Month: January 2008

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Rock Band Black & White

Rock Band Black & White theme by Skyker

Download: RockBandBW.p3t

Rock Band Black & White Theme
(2 backgrounds)

P3T Unpacker v0.12
Copyright (c) 2007. Anoop Menon

This program unpacks Playstation 3 Theme files (.p3t) so that you can touch-up an existing theme to your likings or use a certain wallpaper from it (as many themes have multiple). But remember, if you use content from another theme and release it, be sure to give credit!

Download for Windows: p3textractor.zip

Instructions:

Download p3textractor.zip from above. Extract the files to a folder with a program such as WinZip or WinRAR. Now there are multiple ways to extract the theme.

The first way is to simply open the p3t file with p3textractor.exe. If you don’t know how to do this, right click the p3t file and select Open With. Alternatively, open the p3t file and it will ask you to select a program to open with. Click Browse and find p3textractor.exe from where you previously extracted it to. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename]. After that, all you need to do for any future p3t files is open them and it will extract.

The second way is very simple. Just drag the p3t file to p3textractor.exe. It will open CMD and extract the theme to extracted.[filename].

For the third way, first put the p3t file you want to extract into the same folder as p3textractor.exe. Open CMD and browse to the folder with p3extractor.exe. Enter the following:
p3textractor filename.p3t [destination path]Replace filename with the name of the p3t file, and replace [destination path] with the name of the folder you want the files to be extracted to. A destination path is not required. By default it will extract to extracted.filename.

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Rock Band

Rock Band theme by Skyker

Download: RockBand.p3t

Rock Band Theme
(1 background)

This article is about the video game series. For the first game of the series, see Rock Band (video game). For the iOS game, see Rock Band (iOS). For the type of musical group, see Band (rock and pop).
Rock Band
Genre(s)
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, Nintendo DS, mobile devices, iOS, Oculus Rift
First releaseRock Band
November 20, 2007
Latest releaseRock Band VR
March 23, 2017

Rock Band is a series of rhythm games first released in 2007 and developed by Harmonix. Based on their previous development work from the Guitar Hero series, the main Rock Band games has players use game controllers modeled after musical instruments and microphones to perform the lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums and vocal parts of numerous licensed songs across a wide range of genres though mostly focusing on rock music by matching scrolling musical notes patterns shown on screen. Certain games support the use of "Pro" instruments that require special controllers that more closely mimic the playing of real instruments, providing a higher challenge to players. Players score points for hitting notes successfully, but may fail a song if they miss too many notes. The series has featured numerous game modes, and supports both local and online multiplayer modes where up to four players in most modes can perform together.

Harmonix had worked with Red Octane for the Guitar Hero series first released in 2005; when Red Octane was acquired by Activision to continue Guitar Hero in 2007, MTV Games, a division of Viacom at the time, acquired Harmonix to expand the concept to Rock Band, and served as the game's publisher and manufacturer for the instrument controllers, with distribution handled by Electronic Arts. In 2009, due to saturation of the rhythm game market, sales of both Guitar Hero and Rock Band dropped; Harmonix's investors were able to buy the company from Viacom and making Harmonix an independent company, giving them more flexibility in options for the series. Harmonix transitioned to Mad Catz in 2011 for the publication and instrumentation controller manufacture. By 2013, Harmonix stopped producing downloadable content (DLC) for the current Rock Band 3, though stated that it would consider its options for the series upon the arrival of the next-generation of consoles. Following the release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Harmonix released Rock Band 4 in 2015 for the new consoles. While Mad Catz initially manufactured the new instrument controllers. the game was not as financially successful, a partial cause for Mad Catz to declare bankruptcy and requiring Harmonix to switch production to Performance Designed Products (PDP) for ongoing instrument controller manufacture.

To date, there have been four main games in the series, two band-specific spin-offs (including The Beatles: Rock Band), and several additional spin-off titles and Track Packs. Harmonix has continued to supported Rock Band through a persistent DLC model through January 2024, with routine releases of new songs on a weekly basis as well as the ability for players to import songs from previous games into newer ones, and as of January 2024, the latest title Rock Band 4 supports over 3000 songs from this approach. Harmonix had also offered the Rock Band Network to allow bands and labels to publish their songs as Rock Band tracks that can be purchased by players, though the service has since been discontinued; at the height of this service, over 4,000 tracks from 1,200 artists were available for Rock Band players.[1][2]

By 2009, over 13 million copies of Rock Band titles have been sold,[3][1] netting more than $1 billion in total sales.[4] Over 130 million downloadable song purchases have been made by 2009.[1][2][5][6][7][8][9]

History[edit]

Rock Band release timeline
Main series in bold
2007Rock Band
2008Rock Band 2
2009Rock Band Unplugged
The Beatles: Rock Band
Rock Band Mobile
Rock Band (iOS)
Lego Rock Band
2010Green Day: Rock Band
Rock Band 3
Rock Band Reloaded
2011
2012Rock Band Blitz
2013
2014
2015Rock Band 4
2016
2017Rock Band VR

Transition from Guitar Hero (2005–2008)[edit]

Prior to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, Harmonix had already established itself as a company that made game products that focused on music interactivity. Born out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, the first product made by Harmonix was The Axe: Titans of Classic Rock for DOS-based computers, challenging the player to use four keys on the keyboard to match notes in several songs.[10] Looking to find a place for this type of game, Harmonix' founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy looked to Japan where music games like PaRappa the Rapper were becoming popular. This led to the creation of Frequency and its sequel Amplitude for the PlayStation 2; both games featured the concept of matching notes for specific instrument tracks along lanes. However, in retrospect, Harmonix found that players had difficulty initially understanding the game, as the presentation was an abstract concept that did not immediately connect the gameplay to the music.[10] The idea of making an easy connection between the game and the music was used as a basis for their Karaoke Revolution games, which including using avatars singing and dancing in time to the music to strengthen the connection; this series was financially successful and helped grow the company.[10]

Harmonix was approached by RedOctane to help develop the software for the first Guitar Hero game, itself based on Japanese games like Guitar Freaks. Harmonix used their previous experience in note-matching techniques from Frequency and Amplitude, as well as the lessons learned in developed Karaoke Revolution to create the Guitar Hero software. Harmonix was less concerned on developing gameplay, and instead more on connecting the player to the music, working to track the notes of the songs appropriately on the five-button controller as to make the player feel like they are playing the real instrument.[10] Guitar Hero would go on to be a major success and found the basis of the Guitar Hero series.[10]

As the success of the Guitar Hero series grew, Harmonix and RedOctane were purchased by MTV Games and Activision, respectively, in 2006; MTV paid $175 million to acquire Harmonix.[11] RedOctane continued to publish the Guitar Hero series, bringing Neversoft on board for development duties. Harmonix was contractually committed to completing one final title, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, during and after the purchase negotiations.

With MTV Games, a subsidiary of Viacom, Harmonix took their experience from developing Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution to create the Rock Band series. According to Harmonix Vice President of Product Development, Greg LoPiccolo, the Harmonix team had already envisioned the possibility of different instruments before they were finished with the Guitar Hero series;[12] Rigopulos noted that the Guitar Hero work was only a partial approach to this, limited to what they could do on a "shoe-string budget".[10] Harmonix also embraced the idea of Rock Band as a platform rather than a software title, and took steps to incorporate downloadable content to extend players' music libraries without having them need to buy a new software disk. Rock Band was considered a success, leading to the development of sequels and spinoff titles. Viacom, under the terms of the acquisition, paid out $150 million in performance-based bonuses to Harmonix in early 2008 for their 2007 results, and were planning on a similar amount by the end of 2008.[13][14] The Rock Band series scored what was considered a major coup by journalists when it successfully negotiated the rights to use the music of the Beatles in a video game, long considered a "holy grail" for music games.[15][16]

Rhythm game saturation and decline (2009–2014)[edit]

By 2009, the market for rhythm games in general started to fall. The market had become saturated with titles, mostly from Activision's expansion of the Guitar Hero series, and consumers affected by the late-2000s recession were less likely to buy costly instrument controllers. Viacom had already reported significant losses on the Rock Band series, and sales of The Beatles: Rock Band did not meet their expectation.[17] Viacom sought a refund on the $150 million already paid for the 2007 bonuses following its reassessment of the series' 2009 performance.[18] Harmonix, anticipating the slowness of the market, developed Rock Band 3 with the introduction of several new features, most notably including the capability to connect real MIDI keyboards, MIDI guitars, and MIDI electronic drum kits, to create a "disruptive" game in the ailing rhythm game market by expanding to include real instruments.

Though Viacom continued to support the series throughout 2010, it announced that it was seeking a buyer for Harmonix, citing the series' continued profit losses and Viacom's inexperience at being a video game publisher.[19][20][21] Harmonix was eventually sold at the end of 2010 to Harmonix-SBE Holdings LLC, an affiliate of investment firm Columbus Nova, LLC that included Harmonix shareholders.[22] Though the net liability of the sale was valued at nearly $200 million, including existing unsold inventory and ongoing music license fees, analysts believe that Harmonix-SBE paid only $50 for the company, taking on the total financial liability that Viacom was able to write off in their books.[23] The MTV Games division at Viacom was later closed.[24]

As a shareholder-held company, Harmonix retained the rights to the Rock Band and Dance Central franchises, and continued to support and develop the games.[25][26] The company still faced some fallout from the sale, laying off about 15% of its staff in February 2011.[27] In the same month, Activision announced that it abandoned ongoing development of planned Guitar Hero titles, which many journalists considered to signal the end of peripheral-based rhythm games.[28] Though Harmonix considered the closure of Guitar Hero as "discouraging", they affirmed that they would continue to develop Rock Band and Dance Central and support their downloadable content for the immediate future.[29] Other journalists believed that without competition, Harmonix no longer needed to develop under the same pressure, allowing them to polish and innovate for future titles in the series, bringing a likely future resurgence of the market.[30]

In March 2012, Harmonix affirmed that it had no plans for a fourth major release title within the year, but was still strongly supporting the game through downloadable content through the year.[31] By early 2013, the company stated that while they may come back to Rock Band at a future time, they were shifting resources to develop new titles, and later announced that it would discontinue its regular downloadable content for the series after providing over 275 continuous weeks of such content.[32]

Reintroduction for eighth-generation consoles (2015–current)[edit]

Rigopulos stated at his keynote at the 2014 Penny Arcade Expo East that the studio had plans to bring Rock Band to eighth-generation consoles "at some point" and with "guns blazing".[33] Rigopulos states that the studio was "waiting for just the right moment in the new generation of consoles to bring it back".[34] Following two sets of unexpected DLC releases in early 2015 as a survey sent to Rock Band fans, the industry started to speculate that Harmonix was looking to revive the series. Bloomberg reported that Harmonix was working on a new version of Rock Band for the next-generation of consoles in late February.[35]

Rock Band 4 was officially announced in March 2015, for release later in October 2015 on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Rock Band 4 supported nearly all previous content released for the series, including imports from the Rock Band 3 and all prior official DLC.[36] Initially Rock Band 4 was released in partnership with Mad Catz for production of the instrument peripherals and co-publishing, but the game did not sell as well as expected leading to a US$11 million loss for Mad Katz, who subsequently terminated the agreement by June 2016 and temporarily had entered a period of bankruptcy.[37] Harmonix switched to Performance Designed Products (PDP) to continue hardware manufacturing and co-publishing with the release of the "Rivals" expansion for Rock Band 4.[38][39] Harmonix attempted to crowdfund the development of Rock Band 4 for personal computers through Fig (which Harmonix's Rigopulos had become a board member of), but this failed to meet the target goal, though Harmonix had not ruled out other means to bring the series to personal computers through other means.[40] Harmonix continues to support Rock Band 4 with weekly DLC and, with the introduction of its "Rivals" gameplay mode, eight-week seasonal challenges for players to earn new cosmetics, and as of April 2020, supports over 2,800 songs.

A separate Rock Band VR title was developed for the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and released in March 2017.[41]

Harmonix was acquired by Epic Games in 2021, but has continued to support Rock Band with DLC into at least 2024. As part of Epic, Harmonix developed a new mode for Fortnite, Fortnite Festival, which was released in December 2023. This mode mimicked much of the Rock Band aspects within the Fortnite game.[42] With this new game, Harmonix ended its weekly DLC for Rock Band in January 2024, though all online service would remain active for the foreseeable future.

Games[edit]

Main games[edit]

Harmonix has released four mainline titles in the Rock Band series: Rock Band (2007), Rock Band 2 (2008), Rock Band 3 (2010), and Rock Band 4 (2015). Each game provides from 57 to 84 songs on-disc with support for additional songs to be purchased as downloadable content. The games feature a variety of modes, including single player career modes, offline and online cooperative modes as part of a band, and competitive modes. Most songs from earlier iterations can be exported for play in future versions for a small licensing fee. However, premium or upgraded DLC content cannot be transferred to Rock Band 4.

Band-specific games[edit]

The Beatles Rock Band complete set of controllers. Missing the Rickenbacker 325.

In October 2008, Harmonix, along with MTV Games, announced an exclusive agreement with Apple Corps, Ltd. to produce a standalone title, titled The Beatles: Rock Band, based on the Rock Band premise and featuring the music of the Beatles. The game was released on September 9, 2009, coinciding with the release of remastered collections of the Beatles' albums, and features a visual and musical history of the Beatles with United Kingdom-released versions of songs from their albums Please Please Me through Abbey Road. The game also has been supported by downloadable content, with three full albums, Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Rubber Soul, available to purchase. Though branded as a Rock Band game, the title remains as a standalone game in the series. It includes a function to add new songs to the game disc.[43]

Following on the success of The Beatles: Rock Band, Green Day: Rock Band was released in June 2010. It includes the band's songs, including full albums for Dookie, American Idiot, and 21st Century Breakdown, avatars of the band's members and venues after real-life performances of the group.[44] The track list is fully exportable to other Rock Band games.[45]

Several bands stated they were seeking to or working with Harmonix to develop band-specific content for the series. The band Pearl Jam worked with Harmonix and MTV Games along with Rhapsody on a Rock Band-related project that was to be released in 2010, allowing for users to vote for their favorite live versions of the band's music. In August 2011 it was rumoured that the Pearl Jam related project would be released as downloadable content,[46] but Harmonix spokesman John Drake later clarified that while a Pearl Jam-based game was deep in development, it was ultimately cancelled.[47]

The band U2, after declining an option to place themselves in a Rock Band game in 2008, were reconsidering their stance after seeing the success of The Beatles: Rock Band, according to bassist Adam Clayton.[48] Similarly, Queen were in behind-the-scenes talks about a possible title for their group within Rock Band, according to Brian May.[49] Even though no game based on the band was released, Lego avatars of the band members appeared in Lego Rock Band. Roger Daltrey of The Who had stated that a Rock Band-title based on his group's music would be available in 2010;[50] however, no such title was released in 2010, or after that year for that matter. Though Janie Hendrix had stated she allowed for Jimi Hendrix's works to be used for a Rock Band game to be released in 2010,[51][52] this was later clarified as licensing several full albums from Hendrix to be made as downloadable content.[53] Harmonix had also considered standalone band games for Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, but neither project proceeded past developing concept art and cinematics.[47]

Spin-offs[edit]

Lego Rock Band features Lego-style avatars with full customization along with a family-friendly soundtrack.

Harmonix and MTV Games have worked with TT Fusion and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to create Lego Rock Band.[54] The game includes songs that are "suitable for younger audiences."[54] The game also includes the "fun, customization and humor of the Lego videogame franchise" by allowing players to create their own Lego-style avatars. The game added a new "super easy" gameplay mode in order to accommodate younger players. The game, which was released on November 3, 2009 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii consoles, supports all existing Rock Band instruments.[54] The game is able to utilize selected existing downloadable content for the other Rock Band games that have been deemed acceptable for the game's audience, except on the Nintendo Wii, and all songs on the game's main setlist can be exported for use in other Rock Band games.

Harmonix had planned to release a spin-off of Rock Band for Japanese audiences in co-development with Q Entertainment. The title, initially announced in 2008, would have featured J-pop music, and would have been "the first US-originated rock music game to be heavily localized for the Japanese market".[55][56] Japanese artists had expressed interest in the venture, such as X Japan.[57] Harmonix has since stated that this project has been discontinued, but have considered the inclusion of popular Japanese music within Rock Band's regular downloadable content.[58] Alex Rigopulos later clarified that they found it difficult to license Japanese music for such a release, and had considered both the cost of manufacturing and shipping instrument controllers to Japan, and the limited space that many Japanese players would have in their homes.[47][59]

Rock Band Blitz is a downloadable title in the series released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in October 2012. It is similar to Rock Band Unplugged, using gameplay similar to Frequency and Amplitude. The game included 25 songs (23 new to the series, and two that were previously unavailable to export due to licensing issues), but can use any previously downloaded song in the player's library; the 25 songs were also available to be played within Rock Band 3. Unlike the previous games in the series, Blitz is designed for use with a standard console controller, using buttons on the controller to switch tracks and match notes. The single-player game is designed with numerous "arcade" elements including a number of power-ups that make it more a score attack game than previous titles. Released alongside the game was a Facebook application, Rock Band World, that connected to players' games, offering challenges and tracking players scores in both Blitz and Rock Band 3.

Shortly after release of Rock Band 3, Harmonix began work on Rock Band Sessions. Instead of matching notes as in the main games, Sessions would have players making their own music in songs where several of the other instrument tracks were already completed; one example given by Daniel Sussman was to complete a bass line atop existing guitar, drums, and vocal tracks. If the player opted, they would have been able to allow the pre-existing track to be played instead and only provide their own music in certain sections of the song. Sessions was originally conceived as a multiplayer title but Harmonix found that having multiple players attempt to make their own music at the same time was too chaotic, and instead reworked it as a single-player game, with the player able to work each track separately and eventually bring them together in a final song. Though Harmonix had developed a working prototype for the game, they found that it would not adapt well to their existing licensed song library and would be difficult to use in future Rock Band games, and that they did not feel this was a type of game they could sell to their player base at full price. Sessions has been shelved, though some of the lessons they learned were used to help develop Rock Band 4, and may come back to the title at a later date.[60]

Harmonix also was involved with BandFuse: Rock Legends, released in November 2013, which for a time was referred to as "Rock Band 3.1".[citation needed]

In 2015, Oculus VR announced at The Game Awards that they would be partnering with Harmonix to make a virtual reality Rock Band game for the Rift titled Rock Band VR, to be released in 2016.[61] Harmonix began work on the title in October 2015. The game, focused solely on guitar players, uses the Oculus Rift Touch controllers in addition to the headset, one which is attached to the guitar controller. These provide the player with a first-person view of their guitarist on stage which reacts to the player's movements. In a demonstration at the 2016 Game Developers Conference, the game was set up so that the player could see the note tracks located on the floor monitors on the virtual stage, requiring the player to look down to track them, but Harmonix stated they were exploring other means to provide this input. The player can engage other actions in the VR world by looking at certain stage elements, such as by keeping their focus on a foot pedal, they can activate pyrotechnics on the virtual stage. The game was released on March 23, 2017 and shipped with 60 songs on release[62][63] and has 21 DLC songs. It was nominated for "Best Game Audio Article, Publication or Broadcast" ("Steve Pardo: Creating Rock Band VR") and "Best VR Audio" at the 16th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.[64]

In November 2021, Harmonix was acquired by Epic Games. They developed Fortnite's music game Fortnite Festival, which released on December 9th, 2023.

Portable games[edit]

Rock Band Unplugged was developed by Backbone Entertainment and was released for the PlayStation Portable in North America on June 9, 2009[65] and later that year in Europe. The game uses the PSP's Wi-Fi capabilities to provide an online store for additional downloadable content from music providers.[66] The gameplay is similar to the previous Harmonix games Frequency and Amplitude, with the player using the face buttons on the PSP to match notes; after completing a length of a phrase on a given instrument, that instrument will then play by itself for a while, allowing the player to switch to another instrument.[67] The DS versions of Lego Rock Band and Rock Band 3 use a similar gameplay system to Rock Band Unplugged.

A mobile phone version of Rock Band was developed by EA Mobile to work with various phones; the game was released to Verizon users on September 16, 2009. The game features many of the same modes as the main Rock Band series, including the ability to play with other users through the software. The game offers the ability to play any of the four instruments on 25 songs selected from the existing Rock Band library.[68] A version simply titled Rock Band for iOS was also released in October 2009, with gameplay described as similar to Tap Tap Revenge and allowing up to four people to play together with Bluetooth connections.[69] Rock Band Reloaded was released on December 2, 2010.

Gameplay[edit]

See also: Common gameplay elements in the Guitar Hero series and Gameplay in the Karaoke Revolution series

The Rock Band games are score-based music video games that combine elements of two of Harmonix' previous efforts: Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution, allowing up to four players to play on lead and bass guitar, drums, and vocals. Rock Band 3 expands this number to seven, including a keyboardist and two harmony vocalists. Players use these instruments to play scrolling musical "notes" on-screen in time with music.

Rock Band titles' gameplay and on-screen interface use a combination of elements from Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution.[70] Rock Band has up to three tracks of vertically scrolling colored music notes, one section each for lead guitar, drums, and bass.[70] The colored notes on-screen correspond to buttons on the guitar and drum peripherals.[70] For lead and bass guitar, players play their notes by holding down colored fret buttons on the guitar peripheral and pushing the controller's strum bar; for drums, players must strike the matching colored drumhead, or step on the pedal to simulate playing bass drum notes. Along the top of the screen is the vocals display, which scrolls horizontally, similar to Karaoke Revolution. The lyrics display beneath green bars, which represent the pitch of the individual vocal elements.[70] When singing vocals, the player must sing in

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Penelope Cruz

Penelope Cruz theme by GunsOfLiberty

Download: PenelopeCruz.p3t

Penelope Cruz Theme
(3 backgrounds)

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Elisha Cuthbert #2

Elisha Cuthbert theme by GunsOfLiberty

Download: ElishaCuthbert_2.p3t

Elisha Cuthbert Theme 2
(8 backgrounds)

Elisha Cuthbert
Cuthbert in 2015
Born
Elisha Ann Cuthbert

(1982-11-30) November 30, 1982 (age 41)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
OccupationActress
Years active1996–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children2
Signature

Elisha Ann Cuthbert (/əˈliːʃə/; born November 30, 1982)[1] is a Canadian actress. As a child actress, she made her first televised appearance as an extra in the horror-themed series for children Are You Afraid of the Dark? and co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids. She made her feature-film debut in the 1997 Canadian family drama Dancing on the Moon. Her first major lead role came in the 1998 drama film Airspeed (No Control) alongside Joe Mantegna. In 2001, she starred in the movie Lucky Girl, for which she received her first award, the Gemini Awards.

After moving to Hollywood in 2001, she was cast as Kim Bauer in the series 24, her first big role in an American production, alongside Kiefer Sutherland. For this role, she was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards twice. In 2003, she played Darcie Goldberg in the college comedy Old School and Carol-Anne in Love Actually. Cuthbert received wide recognition for her breakout role as Danielle in the 2004 teen comedy film The Girl Next Door, being nominated for Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards, and for her next role as Carly Jones in the 2005 House of Wax, for which she received two nominations for the Teen Choice Awards, including Best Actress: Action/Adventure/Thriller. Subsequently, Cuthbert appeared in the lead role in the drama The Quiet (2005) and the horror Captivity (2007). This role, along with Are You Afraid of the Dark?, 24 series and House of Wax, established her as a scream queen.[2][3]

From 2011 to 2013, Cuthbert starred as Alex Kerkovich in the three seasons of the ABC comedy Happy Endings. From 2016 to 2020, she had a recurring role as Abby Phillips on the Netflix series The Ranch, before becoming a main cast member in the series' second season.[4] She received praise for her performance on the Canadian comedy series Jann (2020), being nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Performance in a guest role.

Cuthbert has appeared in numerous magazines, such as Maxim, Complex, and FHM. In 2013, Maxim magazine named her "TV's most beautiful woman".[5]

Early life[edit]

Elisha Cuthbert was born in Calgary, Alberta, the daughter of Kevin, an automotive design engineer and Patricia, a housewife.[citation needed] She grew up in Greenfield Park, Quebec. In 2000, she graduated from Centennial Regional High School and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 17.[6] As a child, she participated in Girl Guide programs as a member of Girl Guides of Canada.[7]

Career[edit]

Early work[edit]

When she was nine, Cuthbert began modeling children's clothing while appearing as a foot model.[8] She made her first televised appearance as an extra in Are You Afraid of the Dark?, a horror-themed series for children; she later became a regular on the show. Cuthbert co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids with Jay Baruchel, filmed in Montreal. Her reporting captured the attention of Hillary Clinton, who invited her to the White House.[9]

Cuthbert landed a role in a feature film in the family drama Dancing on the Moon (1997). She appeared in other Canadian family films and in an airplane thriller, Airspeed. In 2000, Cuthbert co-starred in Believe, a Canadian film with Ricky Mabe. The following year she starred in the Canadian television movie, Lucky Girl, and was awarded a Gemini Award for her performance.[10]

2000s[edit]

Cuthbert with cast of 24 at a screening for the 24 season 7 finale

Soon after moving to Hollywood, she was cast as Kim Bauer, daughter of federal agent Jack Bauer, in the television series 24. She appeared in the show's first three seasons, but not in its fourth; she guest-starred in two episodes in the fifth season. She also reprised her role as Kim Bauer in 24: The Game and again guest-starred in five episodes of the seventh season and in two episodes of the eighth season.

She began her Hollywood film career with small roles in Old School, which grossed $87 million. Cuthbert next appeared in Love Actually, which earned $246.4 million worldwide.[11]

Her first break in a major film role was in 2004, The Girl Next Door. She played an ex–porn star, Danielle, opposite Emile Hirsch. She had reservations about taking the part, but director Luke Greenfield persuaded her to accept the role. Cuthbert did research for the film speaking to adult actresses from Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment.[12] The film was compared to Risky Business[13][14] although Cuthbert said her character was not directly based on Rebecca De Mornay's. Critics were divided; some praised the film for boldness, while others, notably Roger Ebert, called it gimmicky and exploitative.[15][16] Ebert wrote that he saw Cuthbert's character as "quite the most unpleasant character I have seen in some time."[17] The View London said: "Cuthbert is surprisingly good, too – aside from being drop dead gorgeous, she also proves herself a capable comic actress in the Cameron Diaz mould".[18] Cuthbert won two nominations for the MTV Movie Awards for Best Kiss and Best Breakthrough Performance.

In her next film, Cuthbert starred with Paris Hilton and Chad Michael Murray in the 2005 remake of the horror film House of Wax. In one scene, her character attempted to open her mouth while her lips were sealed with glue. For realism, she used Superglue over prosthetics.[19] House of Wax was largely panned, critics citing a range of flaws. It was called "notable for having some of the most moronic protagonists ever to populate a horror film," though of those characters, critics tended to think Cuthbert "did the best". Though it received negative reviews the film was a box office success, which grossed $70 million worldwide.[20] The Houston Chronicle cited Cuthbert as an exception.[21] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle said of the film, "Elisha Cuthbert's matter-of-fact, likable quality helps. Seeing her turn into wax would be as bad as seeing that happen to Glenda Farrell (the star of the 1933 version)."[22] The Movie said: "The performances are always professional and understated in their believable cogency, particularly Cuthbert, a talented, beautiful young actress who has proven time and again just what a multilayered and promising future she has ahead of her. Cuthbert digs into the role of Carly with strength, determination, and horrified realism; you believe as you watch her that she is going through these things and forget all about the actor playing the part, which is the biggest compliment of all.[23] Brian Orndorf of Filmjerk.com said: "[Paris] Hilton ... only plays her known personality in the film. She's overshadowed by the strong work from the rest of the cast, notably Chad Michael Murray and especially Elisha Cuthbert, who gives the film a strong dose of enthusiasm with her Jamie Lee Curtis-esque performance."[24] Cuthbert was nominated at Teen Choice Awards in two categories Choice Movie: Actress – Action / Adventure / Thriller and Choice Movie: Rumble.

Cuthbert promoting 24 in May 2009

Cuthbert's next film was the indie film The Quiet. She was a co-star and co-producer. She played Nina, a 17-year-old cheerleader who is sexually abused by her father. Cuthbert looked to her younger cousin as her inspiration in portraying a teenager.[25] The Quiet, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival and received a limited release in Los Angeles and New York City on 25 August 2006[26] before expanding regionally in the US on September 1. Cuthbert initially wanted to play the part of the silent Dot, but director Jamie Babbit cast Camilla Belle in the role instead[27] after Thora Birch pulled out.[28] Babbit reasoned "To me, Dot has to be someone you could believe would be invisible in high school. You look at Elisha, this beautiful woman with the most perfect body you've ever seen, and you think, there's no high school in America where this girl could be invisible. No matter how much hair and makeup I do, it's not going to happen." The Daily Californian conceded that "Despite the plot's failings, Cuthbert does a convincing job in her role, exuding an outer shell so tough that when her inner, softer layers emerge, it's a natural change of character.[29] Empire Movies agreed, commenting "this is Elisha Cuthbert's best film performance to date. Cuthbert's Nina has the majority of the most graphic and disturbing dialogue in the film, especially during one particular lunchroom scene where the camera is close up on Cuthbert and Belle's faces."

Cuthbert appeared in the music video for Weezer's "Perfect Situation" in early 2006, playing the group's fictional original singer who threw a tantrum that led to Rivers Cuomo, the roadie, becoming the band's frontman.[30] She also had a small role in Paris Hilton's music video for the song "Nothing in This World".[31]

In 2007, Cuthbert appeared in Captivity, a thriller centered on a fashion model taunted by a psychopath who imprisons her in a cellar.[32][33] She was nominated for a Razzie award as Worst Actress[34] and Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller for the movie.[35] The film grossed $10.9 million at the box office.[36] The critic Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger said, "When, in the last few minutes, Cuthbert finally slipped her bonds and began looking for her tormentors, I knew exactly how she felt."[37] The View London said: "The worst Cuthbert struggles to make her character sympathetic because the script doesn't give her anything to work with, while Daniel Gillies is too creepy-looking to convince as a potential love interest."[38]

In He Was a Quiet Man, Cuthbert played Vanessa, a quadriplegic; she starred alongside Christian Slater. The film was in limited release in 2007, and it was released on DVD in early 2008.[39] The critic Peter Bradshaw in his review for The Guardian praised Cuthbert's performance, writing that she "is very good".[40] In 2008, Cuthbert appeared in My Sassy Girl, a remake of a Korean film, starring with Jesse Bradford. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India said the "Elisha is cute and their zany affair keeps the reels rolling in an unusual love story with the usual heartbreak and happy home-comings".[41] Although Lacey Mical (Callahan) Walker of Christian Spotlight on Entertainment was not impressed by Bradford performance, she praised Cuthbert's, saying, "Elisha Cuthbert's talent rises above the character she was given to play, and she almost saves the bitter first half with a stellar performance".[42]

Her next film was the family comedy, The Six Wives of Henry Lefay with Tim Allen, in which she played his daughter. She starred in the Canadian miniseries Guns. She was a judge in season two, episode two of Project Runway Canada. Designers were challenged to create a "party dress" for her.[43] Cuthbert reprised her character Kim Bauer in the seventh season of 24 for five episodes.[44] She was to star in the CBS drama pilot Ny-Lon, playing a New York literacy teacher/record-store clerk who embarks on a transatlantic romance with a London stockbroker. The project, based on a British series starring Rashida Jones and Stephen Moyer, was cancelled.[45]

In December 2009, ABC said Cuthbert had joined the cast of The Forgotten in a recurring role as Maxine Denver, a Chicago professional.[46] It was expected for Cuthbert to play the role of Trixie in sports action- comedy film Speed Racer (2008), but Christina Ricci was eventually chosen.[47]

2010s[edit]

From April 2011 to May 2013, Cuthbert starred as Alex Kerkovich for three seasons on the ABC ensemble comedy Happy Endings alongside Eliza Coupe, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans Jr., and Casey Wilson.[48] Despite critical acclaim and having a cult following, the show was canceled by ABC after the conclusion of its third season on 3 May 2013. Cuthbert was nominated for the Online Film & Television Association Award in 2012 and 2013 in the category of "Best Cast in a Comedy Series"[49] and TV Guide Awards for Favorite Cast. The series was also nominated for 28 other awards including the Satellite Awards for Best Series comedy television or music. Cuthbert's performance received positive reviews from critics. In 2013, she was regarded as a promising contender for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category,[50][51][52][53] however she was not nominated.

In 2012, Cuthbert was host of the American Music Awards.[54] In October 2012, she appeared in The Gaslight Anthem's music video "Here Comes My Man", playing the girlfriend of a man who mistreats her until she imagines a romantic relationship with a character in a film and chooses to end her real relationship.[55]

In 2013, she appeared on the cover of Maxim, which named her TV's Most Beautiful Woman.[56]

In February 2014, Cuthbert signed to play the female lead role in Liz Feldman and Ellen DeGeneres' NBC sitcom pilot One Big Happy. Cuthbert stars as Lizzy, a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend Luke (played by Nick Zano) meets and marries the love of his life, Prudence.[57] Six episodes of the show were ordered on 9 May 2014, and it debuted mid-season in early 2015. The series was canceled after one season.[citation needed]

In 2015, Cuthbert joined Seann William Scott in a sequel to the 2011 comedy Goon. Goon: Last of the Enforcers began production in June in Toronto. Liev Schreiber and Alison Pill reprised their roles from the first film.[58]

In 2016, Cuthbert joined the cast of Netflix's The Ranch, a comedy series.[59]

2020s[edit]

In 2020, she started the film Eat Wheaties!.[60]

She is set to star the horror movie The Cellar,[61] Bandit and the comedy Friday Afternoon in the Universe.[62][63] For her performance in the comedy series Jann (2020), she was nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Guest Performance.[64]

Public image[edit]

Cuthbert at 97th Grey Cup in 2009

Since she began playing Kim Bauer, she has frequently been named to the magazines FHM and Maxim's annual lists of "hottest women". Her highest ranking was No. 4 in the 2008 UK Edition of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list. She was ranked No. 14 in 2003, No. 10 in 2004,[65] No. 5 in 2005,[66] No. 22 in 2006, No. 10 in 2007,[67] and No. 7 in 2009.[68] The U.S. Edition ranked her No. 53 in 2003, No. 63 in 2004, and No. 54 in 2006.

Cuthbert was ranked No. 10 by AskMen.com readers in the list "Top 99 Women of 2007."[69] In Maxim's Hot 100 list, she was ranked No. 84 in 2002,[70] No. 9 in 2003,[71] No. 21 in 2004,[72] No. 92 in 2006, No. 25 in 2007, No. 6 in 2008, No. 43 in 2009, No. 65 in 2011,[73] No. 34 in 2012,[74] and No. 10 in 2013.[75] The magazine also featured her in its Girls of Maxim Gallery. In 2013, the magazine named her the Most Beautiful Woman in Television.[76] BuddyTV ranked her No. 33 on its TV's 100 Sexiest Women of 2011 list,[77] No. 13 in 2012,[78] and No. 30 in 2015.[79] She was included in the list of The 15 Best Comedy Supporting Actresses of the 2011–2012 TV Season[80] and 2012–2013 TV Season.[81] The Canadian Business named her one of the most powerful Canadians in Hollywood,[82] and The New York Daily News listed her as one of the Sexiest Canadian celebrities of 2016.[83][84]

Complex has ranked her in The 25 Hottest Canadian Women,[85] The 100 Hottest Women of the 2000s,[86] The 25 Hottest Blonde Bombshell Actresses,[87] and The 50 Hottest Celebrity Sports Fans.[88] In 2013, GQ magazine listed her among The 100 Hottest Women of the 21st Century[89] and The 100 Sexiest Women of Millennium.[90]

Personal life[edit]

Cuthbert has two younger siblings and enjoys painting.[91] She is also an ice hockey fan. In 2005, she maintained a blog on the NHL website, though she did not post for most of the season.[92][93]

Marriage[edit]

Cuthbert and ice hockey player Dion Phaneuf, then the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced their engagement in September 2012[94][95] and married 6 July 2013 at St. James Catholic Church in Summerfield, Prince Edward Island.[96] Living in Ottawa during the ice hockey season, Cuthbert and Phaneuf spend their summers at their waterfront estate outside New London, Prince Edward Island, his parents' home province.[96][97][98] The couple have two children, a daughter born in 2017 and a son in 2022.[99][100]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role
1997 Dancing on the Moon Sarah
Nico the Unicorn Carolyn Price
1998 Airspeed Nicole Stone
1999 Believe Katherine Winslowe
Time at the Top Susan Shawson
2000 Who Gets the House? Emily Reece
2003 Love Actually American Goddess Carol
Old School Darcie Goldberg
2004 The Girl Next Door Danielle
2005 House of Wax Carly Jones
The Quiet Nina Deer
2007 Captivity Jennifer Tree
He Was a Quiet Man Vanessa
2008 My Sassy Girl Jordan Roark
Guns Frances Dett
2009 The Six Wives of Henry Lefay Barbara "Barby" Lefay
2014 Just Before I Go Penny Morgan
2017 Goon: Last of the Enforcers Mary
2020 Eat Wheaties! Janet Berry-Straw
2022 The Cellar Keira Woods
Bandit Andrea
Friday Afternoon in the Universe Eleanor

Television[edit]

<

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Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera theme by GunsOfLiberty

Download: ChristinaAguilera.p3t

Christina Aguilera Theme
(4 backgrounds)

For other uses, see Christina Aguilera (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Christina Aguilar.

Year Title Role Notes
1997–2000 Popular Mechanics for Kids Herself Host
1999–2000 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Megan Main role, 24 episodes
2000 Mail to the Chief Madison Osgood Television movie
2001 Largo Winch Abby Episode: "Dear Abby"
Lucky Girl Katlin Palmerson Television movie; also known as My Daughter's Secret Life
2001–2010 24 Kim Bauer Main role (season 1-3), Recurring role (season 5, 7-8); 79 episodes
2004 MADtv Herself / Kim Bauer 1 episode: 24 parody
2008 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Herself Episode: "Jim and Derrick"
NY-LON Edie Failed television pilot[101]
Family Guy
Christina Aguilera
Aguilera in 2023
Born
Christina María Aguilera

(1980-12-18) December 18, 1980 (age 43)
New York City, US
Other names
  • Xtina
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • television personality
Years active1993–present
Organization
Works
Spouse
Jordan Bratman
​
​
(m. 2005; div. 2011)​
PartnerMatthew Rutler (eng. 2014)
Children2
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
Websitechristinaaguilera.com
Signature

Christina María Aguilera (/ˌæɡɪˈlɛərə/ AG-il-AIR-ə, Spanish: [kɾisˈtina maˈɾi.a aɣiˈleɾa];[1] born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the "Voice of a Generation", she is noted for her four-octave vocal range, musical reinventions, sustaining high notes including use of the whistle register, and a signature use of melisma throughout her music. Recognized as an influential figure in popular music, she also became known for incorporating controversial themes such as feminism, sexuality, LGBT culture and the sex-positive movement into her work. Aguilera was also honoured as a Disney Legend, for her contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

After appearing on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1994) as a child, Aguilera recorded "Reflection", the theme for the 1998 animated film Mulan and signed a record deal with RCA Records. She rose to fame in 1999 with her self-titled debut album and the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". Aguilera also won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and followed with Mi Reflejo (2000) and My Kind of Christmas (2000); with the former becoming the best-selling Latin pop album of 2000. After gaining more control over her career, Aguilera sought a departure from her teen idol image and released Stripped (2002), which initially had a mixed response. The album later became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. Aguilera underwent another reinvention with the release of the critically praised old-school-music inspired Back to Basics (2006). Throughout these periods, she amassed numerous international successes, including the number-one single "Lady Marmalade", alongside "Beautiful", "Dirrty", "Can't Hold Us Down", "Fighter", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Hurt".

Throughout the early 2010s, Aguilera had a moderately successful period with the albums Bionic (2010) and Lotus (2012), with their respective lead singles, "Not Myself Tonight" and "Your Body", topping the US Dance Club Songs chart. She also starred in the 2010 film Burlesque and contributed to its soundtrack, earning a Golden Globe Award nomination. Aguilera returned to the top of the charts with a string of collaborations, including "Feel This Moment", "Say Something", and "Moves like Jagger"; with the latter reaching number-one on the Hot 100, making Aguilera one of the few artists to reach the top spot over three decades. She found critical success with her follow-up albums Liberation (2018) and Aguilera (2022). Her concurrent ventures included a role in the series Nashville (2015), roles in the films The Emoji Movie (2017) and Zoe (2018), becoming an ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP), performing two concert residencies, co-founding the company Playground, and serving as a coach on the reality competition show The Voice (2011–2016).

Aguilera is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 90 million records sold worldwide.[2] Considered a pop culture icon and a triple threat entertainer, she has been named one of the greatest vocalists of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone and Consequence of Sound and has been hailed as one of the most successful artists to come out of the 2000s. In 2009, Billboard named her the twentieth most successful artist of the decade, and was ranked eighth on VH1's list of greatest women in music. Aguilera has since been regarded as one of the most influential Latin artists in the entertainment industry, having helped shape the "Latin explosion" in the music industry. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, two Latin Grammy Awards, six ALMA Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), one Billboard Music Award, one Guinness World Record, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early life and education[edit]

Christina María Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980, in New York City, to Shelly Loraine (née Fidler) and Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera.[3] Her father is an Ecuadorian emigrant from Guayaquil while her mother has German, Irish, Welsh, and Dutch ancestry.[4][5] Fausto Aguilera was a United States Army sergeant, and Shelly Loraine was a violinist in the American Youth Symphony before becoming a Spanish translator.[6][7]

Due to Fausto's military service, Aguilera's family moved frequently, living in New Jersey and Texas.[8] In 1983, they moved to Japan and lived in Sagamihara for at least two years.[9] During her youth in Pittsburgh metropolitan area, Aguilera attended North Allegheny Intermediate High School before leaving there to be homeschooled to avoid bullying she experienced at school.[10][11]

In 1986, the family returned to the United States, and settled in Pennsylvania, where they welcomed her younger sister, Rachel, in 1986.[12] Aguilera has spoken out about her father's physically and emotionally abusive behavior.[13] She noted that this is what made her turn to music, noting that, "growing up in an unstable environment and whatnot, music was my only real escape".[14] In 1987, Shelly filed to divorce Fausto and moved with Aguilera and Rachel to her mother's home in Rochester, a suburb of Pittsburgh.[15] She later married James Kearns with whom she had a son named Michael.[16] In 2012, following decades of estrangement, Aguilera expressed interest in reconciling with her biological father.[17]

Aguilera moving to her grandmother's home allowed her to explore her grandmother's records, which featured mostly soul and blues singers and increased her interest in music.[18] She also began to practice singing in public and competing in talent contests.[19] Following numerous contests, she earned reputation in her neighborhood as the "little girl with a big voice" and received widespread attention from local television and radio programs.[20][21]

In 1990, she performed the popular song "A Sunday Kind of Love" on the reality competition show Star Search, but was eliminated during the semi-final round.[22] Aguilera was eventually invited to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football, and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games, and at the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.[23][24]

Career[edit]

1993–1998: Career beginnings[edit]

In 1991, Aguilera auditioned for a position on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (MMC), aired on the Disney Channel. She ran against 400 candidates, and while she made the shortlist she was ultimately rejected for not meeting the minimum age requirement.[25] One year later, in 1992, Aguilera received a call from one of the show's producers asking if she was still interested in becoming a "Mouseketeer". She once again competed for a spot (this time, against 15,000 candidates) and was selected to join the variety program the following year.[26] Her fellow cast members included Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake.[27] During the show recordings—which included Aguilera performing musical numbers and comedy sketches—she moved with her family to Orlando, Florida.[28] In 1994, it was reported the series would not return for a new season.[29]

Aiming to begin a music career, Aguilera moved to Japan in 1997. She was selected to record a duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi, with whom she performed in concert shows around the country.[30] Their song, "All I Wanna Do", was released as a single but failed to reach commercial success.[20] In June 1997, Aguilera went on to Romania to represent the United States in a singers contest during the Golden Stag Festival, but she failed to win over the audience.[31]

Seeking a recording contract, Aguilera recorded numerous demo tapes directed to record labels, including Walt Disney Records, for which she sent a cover of "Run to You" by Whitney Houston.[32] She eventually was chosen to record "Reflection", the theme song from the animated film Mulan (1998), which reached number 15 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[33] Following the attention she received with "Reflection", Aguilera caught the ear of Ron Fair, the A&R executive from RCA Records, who consequently signed Aguilera to the label.[8] In late 1998, she began to record her debut studio album into which producers reportedly invested over $1 million worth of writers, producers and vocal lessons.[8]

1999–2001: Breakthrough with debut album[edit]

In May 1999, Aguilera released "Genie in a Bottle", the lead single off her long-awaited debut album, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and became the second best-selling single of 1999.[34] The song became an international success, increasing Aguilera's popularity worldwide, topping the charts in over 20 countries.[35] The single also attracted the attention of conservatives including celebrities such as Debbie Gibson that spoke out against its lyrical content, and was eventually considered "too provocative" to be sung by a teen idol.[36][37] Due to the criticism, Radio Disney replaced the song with a censored version.[38] The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.[39]

Aguilera's self-titled debut album, Christina Aguilera, was released on August 24, 1999, to critical praise, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200.[40] It catapulted Aguilera into fame globally and sold over ten million copies in its first year.[41] It was later certified eight times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[42] and it has sold over 17 million copies worldwide.[43][44] Originally, Aguilera's desire was to create material directly inspired by R&B and soul, but the label opted for a more teen pop production due the genre's high financial return in the late 1990s.[45] At the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, Aguilera won the Best New Artist category for which Time credited the award for "[helping] certify her credentials as a real singer".[46]

I was completely blown away, shocked, overwhelmed and thrilled. I didn't expect it. I've dreamed of that since I was eight years old. I was rambling off the top of my head, my knees were shaking and I'm still floating on air because of it!

—Aguilera on winning Best New Artist at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.[47]

After the album's release, "What a Girl Wants", topped the Hot 100 and is recognised as the first new number one entry on the chart for the 2000's decade.[48] The song was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[48] This was followed with "I Turn to You" which reached number three there,[40] and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" which became Aguilera's third number one song and achieved worldwide success.[49] She also released a cover of "The Christmas Song" in November 1999 which peaked at number 18 and became the second highest charting position of the song after the original in 1944.[50]

In May 2000, Aguilera embarked on her debut concert tour, Christina Aguilera in Concert, which toured North America, Latin America, Europe, and Japan until February 2001.[51][52] Her success continued to rise with the release of her second studio album, Mi Reflejo, in September 2000 which topped both the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums for nineteen consecutive weeks.[53] The album featured Spanish-language versions of several songs from her debut album along with new songs, and had Latin pop themes.[54] Three singles were release for the album including the Spanish version of "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" titled "Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú)", "Pero Me Acuerdo de Ti" and "Falsas Esperanzas".[55] The latter two were performed at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[56] The album went on to be the best-selling Latin pop album of 2000 and was later certified six times Latin platinum by the RIAA.[28][57] Mi Reflejo also reached the platinum stats in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain.[58] At the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the album won Best Female Pop Vocal Album.[59]

In October 2000, Aguilera also released her third studio album, My Kind of Christmas, her first Christmas album, which reached number one on the US Top Holiday Albums chart.[60][61] The album received generally polarized reviews at the time but has since gone on to retrospectively receive praise.[62] Aguilera starred in a holiday special, My Reflection, which aired on December 3, 2000, on ABC.[63] Aguilera's commercial success saw her being named the 2000 Top Female Pop Act by Billboard.[64] The same year, she also filed a fiduciary duty against manager Steve Kurtz for "improper, undue, and inappropriate influence over her professional activities".[65] She eventually hired Irving Azoff to manage her career, aiming for control of her career and image.[65]

On January 16, 2001, Aguilera featured on Ricky Martin's "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely", which topped charts internationally and peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100, becoming her fifth top-20 hit in the US.[66][67] The song was ranked at number 65 on VH1's "100 Greatest Love Songs",[68] and was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards.[69] In April of that year, Aguilera featured alongside Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink on "Lady Marmalade" from the soundtrack for the film, Moulin Rouge! (2001).[70] The song received positive reviews and topped the Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming Aguilera's fourth number one.[71][72] The song also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.[73]

In August 2001, Warlock Records released Just Be Free, a demo album recorded by Aguilera between 1994 and 1995 while she was looking for a recording deal following the end of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (MMC).[74] She filed a suit against the label and the album's producers aiming to stop the release of the album; however, both parties came to a confidential settlement to release the album, in which Aguilera lent out her name, likeness, and image for an unspecified amount of damages.[75]

2002–2004: New image with Stripped[edit]

With a new management, Aguilera started moving away from her teen pop niche and began working on a new project.[76] She cultivated a new image by adopting the alter ego Xtina, dyeing her hair black, and sporting several tattoos and body piercings.[77] Aguilera's new persona was widely criticized by media outlets.[78][79][80] In September 2002, she released the controversial song, "Dirrty", which garnered mixed reviews and peaked as number 48 on Billboard Hot 100.[45] The song's accompanying music video generated controversy for depicting overtly sexual fetishes,[81] and attracted the attention of conservative organizations and moralists who sought to have the video banned on MTV.[82] The video also sparked protests in Thailand and was eventually banned on the country's local television.[83][84] "Dirrty" topped the charts in the UK and Ireland,[85] and has gone on to become a cult classic.[86]

Aguilera performing on The Stripped Tour in 2003

Aguilera's fourth studio album,

Posted on

Holly Valance

Holly Valance theme by GunsOfLiberty

Download: HollyValance.p3t

Holly Valance Theme
(5 backgrounds)

Not to be confused with Holly Palance.

Holly Valance
Valance in 2006, advertising the reverse charges service 1800 Reverse
Born
Holly Rachel Vukadinović

(1983-05-11) 11 May 1983 (age 41)
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Other namesHolly Candy
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • model
  • activist
Years active1997–present
Political partyReform UK
Spouse
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
RelativesOlympia Valance (half-sister)
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
LabelsLondon
Websitehollyvalance.com

Holly Rachel Candy (née Vukadinović; born 11 May 1983), known professionally as Holly Valance, is an Australian and British former actress, singer and model, and a right-wing political activist.

Valance became well known for her role as Felicity Scully on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1999–2002) and later played Nika Volek in Prison Break (2005–2006). Her film roles include DOA: Dead or Alive (2006), Pledge This! (2006), Taken (2008), and Kambakkht Ishq (2009). Her first album, Footprints (2002), provided three top three singles: "Kiss Kiss", "Down Boy" and "Naughty Girl". The title song of her second and final album, State of Mind (2003), was also a UK top ten single. She has become involved in UK and US politics as a prominent supporter and fundraiser for Nigel Farage and Donald Trump.

Early life[edit]

Holly Valance was born on 11 May 1983, as Holly Rachel Vukadinović,[2] in Fitzroy, Victoria, to a Serbian father from Montenegro, Rajko Vukadinović, and an English mother Rachel (née Stephens) from Southampton.[3][4][5] Her father was a former pianist and model in his native Belgrade, Serbia, former Yugoslavia.[6][7] Her mother, whose father was a relative of comedian Benny Hill, was a model in the United Kingdom.[5][6][7] Valance's parents divorced in 1986. Valance has a sister, Coco. Rajko later remarried and Holly has a half-sister, Olympia, who has also acted in Neighbours as Paige Smith (2014–2018, 2020, 2022).[8] In Melbourne Rajko ran a "trendy imported European clothes store".[9][10]

Valance started modelling as a teenager, when "she posed for supermarket catalogues and ad campaigns and by 14 she was earning $200 an hour modelling children's clothes and teenage lingerie."[9] She grew up in Melbourne and moved to the UK when she was 18; she holds both Australian and British citizenship.[11][12] After two years she moved to Los Angeles, where she spent seven years before returning to the United Kingdom.[11]

Career[edit]

1999–2003: Neighbours and music[edit]

In 1999 at age 16, Valance was cast in the Australian TV soap opera, Neighbours, as Felicity "Flick" Scully.[13] Soon after gaining the role she left her Catholic school, "where girls were given detention for wearing make-up or having a hem above the knee."[9] She appeared in Human Nature's music video for "He Don't Love You" (November 2000), "in a raunchy shower scene."[9][14] Valance left Neighbours in 2002 to start her music career.[15] Her first single, released in April 2002, was "Kiss Kiss", an English language cover version of Turkish singer, Tarkan's "Şımarık".[14] It entered both the ARIA Singles and UK Singles Charts at No. 1. It charted in the top ten in seventeen countries, and went to number one in North Macedonia. The song was nominated for four ARIA Music Awards in 2002.[16]

Valance's second single, "Down Boy" (September), peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 3 in Australia. Her first album, Footprints, was released on 14 October 2002, which reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 15 in Australia. She co-wrote the album track "The Harder They Come" with Rob Davis, who supplied guitar for the album.[17][18] The album's third and final single, "Naughty Girl", peaked at No. 3 in Australia and No. 16 in the UK. Valance's second album, State of Mind, appeared in November 2003 and its title track was the lead single.[14] It peaked at No. 8 in the UK and at No. 14 in Australia. Valance dropped London Recordings in 2004 and said she was no longer interested in recording music.[19]

2004–2013: Prison Break and films[edit]

Valance at an airport filming an advert for 1800 Reverse, in 2006

In 2004, Valance returned to acting, this time in the United States, appearing in episodes of the television series CSI: Miami and Entourage. In 2005, she appeared in an episode of CSI: NY. In 2005 Valance returned to music, albeit briefly, when she appeared on Har Mar Superstar's album The Handler singing on the tracks, "DUI", "Back the Camel Up" and "Body Request".[20] She appeared in Prison Break in 2006 as Nika Volek, a role which she continued to portray in the show's second season. Also in 2006, Valance appeared in the National Lampoon comedy Pledge This!, alongside American socialite Paris Hilton. The same year, she starred in DOA: Dead or Alive, an adaptation of the popular video game Dead or Alive, in which she played Christie. In 2007, she appeared in the TV series Shark and Moonlight. In 2008 she had a role in the film Taken alongside Liam Neeson, and appeared in an episode of The CW series Valentine.

In 2009, she appeared in Frankmusik's video for his single "Confusion Girl". She also leaked a track called "Superstar" in 2009. In 2009 Valance played Brenda Snow for the video game Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising. She also appeared in Scott Caan's film Mercy.[21] Valance took part in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Dancing,[22] where she was paired with the professional winner of series 8, Artem Chigvintsev.[23] Valance and Chigvintsev were eliminated in the semi-final of the competition on 11 December 2011, giving them a fourth-place finish. She also starred in the Miss Marple television episode called "The Pale Horse". In 2011, Valance appeared in an advert for Foster's Gold bottled beer.[24]

In 2013, Valance was mentor and judge of fashion competition Shopaholic Showdown.[25]

2013–present: Hiatus and other projects[edit]

In 2013, Valance took a hiatus from her artistic career to prioritise her family, and has since been doing charity work as Ambassador of The Children's Trust, the UK's leading charity for children with brain injury and neurodisability.[26] Since then, her only new role has been an appearance in the movie Red Herring, released in 2015 and shot in 2013.[27] On 28 July 2022, Valance was seen in a cameo appearance as Felicity Scully, in what was intended to be the final-ever Neighbours episode. Her appearance was filmed in England alongside that of Natalie Imbruglia's character, Beth Brennan.[28][29]

Personal life[edit]

From 2005 to 2009 Valance dated Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin.[30] In 2010 she started dating billionaire British property developer Nick Candy, whom she married on 29 September 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.[31] In November 2013, Valance gave birth in London to their first child, a daughter.[32] In September 2017, they had a second daughter.[33]

Political views[edit]

According to The Guardian in 2024, Valance has "rapidly risen to become radical-right royalty".[34] In February that year, she attended the launch of the new British conservative movement Popular Conservatism, led by former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss. In a series of clips posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Valance was interviewed by Christopher Hope of GB News,[35] and was asked about her views on various issues. Her view on "the climate crisis or lack of" was that "cleaner, cheaper energy is what we need".[36] Asked about her political views, she said, "I would say that everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home then realises what crap ideas they all are, and then you go to the right."[37] Valance said her top political priority was Britain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and the establishment of a British bill of rights, adding that "the trickle-down effect would be a huge step in the right direction".[34]

A close personal friend of Nigel Farage,[38] Valance said she persuaded him to stand for Parliament in the 2024 general election.[39] In a 2024 interview she stated she was a member of Reform UK[39] and would be voting for them in the general election. She said, "I support anybody that sticks to what they believe in and isn't a turncoat, and doesn't do a million flip-flops and U-turns."[40][41] She helped the party raise £1.5 million within days of Farage's return as leader.[42]

Having previously stayed at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort,[34] in 2024 she became the "UK poster girl"[38] for Trump's US presidential campaign, and co-hosted a large fundraiser in London on 11 June.[43]

Legal issues[edit]

In January 2002, Valance dismissed her then-manager Scott Michaelson by telephone, 15 months before his contract was due to expire. In 2003, Biscayne Partners sued Valance Corp., won the case and was awarded damages by the Supreme Court of New South Wales.[44][45] During the trial, Valance's mother said Michaelson had been negligent as a manager, which forced her to take over from him.[46] The former Neighbours co-star Kym Valentine also gave evidence that Valance "said she was feeling bad, a bit stressed out, because she was leaving Scott" and that "she said the solicitors for her record company would get her out of the contract and would be faxing him the paper work (from the UK) to do so."[47] In court, Valance denied that she had said this to Valentine, even though she had signed an affidavit stating she had no recollection of the conversation.[48][49]

Justice Clifford Einstein said, "I have given close consideration to the question of whether or not the circumstances presently before the Court which do, it seems to me, show a calculated disregard of the rights of Biscayne as well as a cynical pursuit of benefit".[44] The court subsequently ordered Valance Corp. pay $350,000 to Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. Of this amount, $47,264.56 was "from shares Ms Valance and Mr Michaelson had bought together on the London Stock Exchange",[50] though the court did not award in favour of Biscayne getting a percentage of sales of her album, State of Mind.[44][51]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2006 DOA: Dead or Alive Christie Allen
2006 Pledge This! Jessica
2008 Taken Sheerah
2009 Kambakkht Ishq Herself
2010 Luster Sally
2011 Surviving Georgia Rose
2011 Big Mamma's Boy Katie
2015 Red Herring Angela

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
  • 1999–2002
  • 2005
  • 2022
 Neighbours Felicity Scully
  • Main role
  • Episode: "20th Anniversary"
  • Episode: "The Finale"
2004 CSI: Miami Kay Coleman Episode: "Addiction"
2005 Entourage Leanna Episode: "My Maserati Does 185"
2005 CSI: NY Lydia Episode: "YoungBlood"
2005–2006 Prison Break Nika Volek Recurring role (seasons 1–2)
2007 Moonlight Lola Episode: "B.C."
2007 Shark Christina Shaw Episode: "Every Breath You Take"
2008 Valentine Vivi Langdon Episode: "Act Naturally"
2010 Agatha Christie's Marple Kanga Episode: "The Pale Horse"
2011 Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant (season 9)
2013 Shopaholic Showdown Herself Judge

Video game[edit]

Discography[edit]

Main article: Holly Valance discography

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Title of work Result
2000 Logie Award Most Popular New Talent – Female Neighbours Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Highest Selling Single "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Best Female Artist "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Breakthrough Artist – Single "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Best Pop Release "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 MTV Video Music Awards International Viewers Choice Awards - Australia "Kiss Kiss" Won[52]
2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards Breakthrough Artist Herself Won
2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards Best Single "Kiss Kiss" Won

References[edit]

  1. ^ Taylor, Paul (4 August 2004). "Holly Valance – Footprints (London)". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Holly Valance | Miss 'Kiss-Kiss'". FHM. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Holly Valance Interview - Five Minutes With..." You Tube. 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  4. ^ Gibbs, Ed (17 July 2011). "Almost famous". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Blic Online". Blic.rs. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b Farkas, D. (5 October 2008). "Holi Valans: Srpkinja u pohodu na Holivud". Nadlanu.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Blic Online". Blic.rs. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Holly Candy and sister Olympia Valance lead stars in celebrating Neighbours 30th anniversary". HELLO!. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d
    Posted on

    Brotherhood of Death

    Brotherhood of Death theme by Thornatos

    Download: BrotherhoodOfDeath.p3t

    Brotherhood of Death Theme
    (3 backgrounds, wallpapers SD only)

    This article is about the film. For the secret society based at Yale University, see Skull & Bones.
    Brotherhood of Death
    Directed byRichard F. Barker and Bill Berry
    Produced byRonald K. Goldman
    StarringRoy Jefferson
    Le Tari
    Haskell Anderson
    Release date
    • 1976 (1976)
    Running time
    		78 minutes
    CountryUnited States
    LanguageEnglish
    Budget$200,000-$250,000 USD

    Brotherhood of Death is a low-budget 1976 action film in the blaxploitation genre, directed by Richard F. Barker and Bill Berry, and starring Roy Jefferson, Le Tari, and Haskell Anderson. The film featured appearances by several members, including Jefferson, of the Washington Redskins professional football team of the National Football League.

    Plot[edit]

    In the mid-to-late 1960s, three young men leave their small Southern hometown to join the United States Army and fight in the Vietnam War. Upon their return home, they take up the cause of battling the racial injustices prevalent in the town. When the town's Ku Klux Klan members offer a murderously violent reaction to their efforts, the trio uses the lessons they learned in the army, fighting the Vietcong, to conduct an all-out war against the Klan.

    Cast[edit]

    • Roy Jefferson as Raymond Moffat
    • Le Tari as Ned Tiese
    • Haskell Anderson as Junior Moffat
    • Mike Thomas as Newton "Newt" Biggars
    • Mick Hodge as "Ace"
    • Ron David as Leroy Winniford
    • Rick Ellis as Harold Turner
    • Brian Donohue as Deputy Myrick
    • Ed Heath as Preacher
    • Mike Bass as Captain Quinn
    • Bryan Clark as Sheriff
    • Kandy Hooker as Louise Freeman
    • Mark Robinson as Dope Dealer Soldier
    • Vacountess E. Payne as Rose
    • Jon Feather as Army Instructor
    • Holly Hjretberg as Leroy's Girlfriend
    • Barbara Cherry as Raymond's Girlfriend

    Production[edit]

    The film was the brainchild of its executive producer, Ronald K. Goldman, a Washington, D.C. native and a veteran of blaxploitation film production. Guided by his previous experiences, Goldman devised a plan to make a film with a very low budget, to be produced entirely outside of the Hollywood establishment, and which he felt highly confident would still prove to be profitable.[1]

    Specifically, Goldman had deemed the quality of the acting in blaxploitation films to be unimpressive, even in those films which had been financially successful. Reasoning that even untrained actors could provide performances of similar quality, Goldman leveraged the fact that he knew some members of the Washington Redskins football team and convinced them to appear in his film. He thus gained some marquee value from their sports celebrity status without having to pay the higher salaries that would have been required to employ experienced actors who would have generated a similar level of public interest.[1]

    Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKKK) billboard shown in Brotherhood of Death

    Goldman saved additional money by hiring a first-time director and having nearly the entire film shot in Montgomery County, near Washington.[1] One exception was an actual Ku Klux Klan recruitment highway billboard which was featured in the film, suggesting the level of the Klan's support and influence in the town depicted in the movie. Such billboards were a relatively common sight in the South during the mid-1960s time period that served as the film's setting. However, by the time of filming in 1976, the majority of them had been removed. The billboard that was ultimately used in the movie (shown right) was filmed at its location on U.S. Route 70 at the city limits of Smithfield, North Carolina. The sign was maintained there until the late 1970s, making Smithfield one of the last towns that the filmmakers could have found which continued to have such a sign displayed.[2][3][4]

    The bar sequences were filmed at the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter #7 club house, located on Maryland Route 197 in Bowie, Maryland under the leadership of John "Jack" Federici, who appeared in the film with several other disabled war veterans.[citation needed]

    Reception[edit]

    According to Goldman, his financial strategy of pursuing a very low budget succeeded in ensuring the profitability of Brotherhood of Death. Goldman reported that the film brought in approximately $1 million USD, after having been made at a cost of between $200,000 and $250,000.[1] Nonetheless, the film was widely panned by critics, did not find a lasting place in the public consciousness, and became one of the essentially forgotten entries of the blaxploitation film era.[1]

    Among those who liked the film, however, was director Quentin Tarantino, and he would eventually give the film a renewed exposure. Tarantino has twice screened Brotherhood of Death at the Quentin Tarantino Film Festival, and the news of his advocacy of the film was among the factors that led to the decision to release it on DVD in 2005.[1] Since then, it has aired numerous times on the Independent Film Channel (IFC) cable television network, with IFC's Matt Singer having expressed admiration for the movie.[5]

    Misidentification of the cast[edit]

    The liner notes in the DVD release of Brotherhood of Death incorrectly ascribe Tari's and Anderson's leading roles to Redskins players Mike Bass and Mike Thomas. Although Bass and Thomas were among the football players who appeared in the film, Jefferson was the only one of the three leading actors who was a Redskins player. Some reviewers, such as online film critic Harry Knowles, have similarly misidentified Redskins receiver Larry Jones as one of the three leading actors.[6] In keeping with Goldman's plan to utilize the players' marquee value as famed sports stars, the film's one-sheet and other promotional materials featured the football players — even those with smaller roles — over unknown leading actors Tari and Anderson, perhaps contributing to the later misconceptions.[7][8] In more recent years, Brotherhood of Death was made available as a dual release DVD with Fred Williamson's One Down, Two to Go. Due to misleading crediting of the films on this release, the lead role in Brotherhood of Death was attributed to Fred Williamson, who in fact had no involvement in the feature.

    References[edit]

    1. ^ a b c d e f McKenna, Dave. (2005, March 4–10). "The Bad, the Bad, and the Ugly", Washington City Paper
    2. ^ Locke, Mandy. (2006, October 5). "Judge to address swindling claim[permanent dead link]", The News & Observer
      "Ethridge began working in Smithfield in the mid-1970s, one of two lawyers who were the first blacks to set up a practice in Johnston County. In those days, a billboard greeted people driving into town on U.S. 70 with the words 'The KKKK welcomes you to Smithfield'"
    3. ^ Sims, Patsy. The Klan, Chapter 3, (New York: Stein and Day, 1978). ISBN 978-0-8128-2268-7
      "Only half the sign was left ... Before earlier high winds ripped it apart the billboard had proclaimed: THIS IS KLAN COUNTRY. The remnant was a faded reminder of a time in the mid-sixties when North Carolina was referred to as 'Klansville, U.S.A.' ... Similar billboards encouraging motorists to JOIN & SUPPORT UNITED KLANS OF AMERICA INC. became as commonplace as Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club greetings ... Now most of the billboards had disappeared from the highways, ... There was [still] a sign farther up Route 70, next to the Smithfield city limits; another outside Goldsboro on 117 North; and this ravaged one, southeast of Raleigh, near Princeton."
    4. ^ Associated Press. (1977, May 25)., "Smithfield Landmark, Klan Sign, Scheduled to Be Torn down" Times-News, Page 6
    5. ^ Singer, Matt. (2009, February). "Four Blaxploitation Films Off the Beaten Path", ifc.com
    6. ^ Knowles, Harry. (2001, August 24). "QT5 - Good Ol Boy Night (well not exactly) - DIXIE DYNAMITE and the amazing BROTHERHOOD OF DEATH", Ain't It Cool News
      "The three lead heroes Roy Jefferson, Mike Bass and Larry Jones of the Washington Redskins are absolutely charismatic as all hell in this flick."
    7. ^ Image of Brotherhood of Death movie one-sheet
    8. ^ Photocopied images of Brotherhood of Death promotional items

    External links[edit]