James Cameron travels between worlds to 'Titanic 3-D' premiere

James Cameron went from complete isolation seven miles under the sea Monday to the cameras and crowds of the "Titanic 3-D" premiere in London on Tuesday, sharing the red carpet with lovely creature Kate Winslet after leaving the tiny shrimp-like critters that had been his only visible companions at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench.

The 1997 film, which won 11 Oscars, including best picture, is being re-released in 3-D around the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's doomed maiden voyage, which ended with the ship's sinking on April 15, 1912.

"One of the reasons I made 'Titanic' was that I was fascinated by deep sea exploration," the director told reporters at the premiere, held at the Royal Albert Hall. "It was an opportunity to dive in a submarine very deep at that time."

PHOTOS: 'Titanic 3-D' red carpet premiere

"The 3-D enriches all of 'Titanic's' most thrilling moments and its most emotional moments,” said Cameron, who attended with wife Suzy Amis on his arm. "It kicks the whole experience up to another level.”

Winslet, who starred with Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie, joked that she would rather look away than see herself nude in 3-D.

"I'm not going to look, I'll be in the bar by that point," she said.

Cameron has visited the wreck of Titanic, around 12,600 feet below the sea, 35 times in his history of 72 deep-sea submersible dives.

On Monday, more than 36,000 feet undersea, "My feeling was one of complete isolation from all of humanity,” Cameron told reporters shortly after the dive. "I felt like I literally, in the space of one day, had gone to another planet and come back. It's been a very surreal day."

Other cast members spotted at the premiere included Billy Zane, Bill Paxton, Frances Fisher, Rochelle Rose, Jason Barry and Bernard Hill, who played ship Capt. Edward James Smith.

"Titanic 3-D" opens April 4 in U.S. theaters. 

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— Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville
Christie D'Zurilla on Google+

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Director James Cameron signs autographs for fans as he attends the premiere of "Titanic 3-D" at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday. Credit: Andy Rain / EPA

 

'Sanctum' movie premiere: James Cameron in the role of -- God?

James Cameron amped up the star power at the "Sanctum" movie premiere on Monday night, much like his presence as exec producer has amped up buzz on on the 3-D underwater cave-diving adventure.

The $30-million "Sanctum" budget would hardly count as a decent tip on the bill of something like "Avatar," the effects-laden 2009 smash, but no matter the price, the movie's final cut had to have Cameron's seal of approval.

Director Alister Griersen was a bit overwhelmed when he screened his second movie ever at Cameron's Malibu home: "It was like sitting with God at the pearly gates watching your entire life," he told The Times.

Yes, well, Malibu can have that effect on people.

Cast members Rhys Wakefield, Christopher Baker, Richard Roxburgh, Alice Parkinson  Dan Wyllie, Allison Cratchley and Ioan Gruffudd, with actress wife Alice Evans, joined Cameron and Australian Grierson on the red carpet Monday in Hollywood and afterward for a party at the Highlands.

Click on the pics for more photos from the red carpet. "Sanctum" opens Friday.

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-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photos: Left, James Cameron, executive producer of "Sanctum," arrives at the movie's Hollywood premiere Monday. (Credit: Fred Prouser / Reuters); At right, Actors Dan Wyllie, left, Allison Cratchley and Ioan Gruffudd at the "Sanctum" after-party at the Highlands. Credit: Kevin Winter / 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.

'Titanic' actress Gloria Stuart dies at 100

Gloria Stuart, the actress best known to younger audiences as the older Rose in the movie "Titanic," died Sunday of lung cancer at her home in West Los Angeles. She was 100.

Stuart was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for that performance in 1997 and received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2000. Her film acting career includes credits dating to 1932, and she was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild.

"I cannot begin to tell you how rewarding and nourishing and warming it is," she said at the Walk of Fame ceremony. "I wake up every day and say, 'What a wonderful life. How lucky I am.' "

At the veteran actress' 100th birthday celebration on July 4, director James Cameron's wife, Suzi Amis, shared the special spot Stuart holds in her heart. 

"Gloria brought Jim and me together," Amis told the crowd at the private party. "She saw our whole love happen, and it blossomed in front of her eyes. And on Jim's birthday, she called me and said, 'Suzy, it's somebody's birthday, and you need to call him.'

'Titanic' actress Gloria Stuart celebrates her 100th birthday

In the 1997 movie "Titanic," Gloria Stuart's elderly character, Rose, looked back on her doomed romance aboard the legendary ship decades earlier. Rose may not have had much luck with that affair, but behind the scenes, Stuart was cooking up another love story of her own when she played Cupid between the film's director, James Cameron, and cast member Suzy Amis, now husband and wife for 10 years.

"Gloria brought Jim and me together," Amis told the crowd at Stuart's private birthday party Sunday. "She saw our whole love happen, and it blossomed in front of her eyes. And on Jim's birthday, she called me and said, 'Suzy, it's somebody's birthday, and you need to call him.' She guided and held my hand through the whole thing. She's my dear, dear friend. And Gloria, when I grow up, I want to be just like you."

A beaming Stuart celebrated her 100th birthday in front of more than 100 family members and friends, including "Titanic's" Frances Fisher, Shirley MacLaine and Tom Arnold, at the Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills, at a party hosted by Cameron and Amis. Stuart was born July 4, 1910, in Santa Monica into one of California's early families, which can trace its roots to the gold rush town of Angels Camp.

Lady Gaga comes on strong behind Oprah, Beyoncé on Forbes' Celebrity 100 power list

Lady Gaga has pulled off the celebrity version of zero-to-60 in two seconds -- in her first year on Forbes' Celebrity 100 list, she's rolled in at No. 4.

That puts her behind only No. 1 Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé and James Cameron in the ranking of the most powerful celebs as measured by 12 months of entertainment-related earnings; media visibility in print, on TV, on radio and online; and social media presence. That last measure -- think Twitter and Facebook -- is new this year. 

Rounding out the top 10: Tiger Woods, Britney Spears, U2, Sandra Bullock, Johnny Depp and Madonna.

Gaga definitely knows how to work her product placement -- especially when she's paired with Beyoncé, as in their "Telephone" and "Videophone" efforts.

The other newcomers to the annual list, in order of appearance, are the Black Eyed Peas, Pink, soccer's Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Pattinson, Conan O'Brien, Kristen Stewart, Robert Downey Jr., Lil Wayne, Akon, Kate Hudson and Chelsea Handler. Click here for a video talking about the power of "The Twilight Saga" players, including Stephenie Meyer, who's on the list for a second year.

In other list news, Time magazine has published a celebrity list of its own: the top celebrity do-gooders, a look at "some of the most philanthropic celebrities and their causes." 

Helen Mirren's waxwork double unveiled in London

Helen Mirren stopped by Madame Tussauds in London on Tuesday for the unveiling of a wax figure in her likeness -- a doppelganger even more double take inducing than George Lopez's statue at the Hollywood branch of the museum.

"My husband wants to marry her," Mirren said, speaking of hubby Taylor Hackford, the film director and USC graduate. "I'm much more argumentative than she is." Mirren donated the gown, which she wore to an award show in 2008.

Our thoughts couldn't help but drift back to January's Golden Globe Awards, at which James Cameron was rocking his best impersonation of Mirren's hairdo. Dare we say, wax or no wax, the dame wears it much better.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Top photo: Helen Mirren with the new waxwork of herself at Madame Tussauds in London on Tuesday. Credit: Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images

Photos at right: Helen Mirren, left, and James Cameron on stage at the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 17. Credits: Paul Drinkwater / NBC; Associated Press

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PREACH IT! Sigourney Weaver oughtta shut her pie hole! And we wrote that all by ourselves!

Sigourney Weaver: She not only fights the forces of anti-rain-forest evil but she can also read minds! Hundreds of them! And all at the same time!

For example: She knows why James Cameron, her director in "Avatar," didn’t take home the best picture trophy this year.

"Jim didn't have breasts, and I think that was the reason," Weaver told Brazilian news site Folha Online over the weekend. "He should have taken home that Oscar."

Which brings us to the introduction of a brand-new category here at the Ministry of Gossip: Yeah, No.

No, honey. Kathryn Bigelow didn’t get the Oscar just because she has boobies, although that likely was a large factor. (Actually, to be fair, we don’t know if it was a large factor; we don’t know Bigelow’s bra size.) No, Cameron didn’t get the Oscar because: (a) he already has one for best picture, and that sort of thing does tend to sway the academy, and (b) more important, he can’t write. At all. Even a little bit.

Stars galore at the 2010 Academy Awards Governors Ball

"How can the governor have a ball? California's out of money, isn't it?" We definitely heard that crack more than once Sunday at the Academy Awards.

No, sillies, it wasn't Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ball -- rather, it was the official after-party presented annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And this Sunday night the 1,500-capacity ballroom, glowing in gentle purple tones, was packed. Definitely a larger turnout than last year, event staff said.

It was good to be Jeff Bridges: Once the best actor winner made it into the party, flashes were popping like mad as he clapped chef Wolfgang Puck on the back and they both smiled broadly for the cameras, talking all the while.

When Bridges was whisked away for more interviews -- glass of water in his hand, though he'd been sipping Champagne during his victory interview backstage -- a pack of photographers floated along in his wake like a train on a diva's gown. He appeared to be enjoying the ocean of congratulations -- can you blame him? -- and was spotted later, out of the crush ... 

Oscars 2010: Let the post-game party coverage begin!

"The Hurt Locker" was Oscar's big winner Sunday night, taking its best picture honors in a wow-did-they-just-give-an-award flash at the close of the show. So, why the rush?

The logical explanation for the broadcast's abrupt end might be that presenter Tom Hanks was under pressure to wrap it up quickly. The Ministry, however, prefers to imagine they sped things up so that everyone could head straight for the parties that followed.

The stars had places to go and people to schmooze: James Cameron and Suzy Amis were about to spend a couple of hours on their feet holding court with the "Avatar" gang and other admirers at the Governors Ball; Jennifer Lopez had to manage a clothing quick-change into party black for the Vanity Fair soiree. Taylor Lautner and Zac Efron, Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock were among those whose presence would be demanded in at least two places at once. And Woody Harrelson was about to arrange a late-night foodie call with a rather large bowl of Wolfgang Puck pasta.

The Ministry's party coverage is incoming; until then, check out Oscar's red carpet arrivals (so in love with Zoe Saldana's exciting purple Givenchy, not to mention Bullock's silver sheath) and highlights from the show itself ...