Will Smith’s son led him to Concussion role

AFP

AFP

Plus: Jennifer Aniston intrigued by new taco diet, Harry Styles takes singing lessons, Adele’s son to join her on tour, Bolly stars urge fans to ‘Walk for Health’ and The Force Awakens is third-biggest film.

Will Smith admits he didn't know much about the effects of head trauma on American football players before his elder son, Trey, started playing the sport, but once he learnt the facts, he felt compelled to share them in his latest film, Concussion. Smith told American television host Ryan Seacrest on the Golden Globes red carpet that he wasn't aware of the information before having to step up as a parent. He said that it made him nervous to send his child into something he wasn't well-informed about. Smith, 47, was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Dr Bennet Omalu in the film, a forensic pathologist who fought back after the NFL attempted to suppress his findings about head injuries. – The National Staff

Aniston intrigued by new taco diet

Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston, a fan of Mexico and its food, says she is "riveted" by a new taco cleanse diet and expects the trend to catch on this year. During an interview with Yahoo Food, the 46-year-old former Friends star first raised her doubts about the diet, which is based on corn tortillas, but after some research was intrigued by the new viral trend. In the book The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life, the authors claim that they lost weight after eating nothing but tacos for 30 days. The book has sold out on amazon.com, according to US Weekly. Aniston said she had ordered a copy. – The National Staff

Harry Styles takes singing lessons

One Direction star Harry Styles has reportedly teamed up with a vocal coach as he prepares to launch a solo career. A source told Daily Star that it was standard practice for artists to hire singing teachers when they go solo, and that Styles was being smart about developing his vocal skills and working hard to achieve success. Styles's Hollywood-based coach, Ron Anderson, has worked with other big names, including Adele, Leona Lewis, Alicia Keys and Kylie Minogue. The source said Styles is happy about the latest chapter in his life and plans to make enough time in his schedule for regular coaching. Styles will be flying to Los Angeles often or flying Anderson to London so he take classes on a regular basis. – The National Staff

Adele’s son to join her on tour

Singer Adele, who will embark on a nine-month tour this year, will be joined on her travels by 3-year-old son Angelo. The singing sensation, whose record-breaking album 25 sold 2.3 million copies in the United States in the first three days of release, will be sticking to a strict routine while on tour, according to The Sun newspaper. Whether or not, Adele's partner, Simon Konecki, will join her on tour is unknown, according to femalefirst.co.uk. It is reported that Konecki would not be able to come to every show because of his work with the charity Drop4Drop and other commitments. Also, there will be no after parties for Adele during the tour. – The National Staff

Bolly stars urge fans to ‘Walk for Health’

Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur helped launch the fourth edition of the Max Bupa Walk for Health this week in Mumbai. The initiative was launched to inspire families to walk more and enhance their overall health and well-being. Pledging his support to the initiative, Kumar said that walking was an intrinsic part of his fitness regime and an easy and effective way to stay healthy. Kaur said that people of all ages must walk to stay energised. This year, The Max Bupa Walk for Health has transformed into a 33-day walking event in 15 cities, concluding in Delhi on February 14. – IANS

The Force Awakens is third-biggest film

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens has been propelled to third spot on the global list of highest-grossing films after breaking records in China with US$53 million (Dh194.64m) in ticket sales on its first weekend. The China figures represent the highest Saturday or Sunday movie opening in the country in industry history, makers Disney said. The worldwide haul of The Force Awakens, the long-awaited seventh instalment in the science-fiction franchise created by George Lucas in 1977, now stands at $1.73 billion, overtaking Jurassic World's $1.67bn global gross. Its performance in China will help decide whether The Force Awakens tops Avatar as the highest-grossing film in Hollywood history. James Cameron's film made $2.8bn after its December 2009 debut. Titanic (1997) is in second spot with $2.2bn. – Reuters