Scarlet Johansson proudly showed off her new engagement ring at the Costume Institute Gala last night in NY. She wore an linen-colored Dolce and Gabanna dress with a tight bodice and tulle skirt. Her hair was up in a messy style accented by a beaded flower headband with loose soft waves falling around her face. She looked incredibly happy and relaxed.

Johansson’s ring looks like its a round cut solitaire on a gold band.

Yesterday Johansson’s rep confirmed the rumors that she was engaged to her live-in boyfriend, actor Ryan Reynolds. Jaybird observed that it’s quite a coincidence that she’s due to release her album at the end of the month and just happens to announce her engagement now, but maybe she really wanted to wear the ring out to this special event and couldn’t wait.

Thanks to Splash for these photos.

OK! Magazine is claiming they have it confirmed that Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are indeed engaged. Scarlett’s ’s publicist Marcel Pariseau confirmed the engagement today. Johansson and Reynolds have been dating a little over a year, and engagement rumors have been plaguing them for several months. They’ve hardly ever spoken about each other in interviews, and have barely even acknowledged that a relationship exists.

OK! can confirm that Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are engaged! So far no wedding date has been set, and sources close to the couple tell OK! not to worry about marking the calendar anytime in the near future. “Scarlett doesn’t want to get married anytime soon,” says the insider. “So expect it to be a long engagement.”

According to the source, the Lost in Translation star’s reluctance to walk down the aisle had been a source of tension between the couple, so they came up with a compromise — “Get engaged now, and worry about the wedding down the road,” explains the pal.

However, says the friend, don’t mistake Scarlett’s hesitancy to mean there’s any lack of love on her part. “She has said time and time again that Ryan is the one who she wants to spend the rest of her life with,” says the source.

[From OK!]

Scarlett’s first album Anywhere I Lay My Head is due to be released on May 20th. It’s pretty interesting how all these starlets keep announcing engagements/marriages/and possible pregnancies right around the time their albums are due, no? First Ashlee Simpson got engaged/maybe knocked up with Pete Wentz, then Mariah Carey got married to Nick Cannon, and now Scarlett and Ryan are engaged. If they elope and/or she’s suddenly maybe sorta kinda pregnant, I’m going to have some serious questions.

For some reason Scarlett Johansson decided to do an album of Tom Waits covers despite the fact that she can’t sing. Her voice has no range and isn’t particularly interesting, and with all the benefits of modern technology there was only so much they could do to make her sound even passable. It’s kind of appropriate that she picked Tom Waits since she has a deep monotone voice that could pass for a man’s, and I’m sorry to say that because I really like Johansson.

Zooey Deschanel just put out a folksy sparse-sounding album that’s incredibly good, and she’s definitely an actress who is capable of crossing over into music. Johansson is a bigger star with much less musical ability, and she didn’t need to do this. You understand when someone has a passion for singing, but one of her handlers or someone at the music company should have told her “No.”

Here’s the video. Johansson is shown riding in a car, getting makeup applied, sitting for a photo shoot, and kissing Salmon Rushdie.

A lot of you said this song sounded ok when it was first released online last week. I’m in Europe and the clip was only available for US visitors so I had no idea. Now I know I don’t like it. Maybe I just don’t get it, but I can’t help but thinking there’s not much to get.

AOL has the first full track from Scarlett Johansson’s first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head. The album features ten Tom Waits covers and one original song. It’s due in stores on May 20th. After listening to it, I found it to be rather… not great. I don’t want to say bad because I like Scarlett Johansson, and I think it’s ridiculous that singers can become actors, but when actors try to become singers everyone gives them a hard time. But the song just didn’t do it for me.

Johansson doesn’t sound like she’s using her natural voice. She sounds more like she’s doing a Tom Waits impression. It also sounds like her voice has been run through the computer a couple times, but that’s not uncommon with the ambient type of sound Scarlett says she was going for. Tom Waits has a very specific style of music, one that either works for you or doesn’t. Choosing to do a first album that’s composed entirely of Waits covers is a pretty gutsy move – but it’s tough to say whether or not guts equals smarts in this case. Rolling Stone seems impressed with Johansson’s efforts – and they’ve likely heard the whole album.

~ Frankly, we’re pretty impressed by Scarlett Johansson’s first real foray into music, Anywhere I Lay My Head, a collection of Tom Waits songs. After time-consuming attempts at finding a producer to help her nail the sounds she’d imagined, Johansson met her match in Dave Sitek, guitarist for TV on the Radio. “I knew I wanted a sort of dreamlike, ambient sound, and we didn’t want to shy away from the cinematic aspects of the songs,” Johansson tells the S.S.

“Dave and I had the same vision, and it turned out to be everything I’d imagined.” With musicians like Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner, the crew holed up at a Louisiana studio, and the bayou vibe crept into recordings like “Green Grass,” “Town With No Cheer” and, of course, “I Wish I Was in New Orleans.” (David Bowie makes an appearance, doing backing vocals.) Though Waits hasn’t yet heard Johansson’s takes on his tunes, Johansson doesn’t seem nervous: “Once we started recording, I became less fearful of encountering Tom Waits in a dark room with a mallet.”

[From Rolling Stone]

I will be eager to hear what the rest of the album sounds like. It’s clearly not some superficial attempt at a singing career, a la Paris Hilton or Nicole Richie. Johansson is a smart woman who put a lot of thought and work into her album, and I’m betting that those really into this particular type of music will think she’s done a great job.

Here are the promo photos for Scarlett’s album. Thanks to Agent Bedhead for the pictures.

Do you sit around worrying about how much each celebrity might be worth, if you were to translate their entertainment value into dollars? Me either, but now that the idea’s come into my head, I think I’ll start. I’m going to value Britney Spears at $1.92. Paris Hilton could probably fetch $3.49. Lindsay Lohan is somewhere in the $.99 bin. And Scarlett Johansson runs you $40,000. Sounds about right. I have yet to see Scarlett’s lady bits splayed across my computer screen. I’m pretty sure that drops anyone’s value by about 83%. Yes I’m pulling these figures out of thin air, and really, really enjoying it. I am worth a modest, yet accessible $5,679. Thank you for wondering. Scarlett auctioned off a “date” with herself on eBay, all to benefit Oxfam. She’s been working with the aid organization for three years, since the Asian Tsunami.

Scarlett Johansson went up on the auction block and was “sold” for $40,100. A meet-and-greet with the actress was up for grabs on eBay as part of a fundraiser for the Oxfam America charity and ended last night. The prize includes two tickets to the July premiere of her next movie, He’s Just Not That Into You, chauffeured car service to the premiere, hair and makeup for one by Privé and a meet-and-greet with Scarlett at the premiere. The deep-pocketed winner? “Bossnour” from England, who may have to shell out a few more bucks for airfare to get across the pond.

[From In Touch]

Not to be a jerk, but if I went on a date and it involved a meet-and-greet, I’d be a little pissed. I’m assuming the meet-and-greet will involve a little time to chat? One would hope? If she’s just walking down a line of people, shaking hands and signing autographs, I think this “Bossnour” gets to ask for $10,000 back or something. The funny part is that it involves hair and makeup for the winner… who one would assume (but we don’t know for sure) is a man, and probably not in need of such services. As much as guys love eyeliner and all… I’m guessing that wasn’t the big draw.

Here’s Scarlett Johansson at the Royal London Premiere of “The Other Boleyn Girl” on February 19th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Drew Barrymore was on Oprah last night, and donated a cool $1 million to the United Nations World Food Program. Due to rising food and commodity prices, which we’ve all felt the impact of at the local supermarket, the organization needs an extra $500 million dollars to help feed the world’s poor.

The 33-year-old American actress will give the money to the World Food Program, a UN body that delivers millions of tonnes of food aid to more than 70 million people in about 80 countries, she said on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“I’m able to make this incredible donation - this has changed my life,” said Barrymore, who serves as a WFP ambassador against hunger. “But I encourage everyone to give.”

Later, she said the $US1 million was “by far” the largest donation she has ever made.

“But nothing has ever felt so good,” she said.

Sydney Morning Herald

Despite the enormous novelty check, this isn’t a publicity stunt for Drew. In 2006 she traveled to Nairobi and wrote an article for Marie Claire magazine, as well as filmed a documentary, about the living conditions and how schooling is helping with the AIDS crisis. You can read her article here.

Drew’s co-star Scarlett Johansson is also doing her bit for charity, selling herself on eBay. You can bid for two tickets to her latest film, He’s Just Not That Into You, and to meet Scarlett. The bidding was at $11,700 last time I checked, and all the proceeds go to Oxfam. The film stars Drew Barrymore as well as Scarlett, and Scarlett has launched a YouTube appeal to raise more interest in the auction.

Note by Celebitchy: Here’s Scarlett’s appeal. She seems kind of antsy at first.

Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman are in Berlin promoting their upcoming film “The Other Boleyn Girl,” a trashy re-interpretation of the court of Henry VIII. Scarlett and Natalie play sisters Mary and Anne Boleyn, who connive and deceive in order to win the heart of the fat king. I read the book for a book club and although it was probably only mildly historically accurate it was a rolicking good read. There were parts where I felt guilty for reading it because it was so trashy, but that doesn’t seem to deter me from devouring the gossip rags every week.

Johansson compared the gossip magazines to the sex and debauchery that were going on in Henry VII’s court and said that she tries to keep her life separate from the “circus” that goes along with being famous:

She told a packed press conference after the premiere of “The Other Boleyn Girl” at the Berlin Film Festival that being hounded by paparazzi and having her personal life splashed across celebrity magazines was a high price to pay to make films.

“That’s very scary to me and invasive and gross. But that kind of intrigue and frenzy, I guess, could be related to the court in some way — and the rumours and the gossip and this frenetic, frantic energy that goes into the celebrity culture,” she said.

“But would I ever leave because I couldn’t take it? I would hope that I would never allow that to affect my professional life. I try not to live in the court, so to speak, and try to separate my private life from this circus.”

[From News.Yahoo.com]

Natalie Portman talked about the film in more intellectual terms saying that “Human emotion doesn’t change and I think that’s one of the hard things for us to imagine is how history might have been sexy and gossipy and scandalous.”

It’s not so hard to imagine history becoming scandalous. That was a trashy romantic gossip novel disguised as historical fiction. I mean, it wasn’t even a mid-brow read.

Eric Bana, who also stars in the film, says that everyone got along on set when he was asked about it, and that “I hate to break it to you but actors generally do really love each other.”

Scarlet Johansson said that “you can’t be selfish as an actor,” and that you’re not working alone.

It’s a bit ironic that these women are playing in a film that sensationalizes history, but are complaining about how we do that now. It probably was incredibly contentious in Henry VII’s court considering how many wives he went through and had beheaded, but you also can’t deny that there’s a lot of intrigue and things going on now in Hollywood to gossip about.

Johansson knows that if she wants to keep her private life to herself she needs to stay out of the hot spots and she seems to do a pretty good job at that. In that way, she’s staying away from “the court,” where a lot of people get gawked at and talked about.

Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, and Justin Chadwick are shown in a photo call today for “The Other Boleyn Girl,” thanks to WENN. I really like Natalie Portman’s hair. It has grown out to be very soft and natural-looking.

Ryan Reynolds might be known for, actually I have no idea what he is known for. Except dating Alanis Morissette, and now Scarlett Johansson, and being really cute. Really cute. He’s also out promoting a new romantic comedy, and is keen to share his romantic credentials.

Ryan said: “It was a few years ago, but I once flew all the way to London to have lunch with this girl I was dating.

“She lived in the UK and I was in the US obviously. We had just started dating and didn’t really get to see as much of each other as we would have like to because of the distance and work. So I just jumped on a plane to be with her.”

Despite his splashing out on the grand romantic gesture, Ryan refused to pick up the tab for lunch.

He added to Britain’s Heart radio station: “I had to leave the very same day so it was pretty romantic but expensive. I made her buy the sandwich though!”

Sydney Morning Herald

Aw, this is just like in the movies. Which makes me suspect that it might actually just be a clever ploy to get us thinking all lovely and romantic and in the mood to see his latest flick Definitely Maybe. Is this cynical of me? Should we just accept that Ryan Reynolds is an incurable romantic, good, kind and strong, and this is just the kind of thing he’d do? Or should we declare it a shrewd marketing ploy, like how Hollywood is forever creating fictional relationships that ours in reality can’t match?

Ryan indirectly explained how he became such a sensitive guy. He was the youngest of four brothers and empathized with his mother’s plight at dealing with a house full of testosterone:

It didn’t help that Reynolds grew up as the youngest in a family where his father and two of his three brothers are very tall policemen. Maybe they could help out if he ever gets into trouble?

“I doubt that. If I ever get into trouble I’m f—ed. Those guys will see to it. I think their dream is to arrest me. They’re my brothers - it’s their job to some degree to make my life hell. I would never give them that satisfaction.”

How did he live with all that testosterone and turn out to be such a sensitive guy? “I have no idea. I think it was having empathy for my mother, who was dealing with these five horrific ogres in our house all the time. Having that empathy for her has fostered a sensitivity in me.”

Sydney Morning Herald

Under that romantic exterior he’s got some testosterone in his system, and he probably picked up some of his brother’s naughty tricks. And like every good tough guy, he won’t stand a word against his mother.

Ryan must be doing something right. He’s going home at night to Scarlett Johansson.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Here are stills from Definitely, Maybe thanks to Allmoviephoto. Ryan’s costars Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Isla Fisher and Abigail Breslin are also shown. Definitely Maybe is out in US theaters on February 14. Here’s the trailer, it looks cute:

Since celebrities are so notoriously publicity shy, you really can’t blame them for hiding out and refusing to talk about their personal lives. What? They need publicity to have good careers? Holy crap you must be joking. Okay I’m kidding, I get that there’s a delicate balance between privacy and publicity, and Scarlett Johansson seems to know just how to balance the two. Rumors were floating all over the internet this past week that Johansson and boyfriend Ryan Reynolds were engaged. The two have been pretty private about their relationship – it’s nearly impossible to find a photo of them together. So we’re really not expecting any kind of confirmation until someone at the Enquirer gets a hold of their marriage license or something. In a sense it keeps things private for the couple, and in another way it increases the buzz. Crafty. Yesterday Johansson confirmed that she was in fact engaged. To Barack Obama.

Scarlett Johansson returned from the Persian Gulf with a whole lot of soldiers’ trinkets and a delusion of her own engagement — to Barack Obama.

“I am engaged … to Barack Obama,” Johansson joked in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. “My heart belongs to Barack, and that is who I am currently, finally, engaged to. Yes.”

Johansson, who showed her support for the Democratic presidential candidate at the Iowa caucus earlier this month, was really just deflecting a question about rumors she might be engaged (to actor-beau Ryan Reynolds).

[From the Associated Press]

Johansson was giving interviews after returning from visiting troops in the Persian Gulf last week. Apparently she had a blast. It always makes me a little curious when celebrities visit the troops and talk about how much fun they had. It’s nice that they go, I just find it a little … unusual to talk about how you brightened their day.

“Everybody that I met there was so incredibly friendly and polite and genuine and generous,” she said. “They were so, so sweet. I mean, I was just amazed.”

Johansson said some people ripped patches off their jackets as gifts and handed her challenge coins from their military units. One Marine offered up his St. Christopher medal. Another starstruck guy gushed: “You made my whole deployment!”

[From the Associated Press]

It’s good that she took some time to do that. In other Scarlett Johansson news, she’s releasing her first CD on May 20th. Titled “Anywhere I Lay My Head,” she’s been working on it for the last year. Actors traditionally have a hard time being accepted as singers, though the reverse isn’t true. I can’t think of any that have made the transition successfully. Hmm… Eddie Murphy… Scott Baio… Danny Bonaduce… Tony Danza… Peter Gallagher… Jared Leto… Lindsay Lohan… Alyssa Milano… hmm, this isn’t looking good for Scarlett. And I’m not under the impression that any of these actors got a lot of credit for at least trying. The only success I can think of would be Jamie Foxx – he was an actor first and then put out an album. Though to be fair, his first attempt, 1994’s “Peep This” wasn’t exactly a commercial success. Hopefully Scarlett Johansson stays away from hip hop tune about TV shows.

While we’ve had nearly a million celebrity pregnancies lately, it’s been a while since we’ve had an engagement. Babies are so hot right now. According to Ben Widdicombe at Gatecrasher, Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are set to announce their engagement any day now. Of course their reps deny it, but I think we’ve learned that reps are paid not to give information or to accurately confirm or deny rumors, but to refute absolutely everything that comes their way. You could probably call Scarlett Johansson’s rep and ask if it’s true that Scarlett does indeed have a nose, and he’d say absolutely not, and tell you to go to hell. If you asked Ryan Reynolds’ rep if he is in fact taller than your average shrub, he’d probably tell you that’s completely ridiculous and/or that he has no comment. So I guess we’re left to assume everything is true.

Isn’t it enough that they’re gorgeous and rich and successful - do they have to be happy, too? Her rep is denying it, but a very good source tells me we can soon expect an engagement announcement from actors Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson. Mazel tov, kids!

The couple have been an item for almost a year. Reynolds ended his engagement to fellow Canadian Alanis Morissette last February, and by April he was spotted on a date with Johansson at the Odeon in Tribeca, looking very much in love.

Johansson herself had a high-profile relationship with actor Josh Hartnett. By coincidence, a friend of that ex-couple told me last week, “Josh has the funniest picture of Scarlett on his phone. They’re at home having dinner and she’s brandishing a carving knife over a chicken like a slasher, and making a face.”

[From Gatecrasher]

So, what did we learn here? Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are probably getting married, and Scarlett has chicken issues. Probably shouldn’t serve any at the reception. Somehow it seems like the pair have been dating for longer than a year. They’re very cute together. I remember hearing one of the reasons Scarlett’s relationship with Josh Hartnett didn’t work is that she doesn’t believe in monogamy, which could make for an interesting marriage. Probably a pretty non-traditional one, filled with lots of drama, and (hopefully) lots of gossip. If they are indeed engaged, Ryan and Scarlett will have unnaturally beautiful children. Although it’s not officially rep-approved, I’m going to take a leap and go ahead and say congrats to them both!

Picture note by Jaybird: It’s notoriously difficult to find a picture of Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds together. Not sure how that bodes for their relationship. Scarlett is shown on the set of Midnight in Barcelona on 7/9/07. Ryan Reynolds is shown at the Smoking Aces premiere on 1/18/07. Images thanks to PR Photos.