Spotted
Ashlee Simpson goes Broadway
Who was where, and doing what? Here’s a round-up of the latest celebrity sightings in the region and Hollywood
December 05, 2009
WHO: Ashlee Simpson, 25
PICTURE: AFP
WHERE: New York City
WHAT: The singer-turned-actress made her Broadway debut at the Ambassador Theatre early this week with a 10-week engagement playing Roxie Hart in the popular musical Chicago.
Her parents, rocker hubby Pete Wentz and elder sister Jessica Simpson attended the show.
Jessica tweeted after it ended: ‘Watching her up on that grandiose stage made me the proudest sister in the world.’
Simpson – who was dropped from the TV series Melrose Place in October – first performed the same role during Chicago’s run in London’s West End in 2006.
Her mum Tina told People magazine: ‘It’s always been a dream of hers to do Broadway. When she was a little girl, we would always come here to (Les Miserables) and she would sing I Have A Castle On A Cloud every day of her life. That was what she always grew up doing, so she loved it.’
Stars turn up for Gately
WHO: Ronan Keating, 32
WHERE: London
WHAT: A slew of celebrities gathered in the pouring rain to pay tribute to Stephen Gately – who died in October at the age of 33 – at a farewell concert honouring the late singer from Irish boyband Boyzone.
His bandmates Keating, Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch solemnly made their way into the Palace Theatre for the private event but didn’t perform, reported the Daily Mail.
Others attendees included pop stars Duncan James and Lee Ryan from the British group Blue, Gately’s parents and partner Andrew Cowles, who organised the concert.
Has-been crooner Chesney Hawkes sang his hit song The One And Only, and TV host Graham Norton and actor Ian McKellen also said a few words in Gately’s memory.
Boyle gets her CD debut
WHO: Susan Boyle, 48
WHERE: Scotland
WHAT: Christmas has come early for the Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) reality star.
Fresh from her globe-trotting promotional tour to plug her debut album, I Dreamed A Dream, Boyle pranced around in a Santa hat outside her humble council house in Blackburn, grinning as she signed CDs and greeted neighbours, paparazzi and fans.
According to Hello! magazine, a security van was spotted outside the singer’s home. Reports emerged that BGT judge Simon Cowell asked for the spinster to be protected from intruders.
The NewPaper