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EXCLUSIVE! KRISTEN STEWART AND DAKOTA FANNING: FAVORITE RUNAWAYS FASHION

 

What's the best part of starring as Joan Jett in the new movie "The Runaways?"  The clothes, of course!

In the movie, Kristen Stewart plays out Joan's teen years while the iconic musician was part of the all-girl rock group, The Runways, in the mid 1970s.

The "Twilight" cutie gets edgy in leather pants, tiny tees and of course, the rock staple – a leather jacket.

"I wore it in the movie pretty much the whole entire time," Kristen dishes to The Plus.

 The cast got to keep their totally groovy wardrobe once filming was done. Kristen decided to turn hers into a work of art.

"I wrote Joan a letter on the back of it in little small writing in whiteout pen, so it looks really punk rock and awesome," Kristen shares.  "And I gave it to her so it's really cool."

"I have most all my wardrobe," says Dakota Fanning, who stars as "The Runways" blond bombshell of a lead singer, Cherrie Currie.

"I love the corset and the silver jumpsuit just because they are so iconic to Cherrie, so those are the most important ones."

Plus they're just majorly cool!

"The Runways" opens TODAY in limited release and nationwide April 9.

 
 
 

JOAN JETT: "SOMEBODY BELIEVED IN ME"

Joan Jett has been making music for four decades, and we're grateful.

But it could have all ended back in seventies after her first foray in the world of rock, as part of the band The Runaways, ended in 1979.

"I was pretty devastated at the end of The Runaways," says Joan of the first all-girl rock group she co-founded at the age of 15.  Their story is covered in the new movie, "The Runaways," out this Friday.

Even though the group had toured across the globe, no one wanted to touch Joan once it was over.  She was a washed up rock star at the age of 19.

"I was in bad shape and I was partying way too hard. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't thinking necessarily about music," Joan confesses to The Plus.  "Los Angeles was laughing and saying we told you this wouldn't work.  The despair was real."

What put the rock goddess back on track?  A movie contract.

"The Runaways had signed on to do music for a movie. I had to write songs for the film, and I thought I might get sued if I didn't do it."

Joan partnered with music producer Kenny Laguna for the film, who saw her talent shine through, even at her lowest point.

"He thought I was talented and a great songwriter and could sing. He said, 'I'll get you a deal."

Doors kept closing when Kenny brought up Joan's name, but he stuck to his promise.

The duo formed their own label, Blackheart Records, and produced Joan's first solo album, to rave reviews.

"Sometimes what you need is somebody to believe in you.  Sometimes, that's all it takes," says Joan, who still works with Kenny today.

And that's music to our ears.

LIAM NEESON: BRAVING ON ONE YEAR LATER

It's been a year since Liam Neeson lost his beloved wife, fellow actress  Natasha Richardson, who died after sustaining a head injury in a ski accident. 

Liam resumed filming the psychological thriller "Chloe" with Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried a few weeks after his wife's passing. 

"It's the worst thing that can happen to anybody in life. I mean I can't really imagine that," Amanda shared at the film's red carpet premiere in New York City Monday night. 

"He's ever the professional, and he's the sweetest man that I've ever known – really the sweetest man that I have ever worked with.  I think he's got just so much love in him and he doesn't really know what to do with it, and he came back and he worked," Amanda continued.  "I don't know what was going through his head, but we were there for him."

Added Julianne, "Liam's a wonderful actor, and just a tremendous person and a great acting partner."

Liam skipped the red carpet, but it's pretty evident that work helped him deal with his personal lost.  Along with Chloe, Liam will be seen in another mind-bending drama,  "After.Life," opening April 9.

JEFF GOLDBLUM: PENCIL BANDIT!

 

Jeff Goldblum has a secret.  As a kid, he was a stasher!

"I had a hoarding binge with pencils in school," the star, who appears with Jennifer Aniston in "The Switch" – out this summer – tells The Plus.  "We had desks that opened up and they gave us one pencil a month." 

Feeling that just wasn't enough, Jeff confesses, "I started to steal the other children's pencils, one here and there so they wouldn't notice."

At least at first. In time, Jeff's crime came to light.

"I had about 29 or 30, and the other kids started to ask, 'Why does Jeff have so many pencils?'  I had to give them back."

Luckily, Jeff's outgrown the need to hang on to petty objects.

"I have realized that I'm intoxicated and exhilarated by getting rid of things," he declares.  "I spring clean all the time.  When I get rid of things, I feel opened up and available."

And he wants help others learn to purge.

"If I had a second career, it would be to help people go into their closets and lives and say to them, 'If it means something to you, you can collect and accumulate.  If it's not doing you any good, get rid of it."

Good advice, Jeff!
 

EXCLUSIVE - WANDA SYKES: SPRING CLEANING RITUALS

Spring is right around the corner, which means it's time to get organized. 

Not so much for Wanda Sykes.

"I usually start with the junk drawer and right now, we've started to accumulate a drawer in each room, which is ridiculous," the comedienne confesses to The Plus. 

"First it was just that one drawer in the kitchen.  Then there was one in the bedroom," says Wanda, who stepped out in Los Angeles this past weekend for the Human Rights Campaign Annual Awards Gala supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.

"I'll start on a drawer and then I say, 'Oh I'll just do it next spring.' And basically, we never get around to it."

Luckily, Annalynne McCord is a little more dedicated to the cause.

"I actually do a spring cleaning of my closet sporadically every three to six weeks because it literally gets crazy with new pieces coming in for me to try and can't keep up.  I need more closet space," declares the "90210" star. 

"Thankfully I have two sisters who are the same size and steal some from me, but it's a lot more than just spring that I have to do the spring cleaning."

Feel free to send us your cast-offs anytime, Annalynne!

OSCAR FASHION 2010: HOW TO GET THE LOOK FOR YOURSELF!

You watched the Oscars and loved the fashion and accessories. Now here's your chance to bring the best looks from the red carpet home for yourself!

Designer Faviana has replicated four of the hottest celeb looks from the 82^nd Annual Academy^® Awards' red carpet, and gave The Plus an early sneak peek at its upcoming designs.  Which one will you be wearing?

Kristen Stewart, who wore Monique Lhuillier. Faviana says, "This glam gown looked age-appropriate for Kristen.  We are doing a hot navy mermaid look in midnight stretch satin with updated pleating and clean lines.  The bottom has a soft sweeping tail detail, which is perfect for prom." 

 

 
 

 
 Miley Cyrus, who wore Jenny Packham.  Faviana says: "Wow, what a look. We loved the vintage sex appeal of her dress. It's a corset design with an exploding tulle bottom that will appeal to gals 15 to 35. The awards were filled with gold, glitz, and glamour, and this stood out!"

  

 
 

Queen Latifah, who wore Badgley Mischka: Faviana says, "We love Queen Latifah's bold style, and that she is sure of herself and confident with her body. With a modern one-shoulder dress, she is right on trend. Our chiffon and charmeuse dresses will be a perfect option for the Mother of the Bride and other special occasions."

 

 
 

Maggie Gyllenhaal, who wore Dries Van Noten. Faviana says: "Maggie looked so sleek in this long tubular sheath, which is a spaced abstract floral print. It's great to see strapless simplicity back again."

 
 

The dresses retail in the $275-$325 range.  Look for the designs to pop up on Faviana.com beginning this May.

 

 Still seeing stars over Kate Winslet's $2.5 million yellow diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co.?  The Real Housewives of New York City star and jewelry pioneer Ramona Singer offers this stylish facsimile, a peridot and diamond teardrop pendant that retails for a mere $260, and is available at HSN.com.

Time to make your own red carpet moment come true!

OSCARS 2010: GABOUREY SIDIBE, SARAH PALIN AND AUDRINA PATRIDGE INSIDE THE OSCARS GIFTING SUITES!

 
 

The best part of Oscar, after winning that gold statue of course, is scoring a host of goodies at the gifting suites.

There were plenty to choose from this past weekend.  Sarah Palin made out like a bandit at the Silverspoon Oscars Gifting Suite in West Hollywood, Calif., in support of the American Red Cross. The former governor of Alaska and aspiring TV reality star snagged two fedoras, three t-shirts, a jacket and two pairs of sunglasses from designer Perry Ellis.  Looks like political ambition does pay off!

 

Reality star Audrina Patridge and singer Ryan Cabrera stopped by the Oral-B Lounge at Haven 360, where entertainment correspondent Giuliana Rancic shared her red carpet ready tips.  "I wouldn't dare go on the red carpet without fresh breath, white teeth and smooth lips," declares Giuliana, who uses the Oral-B Pulsonic toothbrush for an award-winning smile.  And, "I always have breath mints in my red carpet clutch."  Smart advice!

 

 Beyond the Oscars, there were goodies to be had backstage at the "25^th Annual Independent Spirit Awards" inside L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, all for a good cause.  Best Actress nominee Gabourey Sidibe, Best Supporting Actress nominee alum Taraji P. Henson and pre-Oscar show co-host Sherri Shepherd were just a few of the stars who stopped by the FAGE Total 0% Yogurt Bar and LG Electronics Kompressor Vacuum booth to test drive the products and have the companies make a contribution in their name for Project Involve, the official charity of the Spirit Awards to support cultural diversity in the filmmaking business.  The day's activities raised $75,000. Charity never tasted so good or cleaned up so well!

EXCLUSIVE!: OSCARS 2010: INSIDE LUDACRIS' VIEWING PARTY

 

Oscar celebrations were everywhere! To celebrate Hollywood's golden night, rapper, actor and humanitarian Chris "Ludacris" Bridges threw an Oscar party at his restaurant Straits in Atlanta, Ga., to benefit The Ludacris Foundation, an organization that inspires youth through education and memorable experiences to achieve their dreams.

Gold streamers turned the eatery into an award-winning viewing spot as guests dined on the restaurant's signature Asian fusion dishes, sipped Conjure Cognac (Ludacris' own brand!) and listened to tracks from the star's new album, "Battle of the Sexes", which drops today.

 Ludacris mingled with guests and his famous friends, including producer Isaac Hayes III, son of musician and "Shaft" star Isaac Hayes, and fellow rapper Lil Fate, before jet-setting off to yet another party at the Velvet Room.

But not before we caught up with the star to find out about his new album and his own Oscar moment, courtesy of Solanta Entertainment. 

Check it below!

EXCLUSIVE! NYC OSCARS 2010: TINA LOUISE'S DREAM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND CAST

The Plus has done some pretty incredible things.  But we never imagined we'd be rubbing elbows with Oscar nominees and winners at the Official 82^nd Annual Academy^® Awards celebration at Gilt restaurant inside the New York Palace Hotel in New York City, and never did we think we'd meet one of our TV icons, Tina Louise!

The sexy siren made Gilligan's heart flutter on the hit '70s TV series "Gilligan's Island" as actress Ginger Grant, and the rest of the male population in the "The Stepford Wives".

Tina joined a host of other actors for an intimate cocktail reception to kick off Hollywood's biggest night for the Oscar alum who stayed on the east coast. 

That includes "Milk" writer and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black, who remained humble as we congratulated him on his award; iconic actress Sylvia Miles, nominated for her work in "Midnight Cowboy"; "Maria Full of Grace"'s Catalina Sandino Moreno, who will be seen in the next "Twilight" installment "Eclipse", and the incomparable Celeste Holm, who won the Best Supporting Actress Award for "Gentleman's Agreement" in 1947!

With her hair still a fiery red, we got the scoop on Tina's favorite Oscar moment, and who she'd like to see cast in the newly announced "Gilligan's Island" movie, including Michael Cera, Betty White and Mandy Moore. 

Click below for more!

OSCAR DRESSING: HOW THE GALS CAN LOOK GORGEOUS!

 

It's not if you win or lose at the 82^nd Annual Academy^® Awards ceremony happening on Sunday night, it's how you work the red carpet!

The Plus called on Andy Paige, beauty and style expert and author of "Style on a Shoestring," to get her fashion-savvy take on what this year's Best Actress nominees should slip into to accept that golden statue!

Carey Mulligan, "An Education": "I'd love to see Carey in a strapless gown, kind of a flowy version of the Proenza Schouler dress Amy Adams wore to the 2008 Oscars," Andy says. "Carey would look amazing in a periwinkle blue or a coral; men are highly attracted to that color. She should wear it with a bib necklace and bright lipstick."

Gabourey Sidibe: "Precious": "I would love to put Gabby in a dress that offers structure and possible color blocking to really create a shape that's powerful for her," Andy suggests. "I would pick cool colors, like an aqua or peacock blue, ones that would bring her a lot of confidence and peace."

Meryl Streep, "Julie and Julia": "It's time for Meryl to do something a little more frivolous. She always looks so maudlin and it tends to age her," Andy explains. "I'd love to see her in a print that works with her body. Something by the late Alexander McQueen or Betsey Johnson would really be out of the box for her."

Helen Mirren, "The Last Station": "Helen should be sun-kissed Hollywood with a bit of a spray tan, a little more blond than gray and rocking an amazing dress. I would love to see that dame in red," Andy exclaims.  "She's amazing and a role model to so many, so she should not play it down in black or white. And the girls should be in. Something by Chanel or Valentino would be perfect."

 

Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side": "I absolutely adore Sandra. I think she's going to win," Andy says. "I would suggest a look that's a little girly in a pretty shade of green accented with beautiful colored stones. Maybe a design from Carolina Herrera or Diane von Furstenberg, who's repurposed a lot of her original designs from '70s into something fresh, hip and cool."