Kelly Osbourne will join the cast of the London product of “Chicago” starting September 10th. She’ll be in the show for a seven week run, and play the role of Mama Morton. Queen Latifah played the role in the film version of the play. As I remember it, that particular character requires a lot of bravado – something I’m not sure that Kelly has. On her family’s reality show, she came across more as the whiny, complaining type. Kelly also seems a bit young for the role – Mama Morton is, by definition, an older mother type.

“’It’s been a dream of mine to be in the West End, I can’t wait to work with such an amazing cast.’” And Chicago producer Barry Weissley adds, ‘We’re very excited that Kelly is joining the production. She’s internationally recognised, she’s unique – it’s the perfect match.’”

[From PR Inside]

Kelly is a master at changing her look. Every time a new picture of her comes out, you have no clue whether she’ll be chubby or thin. I remember everyone making a big deal out of her weight loss a while ago, and she told a reporter she wanted to pose nude in Playboy, to which Hugh Hefner cattily replied “’I can’t see it happening somehow – we don’t airbrush to that extent.’” Kelly’s mother Sharon Osbourne famously struggled with her weight until she had a gastric lap band put in several years ago. Recent pictures of Kelly seem to show that she’s put weight back on, but that could be for her role, which generally is played by a larger (and older) woman. It’ll be interesting to see her reviews, and if she actually has any singing or acting talent. Her album was pretty much panned and didn’t produce a hit single, but her acting was decent, if a little stilted, on the short-lived ABC drama “Life As We Know It.” Maybe she’ll prove herself and get some credibility.

Update by Celebitchy: Can I just say how much I loved that “Live as We Know It” show? It was a shame that it was canceled. Kelly wasn’t that great on it, but the guy who played her boyfriend, Chris Lowell, was just awesome. Plus it was an excellent show all-around. Anyway, Kelly does look like she’s lost weight again, and I don’t think JayBird has seen these recent pictures. Thanks to I’m Not Obsessed and The Daily Mail.

Claire Danes will make her Broadway debut in George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion” beginning September 21st. She will star as Eliza Doolittle, the character with the world’s most offensive accent. Danes is currently starring in the movie “Evening” which is getting lackluster reviews.

“Well-known as the inspiration for the Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical My Fair Lady, the Shaw drama based on the classical myth finds “Professor Henry Higgins [who] comes across a poor and uneducated Cockney girl named Eliza Doolittle… [and] makes a bet that he can take Eliza from the gutters of London and pass her off as a society lady, by simply teaching her the right dialect in which to speak,” as show notes explain.”

[From Playbill]

I can’t wait to hear her do that accent. It’s like nails on glass. If you remember, Claire Danes is the woman who broke up Billy Crudup and Mary-Louise Parker’s seven-year long relationship. Crudup left Parker, seven months pregnant at the time, for Danes. They spent a while denying they were together, but eventually it became obvious. Both parties were said to be pretty unapologetic about the whole thing.

It really is hard to wish someone well after hearing a story like that. Has Claire Danes really done anything of note since “My So Called Life?” She’s done some chic-flicks that were less than memorable, and has participated in a bit of theater. I think she’s still best known for that show, and for being an almost-homewrecker.

17 year-old Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe will break out of his child actor role with a controversial turn on the London stage in the acclaimed play Equus. Radcliffe will portray a stable boy who is pathologically fascinated with horses, and is in therapy with a psychologist who faces his own issues while treating him.

Radcliffe will act out a sex scene and will also appear in the buff on stage, as I’m sure you’ve heard.

Equus premieres at London’s Gielgud Theater on February 27, and also stars Richard Griffiths as the therapist. You may know Griffiths from the Harry Potter movies, where he plays Harry’s mean bumbling uncle, Vernon Dursley.

The fifth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is tentatively due for release in the US on July 13, 2007.

Pictures from Celebrity.Log via Lipstick.

Jennifer Aniston acted on Broadway for the first time yesterday in the 6th Annual 24 Hour Plays on Broadway benefit, with proceeds to go toward arts education for needy NY city children. She joined Rosie Perez, Nia Vardalos, Anna Paquin and Liev Schrieber in lending her time and talent to the project, which involved six 10-minute plays written and performed within a day.

Actors had to bring their own props and clothing, and Aniston brought along a chef’s jacket. Her coworkers for the day praised her professionalism. Her quick performance as a single woman who has trouble dating was said to be quite convincing.

This is Aniston’s first well publicized charity stint. She quipped during a press conference this summer that “No, I’m not interested in any of that” when asked if she was curious about the war in Iraq or environmental causes, concluding “I like to just focus on me and my tabloid career.” Some people praised her self-depricating humor while others noted that it was quite revealing of Aniston’s true nature.

Last week the former Friends star purchased a $15 million home in LA right next to Courteney Cox and David Arquette’s house. It was designed in the 1970s by architect Hal Levitt and is being rebuilt. As you can see in the gallery it’s a stunning modern mansion. Aniston has been renting a two bedroom house on the beach in Malibu this summer. It is thought that she paid upwards of $30,000 a month rent.

Here are pictures of Aniston’s new home and some candids of her out in NY on 10/19. [via] and [via]

Here’s a video interview along with footage from Ashlee Simpson’s performance in Chicago. Commentors on Oh No They Didn’t, where we found the video, are divided. Some people think she’s great while other says she’s got no stage performance, is mediocre or just plain bad.

She strikes me a really dumb in her interview, but at least she’s enthusiastic and gracious. Personally I think she’s a good performer and can actually sing, even if it’s not amazing. Plus I’m kind of blown away with how gorgeous she looks on video now.

Ashlee Simpson had her first performace as Roxie Hart in the “Chicago” musical in London’s West End last night. Celeb-friendly Hello! magazine says it was top notch and that Ashlee delivered the goods in a live performance after getting busted lip synching just last year:

Since undergoing plastic surgery following her Marie Claire interview telling girls to accept their flaws, Ashlee has successfully reinvented herself. Big sister Jessica is in a bit of a slump with poor fashion choices and a high-profile divorce. Maybe Jessica she should get some advice from Ashlee on how to enjoy single life.

Meanwhile the Simpson sister’s controlling father/manager, Joe, is angering the co-producer of a new movie set to star Jessica, “Blonde Ambition.” “Malcolm in the Middle” star Justin Berfield is said to be annoyed with Simpson’s controlling ways, which may threaten the future of the film.

Here is Ashlee after her performance last night. [via]

Julia Roberts received a standing ovation last night on the official opening of her broadway play “Three Days of Rain.” Many celebrities attended the show and after party, and people said they loved it. Unfortunately the critics trashed Julia’s performance.

The play is a huge box office success, though, thanks to Roberts’ star power. All 16 performances are sold out, and have grossed nearly $2 million.

Celebrities pictured attending the show include James Gandolfini, Dave Matthews, Marcia Gay Harden, Thaddeus Scheel, Rosie Perez, Kristen Johnston, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Elaine Stritch, Oprah, Gayle King, Mario Cantone, and Michael C. Hall. Roberts is shown on stage and at the after party with her co-stars, Paul Rudd, and Bradley Cooper.

Paris Hilton should not wear her hair back, because it emphasizes the fact that one of her eyes is a bit squinty. Hilton attended “Hedwig And The Angry Inch” presented by Smashbox cosmetics at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood last night. Other celebrities pictured include Cisco Adler, Milla Jovovich, Scott Weiland, Mark McGrath and Taryn Manning.
Danny Masterson and Juliet Lewis must have just smoked up at the celebrity Scientology center because they both look pretty high.

9 more pictures after the jump.

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We mentioned yesterday that Julia Roberts’ new play, “Three Days of Rain,” opened last night on Broadway. It’s sure to sell out due to Roberts’ star power and the play’s dramatic strength. Here’s a bit more about the plot:

Julia plays the daughter in the first act, and the mother in the second act. It sounds like a clever plot and it’s sure to be interesting.

Here’s Roberts signing autographs and leaving the theatre after what must have been a fabulous performance.

Julia Roberts will make her debut on Broadway in “Three Days of Rain” tonight, which is described as “an emotionally rich drama about a brother and sister and their childhood pal who reunite for the reading of a will.”

“Rain” is produced by Marc Platt, who knows Julia from their work together on “Mary Reilly” and has also produced “Legally Blonde” and the stage hit “Wicked.” It is written by acclaimed playright Richard Greenberg, who created two roles that will be played by Julia:

Tonight’s sold out performance is just a preview. The play officially opens on April 12th for a three month run.

Here is Julia in a Gianfranco Ferre and and in some candids looking a bit annoyed.

Pictures [via] [via]

Two more after the jump.

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