Entertainment wrap: from screaming Cruise to Britney's death hoax
CULTURE
By Sim Sim Wissgott

2016-12-28 10:25 GMT+8

'Last Christmas' for George Michael, Rick Parfitt
Singer George Michael performs on stage during his "25 Live" world tour at the Bercy stadium in Paris October 9, 2006. /CFP Photo 
Pop star George Michael, known for such 80's hits as “Careless Whisper” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” died on Sunday at his home in southern England, his publicist said. The 53-year-old first gained fame as the singer of Wham! before going solo. One of his songs, “Last Christmas,” has long been a holiday favorite. Tributes poured in after news of the singer’s death emerged on Monday: from Michael’s Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley and Elton John, to Madonna, Boy George, Robbie Williams and Miley Cyrus. Wham! made history in 1985 when they became the first Western band to perform in China. 
Michael’s death wasn’t the only high-profile one this week, with news of Status Quo rockstar Rick Parfitt passing away in Spain on Thursday, aged 68. The band was behind hits like “Rockin’ All Over the World” and “In The Army Now. ”
Hollywood loses Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher poses for cameras as she arrives at the European premiere of Star Wars, The Force Awakens in Leicester Square, London, December 16, 2015. /CFP Photo
Hollywood also suffered a loss this week, with the death of "Star Wars" actress Carrie Fisher. The 60-year-old died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the LA Times reported. She had spent Christmas in intensive care,  after suffering a medical emergency, according to media reports. Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds had tweeted on Monday that her daughter was “in stable condition”. Fisher famously played Princess Leia in the initial “Star Wars” trilogy and also appeared in such movies as “When Harry Met Sally” and “Hannah and Her Sisters”.
Twitter hoax kills Britney
Britney Spears performs at the "NOW 99.7 Triple Ho Show 7.0" in San Jose, California on December 3, 2016. /CFP Photo
Although music and movie fans had much to mourn this week, fans of Britney Spears need not worry: reports of her death were apparently the result of Sony Music’s Twitter account being hacked on Monday. A representative of the “Hit Me Baby One More Time” singer confirmed to CNN that “Britney is fine and well.”
Van Dyke in 'Poppins' remake
Dick Van Dyke (R) and his wife Arlene attend the Midnight Mission Golden Heart Awards 2016 in Los Angeles. /CFP Photo
Good news for “Mary Poppins” fans: Dick Van Dyke, the original Bert who memorably led the chimney sweeps in a wicked rooftop dance in the 1964 movie, will appear in the remake due for release in 2018. The new version is being directed by Rob Marshall and stars Emily Blunt in the title role made famous by Julie Andrews, alongside a high-profile cast including Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury and the writer and star of Broadway hit musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Tom Cruise is a scream
Actor Tom Cruise talks with fans as he attends the Japan premiere of the film "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" in Tokyo, Japan, November 9, 2016. /CFP Photo
Looking for an unusual ringtone? How about a screaming and sighing Tom Cruise? A recent trailer of the actor’s latest movie “The Mummy” was mistakenly sent to cinemas without an audio track or sound effects, leaving just Cruise and his co-star Annabelle Wallis’s sighs and screams. And some creative minds quickly turned this into a ringtone, according to the BBC. Not surprisingly, the ringtone has gone viral. It’s enough to make a Hollywood star scream. 

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