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Nick Kyrgios’ sister stuns on The Voice

<p>Sunday night's blind auditions on The Voice showcased a range of raw talent, including one very unique singer.</p> <p>Halimah Kyrgios, older sister to tennis champion Nick Kyrgios, took to the stage to prove her own as a dedicated songstress. </p> <p>The 31-year-old shocked all four of the judges with her rendition of Tina Arena's classic song Chains, as they all fought for her attention. </p> <p>In the end, Halimah chose Rita Ora to be her coach, with Rita saying, "<span>I did not expect her to pick me, I’m really flattered. That’s an Australian song, a classic and I’m glad she trusts me. There’s a lot we can do together."</span></p> <p><span>Before taking to the stage, Halimah talked about how she wanted to be seen as more than just Nick </span>Kyrgios' sister. </p> <p><span>"I’m not very out there like he is. Having Nick in the limelight has been a good and bad thing. There is added pressure," she said.</span></p> <p><span>"I really just want to focus on people knowing me as Halimah, not Nick’s sister."</span></p> <p><span>She discussed their childhood growing up </span>together, and shared that she would often sing and dance with her little brother. </p> <p>Much to Halimah's surprise, The Voice host Sonia Kruger said that Nick had tuned into the audition over a video call. </p> <p>Sonia told the tennis star, "She was amazing!", to which Nick responded, "She always is."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Channel Seven/Instagram @kyrgios_halimah</em></p>

Music

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“Sublime”: Guy Sebastian blown away at The Voice audition

<p>A talented singer from Sydney has wowed the judges of The Voice with her extraordinary performance at the blind auditions.</p> <p>23-year-old Bella Taylor Smith moved the judges to tears and has become a very early favourite to win the show. </p> <p>After an emotional performance of Beyonce's <em>Ave Maria, </em>judge Guy Sebastian praised her by saying, <span>“You could be on any stage, that voice is sublime.”</span></p> <p><span>He fought for her attention saying, </span>“I think you have a future and I want be a part of it... Your voice is crazy.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 293.18936877076413px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842926/the-voice.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ef883112d8ed49139cb013c7eacd1ef3" /></p> <p><em>Image credit: Channel Nine</em></p> <p>Keith Urban also fought for Bella to be on his team as he said, <span>“It’s not just your ability with your voice, with your gift, it’s the humanity that you’ve got inside there, and the things you’ve been through and I don’t even know what they are yet but I can hear them."</span></p> <p>Guy was ultimately chosen by Bella to be her mentor, leaving Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy and Rita Ora down on their luck.  </p> <p>Guy found common ground with Bella as she spoke about her background in church, as Guy became emotional when Bella said she <span>didn’t think she could “lay claim” to her gift.</span></p> <p>Singer and judge Rita Ora said, <span>“I will never probably forget this audition, honestly, that was a true amazing performance.”</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 279.874213836478px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842927/the-voice-2.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/632b4e7e076c41aba4b6610669c075c9" /></span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Channel Nine</em></p> <p><span>Viewers of the audition took to online spaces to praise the young singer and her talents, with one person commenting, “Bella just moved me to tears! I’m calling it now … she’s gonna win!”</span></p> <p><span>Another commenter said, “That was hands down the single greatest blind audition I’ve ever seen,” with several others vowing to vote for the young songstress in the competition. </span></p> <p><span><em>Image Credits: Channel Nine</em></span></p>

Music

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Guy Sebastian reveals heartbreaking truth behind his Australian Idol audition

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Guy Sebastian has revealed his lack of self-confidence almost stopped him from chasing his Idol dreams back in 2003.</p> <p>He opened up about<span> </span><em>Australian Idol<span> </span></em>on the latest episode on<span> </span><em>Anh's Brush With Fame,<span> </span></em>explaining that he didn't think music would be a career option for him to host Anh Do.</p> <p>“I wasn’t sure music was an option for me,” he told Do.</p> <p>Sebastian recalled a particularly disheartening trip, where he was repeatedly told by music industry figures that they loved his voice but not his look.</p> <p>“I was a weird-looking chubby, half-Asian kid who didn’t have the pop star look. I got on the train with all these rejection letters, tail between my legs and thought, I can’t change how I look, but I can still be a musician,” he recalled.</p> <p>“I’ll just write songs for other beautiful-looking people; that was my mindset.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COIOhCojTEG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COIOhCojTEG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by guysebastian (@guysebastian)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Sebastian noticed an audition sign for the first season of<span> </span><em>Australian Idol</em>, but wasn't confident about his chances.</p> <p>“I thought, ‘As if I’m going to win a TV show, let alone get a record deal’. I’m going to go on TV with all these beautiful pop star-looking people? I’ll never win.”</p> <p>Luckily, Sebastian nailed the audition that left judge Marcia Hines visibly moved. Judge Ian "Dicko" Dickson wasn't impressed and said that Sebastian looked "crap, so we're going to have to work on that".</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COKzwCUDCWf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COKzwCUDCWf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by guysebastian (@guysebastian)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Dickson's comments are still in Sebastian's mind 18 years later as he remembers that moment vividly.</p> <p>“That insecurity that was starting to dissipate came back. I thought, ‘Maybe I do look like crap, I’m not cut out for this.’”</p> <p>However, he kept pushing on and has carved out a career in the Australian music scene.</p> <p>“I knew I was lucky, so I knew that would be frustrating for a lot of people who have really slogged it out trying to get into the scene. I’ve been given this opportunity through<span> </span><em>Idol<span> </span></em>— people voted for me. Kids went into debt voting for me! I’m forever in debt,” he said.</p> <p>“That’s why I keep going, because I was gifted this amazing opportunity. It’s a weird way to enter the industry, but it’s given me a fire that’ll never die out, because people believed in me.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Music

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The Voice contestants who made Delta Goodrem and Guy Sebastian cry

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>The latest season of<span> </span><em>The Voice</em><span> </span>is tugging on the coach’s heartstrings as two of them break down while on set.</p> <p>The Blind Auditions continue after the start of season 9 and both Guy Sebastian and Delta Goodrem find themselves in the coach’s chairs.</p> <p>Guy Sebastian was particularly emotional as his younger brother Chris took to the stage for another chance at the title.</p> <p>Chris was on the first season of<span> </span><em>The Voice</em><span> </span>in 2012 and Guy said he felt the pressure of his younger brother competing.</p> <p>"I'm so close to my brothers, I would die for them," Guy, 38, tells <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/the-voice/the-voice-guy-sebastian-delta-goodrem-crying-64029" target="_blank">TV WEEK</a></em>.</p> <p>"We're such a tight family unit. That's why I was so nervous about Chris doing the show. He was approached last year, and after I had a year of being a coach, I knew it was a safe space for him to go back into."</p> <p>Guy was very emotional after his brother sang.</p> <p>"I was embarrassed by how I was after he sang," Guy says.</p> <p>"You get emotional, but then I was crying a bit too much and went into the ugly cry. Then it got weird for everyone, and it was like, 'OK, we get it – he's your brother.'"</p> <p>Delta also got emotional as All Star artist Jesse Teinaki returned to the show.</p> <p>"I felt such a connection to him," Delta, 35, says of Jesse, who was on her team in 2019, but wasn't taken through to the live rounds.</p> <p>"Jess is such beautiful person. I think he was one of the best auditions this year and it was very emotional. He's really special – for me, he's one of the highlights of the Blinds."</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/the-voice/the-voice-guy-sebastian-delta-goodrem-crying-64029" target="_blank">Channel 9</a></em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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5 audition tapes of famous actors before they hit it big

<p>These actors are some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but these audition tapes show their humble beginnings. Here are 5 audition times of actors before they were famous.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7j23wSxuYEU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>1. Julia Roberts</strong></p> <p>Before Roberts became a breakout star in <em>Steel Magnolias</em> in 1989, she auditioned for <em>Seven Minutes in Heaven.</em> She lost the part to Jennifer Connelly who had a bigger reputation at the time.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kf0SgGSk5sI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>2. Hugh Jackman</strong></p> <p>In 1999, stage actor Jackman auditioned for the character of Wolverine in <em>X-Men</em>. He didn’t get the role until Dougray Scott, the actor who was originally cast, got injured and had to quit production. Director Bryan Singer then re-watched Jackman’s audition tape and invited him back for a screen test before offering him the role.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CQqBXFAlHcU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>3. Robert De Niro</strong></p> <p>In 1971, Robert De Niro auditioned for the role of gangster Sonny Corleone in <em>The Godfather</em>. He lost the role to James Caan, however he landed a role in <em>The Godfather Part II</em> as the young Vito Corleone. He won his first Oscar for the part.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JhRW8J3gTuo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>4. Natalie Portman</strong></p> <p>In 1993, Portman auditioned for the lead role in <em>Léon: The Professional</em><em>. </em>She landed the role and then went on to star in the <em>Star Wars</em> prequel trilogy.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="400" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rYjUtmMl3W4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>5. Scarlett Johansson</strong></p> <p>In 1994, 11-year-old Scarlet Johansson auditioned for the part of Judy Shepherd in <em>Jumanji.</em> She lost the role to Kirsten Dunst, who was an already-established child actor.</p>

Movies

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Famous TV actors who auditioned for a different role

<p>By the time a television show arrives on our screens, actors have had time to settle into their role, and after just an episode or two, the world and characters feel lived in and real (in the best shows, sometimes it takes longer than that – if it ever happens). But the roles some of your favourite TV actors are famous for aren’t always the one they had their sights set on when they auditioned. Here are some actors who weren’t the right choice for one role but landed another one anyway.</p> <p><strong>1. <em>Game of Thrones</em></strong></p> <p>The role: Jon Snow</p> <p>The actor: Iwan Rheon</p> <p>According to <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/game-of-thrones/11499178/10-things-we-learnt-about-Ramsay-Snow-actor-Iwan-Rheon.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Rheon himself</span></strong></a>, he auditioned for the role of Jon Snow, even making it to the final two actors in the running for the part. Obviously, Kit Harrington won the part in the end, but producers kept Rheon in mind for the role of Ramsay Bolton, who made his appearance a couple of seasons later.</p> <p><strong>2. <em>The Walking Dead</em></strong></p> <p>The role: Michonne</p> <p>The actor: Sonequa Martin-Green</p> <p>According to <a href="https://twitter.com/SonequaMG/status/661006344179306496" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Martin-Green</span></strong></a>, she originally auditioned for the role of Michonne. But we think she was perfect as Sasha.</p> <p><strong>3. <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em></strong></p> <p>The roles: Buffy and Cordelia</p> <p>The actors: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Charisma Carpenter</p> <p>Just as there was only room for one Queen Bee at Sunnydale High, there could only be one actor in the role of Buffy. Famously, Sarah Michelle Gellar originally auditioned for the role of Cordelia Chase – the popular mean girl constantly taunting Buffy and her friends. Charisma Carpenter, meanwhile, read for the lead role. According to <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/buffy-vampire-slayer-turns-20-charisma-carpenter-shows-enduring-legacy-and-566123" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Carpenter</span></strong></a>, “I went in and read for Buffy and [executive producer Gail Berman and creator Joss Whedon] said, ‘Can you prepare Cordelia’s dialogue, go in the hallway and prepare those lines, and come back and read for Cordelia? We think you might be better suited for that.’ So I did.”<a href="http://www.newsweek.com/buffy-vampire-slayer-turns-20-charisma-carpenter-shows-enduring-legacy-and-566123)"><br /></a></p> <p>In a move Cordelia herself would dub “bizarro”, the two actors landed each other’s intended role, each becoming science fiction icons in their own right.</p> <p><strong>4. <em>Supernatural</em></strong></p> <p>The role: Sam Winchester</p> <p>The actor: Jensen Ackles</p> <p>Iconic in his role of the charismatic Dean Winchester, Jensen Ackles surprised many fans when he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eiD55keUkg" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">revealed</span></strong></a> that he originally auditioned for the role of Dean’s brother, Sam. The producers liked Ackles, but preferred Jared Padalecki’s likeability for the role. They describe Sam as the Luke Skywalker of the duo and wanted Ackles to turn on his charm for the more Han Solo-like role of Dean.</p> <p>Which of these role swaps surprised you the most?</p>

TV

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Watch Harrison Ford’s original Star Wars Audition

<p>Before there was <em>Star Wars: The Force Awakens</em> there was Star Wars: Harrison Ford’s audition.</p> <p>The latest instalment of the Star Wars saga has finally hit cinemas and the reaction is out of this world.</p> <p><em>Star Wars: The Force Awakens </em>has smashed cinema’s opening weekend box office record in both Australia and the US.</p> <p>The renewal of the popular franchise on the big screen earned $27.2 million – that figure smashed the previous record owned by the final Harry Potter Film, which earned $18.3 million.</p> <p>The success of this Star Wars film is due to several elements be it from Walt Disney’s biggest ever launch for a film in Australia, to a star studded cast featuring Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega.</p> <p>For all you Ford fans, here's a reminder why Harrison was the chosen man to play the one, the only, Han Solo.</p> <p>Here the original footage of Ford's audition crystalizes his charming, mysterious and heroic delivery; all elements which enabled Solo to become one of the most iconic characters in the history of sci-fi.  <br /> <br /><strong>Did you know:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Solo wasn't always meant to be the dashing rogue we know today. George Lucas' 1974 rough draft of the film initially saw a giant, green-skinned-and-gilled alien, turned pirate then finally sultry cowboy in a starship.</li> <li>Ford caught Lucas' eye after featuring in his 1973 film <em>American Grafitti</em>. </li> <li>Ford had to outshine the likes of Billy Dee Williams, Chevy Chase, Kurt Russell, Bill Murray, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Sylvester Stallone.</li> <li>Ford is set to earn 56 times as much as the film's young leads</li> <li>The silver fox is 73 years of age</li> <li>The Star Wars franchise has kept Ford in work for the last 40 years</li> </ul> <p><em>Star Wars:The Force Awakens </em>is out in Australian cinemas, not in a galaxy far far away - and remember: May the Ford be with you…</p> <p><strong>Related Links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/carrie-fisher-hilarious-star-wars-interview/">Carrie Fisher hilariously dishes on the new Star Wars</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/harrison-ford-irreplaceable-as-indiana-jones/">Spielberg says “Harrison Ford the only Indiana Jones”</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/oldest-woman-in-the-worlds-secret/">You’ll love these wise words from this 116-year-old</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/12/carrie-fisher-hilarious-star-wars-interview/"> </a></strong></em></span></p>

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