'Hunger Games' Stars 'Blown Away' By The Capitol

But Jennifer Lawrence is less excited about her singing: 'I am a horrible singer. And I'm an even worse person to be around when I'm singing.'
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Jennifer Lawrence
Photo: MTV News

For our fellow "Hunger Games" fans who obsess over Suzanne Collins' brilliant books and their upcoming film adaptations as much as we do, there are so many things to love about the story that it's difficult to pick just one or two (or five) things we're looking forward to seeing when the movie opens March 23. But two of the most intriguing elements involved in the book-to-movie translation are what the Capitol will look like and how star Jennifer Lawrence will sound singing Rue's Lullaby.

MTV News was lucky enough to get a few hints about those specific topics during our recent chat with Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, both of whom can't wait to see the Capitol in the finished film but disagree about their excitement for Lawrence's singing skills.

"[I'm excited to see] everything in the Capitol," Lawrence said. "Every time we showed up at a Capitol scene, I was so blown away. Everything was more than you could have even imagined."

"What was cool about the stuff in the Capitol, so much was practical," Hutcherson added. "The whole apartment scene was all a set they built that was super, incredibly futuristic and amazing, and to see how that is integrated with the whole green-screen world as well is going to be really, really cool."

Lawrence was not quite as enthusiastic about hearing her voice in the film, however. When we brought up the subject, she seemed to immediately get nervous about it.

"Oh God, oh God. Yeah, I did [sing]," she said when asked about recording "Rue's Lullaby." "I'm a terrible singer."

"She's not," Hutcherson said.

"No, Josh! Stop," Lawrence said to Hutcherson with sincerity. "He is messing with everyone."

"She's been called the songbird of her generation," Hutcherson jumped in with a smile, referencing a Will Ferrell line in "Step Brothers."

"My voice is a combination of Fergie and Jesus," Lawrence played along. "No, I am a horrible singer. And I'm an even worse person to be around when I'm singing. I'm a terrible singer. I hated it."

Lawrence said the recording process with famed producer T-Bone Burnett was particularly excruciating.

"T-Bone Burnett, like, the best person to ever happen to music is, like, listening in the other room. I kept getting ready, and then the music would play, and I'd [freak out]," she recalled. "Nothing would come out of my mouth."

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Complete list of winner from the 2011 American Country Awards

2011 American Country Awards

The 2011 American Country Awards honored the genre's top artists in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday night (December 5). Held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the ceremony was co-hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Trace Adkins while Jason Aldean emerged as the big winner by garnering six trophies in categories including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. Other success stories at this year's ACAs included Carrie Underwood and Thompson Square with three wins, along with Brad Paisley as Male Artist of the Year and Artist of the Decade honoree Toby Keith. Topping the showcase off were rockin' performances by Blake Shelton, Pistol Annies, Thompson Square, Eli Young Band and The Band Perry. With pictures from the event below, the complete list of winner from the 2011 American Country Awards is as follows: Artist of the Year WINNER: Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Lady Antebellum Taylor Swift Zac Brown Band Artist of the Year: Male Jason Aldean Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney WINNER: Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Artist of the Year: Female Sara Evans Alison Krauss Miranda Lambert Taylor Swift WINNER: Carrie Underwood Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist Eric Church Eli Young Band Justin Moore Jake Owen WINNER: Chris Young Artist of the Year: New Artist The Band Perry WINNER: Scotty McCreery Jerrod Niemann Pistol Annies Thompson Square Album of the Year WINNER: Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party Kenny Chesney, Hemingway's Whiskey Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music Taylor Swift, Speak Now Keith Urban, Get Closer Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give Single of the Year Billy Currington, "Let Me Down Easy" Tim McGraw, "Felt Good on My Lips" Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" WINNER: Chris Young, "Voices" Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away" Single of the Year: Male WINNER: Jason Aldean, "My Kinda Party" Luke Bryan, "Someone Else Calling You Baby" Billy Currington, "Let Me Down Easy" Tim McGraw, "Felt Good on My Lips" Chris Young, "Voices" Single of the Year: Female Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger" Miranda Lambert, "Heart Like Mine" Reba, "Turn On The Radio" Taylor Swift, "Mean" WINNER: Carrie Underwood, "Mama's Song" Single of the Year: Duo or Group The Band Perry, "You Lie" Rascal Flatts, "Why Wait" Sugarland, "Stuck Like Glue" WINNER: Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Zac Brown Band, "Colder Weather" Single of the Year: New Artist The Band Perry, "You Lie" Craig Campbell, "Family Man" The JaneDear Girls, "Wildflower" Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want" WINNER: Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration WINNER: Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay" Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, "You and Tequila" Brad Paisley with Alabama, "Old Alabama" Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffet, "Knee Deep" Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away" Touring Headline Act of the Year WINNER: Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Toby Keith Tim McGraw Brad Paisley Rascal Flatts George Strait Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood Keith Urban Music Video of the Year Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger" Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want" WINNER: Blake Shelton, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Josh Turner, "I Wouldn't Be a Man" Music Video: Male Jason Aldean, "My Kinda Party" Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want" WINNER: Blake Shelton, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" Josh Turner, "I Wouldn't Be a Man" Keith Urban, "Put You In a Song" Music Video: Female Sara Evans, "A Little Bit Stronger" Reba, "Turn on the Radio" Ashton Shepherd, "Look It Up" Taylor Swift, "Back to December" WINNER: Carrie Underwood, "Mama's Song" Music Video: Duo, Group or Collaboration WINNER: Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, "Don't You Wanna Stay" The Band Perry, "You Lie" Lady Antebellum, "Hello World" Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, "As She's Walking Away" Music Video: New Artist The Band Perry, "You Lie" Craig Campbell, "Family Man" Brett Eldredge, "Raymond" Jerrod Niemann, "What Do You Want" WINNER: Thompson Square, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Artist of the Decade WINNER: Toby Keith [gallery=799]

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Master P's Daughter Cymphonique Miller Is Learning 'How to Rock'

Star of Nickelodeon's new show tells MTV News her dad was reluctant to let her enter 'this crazy business.'
By Christina Garibaldi


Cymphonique Miller
Photo: MTV News

Nickelodeon is getting ready to rock. On Saturday, the network will premiere its new show "How to Rock," starring rising teen star Cymphonique Miller. Miller is a familiar face at Nickelodeon, having guest starred on "True Jackson, VP" and "Big Time Rush," but this time she takes on the role as leading lady on the show, which is based on the book "How to Rock Braces and Glasses" by Meg Haston.

Miller plays high school student Kasey Simon (think Rachel McAdams' character in "Mean Girls"), leader of the Perfs, the most popular girls in school. But Miller's character quickly finds herself kicked out of the "cool crowd" after she gets braces and glasses.

But Kasey won't let the "make-under" get her down. She becomes friends with a new group of students and winds up as the lead singer of their new band, Gravity 5.

"[It's] almost kind of like a battle of the bands, and the Perfs are sort of like the mean girls." Miller recently told MTV News. "It's like the Perfs are always planning some certain way to stop Gravity 5. You can see lots of crazy physical comedy and crazy stunts in the show, 'cause every week we do something totally silly and outrageous."

Miller, who sings and co-wrote the show's theme song, "Only You Can Be You," is no stranger to the spotlight; her brother is actor/rapper Romeo, and her dad is hip-hop mogul Master P. Yet, that doesn't mean it was easy for Miller to persuade her dad to let her star in "How to Rock." She said he didn't want her to be involved in "this crazy business" until he realized how passionate she was about it. So he gave her his approval, on the condition that she keeps up her grades.

"We put education first in our family, and Romeo is like my inspiration because he was not only doing film and everything, but he also went to college, he went to USC," Miller said.

"They're always just constantly telling me to not get into this business for the wrong reasons like fame or money or else you will never be happy, so just do it because you love it." It seems like Miller certainly is loving what she is doing on "How to Rock" and hopes fans can relate to the show's positive message.

"I hope that fans and the viewers can just take from the show is to find friends who love you for who you are, because it's all about friendship with this show," Miller said. "What they should learn is that at the end of the day, there's nothing more important than being yourself."

"How to Rock" premieres Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on Nickelodeon.

Are you excited for "How to Rock"? Let us know in the comments.

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Beyonce, Diddy Design Re-Election Swag For President Obama

'Runway to Win' effort will donate proceeds to president's campaign.
By Gil Kaufman


Beyonce and Tina Knowles's design for President Obama's re-election campaign
Photo:

<P><P><P>Beyonc&#233; was clearly keeping very busy in the weeks leading up to the birth of <I>Billboard</I> record-setting baby Blue Ivy&#8232;. Among the projects she participated in is "Runway to Win," in which a number of celebrities and fashion industry icons were tapped to design T-shirts and other swag for President Obama's re-election campaign. According to New York magazine, the effort was spearheaded by <I>Vogue</I> editor Anna Wintour, who wrangled a number of her friends and fashion world peers to design shirts, tote bags, scarves and bracelets for the Obama campaign. In addition to Beyonc&#233;, Diddy and hip-hip impresario Russell Simmons, others who've thrown in include First Lady Michelle Obama fave designer Jason Wu, as well as Rachel Roy, Narciso Rodriguez, Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenberg, rag &amp; bone, Altuzarra, Alexander Wang, Tory Burch and Tracy Reese. <center></center> Beyonc</a>'s effort, designed in conjunction with her mother, Tina Knowles, is a $45 white T-shirt with the phrases "yes we can," "words do inspire" and "transform a nation together," randomly scattered across the front in different fonts. Simmons' and Diddy's shirts have not yet been revealed. The current fundraiser is a sequel of sorts to a similar campaign in 2008 called "Runway to Change," and the proceeds will go to the Obama Victory Fund. Pre-orders are being taken now and all the items are slated to go on sale online on February 7. Though much of the attention has been focused on the increasingly nasty battle among a group of Republican politicians fighting to gain their party's presidential nomination, as MTV's Powerof12 has reported in both Iowa&#8232; and New Hampshire&#8232;, the Obama re-election campaign is in full gear as well.</p></p></p>

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Oscar's Best Song Category: Why Only Two Nominees?

Complicated voting rules shut out songs by Elton John, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige and Pink.
By John Mitchell


Blu and Linda in "Rio"
Photo: 20th Century Fox

<P>Tuesday morning's (January 24) announcement of the 2012 Oscar nominations delivered plenty of surprises. Michael Fassbender ("Shame"), Albert Brooks ("Drive") and Charlize Theron ("Young Adult") were overlooked in the acting categories, while Melissa McCarthy ("Bridesmaids"), Rooney Mara ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") and Max von Sydow ("Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close") scored surprise nominations. But perhaps no category was more head-scratching than Best Original Song. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:666363" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Despite the fact that a short list of 39 tracks were eligible for nomination, only two were named &#8212; "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" and "Real in Rio" from "Rio" &#8212; leaving tunes from Elton John and Lady Gaga, Pink, will.i.am, Zooey Deschanel, Elvis Costello and Mary J. Blige shut out of the competition. Many Oscar-watchers were left wondering why the Academy would opt away from the traditional five contenders in favor of just two little-heard songs. Well, a closer look at the Oscar rule book shows it's probably less a case of choosing to nominate only two songs than it is simply a case of a single song scoring enough points to secure a nod, and then bringing its closest competition along for the ride. Oscar nominations are arrived at using a <i>very</i> complicated weighted system in which members of the Academy, voting exclusively for members of their own branch (i.e. actors chose the acting nominees, directors vote for directors, etc.), rank contenders in order of preference. From there, a "magic number" is determined that relies on the number of ballots cast for a category, along with a specific mathematical equation. Ballots are tallied and contenders are eliminated through several rounds in a process that tabulates factors like first-place mentions and so on. Once a contender reaches the magic number, they are an Oscar nominee. (The folks over at <i>EW</i>'s PopWatch break down the selection steps in great detail.) </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:620119" width="240" height="211"></div><p> So this is how the nominees are determined &#8212; with one exception: Best Original Song. In 2009, when the Academy opted to up the number of Best Picture nominees to 10 (the voting body has since altered that number), it also changed the rules for Best Original Song. As Billboard points out, members of the Academy's music branch now "assign each song a numerical score between 1 and 10, and if no song receives an average of more than 8.25, there are no nominees. If only one song tops the threshold, as clearly happened here, the next highest vote getter secures a nomination as well." This year's Best Original Song category boils down to this: either Bret McKenzie's "Man or Muppet" or "Real in Rio" by songwriting trio Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett secured a score of 8.25 or better, earning a nomination and pulling the #2 vote-getter into the fray. Simply put, members of the music branch didn't award any other song, including John and Gaga's duet "Hello Hello" or Blige's "The Help" track "Living Proof," a score high enough to secure a nomination. But lest you think that this means the category is all but locked, think again. While selecting the Oscar nominees is an intensely mathematical process, picking the winners is much easier. Once the nominations are decided, every member of the Academy can vote in each category and the nominee that receives the most votes wins. Easy enough. And since actors are the largest voting block of the Academy&#8212; and would have had nothing to do with the tracks selected to contend for Best Original Song &#8212; it's anyone's game. <b>See the complete list of Academy Awards Nominations.</b></p>

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