Jessica Alba is a star you would be able to take to meet your folks: Although she's played a sexy saloon girl in the hyper-violent, comic-book-style film Sin City, a threatened prostitute in this year's controversial – and just as violent – The Killer Inside Me, and a gun-wielding immigration officer in Robert Rodriguez' – yes, you guessed it, almost comically violent – Machete, Alba hasn't, like so many of her peers, let her life imitate her art.

She's never been snapped falling out of an LA club, sans underwear, with suspicious white powder on her face, or had her mugshot splashed across gossip mags thanks to a misguided rendezvous with drink or drugs while in charge of a car.

And though she regularly wins accolades in online polls labelling her "this year's sexiest", she hasn't let any of that go to her head. The fact is Alba is something far more shocking than any of the above – she's pretty normal, and defines herself in terms any non-superstar would identify with.

"Being a mother, being a daughter, being a wife, being a good friend, being loyal," the actress says when asked how she sees herself.

Emma Watson demonstrates off stylish hangar chic as she flies off to LA for New Year: She has graced glossy magazine covers, been the face of Burberry and sparked hair crop mania by cutting her hair. But Emma Watson’s sense of style does not stop where the red carpet ends and has proved she can also rock a killer causal look too. The 20-year-old Harry Potter actress was at Heathrow airport earlier today heading for LA and looked every inch the fashion model.

The simple but chic outfit consisted of black skinny jeans and a navy winter jacket accessorised with a black furry hat partially covering her pixie crop. The stylish actress opted for comfort in the foot department too, donning a pair of plain black pumps. The finishing touch to her elegant look came in the form of her luxury luggage which included an £800 Globetrotter safari suitcase and a black leather handbag.

Daniel Radcliffe & J.K. Rowling meet together: Not that Daniel Radcliffe is trying to tell J.K. Rowling how to do her job, which judging by the Harry Potter franchise she has done very well, but he has an interesting plot twist for any future wizard endeavors.

“At one point in Sherlock Holmes, I remember he retired to the country and started keeping bees. So maybe something really nice and sedate for Harry,” he stated when asked what Potter should do next.

In addition to beekeeping, Radcliffe mentioned another potential hobby based off of the boy wizard’s interest in animals. “Maybe he could start bird watching— he loves owls. Just some kind of nice pastime that doesn’t involve him getting shot at,” he said.

Part of the fun of the Harry Potter films comes from all of the interesting creatures and animals that come into play. We’d be all for some magical bees and more owl action.

Cheryl Cole talk about acting lessons? Not content with a burgeoning TV and successful music career, Cheryl Cole is reportedly planning to try acting when she moves to America next year., The X Factor judge is thought to be joining the panel of the US version in 2011 and insiders say that she intends to start acting lessons as soon as she arrives, in a bid to help her crack America. A source told the Daily Star: “Alongside the acting lessons, she’ll be getting a coach to train her for her judge’s role in America.”

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne recently admitted that Simon Cowell does adore Cheryl, but added that even he may not be able to make her a big star Stateside. She believes that Nicole Scherzinger would be a more obvious choice for his new show.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie meet children in cancer centre: The showbiz couple – who raise six kids, Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, five, Shiloh, four, and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, together – were joined by Brad's parents and brother Doug on their brief trip to the St. John's Jane Pitt Paediatric Cancer Centre, which is in the actor's hometown of Springfield, Missouri.

Hospital spokesperson Cora Scott revealed: "They stayed about 45 minutes. It was a very nice visit."Last year, Brad and Angelina, along with the actor's brother, sister and their families, donated $1 million to St. John's Foundation for Community Health and had the paediatric cancer unit dedicated to the 'Burn After Reading' star's mother Jane.

Beyonce Knowles Blows 'Em Away; Travel Stories Rule: There's no power like star power, as evidenced by the attention Marketing Daily readers paid to a story about superstar Beyoncé Knowles starring in a Super Bowl spot for Vizio.

Regardless of whether more Vizio TVs were sold as a result of the TV spot, the songstress could teach other celebrities a thing or two about self-promotion. In June, Forbes placed Knowles at No. 3 on its 2010 Celebrity Power List with $87 million in grosses, thanks to a 93-date world tour, deals with Nintendo and L'Oréal and her House of Deréon fashion line.

Avril Lavigne launch New ;Emotional' Album: Avril Lavigne is set to debut her latest single and reveals that she is more than excited to get back in the game with a new album on the way.

“I’m anxious to get out there again. There will be a world tour promoting the new album and single in the new year.” Avril told PopEater of her most recent project, Goodbye Lullaby.