After a grueling work schedule, summer for Drew Barrymore is her time to recharge – and time to make a few life changes.

"For three years straight, I've been burning the candle at both ends, and as of last December, I just didn't have anything left," Elle's August cover girl, 35, says.

After being "so aggressive about living life to the fullest and being plugged into everything," Barrymore – whose busy past few years included making her directorial debut in Whip It, producing and starring in He's Just Not That Into You and picking up a Golden Globe for HBO's Grey Gardens – says she's now "ripped the plug out of the wall and put it on the floor for a while."

"I'm thinking about the same things as when I was 15, about spirituality and who I am, who I want to be. It's coc ... Read more »

There's a reason why you probably won't see Drew Barrymore Tweeting away like other stars – she just doesn't get it.

"Ironically, with all this, 'We're now more connected than ever with technology,' I don't think we've ever been farther apart," the actress, 35, tells Nylon's August/Denim issue. "I think it's bulls---."

Technology and social media make everyone feel "more connected," she says, "but [we're now] weirdly disconnected."

Something else she can't stand: Trying to be someone she's not.



"You have to not pretend to be perfect, because that's not only boring as [expletive], but it's just not real," she says.

"I just r ... Read more »

Drew Barrymore can't hold back when talking about her on-again, off-again boyfriend of three years, Justin Long. The superlatives just come gushing out.

"He's the cat's pajamas," the actress, 35, tells Harper's Bazaar in its October issue, which goes on sale Sept. 28. "I couldn't love, respect, admire and enjoy that individual more than I do. It would be physically impossible for me to have any more giggly joy at this person."

And yet, as she's reached her mid-30s, Barrymore says a relationship isn't as crucial to her as it once was. In fact, she's learned to appreciate time by herself once again.

What better way to celebrate the knockout (and Oscar-nominated) film The Fighter than with a star-studded party? 

Drew Barrymore was on-hand to catch up with friends Eva Mendes and Hilary Swank at a Dewar's Signature-hosted bash at the Brentwood, Calif., home of  Fighter producer David Hoberman. Dressed in a sequined skirt, top and blazer, Barrymore was a bundle of energy as she made her way through the party with a male friend. She immediately ran into Terrence Howard, whom she kissed on the cheek.

Apart from all the conversation, there was food – plenty of it – catered by Animal, an L.A. hotspot. Guests enjoyed passed appetizers, including mini-lobster rolls, scallops with warm truffle vinaigrette and blistered t ... Read more »

  

Is Drew Barrymore romancing a new guy?

The actress, 36, had a cozy lunch at celebrity favorite Joan's on Third in L.A. Monday with Will Kopelman, a 33-year-old art consultant. Then, on Wednesday, they strolled arm-in-arm as they left the E. Baldi Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills.

The pair also had a night out at the Music Box a couple weeks ago. Kopelman, the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman, attended Boston University. He's no stranger to dating actresses – he also had a romance with The Event star Sarah Roemer

As for Barrymore, she seems to have dialed things down a few notches again with her on-again-off-again boyfriend Justin Long, of whom she ... Read more »

Jon Hamm, move over. The latest looker to leap back into the 1960s: Daniel Radcliffe, who is assuming the musical role of quintessential company man J. Pierrepont Finch in the new Broadway revival of the 1961 classic How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

As shown in these exclusive-to-PEOPLE rehearsal shots, Radcliife is already off and running ahead of the chorus. As Finch, he starts in the mailroom of Manhattan's World Wide Wicket and works his way up the corporate ladder.

En route, he meets the adoring secretary Rosemary Pilkington – played by Philadelphia-born Rose Hemingway, in her Broadway debut after touring nationally in Mamma Mia. She's also appeared in Donmar Warehouse's ... Read more »

Daniel Radcliffe tried to conjure his own magical powers with whiskey, the Harry Potter star admits – but the 21-year-old has been dry since last August.

"I became so reliant on [alcohol] to enjoy stuff," Radcliffe, now starring in Broadway's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, tells the new issue of GQ magazine.

In particular, Radcliffe reveals to GQ (and widely quoted in U.K. newspapers), his drinking became an issue on the set of 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – though, luckily for him, photographers weren't around.

"I really got away with that because there were many instances when a paparazzi shot like that could have been taken," he says. ... Read more »

Looks like Hogwarts should be prepared for a whole new generation of wizards.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, 20, says that once the successful sorcerer's saga is over, his biggest project will be starting a family ... at some unspecified point in the future.

"No man, I've got kids to have yet!" he tells the BBC. "They're going to keep me busy if I do – which I hope I do at some point. I'm not planning on it soon – that's one of the things I'm really looking forward to doing."

Radcliffe, who has just recently opened up about his dating habits, says that life after Harry Potter is daunting but promising – a sentiment shared by costar Rupert Grint, 21, who plays Harry's best ... Read more »

For his 18th birthday, it was a game of cricket. But for his 21st, Daniel Radcliffe hit the bars of St. Petersburg.

Calling it "the most beautiful, the most incredible, wonderful place I've ever been in my life," Radcliffe, who turned 21 on July 23, was on vacation, and spotted whooping it up with two male friends at 48 Chairs in the exotic Russian city.

According to the Daily Mail, it was vodka on the rocks for the Harry Potter star – and plenty of it!

Who knew Daniel Radcliffe liked to kiss 'n' tell? Or that Emma Watson was so, er, passionate?

Discussing their screen smooch, Radcliffe, 21, told ITV's Daybreak morning show in the U.K. on Wednesday – promoting his and Watson's movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which opens in the U.S. Nov 19 – that her lip-lock "ambushed" him, and that was something he clearly wasn't expecting.

"I always thought it was going to be this soft sensual sort of moment, and suddenly there was this vigorous kissing happening to me," he confessed.

But wait. There's more.

He may make the young women in the audience of his Broadway show How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying shriek when he shakes his compact little body during his dance numbers, but there's really only one person Daniel Radcliffe cares to succeed with: Rosanne Coker.

She's the one the Harry Potter star described as his "girlfriend at the moment, who I am very much in love with."

Only as late as Thursday, just as photos of her and Radcliffe strolling hand-in-hand together in New York surfaced, the young woman's identity remained a mystery.

Dakota Fanning is used to glamorous red carpet events and Hollywood honors, but she has also received something many high school girls dream of – the title of homecoming queen.

The actress, 16, who is a senior at North Hollywood's Campbell Hall Episcopal High School, was bestowed with the honor on Monday – the second year in a row she's been homecoming queen.

In the photo, the Breaking Dawn actress is seen proudly wearing her crown and sash while holding a bouquet of red roses next to Henry Aleck, a senior who plays football and was named homecoming king.

From a ruthless Volturi vampire in the Twilight saga to legendary rocker Cherie Currie in The Runaways, Dakota Fanning has taken on many major roles in her career – but this might be her biggest one yet.

On Monday, the actress, 17, became a high school graduate.

Donning a blue cap and gown, Fanning received her diploma from North Hollywood's Campbell Hall Episcopal High School, where she was a cheerleader and this year's homecoming queen. The ceremony was held at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

The buzz started after photos and videos hit the Web that appeared to show her bulging mid-section to collapse as she sat down during the Australian talk show Sunday Night HD, suggesting she had a prosthetic stomach and that a surrogate was carrying her child.

But her rep, Yvette Noel-Schure, tells ABC the fake-bump rumors are "stupid, ridiculous and false."

Beyoncé Knowles can't hold back when it comes to expressing her pregnancy joy.

After showing off her baby bump at the MTV Music Awards and later saying she feels "very empowered," the pop diva, 30, now says she's "so happy to be a woman."

"[Pregnancy] is the most incredible gift anyone can have," Knowles told E! News. "I'm very excited. I'm probably the happiest I've ever been."



And should her ... Read more »

Talk about do-gooders! Beyoncé and Jay-Z were "very cute and affectionate" at the rapper's carnival-themed fundraiser for his Shawn Carter Foundation at New York's Pier 54. The rapper arrived first, but later met his pregnant wife at the Spotted Pig's food truck, where they ate sliders. Next, Beyoncé grabbed a seat at a picnic table and watched as her hubby threw darts with Alex Rodriguez. Guests at the high-end bash sipped Armand de Brignac Champagne, played carnival games and enjoyed the high-end treats provided by Spotted Pig and Momofuku Milk Bar. In the end, the event raised $1 million toward sending underprivileged students to college. – ... Read more »

Parents-to-be Beyoncé and Jay-Z stepped out for a date night, hitting the launch party for Bellus Wines at Parm Restaurant in N.Y.C. The couple sampled the food – mozzarella sticks, pizza knots and more – at the soon-to-be-opened eatery, but Beyoncé, of course, stuck to ginger ale. The pair sat in a corner booth with some music executive friends and were "incredibly nice and gracious," says an onlooker. – Carlos Greer

Even the First Lady can't resist Beyoncé's beats.

Michelle Obama, who is encouraging the nation to work out as part of her "Let's Move" campaign, has revealed the tunes that get her motivated.

"I always love Beyoncé, so anything fast-paced that she's doing is a good one for me," Obama said in a video response to questions from the "Let's Move" online audience. "But I have very eclectic tastes, so my playlist on my iPod, which I listen to, runs from fast paced to a little more mellow."

 

How did Ashley Tisdale survive Carmagedden? She skipped it! The actress decamped to Las Vegas for some weekend partying at Vanity Nightclub. The actress was spotted dancing with a group of girlfriends at the club, located inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

If cute is all you've got, you won't get far with Ashley Tisdale.

"In high school, it was all about popularity, being with the boyfriend and all the girls thinking he's cute," the star of the new cheerleading show Hellcats (which premiered Wednesday on the CW) says of her dating habits in Seventeen's October issue, on newsstands Sept. 14.

These days, it's not just about looks. "I am more into a guy's personality," says Tisdale, 25. "I like someone I can have fun with and who can be more laid-back than I am, because it calms me down."

... Read more »

Is Ashley Tisdale going back to her High School Musical roots?

In an upcoming episode of Hellcats, the CW's cheerful comedy/drama, Tisdale's good girl character Savannah will take the stage to sing with the Colorado-based band 3OH!3.

The episode, which is titled "Worried Baby Blues," airs Tuesday Feb. 1 on the show's new night and it will be the first time Tisdale has had a solo performance on the show. (She played singing and dancing Sharpay in the HSM franchise.)

As a way to raise money for their sectionals competition, the Hellcats pose for a sexy calendar and throw a party with the band and Savannah gets her chance to sing.

Hellcats returns to the CW on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET).

Are Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz reconciling – or just very amicably split?

Dressed casually as they soaked up some southern California sunshine – with Wentz carrying 2-year-old Bronx on one hip – the young family stopped by the Beverly Glen Mall in Los Angeles Thursday and picked up some coffee and iced tea at a Starbucks.

"Ashlee and Pete held hands, and Pete especially looked very happy," an onlooker says. "While waiting for their drinks, Pete had his arm around Ashlee and they definitely looked like a couple again."

Added the onlooker: "Ashlee kept smiling and lovingly leaned on Pete."

Is newly single Ashlee Simpson already moving on?

A month after filing for divorce from rocker Pete Wentz, Simpson was photographed at an L.A. mall with another musician, Craig Owens of the band D.R.U.G.S.

But a source close to the singer/actress says reports of a budding romance with Owens, 26, – who is signed to Wentz's Decaydance Records – are just not true.

"Craig is a longtime friend and was comforting Ashlee during this difficult time," the Simpson source tells PEOPLE. "She's not moving on. There's no race for a new relationship. They're friends."

Aunt-to-be Ashlee Simpson enjoyed a night on the town with her new beau Vincent Piazza: the couple attended a charity event before heading to Greenhouse nightclub for the Boardwalk Empire star's Prohibition Party with his castmates. The couple sat in a VIP area at the bash and packed on the PDA in between sips of champagne (for her) and beer (for him). "They were cuddled up in the corner of the booth laughing...flirting, kissing and dancing," an observer tells us of the pair, who stayed out past 1 a.m. – Paul Chi

Move over Wolfgang Puck. The next celebrity chef may come in the form of a brash, pop punker.

"I've always been obsessed with cooking," Avril Lavgine told PEOPLE Saturday in Las Vegas. "I can make anything."

Lavigne even asked for cooking tools for her recent 26th birthday, which she celebrated over the weekend at MGM Grand's Wet Republic.

"I got some spatulas with skulls on them and some fun stuff for my kitchen," she said of her birthday gifts.

"I swear to God, my family asked me what I wanted and I said I wanted a serving bowl and all these things for my kitchen. I asked for a stone plate to put in my oven to cook and crazy stuff like that."



... Read more »

He wants everyone to know what a great boyfriend he is! Brody Jenner and Avril Lavigne hit up Kitson at the Malibu Lumber Yard for a sweet shopping trip with the MTV star's mom, Linda Thompson. The two weren't hiding their affection at the store as they shopped, hugged, laughed and even kissed each other on the cheek. Lavigne stocked up on some Aviator Nation hoodies and various shirts, while Jenner expressed his love by purchasing a "Trophy Boyfriend" T-shirt by Local Celebrity.

• Mariah Carey helped hubby Nick Cannon ring in his birthday with a bash in New York – and then sent him another sweet offering as he continued the celebration in Los Angeles. The singer sent Cannon treats from the Sugar Factory, including the signature Couture Pops, and a fully-stocked candy bar which features ple ... Read more »

it was a Saturday night to remember for Avril Lavigne and Brody Jenner, but for all the wrong reasons.

The pop singer, 27, was allegedly injured in a fight outside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in the early hours on Sunday. Jenner, her boyfriend, was also injured, apparently when he tried to intervene.

Both of them later Tweeted about the incident.

"I got attacked by 5 people last night out of nowhere. Not cool. My face is f––ed," Lavigne wrote. "As in black eye, bloody nose, hair ripped out, scratches, bruises and cuts. So not ok to be abusive to others. ... Read more »

Shannon Tavarez was performing as the young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway when her legs mysteriously started to hurt. The pain made walking – not to mention dancing – difficult. In April came the devastating diagnosis: At age 11, she had an acute form of leukemia.

The news "really hit me hard," says Tavarez.

Her struggle also struck a chord with Alicia Keys and Rihanna. The singers, who both started their careers when they were young, decided to help get the word out that Tavarez needs a bone marrow transplant to live.

Keys says she was touched when she visited Tavarez on July 2 in the Long Island hospital where she receives daily chemotherapy treatments.

These days, Alicia Keys is in a motherhood state of mind.

The singer and her husband, Swizz "Kaseem Dean" Beatz, "joyfully welcomed their first child," son Egypt Daoud Dean, on Oct. 14 in New York City, reps for the couple confirm in a statement to PEOPLE.

This is the couple's first child, though Egypt "is welcomed by Beatz's three other children," the statement adds.

Keys, 29, and Beatz, 32, are not only new parents together – they are also newlyweds. The singer and the rapper-producer were married in a private ceremony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in July. At the time, the two didn't know the gender of their child, but Swizz Beatz said they were excited to start a family together.

She's already on-the-go!

Four days after giving birth in New York, Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beatz were already shopping for their new boy, Egypt Daoud Dean, born Oct. 14. The couple spent a romantic evening together on Monday as they browsed baby clothes in the Big Apple.

Keys, 29, and Beatz, 32, are not only new parents together – they are also newlyweds. The singer and the rapper-producer tied the knot in a private ceremony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in July.

Alicia Keys got quite the 31st birthday gift from her hubby Swizz Beatz: an all-white Aston Martin DBS. He also threw her a bash at Casa La Femme, an Egyptian restaurant in New York, where famous friends like Beyoncé and Jay-Z and Gayle King toasted the 31-year-old with Bertaud Berlieu rosé wine. In addition to the car, Beatz also gifted his wife some work by artists Shepard Fairey and Mr. Brainwash and some paintings he created himself.

• Lady Gaga traded in her platform heels for a pair of bowling shoes during a fun outing with beau Luc Carl at Bowlmor Times Square in N.Y.C. The pop star and her man took over the private fourth floor of the bowling alley, and took shots of whiskey. When s ... Read more »

He may be too young to sing and produce music like mom and dad, but Alicia Keys says son Egypt Daoud, 8 months, definitely has their adult sense of humor.

"He loves to laugh," she tells PEOPLE. "[He laughs] at everything. I'll say a joke that's totally a grown person's joke and he'll laugh. I'm like, 'Ha! You get me.' "

Egypt isn't growing up too fast, however. Kid jokes tickle his funny bone just the same.



"I do silly noises on his cheek and he'll just crack up," the singer, who is currently celebrating the 10-year anniversary and re-release of her debut album, ... Read more »

It seems that married life is agreeing with Alicia Keys.

"It's so fly," the singer tells PEOPLE. "There's something great about feeling at peace and ease with your partner and knowing you understand each other. I really enjoy that friendship."

Keys, 31, who will celebrate her one-year anniversary with producer husband Swizz Beatz on July 31, adds that being like-minded with her mate helps keep things harmonious.

"There are so many similarities between us, it's just mind-blowing," she says of Beatz, 32 (with whom she welcomed a son named Egypt last fall). "It's really cool to have met my equal."

In fact, the two are so in sync that Keys even trusts Beatz (real name: Kaseem Dean) with helping her pick outfits ... Read more »