Victoria Beckham, Alexander Skarsgard kick off N.Y. Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week is here, with folks like Victoria Beckham and "True Blood" hunk Alexander Skarsgard hitting the Big Apple for the sartorial celebration.

On Wednesday evening, coverboy Skarsgard kicked things off as he played host to Blackbook magazine's 15th anniversary party.

Cast mate Kristin Bauer van Straten showed up on the rooftop of NYC's Dream Hotel, as did Estelle, Bryan Greenberg, Skarsgard's "Generation Kill" costar James Ransone and band One Republic, sipping Tequila Don Julio.

Beckham rolled with a much different crew out of Los Angeles: mainly her newborn, Harper. And talk about baby's first front row — soccer star David Beckham's wife even tweeted about bringing the little one to the shows.

"Mummy and baby Harper are very excited for fashion week!!!" she said.

Stay tuned to the Ministry for more Fashion Week star sightings and many fabulous party reports.

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— Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Alexander Skarsgard gives his "Generation Kill" costar James Ransone a little face time at Blackbook magazine's 15th anniversary bash at the start of New York Fashion Week. Credit: WireImage.

T.I. back in prison after luxury-bus ride to halfway house

T.I. was back in federal custody Friday in Atlanta, having gone back behind bars less than a day after his Wednesday release from federal prison in Arkansas.

Seems the Federal Bureau of Prisons had a problem with the luxury bus used by T.I., born Clifford Harris Jr., to get to the Atlanta halfway house where he was supposed to spend the final month of his 11-month probation-violation sentence.

"We are awaiting the opportunity to quickly resolve whatever the issue may be that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has with T.I.'s method of transportation -- bus -- from Arkansas to Atlanta, so that T.I. can return to the halfway house to complete the remaining days of his sentence," attorney Steve Sadow said in an email to Reuters. Tip's sentence is slated to end Sept. 29.

On Friday, the rapper was still being held in the medium-security U.S. penitentiary in Atlanta, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' inmate locator. He went in Wednesday night.

Prisoners moving from a low-security facility to a halfway house are allowed to travel via private transportation, unescorted, according to TMZ. Team T.I. reportedly told authorities he'd be riding in a van of some sort, sources told the website, leaving out the minor details that it would be a high-end rap-star tour bus, which he boarded under the watchful lenses of VH1 cameras.

Sadow pointed out that prison officials watched his client board the bus, telling CNN there was no intent to mislead anyone about the ride. No drugs or alcohol were involved, he said.  T.I.'s wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, told TMZ that authorities "walked him over, took pics and told him good luck in life," and should have told them at the time to use a van instead, if the bus was a problem.

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-- Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville

Photos: T.I., born Clifford Harris Jr., arrives at a Georgia halfway house Wednesday after his release from federal prison in Arkansas. He made the trip to Atlanta, where he's now back in federal custody, in a luxury tour bus, right. Credits: John Amis / Associated Press.

 

Alexander Skarsgard, Kate Bosworth call it quits

Alexander Skarsgard and Kate Bosworth have reportedly ended their relationship.

The blond duo were going strong for roughly two years, though neither party has ever commented on their romantic status. 

"It was very mutual and it happened a while ago," a source told Us of the split.

Skarsgard and Bosworth sparked in August 2009 on the set of their flick "Straw Dogs," which will see a wide release this September (not the first time this year a break-up has been followed by a promotional campaign).

The quiet courtship saw sushi dates and the occasional music festival -- Skarsgard even dined with Bosworth's parents in March to celebrate her Nylon magazine cover.  

The "True Blood" hunk recently attended Comic-Con 2011, where he allegedly flirted with a brunette, Us said. "He's single," added a second source, "and he is loving the attention!"

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Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard do dinner with her parents

-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photos: Alexander Skarsgard; Kate Bosworth. Credits: Charley Gallay / Getty Images; David Livingston / Getty Images

Alexander Skarsgard on 'True Blood' love scenes, competing with father Stellan

It's easy to see Alexander Skarsgard as the brooding and mysterious vampire Eric on "True Blood," but in a new interview he tries his hand at full disclosure, touching on his steamy love scenes with his costar's wife, and stirring up some family rivalries.

Skarsgard gets hot and heavy in the upcoming season of the HBO series with Anna Paquin -- who is married to costar Stephen Moyer.

"It's really clear to Steve and to everybody else what the deal is — which is that Anna is like a sister to me ... Those love scenes take quite a bit of acting, actually," he tells GQ.

Acting runs in his Swedish blood -- his dad is thespian Stellan Skarsgard. He's aware of Hollywood's legacy system, but insists he's not trying to eclipse dear old dad.

"I don't think I came to acting to compete with my father. But, you know, he wasn't around as much as normal dads, and seeing his passion … Maybe it was a way to get his attention," he said.

"I mean, if anything, we're trying to take care of him. He's over the hill."

Stellan isn't taking that lying down, from Alexander or his four younger brothers.

"Of course I'm threatened," the patriarch said of his kids. "They're younger, they're better-looking, and they're all trying to kill me."

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-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Alexander Skarsgard. Credit: Carter Smith / GQ

Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard do dinner with her parents

Kate Bosworth enjoyed some cover-girl glory Thursday night in Hollywood, toasting her April cover of Nylon with a private dinner at Hemingway's Lounge.

The Hollywood space was filled with life-sized posters of the magazine cover -- something the actress is still not used to seeing.

"As a way of self-preservation, I think I slip into a character when I do stuff like this," she said. The shoot -- a "colorful grunge" theme -- was styled by longtime pal Cher Coulter, her collaborator on the jewelry line JewelMint.

Bosworth blanched at a suggestion that she take one home for safekeeping, but admitted her parents are "still proud of this kind of stuff."

"I'll be surprised if they don't try to strap one of those to the roof of the car," she said.

And yes, her proud parents were indeed on scene to support their only child.

In a sparkling Dolce & Gabbana top and shorts, Bosworth played the perfect hostess for them, boyfriend Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") and actors including Rhys Corio and Gillian Zineser.

A seated dinner followed cocktails, hosted by Habitual denim, and Bosworth and Skarsgard munched with the folks. A nice reprieve, no doubt, from her hectic schedule producing her first film. Bosworth has acquired to rights to the book "Lost Girls and Love Hotels." The flick is slated to shoot in Tokyo, but first she's headed to France to meet with a director. 

Before she slipped into the library-themed dining room to mingle with her guests, we couldn't help but nudge her with one question about her tall, lean beloved: Specifically, is she breathlessly excited for the June premiere of "True Blood" and all the shirtless glory to come?

"Of course," she winked.

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-- Matt Donnelly
Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photos: Kate Bosworth, left, and Alexander Skarsgard, right, at Hemingway's. Credit: Charley Gallay / Getty Images

Mega stars turn out for Spike TV's Scream Awards 2010 [Updated]

Though merely misty at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre on Saturday, it was raining celebs for Spike TV's Scream Awards -- an annual celebration of creepy, cringe-worthy and fanboy fare. 

Backed by a massive outdoor set inspired by Christopher Nolan's "Inception," tons of bold-face names came to present and claim trophies as well as to unveil new footage from upcoming films.

In a tiny gold cocktail dress, Halle Berry opened the show by introducing Nolan, who scooped up several statuettes for his Leonardo DiCaprio-led flick. 

Fan legends Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox appeared (yes, the DeLorean was there too) to salute the "Back to the Future" franchise, which is marking its 25th anniversary with a DVD release and some interesting footage of Eric Stoltz as the original Marty McFly.

Sienna Miller, Alexander Skarsgard open 2010 Esquire House

British import and fashion plate Sienna Miller did her part to celebrate bachelors everywhere on Friday evening -- and not just by leaving Jude Law at home.

The actress helped open Esquire magazine's pop-up house for the eighth consecutive year, a swinging $18.9-million home -- billed as the ultimate bachelor pad -- in the Hollywood Hills.

Miller's male counterparts in the movie biz helped celebrate the space, including Aaron Eckhart, who roamed the party solo with a cigar. Calvin Klein spokesman Mehcad Brooks huddled in a corner with a female friend while singer John Legend was a huge hit with the crowd handing out business cards and shaking hands. (Click the photo of Eckhart below to launch a gallery of red carpet arrivals.)

The undead were represented by "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgard, but he wasn't there to enjoy any spoils of single life -- his main squeeze Kate Bosworth attended as well, the pair keeping a healthy distance all evening in step with their uber-private romance.

Miller was hostess for Esquire's grand-opening benefit for International Medical Corps. Other stars that showed included "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman, Marlon Wayans and actress Michelle Rodriguez.

-- Matt Donnelly
Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Top right, Sienna Miller plays hostess for Esquire House. Credit: WireImage

Get more from The Ministry in the Division of Fabulous Parties

 

PREACH IT! January Jones swims in the sea! Sorry, it's all the 'Mad Men'-related news we've got

Fact: "Mad Men" and "True Blood" are both serious, incurable addictions that must be fed at all hours, or fans like us will go into toxic shock. Case in point: that Alexander Skarsgard cover story our magazine ran a few months back. The show was on hiatus when that cover interview ran, due to return in just a couple of months. But fans fell all over those photos like a pack of hopped up black tar junkies, as if it were the last time they'd ever again get to sink their fangs into Skarsgard before they all reported for detox.

That’s addiction for you.

Which brings us to why we're posting this video, above, of January Jones swimming in the sea. It's not Betty Draper swimming in the sea, which would be all kinds of awesome and a serious coup for the show's costume department, but at least it's an actor from "Mad Men."

For the record, Jones did the dive in Belize as part of a partnership between La Mer and Oceana's World Oceans Day 2010 campaign. Until the show returns next month, this will do. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that it's all for a good cause.

-- Leslie Gornstein

Click and scroll down to peruse the Preach It! archives. Want the headlines? Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter (we're @LATcelebs) or get us in your news feed on Facebook.

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'Twilight' who? Meet 'True Blood's' new hot vampire and werewolf

Any fans out there who simply have to fill that vampire-and-werewolf space between now and the release of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" in June? Sookie Stackhouse and the rest of the "True Blood" gang will be happy to oblige.

HBO's monster, uh, monster hit "True Blood" went back into production Wednesday for Season 3, and there are two notably delicious cast additions: Get ready for a new vampire and a werewolf.

Who will compete with Edward Cullen and Jacob Black on the small screen?

Party boy Levi Johnston is loving life in Hollywood

Perhaps Levi Johnston refused to show his full monty in Playgirl because he's saving it for the big screen?

One would think he's campaigning hard for a spot in Hollywood, the way he's been making the social rounds.

Johnston hit up two talent-packed bashes in Los Angeles on Thursday night -- starting with US Magazine's annual Hot 100 event, where two security guards (Two? Really?) ushered him around amid the likes of Adam Lambert, Audrina Patridge, Leona Lewis and Whitney Port.

From there, Sarah Palin's almost-son-in-law swung by Chateau Marmont for GQ's Men of the Year party, where Editor in Chief Jim Moore welcomed the centerfold alongside A-list guests including Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Tom Ford, Kobe Bryant, January Jones, Lindsay Lohan and Seth MacFarlane, many sipping Grey Goose and schmoozing.

From Iditarod tailgating to rubbing elbows with Dirty Harry? We'd save our goodies for on-screen stardom as well.

Click on for more photos of stylish stars at GQ's Men of the Year!