OK! has learned that Britney Spears will be the opening act at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards on September 9 in Las Vegas.

After weeks of tense discussions between organizers and her management, Britney will get a shot at career redemption, despite doubt among fans and industry insiders as to whether the troubled star will be ready to perform up to the level of such memorable turns as her 2001 VMA duet with a 7-foot python. Even in light of her recent erratic behavior, the VMAs decided to roll the dice on Britney, believing that her performance of the new track “Gimme More” could be among the most highly anticipated show openers ever.

“It’s 100 percent confirmed that she’ll open the show,” a well-placed source tells OK! “There have been lots of back-and-forth discussions about this performance and whether it would work. But everyone has decided to back her. It seems the right time to give her a chance to prove herself again musically. This is her big opportunity to prove she still has it. The only person who can blow this now is Britney herself.”

Source: OK!

Tom Cruise has two strikes against him as he films his new movie Valkyrie in Germany — the country’s anti-Scientology sentiments, and the suspicion that many Germans feel about an American film icon playing a home-grown war hero.

In an attempt to clear the air — at least with regard to his latest role — the Oscar-nominated actor recently sat down with German magazine Bunte for a chat.

There has been much opposition to him playing World War II Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who led a failed attempt on Hitler’s life, even from Stauffenberg’s son. “I bear a great responsibility to the Germans and to a man like Stauffenberg, who has such a deep significance,” Tom explained. “And I feel a responsibility to the man himself.”

He continued, “He rejected Hitler. He came from an old military tradition and was ashamed of what had happened in Germany under Hitler. He was prepared to risk everything, including his own life. What a decision! What courage! What a love for your own country!”

The movie, directed by Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects, X-Men) is expected to come out sometime in 2008.

Source: OK!

When OK! chatted with international soccer star David Beckham this morning after his radio interview with Ryan Seacrest, he seemed to have fully integrated himself into the L.A. lifestyle after only a few months of living in California.

Speaking from behind his designer mirrored shades, and massaging the designer stubble on his jutting jaw, Beckham told OK! he was “still loving his L.A. experience” despite his recent injuries that have him sitting on the sideline. And what of wife, Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham? “She’s doing great,” David tells OK!.As for his injury, a strained ligament suffered earlier this week during a game, David explained to Seacrest that it’s “not so great,” and that he’ll be out at least eight to ten weeks. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to play before the end of the season,” he said.For some steamy photos of Becks, check out our Man Candy gallery!

Source: OK!

Less than 24 hours after its official radio debut, Britney Spears’s “Gimme More” is lighting up request lines and pleasing fans who haven’t heard music from the pop star since 2004.

“From the time I signed on today at 10 am, people were requesting it like crazy,” Shelley Wade, a deejay on New York’s Z100, tells PEOPLE of her first broadcast since the song hit the airwaves Thursday night.

“Gimme More” was also on the top of Z100′s ‘Interactive 9 at 9′ countdown within an hour after it first played Thursday and at the top of Wade’s ‘High Noon Countdown’ again Friday. (Both lists are based on listener requests.)

Mediabase, which ranks songs based on the number of spins they get, had Spears at 61 by Friday afternoon, putting her just below artists like Amy Winehouse and Timbaland and just above American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.

Part of the demand to hear the song can certainly be attributed to celebrity watchers who are curious about how the pop star’s return to music will go over – especially after witnessing Spears’s rollercoaster year, marked by late nights out, erratic behavior, stints in rehab and a brewing custody battle with ex Kevin Federline.

But the song, which features the singer’s classic breathy vocals, a danceable beat and sexy lyrics, is listener friendly, according to Wade. “It doesn’t sound like [her last big hit] ‘Slave 4 U’ but it reminded me of that because it made me dance,” she says.

Still, Wade believes the elusive comeback isn’t hers just yet. “She can do it if she, in her personal life, can keep the drama at bay for just a little while.”

Wade is looking to Spears’s reported performance at the upcoming Video Music Awards to see if the momentum will continue to build, leading up to the album’s release on Nov. 13.

“If she can bank on the excitement that everyone’s giving her with this song right now and really come with an exciting performance, when the CD debuts in November, I think she could be at number one,” Wade says. “Last week people were saying she’s a trainwreck, and this week they’re saying, ‘I like this song!’”

Here’s a roundup of online reactions to the song:

• The blog Blueprint to Buddha’s Life writes: “I can’t lie, I actually love this song. The beat is addicting as hell and reminds me of Justin Timberlake’s songs on his album.”

• Bethonie Butler on EW.com’s Popwatch blog agrees. “My snap judgment: I don’t hate it! I actually kind of (come closer) like it. The best part of the song isn’t Britney ‘singing.’ It’s her opening line: ‘It’s Britney, b—-!’ . . . This is definitely a dance track – one I could admittedly be seen singing at the top of my lungs on the Van Wyck Expressway.”

• Blogger Perez Hilton, who leaked the track on Thursday night, is a fan as well. “It’s not bad. It’s not amazing. But it is very good, considering our girl’s a little rusty.”

• Another snarky blog, Dlisted, also had a positive reaction: “It’s not completely terrible.”

Finally, PEOPLE.com readers gave the track a thumbs-up: As of Friday, 58 percent said “Gimme more!” while 42 percent voted to “Give it back!”

Source: People

OKmagazine.com has heard that Brad Pitt sat down for a photoshoot and interview with V magazine, where he talks for the first time about his split from ex-wife Jennifer Aniston.

Insiders tell us that he goes deep into his relationships with Jen and with babymama Angelina Jolie. Brad, who Jen once described as “missing a sensitivity chip,” has never really talked about their high-profile divorce, focusing instead on his work and kids. While no quotes are being released, and no one is confirming the details of the interview, we can’t wait to read it.

Source: OK!

Though yesterday’s injury might have ended David Beckham’s season with the Los Angeles Galaxy, the international soccer star and his family are loving life in America and are ready to expand the Beckham brand — literally.

In an interview this morning on Ryan Seacrest’s L.A. radio show, Becks, 32, says that despite the honor of being admired by women the world over, it’s coming home to Posh, 33, and sons Brooklyn, 8, Romeo, 5, and Cruz, 2, that makes him happy. Will there be more members of the Beckham brood to greet him soon? Read on for excerpts!:

On life as an international heartthrob:
“It’s an honor. I think that it’s always nice to have the attention like that. But it’s also amazing to be married to one of the most beautiful women in the world.”

On the paparazzi:
“It’s been pretty intense since we arrived…more than what we are used to. We’re used to being followed by four or five cars maybe, but to have forty seven cars in the first week, every day, following us, it was pretty insane.”

On life in the U.S.:
“We’re enjoying it. It’s a country that has sort of embraced us…everyone has been so positive, about not just me as a soccer player, but Victoria as a person…When she does a TV program or a radio program, people actually see what she’s like as a person and see that she’s got a great sense of humor…people really warm to her.”

On the possibility of more Beckhams:
At some point…When we first met, we never even spoke about how many kids we wanted. It was just lucky that we both actually wanted around the same number. We both want four or five kids…we’re very family oriented.

On trying to have a girl this time around:
That’s one thing I’ll be trying — changing my diet and wearing tight pants!”

Source: US Magazine

Britney Spears has a new single!

The song, “Gimme More,” has been leaked, and you can listen to it here on PerezHilton.com. With Spears boldly declaring “It’s Britney, bitch” as the dance track opens, the song represents a clear departure from the emotional and undermixed ballad that hit the internet on August 23.

A friend of Spears’ tells Usmagazine.com that “Gimme More” is a set-up single designed to set the tone for her album, and fans can expect to see a video for the song early next week. The source adds, “The song is dope. It is amazing, a fast dance song and people will love it. But don’t judge the whole album by the song…it is just a first glimpse but the whole album and the stuff on it surpasses it. This album is amazing and has something for everyone. It will blow people away and people won’t question that she is back.”

On the subject of Spears’ current custody battle with ex Kevin Federline, her friend tells Us, “It is not pretty but they are working it out. Britney has to do what she has to do to defend herself. Britney’s lawyers are taking care of everything they need to do to fight back their case. They are good lawyers and know what they are doing.”

We don’t know about you, but we’d like to forget the lawyers for a little while and just dance!

Source: US Magazine

Victoria Beckham is going to give American TV another shot.

Although her July NBC reality special Victoria Beckham: Coming to America failed to set the Nielsen ratings afire – commanding less than 5 million viewers – Mrs. David Beckham will join proven winner Ugly Betty this season in a role she was born to play: herself.

ABC has announced that “Posh Spice,” 33, will appear as a celebrity bridesmaid at the wedding of Wilhelmina Slater (Vanessa Williams) and publisher Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) in an episode slated for the upcoming season, which begins Sept. 27.

This promises to be an active autumn for Beckham, who has already launched her own dVb fashion label and line of fragrances. In December, she and her old gang will regroup for a two-month, 11-show Spice Girls reunion world tour that includes concerts in New York City and Las Vegas.

Slightly less busy, however, is David Beckham, 32, who will be off the soccer field for about six weeks, it was announced Thursday. A sprained ligament in his knee is to blame.

Source: People

A former nanny of Britney Spears who worked for the singer eight months ago and witnessed firsthand her controversial parenting skills is set to be a crucial witness in the beleaguered pop star’s bitter child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, a source tells OK!

Christine Hallet, 37, is one of several individuals, including Britney’s former manager Larry Rudolph, who have been subpoenaed by Team Kevin to give testimony that will decide if he will be successful in gaining majority custody of Sean Preston, 23 months, and Jayden, 11 months.

A source tells OK! that Hallet is expected to reveal the following in her deposition:
•That Britney would often come home from partying in the middle of the night and wake up the babies to play with them, keeping them from gettting the proper amount of sleep.

•That Sean Preston’s teeth were in poor condition and his gums were bleeding because Britney wasn’t brushing his teeth.

•That Sean Preston also suffered from severe constipation because of his poor diet.

•That both boys were getting rashes on their skin because Brit was washing them in bathwater containing designer lotions harmful to a toddler’s delicate skin.

“What the nanny reveals about Britney and how she treats the kids will be extremely important to the case,” as source tells OK!

Hallet is one of many close friends, family and employees named in court documents obtained by TMZ.com.

For more on Britney, check out the current issue of OK!, on newsstands now!

Source: OK!

Though it has not been confirmed, OK! has heard from sources that actor Owen Wilson, who was hospitalized on Aug. 24 after a failed suicide tempt at his California home, has left the hospital and is staying with pal Woody Harrelson at his Beverly Hills home.

Adding credence to this rumor, Owen’s little brother and frequent co-star Luke Wilson was seen driving to the home of the former Cheers star, who is open about his own struggles with his personal demons.

These whispers of Owen’s whereabouts come shortly after false rumors that the Oscar-nominated actor/writer was to be transferred to Hollywood’s infamous Wonderland Center rehab clinic, where scandal magnet Lindsay Lohan had a failed attempt at getting clean and sober earlier in the year. And though Wonderland’s celeb-friendly, laid-back attitude may be tempting to Owen, a source close to the star dismisses the speculation with a laugh, saying to OK!, “I don’t think he’ll be going there!”

For more on Owen’s near-tragic suicide, check out the current issue of OK!, on sale now!

Source: OK!