Lowdown: The Queen

Ah, The Queen. She’s been such a fixture in British life, that it’s almost impossible to conceive of a time when she wasn’t on the throne – time wasn’t invented until 1953.

We have always loved her (apart from when she didn’t break down in uncontrollable convulsive sobbing when Diana died.)

But recently, there’s been a spate of documentaries and dramas about HRH, including the five specials currently airing on Channel 4 and The Queen in 3D a few weeks ago. So we thought we better give you a few facts about ol’ Liz Windsor.

1. The Queen is the third longest reigning monarch of Great Britain there’s ever been, just behind George III and Queen “We Are Not Amused” Victoria at 57 years. Bet she gets RSI from all that waving.

2. Her governess Marion Crawford, nicknamed Crawfie was the first royal servant to sell her story to the press, publishing a book called The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen’s Childhood by her Nanny, which caused her to be subsequently banished from the court and never spoken to again. Talk to the hand because one isn’t listening. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Pamela Anderson

A red one-piece bathing suit and bleached beach blonde hair are synonymous with Pamela Anderson. Men want to have her baby. Women want to have her body. She is an undeniable staple of pop culture.

At 41, she is best known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. Then there is the eleven-time record for Playboy Magazine cover, and the fact that she is the most downloaded woman on the internet.

And what is one of People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People in the World up to these days? Kicking it with Joe Swash, of course. So, to help you brush up on your Pammy know-how, we have compiled a list of things you might not have known about the mother, actress, entrepreneur, and sex goddess. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Michael Jackson

Whether you loved him or hated him, Michael Jackson was the King of Pop.

Sure, he was a bit odd. But thanks to MJ, we have classics like Thriller, Billy Jean, Beat It and Bad.

Ultimately selling 750m albums worldwide, with 13 Grammy Awards to his name, Michael Jackson was one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time.

Four months after his death, This is It has premiered (check out our inspired 5 Most Shameless Movie Cash Ins Ever).

The much-anticipated documentary features rehearsal footage of the London O2 Arena comeback concert which never happened.

So whether you are a die hard fan or merely a pop culture patron, OTB brings you things you may not know about Michael Jackson. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger’s tragic death last year of an accidental overdose rocked the film world.

One of its rising stars, acclaimed for his work on Brokeback Mountain, The Dark Knight (for which he won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), he was working on Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (review here) when he met his untimely death.

Imaginarium is out on the 16th of October with Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell stepping in to fill the gaps that Ledger’s death left in the filming. So, in memory of Heath Ledger, here are 10 things you might not have known about the multi-talented star. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Robert Carlyle

Robert Carlyle is landing back on our screens this week as maths extraordinaire, Dr Nicholas Rush, in Sky1’s brand new series, Stargate Universe.

Amazingly, we have to wait until nearly half-way through the second episode for him to start lecturing the other cast members on the trials of a childhood in working-class Glasgow.

However when he’s not waxing lyrical about the ship-yard, he is doing some good acting and adds a nice British flavour to a very slick American sci-fi.

So we decided to grant him the honour of an OTB lowdown. The timing was perfect. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Derren Brown

After his superhuman efforts last week, it seems that Derren Brown is set to become the national treasure we have been craving since David Beckham stopped playing football and took up soccer.

Following in the footsteps of countless flavour-of-the-months before him, we at OTB are answering the questions on confused lips up and down the country…

Who the hell is Derren Brown – and why does he freak us out so much? Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Ben Barnes

De-Licious.

Dorian Gray’s Ben Barnes is a rising star and has definitely peaked the attention of the ladies of the OTB office.

We can’t decide if we like him because of the luscious hair, his dimpled chin or the fact that he’s joined the pack of Brit totties that are making an impression on Hollywood.

Whatever the reason: it’s deep and it’s real.

Robert Pattinson could be old news. Probably not though. But James McAvoy should be worried.

When we first laid eyes on Ben in 2007’s Stardust we knew it was the start of big things for him and we anticipate that he’ll soon be the talk of the town so we thought we’d get in there first.

So until the restraining order gets cancelled and we can get an interview for you, we hope you’ll enjoy our top 10 facts about Ben Barnes.

You’re welcome. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Zooey Deschanel

We all know her from somewhere.

LA-born Zooey Deschanel has been (quietly) dazzling us on screen for the best part of a decade.

Since making her film debut in 1998’s Veronica’s Closet, she’s opted for more obscure productions, later taking roles in Almost Famous, Elf and guesting in ganja drama Weeds.

This year she has her first major lead in the superb (500) Days of Summer opposite old pal Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and is rumoured to be appearing with sister Emily in Bones.

We all love her with her blue doe eyes and effortless grace, but she remains something of an enigma. OTB set off to discover what she’s all about. Just don’t mention the Katy Perry comparisons.

1. Acting is just a day job for Zooey. She plays the piano, banjo and ukulele, appearing in jazz cabaret act If All The Stars Were Pretty Babies with fellow thesp Samantha Shelton. Her first album with band She & Him, named Volume One, came out last year.

2. Deschanel is named after the male character in J.D. Salinger novella Franny and Zooey. Read More…

The Lowdown: Things You Never Knew About Ulrika Jonsson

Nigella impersonator, weathergirl and Gladiator-botherer Ulrika Jonsson has always had a place in our hearts. Or our tabloids.

One day she would give a heartfelt confession about her difficult past or brush with domestic violence, the next she would undo all that public sympathy with her sexual philanderings.

Depending on the weather it seemed, we either (secretly) loved her or hated her. This year’s Celebrity Big Brother proved however, she does have some fans out there.

The woman is so frank we thought we’d set ourselves an impossible task, to find things we don’t know about the Swedish beauty. But we have a duty to you so we prevailed, and in celebration of the return of Shooting Stars, enjoy a few things you might not have known about Team B captain Ulrika-ka-ka…

1. She was born Eva Ulrika Jonsson in 1967, in Solluntuna, Sweden, where Cuttin’ Eye Joe hit-makers Rednex are from. She moved to England at the age of 12. Born on August 16th, she shares her birthday with Madonna. Read More…

The Lowdown: Quentin ‘Uber-Geek’ Tarantino

It’s quite possible that the expression ‘larger than life’ was invented purely for the purpose of describing Quentin Tarantino.

Well, his face at least.

And come to mention it, his film buffery as well. As I sat at the press conference for Inglorious Basterds, even film critics who prided themselves on having an encyclopaedic movie knowledge looked on blankly as he jabbered about the war-films that had influenced his latest piece.

It is an inescapable fact that he is an utter nerd. A very sweary, iconic nerd – but a nerd nonetheless.
Here’s the OTB lowdown on this one-man-guide to trash movies. Read More…

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