‘Twilight’ saga’s Volturi vampires walk red carpet in Rome; scenes from 2nd film screened

October 22nd, 2009 Twilight's vampires on red carpet in RomeROME — The Volturi are invading the red carpet. The vampire clan starring in the highly anticipated second installment of the "Twilight" series are expected to be greeted by a crowd of fans at the Rome Film Festival, where scenes from "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" are being screened ahead of the official release next month.

October 22nd, 2009 Meryl Streep promotes 'Julie & Julia' at Rome festROME — Meryl Streep may have starred as chef-legend Julia Child, but in real life she says she is nothing more than an OK cook. The American actress says she watched all of the Julia Child cooking shows in preparing for "Julie & Julia," including earlier shows from when Child was not yet the cultural icon that America came to know.

October 20th, 2009 Hollywood gushes bloodsuckers in vampire boomLOS ANGELES — Vampires have been an eternal force in Hollywood horror since silent-movie days, yet they have risen to new heights as the "Twilight" franchise, TV's "True Blood" and other incarnations put the bite on viewers. In studio flicks, independent and foreign-language films and small-screen series, there are more bloodsuckers out there today than you can shake a wooden stake at.

October 17th, 2009 Clooney promotes 'Up in the Air' at Rome film festROME — George Clooney says there is a lot he can relate to in his new movie "Up in the Air," a comic drama about a man who travels across the United States to lay off people amid the financial crisis. Like his character, Clooney says he has worked around the clock, at times to the detriment of his friendships and family relations.

October 17th, 2009 Tokyo film festival opens with 'green' carpetTOKYO — The Tokyo International Film Festival opened with stars including Hollywood actress Sigourney Weaver strolling a "green" carpet made of recycled plastic bottles. The theme of the nine-day festival, which started Saturday and will feature more than 100 movies, is ecology.

October 16th, 2009 Puppy love: Gere waxes about dog movieROME — Richard Gere said Friday that he "cried like a baby" when he read the script of his new movie — a remake based on a cherished Japanese story about a faithful dog that died at a train station waiting for its owner. "Hachiko: A Dog's Story" was so moving, Gere said, he would choke up when talking about it.

October 15th, 2009 Tanovic's "Triage" opens Rome Film FestROME — Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovic's "Triage," a movie about the horrors of war and the scars it leaves on survivors, opened the Rome Film Festival on Thursday. The movie starring Colin Farrell, Christopher Lee and Paz Vega, tells the story of two war photographers who set off for a conflict-stricken Kurdistan.

September 25th, 2009 Meryl Streep, Richard Gere and George ClooneyROME — Meryl Streep, Richard Gere and George Clooney are among the film stars attending this year's Rome Film Festival. Also expected to walk the red carpet are Colin Farrell, Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins.

August 19th, 2009 Rome says Muti to lead its opera houseROME — Rome says maestro Riccardo Muti has agreed to lead the city's opera house, pending final approval of details. City Hall says Muti would continue to be the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's music director while assuming the helm in Rome starting in December 2010.

August 5th, 2009 LONDON - Stephenie Meyer, author of Twilight, has been accused of plagiarism by Jordan Scott, author of 'The Nocturne.' In a cease and desist letter to the publishers of Meyer's 'Breaking Dawn', the fourth in the hit series, Scott has claimed that the 2008 novel bears a 'striking and substantial similarity' to her 2006 fantasy book 'The Nocturne'. Scott has accused Meyer of recreating specific scenes from her own vampire novel and using near-identical dialogue.

August 4th, 2009 MELBOURNE - New Moon director Chris Weitz has dismissed rumours that the Twilight sequel will feature three of its stars in a nude scene. Weiz had to fight the rumors after actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Volturi leader Caius in the sequel, said there was a nude scene in the movie, reports News.com.au.

July 29th, 2009 Bryce Dallas Howard joins third 'Twilight' filmLOS ANGELES — Bryce Dallas Howard is sinking her teeth into a role in the "Twilight" series. Howard has been cast as the vampire Victoria in "Eclipse," the third film in the franchise.

May 5th, 2009 Rihanna returns to red carpet at New York galaNEW YORK — Rihanna is back — on the red carpet, at least. The pop singer arrived Monday at the annual Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum gala in New York.

May 5th, 2009 'Angels & Demons' premieres in Rome with Tom HanksROME — Fake Swiss Guards stood at attention on the red carpet as "Angels & Demons," the thriller based on the Dan Brown best-selling novel of the same name, had its world premiere. Brown joined actors Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor and director Ron Howard at Rome's auditorium Monday to screen the film, which has already sparked controversy over Howard's charge that the Vatican interfered with getting film permits to shoot scenes in Rome.

May 5th, 2009 Rihanna returns to red carpet in New YorkNEW YORK — Rihanna is back — on the red carpet, at least. The pop singer arrived Monday at the annual Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum gala in New York.