several shows throughout the years, and having starred on TOWIE for around eight years, we definitely got to know the star well. Alongside her business ventures and friendships, Gemma's love life has also mainly played out on-screen, with her famous exes including James 'Arg' Argent.

The Queen admitted to feeling frail for the first time as she held on to a walking stick during an official engagement on Wednesday.The 95 year old Monarch's appearance came hot on the heels of her facing her own Covid-19 scare before her son Prince Andrew settled his sexual assault lawsuit outside of court. And while speaking in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, Her Majesty told incoming Defence Services Secretary Major General Eldon Millar and his predecessor Rear Admiral James Macleod: "I can't move".The Armed Forces chiefs initially walked past her room, prompting her to exclaim: "I'm here" before adding: "I thought you may have stayed in there for ages." When the chiefs made their way into the room, the Queen said: "Good morning." When asked how she was, the royal continued: "Well, as you can see, I can't move." With her walking stick in hand, the Queen then reached out to shake the men's hands.

Among the country's preeminent dramatists, Suzan-Lori Parks has won a 2002 Pulitzer Prize for her play Topdog-Underdog and a 2012 Tony for an adaptation of Porgy and Bess. Along the way Parks, 57, has dipped a toe in Hollywood, as far back as 1996's Girl 6, which she wrote for Spike Lee.

Andra Day gained fame as a singer thanks to her hit anthem “Rise Up”, but she’ll soon be seen making her acting debut in the role of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday in the Lee Daniels-directed biopic “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”.

Andra Day takes her first acting role very seriously. The Grammy-nominated singer did everything it took to resemble and sound like Billie Holiday in Hulu’s new biopic,  The United States Vs. Billie Holiday .

Andra Day “abused” her body while getting ready to play Billie Holiday.

Andra Day is opening up about how she prepared to play Billie Holiday in Hulu’s upcoming movie, The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

“When I thought of Billie Holiday, I just thought of her as a jazz singer, maybe a troubled artist, you hear about drugs, a little bit of trouble with the law,” says Lee Daniels, director of the upcoming biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday. With all that Holiday accomplished during her storied career, rarely highlighted is her work in the civil rights movement of the 1930s and ’40s, which was why Daniels was inspired to tackle this project.

Ramin Setoodeh New York Bureau ChiefGrammy-nominated singer Andra Day had never starred in a movie before she channeled Billie Holiday in a new biopic directed by Lee Daniels.In “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday,” which will be released by Hulu on Feb.

Andra Day (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”) and Leslie Odom Jr.