Sandra Bullock’s encounter with stalker described

LOS ANGELES – Sandra Bullock’s recent encounter with a stalker in her home reads like a scene from a scary movie in newly released documents, painting a portrait of an obsessed fan who described himself as her “husband.”

Joshua James Corbett, 39, was later found to have a stash of illegal weapons including two fully automatic rifles and a machine gun at his home. But he was unarmed when he broke into Bullock’s home, affidavits in the case said.

Investigators said the sleeping actress was awakened at 6:30 a.m. on June 8 by banging noises, opened her bedroom door and saw a dark-clad stranger moving toward the stairs.

Bullock, who has portrayed brave, strong women on screen, took quick action, locking the door and summoning police.

“Sandy, I’m sorry!” the man shouted as he was being taken away. “Don’t press charges.”

Police determined Corbett had scaled the gates of the home and forced open a locked sunroom glass door. He remains in jail awaiting trial and could face more than seven years in prison.

The incident shocked Hollywood and resurrected memories of other stars plagued by stalkers.

Actress Rebecca Schaeffer was slain by a stalker in the 1980s and her death led to tightened laws to make stalking a crime and keep stalkers away from their prey.

Madonna, Steven Spielberg, Ryan Seacrest, Paris Hilton and others became stalking victims but were not harmed.

The writings of Corbett, detailed in a search warrant affidavit filed by the Bullock case investigators, revealed the depth of his obsession. Many stalkers have been ordered to undergo psychological counseling as part of their sentences.

The newly released affidavits gave the first detailed account of what happened inside Bullock’s home.

Corbett had a letter he had written to the actress the day before the break-in professing his love for her and insisting he was her husband and the father of her son.

“I love you. You are very special to me and without you in my life there is only misery,” said the letter….You are my girl!…You are my wife by law, the law of God and you belong to me and me to you.”

Corbett revealed he had been watching Bullock’s movements, saw her return home from an American Film Institute gala on June 5 and wished he could follow her inside the gates to her house. “I will be waiting by those gates when you decide to open them to me…,” he wrote.

At another point, he told the actress, “You are so hot and intelligent, lissome and taught (sic).”

The letter was signed, “Your husband, Joshua James Corbett.”

The police affidavit said Bullock arrived home about 1 a.m., showered and went to bed. She was awakened early the next morning by banging noises she thought were coming from her third-floor workout room. The sound then shifted to the living room and she became concerned for her safety, the affidavit said.

Police said Corbett was walking down the stairs when they arrived. He acknowledged breaking in, they said, and told them he was trying to alert Bullock that her security was not impervious to intruders. He said he didn’t want to upset Bullock and thought she would not be home.

The question of why Corbett was stockpiling arms at his home and at an airport hangar remained unanswered.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Bullock, Roberts crowned at Hollywood Film Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, California — With talk of televising the Hollywood Film Awards Gala next year, stars at Monday’s ceremony enjoyed what could be their last unedited award show.

Julia Roberts accepted her supporting actress award barefoot and multiple stars, including Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Jack Black and Jane Fonda spouted expletives freely.

Launching the awards season, the 17th annual Hollywood Film Awards, held at The Beverly Hilton, brought together a slew of A-list stars to toast accomplishments — and share laughs.

Kanye West kicked off the ceremony by presenting Steve McQueen with the “Hollywood Breakout Director Award.”

“I’ve arrived!” said McQueen, who directed “12 Years a Slave.”

Black presented the screenwriter award to Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater, the trio behind “Before Midnight.” On-stage Delpy and Hawke quibbled as Delpy bumped Hawke away from the microphone with her hips. Said Linklater, “This is why we don’t improvise in the movie.”

When presenting Michael De Luca with his producer award, “Captain Phillips” newcomer Barkhad Abdi thanked him for “changing my life.” Abdi played one of the Somali pirates who hijacked an American cargo ship off the Horn of Africa in 2009.

Kicking off his actor award acceptance speech with the first lines he’d uttered onscreen in 1993′s “Dazed and Confused,” Matthew McConaughey greeted the crowd with an aptly southern “All right, all right, all right.” Star of the upcoming “Dallas Buyers Club,” he said he’s enjoyed playing the anti-hero and gave a special thanks to wife Camila Alves, who “makes sure I never have to look in the rearview mirror when I go to work.”

Sean Penn presented Roberts with the supporting actress award for her work in “August: Osage County.” ”It was my dream cast,” said Roberts. “It was something I almost didn’t do. I was scared because I am that paradox of person who wants to be Lucille Ball, but who wants to be invisible.”

Robert Downy Jr. had one of the best opening lines of any presenter: “Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly, Faye Dunaway, Charlize Theron, Jared Leto: All arguably the most beautiful actresses,” he said before handing Leto his breakout performance award for his role as a transgender person in “Dallas Buyers Club.”

Presented by Angela Bassett, the “New Hollywood Award” went to Lupita Nyong’o, who was the only recipient to tear up during her speech.

When receiving her actress award from Octavia Spencer, Bullock said, “The Hollywood I know has allowed me to keep trying and not send me out to pasture.”

Said Lee Daniels when accepting his director award for his work on “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” ”This is a big time not just for African American cinema, but for cinema.”

Chris Martin accepted the song award for Coldplay’s track “Atlas,” the original song penned for the upcoming “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” which he performed at the gala.

Harrison Ford, who gained the career achievement award, was the only recipient to receive a standing ovation.

Additional awards included: Jake Gyllenhaal received the supporting actor award; “Fruitvale Station” star Michael B. Jordan, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” actor David Oyelowo and Sophie Nelisse, of the upcoming “The Book Thief,” received spotlight awards; Bruce Willis presented Jerry Weintraub with the legend award and the ensemble award went to the cast of “Osage County” including Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Margo Martindale, Julianne Nicholson and Chris Cooper.

Forest Whitaker, Viola Davis, Geoffrey Rush, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Sean Hayes were also in attendance.

Nancy O’Dell was the host.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

‘Gravity’ soars to top of N. America box office

LOS ANGELES – Space disaster odyssey “Gravity” soared to the top of the North American box office in its debut weekend with $55.6 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The film, directed by Oscar-nominated Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney – both Oscar winners— as astronauts adrift in space after a devastating accident, has already been winning rave reviews and Oscars buzz.

It blew away the second place finisher, animated sequel “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2,” which took in $21.5 million in its second week in theaters, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Another new release opened in the third slot: crime drama “Runner Runner,” starring Justin Timberlake as a Princeton grad student who travels to Costa Rica to confront a tycoon, played by Ben Affleck, he believes has taken him for a ride on an online poker site.

The film earned an estimated $7.6 million.

Crime thriller “Prisoners” fell to fourth place. The film, starring Hugh Jackman as a desperate parent in search of his child and Jake Gyllenhaal as the detective in charge of the investigation, pulled in $5.7 million.

In fifth place was Formula One motorsport drama “Rush,” Ron Howard’s acclaimed account of the famous duel for the 1976 world championship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, earning $4.4 million.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s raunchy comedy-drama “Don Jon,” written and directed by “The Dark Knight Rises” actor, took sixth with $4.2 million in receipts.

The film sees Gordon-Levitt play a porn addict who seeks to change his ways in order to win the woman of his dreams played by Scarlett Johansson.

Not far behind, in seventh place, was “Baggage Claim,” a romantic comedy about a lovelorn flight attendant who traverses America looking for Mr Right. The film took in $4.1 million.

Horror sequel “Insidious: Chapter 2″ slid to eighth place with $3.9 million. The film, starring Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson as a haunted husband and wife, is a follow-up to the successful 2010 horror flick “Insidious.”

In ninth spot was romantic comedy “Pulling Strings,” which stars Laura Ramsay as a US consular official in Mexico who finds herself mixed up with a mariachi singer, played by Jaime Camil, whose visa she rejected the day before.

The film directed by Pedro Pablo Ibarra debuted in the US and Canada with $2.5 million in ticket sales.

And, rounding out the top 10, another romantic comedy, “Enough Said,” starring James Gandolfini in one of his last roles before his death this year, earned an estimated $2.2 million.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Bullock, Clooney to open Venice film fest with ‘Gravity’

ROME — Hollywood heavyweights Sandra Bullock and George Clooney will open the Venice film festival next month with their new movie “Gravity” where they play two astronauts on an ill-fated mission.

The thriller by cult Mexican film director Alfonso Cuaron will be shown in 3D on the first day of the festival on August 28, organizers of the yearly film industry gathering said in a statement.

The festival on the Venice Lido runs until September 7.

Cuaron is no stranger to Venice, where he won two awards in 2001 with his film “Y tu mama tambien” — best scenario and best young male talent for its two heroes Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net