4VF News – Daily News Channel

Tracy Morgan is showing “signs of improvement” after being critically injured in a car crash.

The 45-year-old 30 Rock comedian was involved in a six-car accident last weekend that took the life of comic James McNair.

Tracy suffered significant injuries but his representative has confirmed he is recuperating well.

“Today was a better day,” his rep told Us Weekly in a statement issued on Thursday.

“While Tracy remains in critical, but stable, condition, he continues to show signs of improvement. His medical team remains optimistic that his recovery is progressing.”

He broke his leg, femur, nose and a few ribs in the car accident in addition to sustaining other bodily trauma.

The star’s fianc

Justice Minister Judith Collins’ self-imposed Twitter ban has wilted in the face of Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

In London for the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, Collins was obviously gleeful at being photographed next to the two actors.

In the Pitt picture she is standing right behind the star who is talking to someone else. Collins tweeted: “Nice to meet Mr Pitt,” although it is not clear from the picture that he is aware of her presence.

In the Jolie picture it appears Collins may actually be brushing against the star, and they’re both smiling at something.

“I am really impressed with Ms Jolie’s commitment to Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict,” Collins tweeted.

Jolie is a United Nations special envoy, and is co-chairing the summit with British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Collins appears to have decided that showing her star struck behaviour to the world is an acceptable use of Twitter.

Early last month she vowed to give up tweeting after getting herself into trouble with the social media.

That announcement followed an incident where Collins first questioned the integrity of a Press Gallery journalist, then later apologised.

Collins had been a prolific tweeter who became embroiled in Twitter wars with opponents and critics.

Ruby Dee, an acclaimed actor and civil rights activist whose versatile career spanned stage, radio television and film, has died at age 91, according to her daughter.

Nora Davis Day told The Associated Press on Thursday that her mother died at home in New Rochelle on Wednesday night of ”natural causes.”

Hollywood heavyweight Sir Ridley Scott is eyeing Wellington as a possible location for one of his next films.

The director of Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator was in Sydney last month, amid speculation that he was scouting locations and studio space to film a sequel to his 2012 sci-fi film Prometheus.

Jamie Selkirk, facility manager at Wellington’s Stone Street Studios where big-budget films including Avatar and The Hobbit have been shot, could not confirm whether Scott or his representatives had visited the studio complex in recent weeks.

However, Selkirk, who won an Oscar for editing The Return of the King, said “inquiries had been made by his [Sir Ridley’s] producers” in recent weeks about the use of Stone Street Studios for a project.

Scott, 76, directed and shot most of the US$130 million (NZ$150m) Prometheus at Pine wood Studios in Britain, but Weta Digital contributed visual effects, with up to 400 people working on the film in Wellington.

Scott is attached to Prometheus 2 as a producer and the cast is likely to include Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace from the first film.

While in Sydney, Scott was spotted lunching with Cate Blanchett, fuelling speculation the Australian actress will also feature. Scott is also involved in at least three other sci-fi films, including a sequel to Blade Runner.

Prometheus 2 backers Twentieth Century Fox have not announced a release date for the film, but do list an “untitled Ridley Scott project” as scheduled for release on March 3, 2016.

Selkirk said more international productions had shown an interest in using Stone Street Studios since the start of a new Government grant scheme for films in April.

International productions were eligible for a cash grant of 20 per cent of what would be spent in New Zealand. Interest by Scott’s representatives was one of about five overseas inquiries since the grant scheme began.

“It pretty well ramped up things since the beginning of April. Most come down these days not just for the studios but locations as well. Another incentive to come out here is Weta Digital and Weta Workshop. They look at those as another key reason to come out to New Zealand because they have such a good skill base,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Film New Zealand, which promotes the country as a location for international productions, said it could not discuss the details of any inquiries to film in New Zealand. However, it had seen an increase in interest from international productions since April.

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Iggy Azalea is, for the moment at least, one of the biggest pop stars in the United States. She has the

Blake Lively’s “baby hormones” are reportedly in overdrive.

The 26-year-old actress has been married to 37-year-old Ryan Reynolds since September 2012 and they have battled constant rumours about when they will start a family.

It’s thought Blake was initially keen to focus on her career, but now that’s going well she is thinking more and more about being a mother.

“Her baby hormones are going crazy,” an insider laughed to the American edition of OK! magazine.

Ryan is thought to have been ready for little ones for some time, but was happy to wait for his wife to get on board.

Her next movie The Age of Adaline is now in post-production but isn’t due out until next year, leaving the blonde star with plenty of time on her hands.

“Blake grew up in a big family, so she wants more than one!” the source added.

The actress’ desire for a large brood is well known as she’s spoken about it in the past. Around the time she and Ryan tied the knot, Blake gave an interview in which she discussed her hopes for her life.

“I’ve always wanted a big family. Oh, I’d love 30 [children] if I could,” she told Allure magazine.

It’s even been claimed that the stars have chosen baby names, deciding to honour their marriage location.

They tied the knot in South Carolina, at the plantation which featured in romantic movie The Notebook.

According to National Enquirer it had such a big impact on the couple that they have toyed with calling a son Charleston and a daughter Carolina.

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Harrison Ford has been injured on the set of Star Wars: Episode VI.

Disney said the 71-year-old actor was being treated in hospital for an ankle injury that happened during filming on Thursday.

The Star Wars sequel is being filmed at Pinewood Studios outside of London.

Ford is one of the several original Star Wars stars returning to the J J Abrams-directed sequel.

He’s joined by fellow alums Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew.

Disney said shooting would continue as planned while Ford recuperates.

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– AP

Hollywood heavyweight Sir Ridley Scott is eyeing Wellington as a possible location for one of his next films.

The director of Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator was in Sydney last month, amid speculation that he was scouting locations and studio space to film a sequel to his 2012 sci-fi film Prometheus.

Jamie Selkirk, facility manager at Wellington’s Stone Street Studios where big-budget films including Avatar and The Hobbit have been shot, could not confirm whether Scott or his representatives had visited the studio complex in recent weeks.

However, Selkirk, who won an Oscar for editing The Return of the King, said “inquiries had been made by his [Sir Ridley’s] producers” in recent weeks about the use of Stone Street Studios for a project.

Scott, 76, directed and shot most of the US$130 million (NZ$150m) Prometheus at Pine wood Studios in Britain, but Weta Digital contributed visual effects, with up to 400 people working on the film in Wellington.

Scott is attached to Prometheus 2 as a producer and the cast is likely to include Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace from the first film.

While in Sydney, Scott was spotted lunching with Cate Blanchett, fuelling speculation the Australian actress will also feature. Scott is also involved in at least three other sci-fi films, including a sequel to Blade Runner.

Prometheus 2 backers Twentieth Century Fox have not announced a release date for the film, but do list an “untitled Ridley Scott project” as scheduled for release on March 3, 2016.

Selkirk said more international productions had shown an interest in using Stone Street Studios since the start of a new Government grant scheme for films in April.

International productions were eligible for a cash grant of 20 per cent of what would be spent in New Zealand. Interest by Scott’s representatives was one of about five overseas inquiries since the grant scheme began.

“It pretty well ramped up things since the beginning of April. Most come down these days not just for the studios but locations as well. Another incentive to come out here is Weta Digital and Weta Workshop. They look at those as another key reason to come out to New Zealand because they have such a good skill base,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Film New Zealand, which promotes the country as a location for international productions, said it could not discuss the details of any inquiries to film in New Zealand. However, it had seen an increase in interest from international productions since April.

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– The Dominion Post