Singer Shania Twain gets Hollywood star

Last week, Timmins city council announced the Shania Twain Centre, the city’s 11-year, multi-million-dollar bid to lure tourists to the heart of Northern Ontario, was coming to an ignominious end. Responding to Timmins’s entreaties, Vancouver-based Goldcorp bought the property for an undisclosed sum and, within a few years, the site of the 12,000-square-foot centre will be part of a new mining project. “I think they probably are going to take the buildings down,” said Tom Laughren, Timmins mayor.

Grammy-winning US pop singer Christina Aguilera was honored with a star on Hollywood's celebrity Walk of Fame, barely a week before her feature film debut.The star, the 2,423rd on the famous sidewalk roll call of celebrities past and present, was unveiled on Monday, nine days before her acting skills go on display when "Burlesque" hits the silver screen, co-starring Cher."As a young girl in Pittsburgh, I often imagined what it would be like to come to Hollywood and make it as a performer," the 29-year-old told screaming fans on Hollywood Boulevard.

Oscar-winning British actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson was the toast of Tinseltown on Friday, receiving the 2,416th star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame" -- outside an English-themed pub.Thompson, 51, was honored at a ceremony in front of the Pig 'n' Whistle attended by fellow actors Hugh Laurie of "House" fame and Maggie Gyllenhaal, her co-star in "Nanny McPhee Returns," to be released later this month."It's so appropriate this is outside of a pub," Thompson said as she received her award before a crowd of wellwishers on Hollywood Boulevard.

British actor Colin Firth, who is tipped for Oscar glory for his latest movie "The King's Speech," was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.The 50-year-old, who plays stuttering King George VI in the movie also expected to do well in this weekend's Golden Globes, referred to the movie as he posed next to his sidewalk star on Hollywood Boulevard."Sometimes one feels like that particular king in moments like these," he quipped to a small crowd gathered for the photocall.

British actor Colin Firth, who is tipped for Oscar glory for his latest movie the "The King's Speech," was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Thursday.The 50-year-old, who plays stuttering King George VI in the movie also expected to do well in this weekend's Golden Globes, referred to the movie as he posed next to his sidewalk star on Hollywood Boulevard."Sometimes one feels like that particular king in moments like these," he quipped to a small crowd gathered for the photocall.

Veteran Canadian actor Donald Sutherland won tributes -- including from his son Kiefer -- as he was honored with a star on Hollywood's storied Walk of Fame on Wednesday.The 75-year-old star of films including "MASH," "The Dirty Dozen" and "Klute" joked that the star, one of 2,430 celebrity plaques on the sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard, was better than a funeral headstone."This marker I can actually come and visit," he said. "No, I could get a chair and sit here, or a bucket and a mop and clean it, and make sure that people don't step on it," he said.

Kate Winslet and Jennifer Lopez are among nominees announced Tuesday to get their star on Hollywood's storied Walk of Fame next year.Jennifer Aniston and Scarlett Johansson can also get their names on the Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk in 2012, while actors Richard Burton and Malcolm McDowell, along with soul legend Barry White, will get posthumous stars."The committee has selected a fabulous slate of stars to add sparkle and luster to the Hollywood Walk of Fame over the next year," said John Pavlik, chairman of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Selection Committee.

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame Monday, as her latest director praised her as a "strange acting alien" who can turn on a performance at will."This city is so much a part of my heart and soul, and the idea that my grandchildren can one day come and see my name on the sidewalk is very overwhelming," said Paltrow, who won an Oscar for 1998's "Shakespeare in Love."