Los Angeles (dpa) – Michael Jackson is to be posthumously awarded a lifetime achievement Grammy, the US Recording Academy announced Thursday.

The lifetime achievement awards will also be handed out to Leonard Cohen, Bobby Darin, Loretta Lynn, Clark Terry, Dave Edwards and Andre Previn on Jan. 30, a day before the main awards ceremony.

“This year’s honorees are a prestigious group of diverse and prominent creators who have contributed some of the most distinguished and influential recordings,” Recording Academy President and Chief Executive Officer Neil Portnow said in a statement.

“Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their craft have created a timeless legacy that has positively affected multiple generations, and will continue to influence generations to come. It is an honor and privilege to recognize such talented individuals who have had and will continue to have such an influence in both our culture and the music industry.”

Jackson, whose “Thriller” album is considered the best-selling record of all time, died on June 25 from an accidental overdose of the anesthetic Propofil that he was using as a sleep aid in the days before embarking on a comeback tour.

Amanda Peet is pregnant!

Actress Amanda Peet is expecting her second child with her screenwriter husband David Benioff.

The “2012” star and her husband of three years are already parents to two-year-old daughter Frances Pen and they’re now preparing for a new addition to their family, her representative has confirmed to UsMagazine.com.

The couple has been married for three years. (Starpulse.com)

Brangelina secretly celebrate five-year anniversary

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie enjoyed a romantic night out in Hollywood to celebrate their five-year anniversary as a couple, and the kids stayed at home.

The superstars planned a military-style operation to make sure their low-key night at the Chateau Marmont stayed top secret, and they did such a good job that news of the Nov. 28 rendezvous has only just leaked.

A source at the famous Los Angeles hotel tells Life & Style magazine, “They checked in around 4 p.m. and were ushered straight to their poolside bungalow. They were holding hands when they arrived, and Angie was really excited. They looked like they were on a date. They had no security with them, and they were incredibly relaxed.”

According to the insider, the evening was planned meticulously by Pitt, who insisted on dealing only with top-level hotel staff members to make sure the night wasn’t ruined by fans or photographers.

The source adds, “They just wanted a quiet night by themselves.”

The publication reports the couple left the hotel just before lunch the following day and tipped “generously.”

The insider recalls, “They looked so happy. They’d obviously had a lovely night together.” (Starpulse.com)

Aaron Eckhart and Molly Sims split?

“The Dark Knight” villain Aaron Eckhart has ended his relationship with model-turned-actress Molly Sims, according to tabloid reports.

Rumors the model-turned-actress had become Eckhart’s new leading lady surfaced after the pair was spotted enjoying a romantic dinner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last month.

Sims then confirmed they were an item to the press, infuriating Eckhart, who ditched her over the phone – reports Star magazine.

A source tells the tabloid, “He’s an incredibly private guy.” (Starpulse.com)

‘Avatar’ sets audiences on epic, visual ride

PARIS (Reuters) – James Cameron’s long-awaited ‘‘Avatar,’’ one of the most expensive films ever made, takes off this week in an awe-inspiring display of Hollywood power that has revolutionized cinematic special effects. At a cost of about $400 million to make and market ‘‘Avatar,’’ the Oscar-winning director of ‘‘Titanic’’ has created a lush world of dense forest, floating mountains and tremendous creatures in a computer-generated spectacular that transforms much of the cast into giant, blue-skinned humanoids.

New show, exhibits to mark Elvis’ 75th birthday

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Elvis Presley’s legacy will be marked in force next year in a 75th anniversary birthday celebration featuring a new Cirque du Soleil production, movie marathons, a Facebook application and a cruise. Elvis Presley Enterprises on Thursday rolled out a year of events to mark what would have been the singer’s 75th birthday on Jan. 8, including a cake-cutting ceremony at his Graceland home in Memphis with wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie.