X17 News

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Will Smith is behind the lease for the New Village Academy in Calabasas, California, which will be an independent pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade school opening this fall.

The school's motto is "Spiral Up!" and in the mission statement, the school says, "We have created an innovative learning environment that emphasizes the pursuit of personal excellence as the catalyst of both group advancement and individual prosperity." NVA plans to renovate the new school site with new play equipment and new furniture, as well as paint and carpeting.

The campus was previously home to Indian Hills High School, an alternative school for grades 10-12, which will be moved to another location this fall.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Today MTV announced that Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Rainn Wilson and Anna Faris have been added to the already stellar list of presenters for the 2008 MTV Movie Awards.

Previously revealed presenters include Ben Stiller, Sarah Jessica Parker, Will Ferrell, Lindsay Lohan, Steve Carell, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Liv Tyler, Seth Rogen, Megan Fox, Edward Norton, Jennifer Hudson, Dwayne Johnson, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Rumer Willis, Emma Stone, Brendan Fraser, Katharine McPhee and Danny McBride. Additionally, Coldplay and The Pussycat Dolls will perform at the awards show and debut new music.

The 2008 MTV Movie Awards will be hosted by comedian Mike Myers, and will be broadcast live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California on Sunday, June 1 at 8pm/7c.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Will Smith's new school, New Village Academy, has sparked controversy lately, due to the fact that several teachers are members of the Church of Scientology, and teaching methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard will be used at the private school in Calabasas.

According to the Los Angeles Times, both Smiths have denied that they are Scientologists, and Smith even made a statement about his intentions, saying:

"About 10 years ago, Jada and I started dreaming about the possibility of creating an ideal educational environment, where children could feel happy, positive and excited about learning. New Village Academy was born of a simple question, 'Is it possible to create an educational environment in which children have fun learning?' Jada and I believe the answer is 'Yes.' "

The head of the school, Jacqueline Olivier, confirmed that some staff members are Scientologists, as well as Christian and Jewish, and that the school has no religious affiliation.

Olivier added,

"We are a secular school and just like all nonreligious independent schools, faculty and staff do not promote their own religions at school or pass on the beliefs of their particular faith to children."

One teaching method the school will employ is study technology, which was developed by Hubbard and focuses on students getting hands-on experience, and mastering subject matter before moving to the next level. Olivier explained, "People tend to think study technology is a subject, but it is really just the way the subject is taught. They then come to the conclusion that we are teaching Scientology when actually a methodology doesn't have anything to do with content." She added that the school will use many other philosophies, including Montessori, Bruner and Gardner.

However, critics claim that the school is not being honest about its ties to Scientology. David S. Touretzky, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University argues that it is Scientology disguised as education. Touretzky states:

"There is no reputable educator anywhere who endorses [study technology]. What happens is that children are inculcated with Scientology jargon and are led to regard L.R. Hubbard as an authority figure. They are laying the groundwork for later bringing people into Scientology."

Ron Reynolds, executive director of the California Assocation of Private School Organizations, remained somewhat neutral, but certainly has his doubts, as he said:

"I know next to nothing about Scientology, but if you're using some method or technology closely associated with Scientology and Scientology is characterized as a church or religious body, it raises a question if they proclaim themselves as other than religious. I don't want to insinuate the school is failing to disclose anything. But as a matter of good practice, if a school has an affiliation, it would behoove it to expose it."

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Hancock took in $66 million and the number one spot at the box office this weekend, making it's total gross $107.3 million in it's five-and-a-half days of release. The film stars Will Smith as an unlikely superhero, as well as Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman.

Pixar's Wall-E earned the number two spot and brought in an additional $33.4 million, making it's gross to date over $100 million, while Wanted, starring Angelina Jolie came in at number three with an additional $20.6 million.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Will Smith and Steven Spielberg are considering teaming up to remake the Korean film "Oldboy," Variety reports.

In the original, a man is kidnapped and held in a cell for 15 years without explanation. Suddenly he's released and given money, clothes and a cell phone and sets out to discover who destroyed his life so that he can extract revenge.

Spielberg has been reportedly looking for a project that he and Smith could team up on. A writer for the project has yet to be hired.

Spielberg's next project due out is "Tintin," while Smith's "Seven Pounds" is expected next year.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Jayden Smith, the 10-year-old son of actor Will Smith, will star in a remake of the '80s classic "The Karate Kid," Variety reports.

The film will be produced by Jerry Weintraub who produced the original, along with Will Smith.

Jayden Smith reportedly has participated in martial arts for a number of years. The younger Smith will next be seen in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." He made his big-screen debut alongside his father in "The Pursuit of Happiness."

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will team up once again for Men In Black III. For several months it has been a rumor that the duo would be back, and now director Barry Sonnenfeld has confirmed the news.

Sources close to the movie say that Smith has been attached to the movie for awhile, but executives were already looking for Jones' replacement in the event he didn't want to join the production. Josh Brolin and Sacha Baron Cohen were being considered.

Many are speculating that this will be the final MIB film for Smith and Jones.

Sony is hoping to release MIB III by Memorial Day 2011, and the studio is planning on making it 3D.

Photo courtesy: Sony

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Will Smith has recently partnered with Chinese filmmaker Eva Jin to develop a yet-untitled hour-long crime drama with his production company Overbrook Entertainment for Fox.

The series is set in China and follows a crime-fighting female college student studying abroad. The network has already given the project a script order, according to Variety. It has not yet been decided whether the project will be produced overseas.

Smith is also developing an hour-long series through Overbrook based on his romantic hit comedy Hitch, which starred Kevin James and Eva Mendes. Smith is currently filming Men In Black III set for a 2012 release.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Nickelodeon has announced Will Smith as host of its 25th annual Kids’ Choice Awards.

The ceremony recognizes Nickelodeon viewers' favorite acts in film, TV, and music, but is perhaps best known for sliming celebrity participants.

“The Kids’ Choice Awards are always the year’s liveliest, slimiest and most outrageous party for kids and teens,” Smith, who has received 10 Kids’ Choice Awards himself, said in a statement. “I’m honored they wanted me to host this year so I can have a front row seat to take part in the fun.”

The 25th annual Kids’ Choice Awards will be held at the Galen Center in Los Angeles on March 31 – a week after his next flick, Men In Black III, hits theaters.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A fake tweet accredited to Will Smith comparing Trayvon Martin's killing and Kim Kardashian's flour bomb incident has gone viral on Twitter.

The tweet, which said "WE live in America where a girl that threw flour on Kim Kardashian was arrested on site But the man who KILLED Trayvon Martin is still free," was posted under the account @RealWillSmith. Many celebrities like Spike Lee and Rosie O'Donnell have retweeted the quote, despite the actor having no official Twitter account. It's been reported that the account actually belongs to a man in Nashville, TN.

This isn't the first false celebrity tweet regarding the tragic death of the 17-year-old Florida native. The account @RealFerrelWill tweeted "R.I.P. Trayvon Martin. For every R-T this tweet gets, $1 will be donated to the #TrayvonMartin Foundation, which helps counteract racism."

LOS ANGELES, California (x17online) - Will Smith has come out in full support of President Barack Obama's position on gay marriage.

The actor was in Berlin, Germany promoting his new movie Men In Black III when he revealed his thoughts on the issue.

"If anybody can find someone to love them and to help them through this difficult thing that we call life, I support that in any shape or form,” Smith said to reporters.

The Men In Black star also stated that the question of allowing gay people to legally marry is "about semantics" and feels that President Obama support for the issue was a "brave" move to make during an election year.