Hollywood Uncensored Celebrities

Sure they look phenomenal on the red carpet, what with their army of hair and makeup artists and a stylist at their beck and call. But, how do Hollywood's hottest stars stack up without their camera-ready paint jobs? 

Some celebs look great au natural, while others, well, you can judge for yourself. Check out the real face of fame

Adriana Lima

Angelina Jolie

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Julia Roberts Rocks 'Barely There' Bling Trend

Is it me? Or has celebrity jewelry fashion dropped completely off the radar this month? I've been searching high and low for big summertime stars to wow me with their bauble choices at various movie premieres and the like...and well...it just ain't happening.

And then it occurred to me. Maybe (gasp!) less is more?

Take Julia Roberts at her Larry Towne premiere in LA this week. Nevermind the on-trend menswear look (which I find 'safe' and 'snore-worthy') - but take a gander at the jewelry choice. Simple diamond studs and a three-strand emerald wrap necklace by Beladora.com. Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.

Or how about Jenna Elfman at the same event? Just a splash of a  yellow gold drop earring and she's good to go.

And Katie Holmes sported similar 'tiny treasure' style at the LA Film Festival in small pearl earrings and a delicate yellow gold 'S' pendant (for daughter Suri, I suppose). Sweet.

So while we've all been starved for a lower jaw-drop moment since the Cannes Film Festival over a MONTH ago - I have to admit: I'm OK with diamonds on the down-low every once in a while.

Just DON'T make it a habit, Hollywood.

Angelina Jolie's Stud Earrings: Boring or Blingtastic?

When Angelina Jolie wore those stunning emerald earrings to the Oscars in 2009, I forgave every boring, black, Elvira-esque red carpet snorefest she made me endure from my glamorous spot on the sartorial sofa.

But the emerald glow has faded and, well, I just can't take it anymore.

If A-listers like Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston are going to "black pants suit" and "gold hoop" their way through their red carpet careers, I thought at least Angelina - that Brad Pitt-stealing, action-adventure-starring, minx of a movie star - would bring us the lower-jaw-drop moments we so desperately crave.

Here she is in Los Angeles earlier this month for the Salt premiere. Black dress, diamond studs. Wake me when it's over.


Paris this week: Different dress shade, same diamond drudgery.


And in Berlin she didn't even bother!

Maybe she's making a statement that the woman who has everything shouldn't bask in the glory of a diamond tiara every time she makes a public appearance. But I'd settle for a chandelier earring from time to time - maybe a cuff?

Is anyone else as bored as I am? Or do I need to spend time worrying about more important matters. Like the Vogue September issue?

Eat, Pray, Love...Shop

Jewelry and Hollywood. From Twilight's "Team Edward" pendants to Alice In Wonderland's Mad Hatter charm bracelets, consumers aren't just experiencing movies at the multi-plex. They're taking them home to their jewelry boxes.

The latest film to join the big studio licensing bonanza is Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling-memoir-turned-movie, Eat, Pray, Love. For those of you living under a rock, the movie stars none other than Julia Roberts and will be out in theaters next Friday.

Los Angeles jewelry brand Dogeared signed a licensing deal with Sony to produce a collection of jewelry, books and travel-related items associated with the film, with Fred Segal and ABC Home on board to distribute, according to WWD.

The "Eat Pray Love by Sue Wong" collection hit stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstorm, Bloomingdales, and Dillard's.

And on August 6th, 7th, and 8th, HSN will dedicate 72 hours of programming to featuring items themed around "Eat Pray Love" and its locales, including days dedicated to Italy, India, and Bali.

Somehow, I don't think Elizabeth Gilbert had branded T-shirts, caftans and bead necklaces in mind when she penned her story of personal awakening...but that's showbiz!

Will the Oscars be a Snorefest?

It's what we jewelry hounds wait for all year - the Oscar red carpet coverage on E!

I love every minute of it - from Guiliana Rancic's inappropriate use of 'honey' with A-listers, dames and sirs alike (Helen Mirren? Run don't walk) to Seacrest's cleavage-staring interviews. I will miss the wild card Kathy Griffin coverage - but I suppose I can wait for the Joan Rivers roundup this year to give me a good guffaw.

But I've gotta tell you, I'm a little worried at the potential for a serious snorefest this year. Avatars are replacing Angelina. There's no Brad/Jen red carpet bump-in to anticipate. And while Mo'Nique and Anna Kendrick are certainly worthy nominees - they just don't generate the excitement of, say, an Anne Hathaway or a Kate Hudson on the red carpet.

Penelope Cruz and Sandra Bullock are both stunners, but we've so 'been there done that' all year with them, I've got to admit - I'm feeling a little bored with both.

So who is left that's going to bust out with the bling this year? What ingenues are going to give us a good Gwynnie moment? Kristen Stewart will be too busy brooding with her black eyeliner. Inglorious Basterds', Diane Kruger, is a possibility - but she doesn't have the A-list star power to make a huge impact like, say a 'Julia' or a 'Nicole' did back in the day.

Perhaps I should be happy with the possibility of the first woman getting Best Director or the adorable Gabourey Sidibe living out her dream - but a jewelry hound needs her diamond drama at the Oscars! I'm afraid this year I might have to double down on the champagne to get the giddys.

What do you all predict? Weigh in!

Don't forget to Tweet with me during the red carpet on Sunday if you're in to multi-tasking! And stay tuned for all the follow-up coverage here and on Jewelry.com all next week.

Jewelry Shines at Tom Hanks Tribute

When the movie industry honors someone like Tom Hanks, all the heavy hitters come out to play. Everyone from Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg to rocker, Bruce Springsteen, showed up at Lincoln Center last night at the Film Society’s 36th Annual Gala Tribute, and of course the A-list ladies made a glamorous showing for their talented pal.




























My jewelry crush, Charlize Theron, resurfaced in a stunning Lanvin little black dress with diamond cluster earrings and an icy cuff to go with her silver python shoes. What can I say? She continues to rule.

While always the effortless beauty, Julia Roberts continues to bore me on the red carpet with a black cardigan over a Dolce & Gabbana white sheath dress (apparently the same one Tom’s publicist wore to the event) and barely-there gold drop earrings. According to Access Hollywood, her tribute speech was anything but dull as she cursed like a sailor and teased the star about some of his flops.

And Rita Wilson – Tom’s better half – perhaps tired of sharing the spotlight with her acclaimed hubbie, wore an attention-getting ensemble that was half Big Bird half Bob Mackie. Good thing she has the gams to pull it off. Showing signs of restraint, she accented the look with a simple diamond cross necklace and classic diamond studs.

The evening consisted of a variety of clips, anecdotes and accolades presented to the two-time Oscar winner, whose celebrated career spans from his Bosom Buddies days on TV and his first collaboration with Ron Howard in 1984's, Splash, to his Oscar winning performances in Philadelphia and Forest Gump and his latest project with Howard, Angels & Demons.

Previous Film Society honorees include Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Susan Sarandon, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Jane Fonda, Charlie Chaplin and more.

Julia Is Back in Basic Black

Julia Roberts is back on the red carpet promoting her film, Duplicity, after a long hiatus. And while it’s great to see the Pretty Woman back in action, the Hollywood A-lister is clearly not taking any big risks in the fashion department.

Roberts wore a (yawn) black pants suit with yellow gold hoops on the carpet in London and a Lanvin LBD with classic diamond drops in gay Paris. She looked stunning, of course, but here’s hoping she takes it up a notch once she makes it back states-side.



















While Julia Roberts is arguably the most bankable leading lady working today, it took a bit of coaxing from co-star Clive Owen to get the mother-of-three out of semi-retirement.

"I [took] her out for lunch and told her that I'd read a script that was dynamite and it would be great for the two of us to do it," he said at the premiere. "She was actually pregnant, so I had to wait another year before she finally read it and said yes."

And even though the superstar made noise to red carpet reporters about wanting to work in the London theater, she isn’t making any big plans in the near future.

“I’d like to do it when by kids are a little bigger. It’s a big transplant to come over here, though, and it would take up a lot of time. But a girl can dream!”

Maybe she'll get used to the spotlight again and start taking more risks - in front of the cameras and in the fashion department (a girl can dream). But, for now, I'll take classic Julia while I can get it.