Tom Cruise: I always dreamt of making movies

Tom Cruise made a mark for himself as an actor and filmmaker in Hollywood and the star confesses that he dreamt of making films ever since he was four years old.

His next production venture, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, in which he plays the lead role, is ready to hit screens worldwide on December 21.

"I think it's about the 20th film I have produced. I love cinema, I love movies and my whole life. Since when I was four years old, I remember I dreamt of making movies, so I started producing," said the 49-year-old actor.

Cruise turned producer with Mission: Impossible and continued with movies like Vanilla Sky, The Last Samurai and Mission Impossible III.

"Mission: Impossible was the film I produced and I came up with the idea of making the series into movies because, as a child, I saw the series and I thought it would make a great film because there wasn't anything like that. And you know it's fun hiring directors, writers and being involved in casting and story," he added.

Ghost Protocol also features Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Michael Nyqvist and Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor.

Meanwhile, Cruise is very clear about continuing with the franchise.

"There are lots of stories and lots of places to go," said the actor, who has enjoyed 30 years in the industry.

Cruise made his acting debut with the 1981 movie Endless Love and he has appeared in 30-odd films. His next release will be Rock of Ages directed by Adam Shankman.

Don't miss it
Tom Cruise makes his first official appearance at a press conference for Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol at the Burj Khalifa at 11am this morning. tabloid! will be live tweeting from the conference. catch the full story — with interviews with all the film’s stars, plus a review, in tomorrow ’s tabloid!

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Three's a trend: Look-alike marriages

Steven Tyler and Erin Brady

Who are they? Erin, 38, is a model, and do we really need to introduce camp-as-a-row-of-tents Aerosmith rocker, Steven Tyler, 68, who's also American Idol's kookiest judge? His one-liners were mind-boggling. Our fave? "Confucius says crowded elevators smell differently to midgets." We have no idea either.
Relationship status They met in 2006 - came to Dubai to party at Cavalli Club in 2009 - and got engaged last month.
Key similarity point Big pouts, oval faces, luscious locks - they both look like Janice Dickinson. Dude looks like a lady.
Fashion tip Overdo it. All the time.

Nikki Reed and Paul McDonald

Who are they? Nikki, 23, plays vampire Rosalie Hale in Twilight and Paul, 27, was a 2011 finalist on American Idol (which starts again next week!)
Relationship status They met at the premiere of Little Red Riding Hood last March (Nikki blushed when she first met Paul), became engaged in June and got married in October in Malibu. Divorced by next March? We hope not.
Key similarity points Take away Paul's beard and the bottom half of their faces are identical: their wide smiles are both the shape of upside down 'taches.
Beauty tip How do they keep their pearlies so bright? Maybe they rub rare Icelandic snow on their teeth? Or just brush after every meal (and have constant whitening treatments)? 

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Al Kass Int’l Cup U-17: Vasco, Kashima Antlers win

Action from the Group C game between Aspire International and Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in the ongoing Al Kass International Cup U-17 tournament held at the Aspire ground in Doha yesterday. Vasco won 3-1 to go top of the group, which also include Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam. In the day’s other match, Japan’s Kashima Antlers stunned Italy’s Juventus 3-1 to join Aspire Qatar at the top of Group A on three points. Today, the Antlers will play UAE’s Al Jazira while Egypt’s Al Ahly take on Barcelona.

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Pietersen changes sides in India’s IPL

England’s batting star Kevin Pietersen has left Deccan Chargers to play for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League this year, his new franchise said yesterday.

Pietersen, who turned out for Bangalore Royal Challengers in 2009 and 2010, had signed up with the Hyderabad-based Chargers last year, but could not play for them following a hernia surgery.

The exciting right-hander was picked up by the Virender Sehwag-captained Delhi Daredevils during the transfer window for the fifth edition to be played from April 4 to May 27.

“We are pleased to add Kevin to our line-up,” said T.A. Sekhar, the cricket head of GMR Sports, owners of the Delhi Daredevils franchise.

“He brings rich experience and an explosive quality to our batting and can be a more than handy off-spinner as well.

“We are sure that Kevin will help us to be very competitive this season and the Delhi Daredevils fans will enjoy this addition.”

Pietersen, preparing for England’s Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates later this month, said he was relishing the opportunity of playing in the same team as Sehwag.

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Jagger honorary "ambassador" in Peru`s Amazon

Lima - Rock legend Mick Jagger was named an honorary ambassador for tourism in the Madre de Dios region of the Amazon rainforest, tasked with helping promote and preserve the Peruvian region`s fragile ecosystem.

"You are our ally. Your presence is a great support in our fight to protect our ecology, to the effort to draw world attention to the Madre de Dios area," said the regional tourism director Juan Carlos Arzola.

The remote region of Madre de Dios -- a name which means "mother of God," in Spanish -- borders Brazil, Bolivia and the southeastern Peruvian regions of Puno, Cusco and Ucayali.

The Rolling Stones frontman, 68, is accompanied on his Peruvian travels by his girlfriend, the former model L`Wren Scott and their toddler son.

Jagger was also given various gifts by indigenous people of the region including what they said was a "sacred mantlw" used only by the greatest of chiefs as well as bows, arrows, necklaces and a feather headdress.

Jagger was originally cast to play a bit role in the 1982 movie

"Fitzcarraldo" which is set in Peru`s Amazon rainforest, but he was forced to pull out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

The singer and his family have been housed since Sunday at a hotel in the Tambopata national forest, a vast ecological preserve southeast of Lima.

Over the weekend, Jagger met with Peru`s president Ollanta Humala and First Lady Nadine Heredia in the capital city Lima.

He was planning to travel later this week to Cusco to view the ancient Incan ruins at Machu Picchu. (U.S008/B002)

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Zsa Zsa Gabor returns home from hospital

Los Angeles - Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor returned home from a hospital on Friday after recovering from two stomach surgeries and suffering a bout of pneumonia.

The 94 year-old actress, who has suffered numerous health issues in recent years, was "happy and smiling," her husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, told Reuters on Friday.

"She`s alert and she looks good," said von Anhalt, adding that Gabor was in much better health after nearly two weeks at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The actress, whose right leg was amputated above the knee early this year, was hospitalized on Oct. 8 for surgery when complications arose with a feeding tube attached to her stomach. Gabor then caught pneumonia but recovered quickly.

Von Anhalt said he plans to celebrate with his wife at home this weekend. (U.C003)

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"Batman" star roughed up in bid to visit Chinese blind activist

Beijing - Hollywood actor Christian Bale was roughed up by Chinese security guards as he attempted to visit a blind legal activist whose detention has sparked a domestic and international outcry, CNN reported on Friday.

Bale, who plays crime-fighting superhero Batman, and the camera crew from CNN were jostled by men in plainclothes from Dongshigu village in eastern Shandong province, where activist Chen Guangcheng has been under house arrest for 15 months, according to a video released by CNN on its website.

"Why can I not visit this man?" Bale asked several security officers, while they were pushing him.

"You know, I`m not being brave doing this," Bale told CNN.

"The local people who are standing up to the authorities and insisting on going to visit Chen and his family and getting beaten up for it, and my understanding, getting detained for it and everything. I want to support what they are doing."

CNN said the guards followed the network`s van for more than half an hour.

The fate of Chen, a charismatic, self-schooled advocate who has campaigned against forced abortions, has become a test of wills, pitting the ruling Communist Party`s crackdown on dissent against rights activists who have rallied around his cause and that of artist Ai Weiwei.

In recent months, dozens of supporters have been blocked from visiting Chen. Many of them were beaten by men in plain clothes.

CNN said that Bale, who is in China for the premiere of his latest film "The Flowers of War," approached the news network to try to meet Chen. They took an eight-hour car journey to Chen`s village from Beijing.

"This doesn`t come naturally to me," Bale said to CNN. "But this was just a situation, I said, I can`t look the other way."

Chen angered Shandong officials in 2005 by exposing a programme of forced abortions as part of China`s one-child policy. He was formally released in September 2010 after four years in jail on a charge of "blocking traffic".

"What I really wanted to do is to shake the man`s hand and say: `Thank you,` and tell him what an inspiration he is," Bale told CNN.

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