1st May 2012 Celebrity Trending - Scarlett Johansson, Kathy Bates, Eric Church

Scarlett Johansson is happy about having the "rare opportunity" to play the mercenary The Black Widow, a woman who stands on her own, rather than as a love interest or sidekick, in "The Avengers." The 27-year-old actress is one of Hollywood's most popular sex symbols who was even the target of a recent nude photo scandal. She first debuted her character, whose alter ego is Natasha Romanoff, and showed off her fighting skills - in a sexy catsuit - in "Iron Man 2." In "The Avengers," she teams up with Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr., and various other Marvel Comics superheroes to try and stop the evil God Loki and his army. "The Widow has no time for funny business," Johansson told OnTheRedCarpet.com. "The Avengers" is directed by "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" creator Joss Whedon. Johansson said that she owed her "Widowdom" to director Jon Favreau, who helmed both "Iron Man" films. "I don't think I would think of myself as being this badass super heroine," the actress said. "He took a chance on me and I was able to build a character really from that, from 'Iron Man 2,' and being able to play a woman who is not a love interest, she's not a wife, she's not a sidekick, she is her own ... she's a mercenary, really, and it's a rare opportunity." Despite her character's ability to hold her own as a superhero, the actress added that she is "never one of the guys. Never ever."

At any rate, despite the popularity of Sheen’s character, the contention between him and the network execs means they can’t exactly bring him back on, even for flashback episodes (his character was killed off, apparently) or dream sequences. So what’s their answer? They put his spirit in someone else’s body. Namely, Kathy Bates. Now, I love Kathy Bates. She’s played some of my favorite characters over the years and is fully capable of playing everything from a hard-nosed bitch to a vulnerable woman who tries too hard to make everyone happy. To see her talents used to bring a character like Charlie Harper back to life just makes me sad…especially when she falls into the trap of ball-jokes and sexist silliness. Twitter users actually seemed pretty divided on the subject, which is rare. I guess I should be glad Bates has found a few new fans in the Two And A Half Men audience, because she deserves recognition for the funny lady she is.

In a recent Rolling Stone interview, country music star Eric Church went off on NBC's The Voice, taking aim at mentors Blake Shelton, 35, and Cee Lo Green, 37. "Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green f-cking turn around in a red chair, you got a deal?" he sniped. "That's crazy. I don't know what would make an artist do that. You're not an artist." Church, 34, added that he would never appear on a show like The Voice or American Idol. "If I was concerned about my legacy, there's no f-cking way I would ever sit there," he said. "Once your career becomes about something other than the music, then that's what it is. I'll never make that mistake. I don't care if I f-ckng starve."