As previously reported, Scarlett Johansson has set up a special auction to raise money for Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice. The auction is now online and awaiting your bid. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Oxfam and the auction ends March 12 @ 11 PM EST. The winning bidder will receive:

• Two tickets to the world premiere of He’s Just Not That Into You. The premiere location has not yet been determined but will be in either Los Angeles or New York this July.

• Chauffeured car service to the premiere

• Hair and makeup for one by Prive

• A meet and greet with Scarlett at the premiere

Bid for your chance to meet Scarlett Johansson at eBay.com. There’s also a couple of other related auctions up there, including signed DVDs. Good luck!

David Bowie has spoken about his work on Scarlett Johansson’s debut album, a collection of covers of Tom Waits songs.

The rock legend added backing vocals to two tracks on “Anywhere I Lay My Head” – ‘Falling Down’ and ‘Fannin’ Street’.

Posting on his official site BowieNet, the singer said: “The songs are great, really good Tom Waits stuff, and Scarlett’s performances are mystical and twice cool. She creates a mood that could have been summoned by someone like Margery Latimer or Jeanette Winterson.”

However, the veteran artist played down his contributions to the record, saying: “I’ve seen the press on this and I suppose the record company wanted to spin my involvement a little more than it actually warrants. All I contribute are these oo’s and ah’s on a couple of tracks.

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A quick update for today. The Telegraph published a great new interview with Scarlett regarding her album. You can read it here. Check out this funny quote:

“I first realised I was a sexual being listening to David Bowie, like, oh my God, what are these tingling feelings?”, she giggles self-consciously, then adds, “I mean, when I was young” to quell speculation about late-night studio sessions.

I’ve added many new shots to the The Other Boleyn Girl press conference album. Big thanks to nolarice for some of these!

International relief and development agency Oxfam America is proud to announce it is working with eBay to launch a fundraising auction initiative, which will benefit Oxfam’s poverty relief and advocacy efforts around the world. The program consists of four consecutive charity auctions beginning on February 20, 2008, featuring unique “experiences” with Oxfam Ambassadors including Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Kristin Davis and Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou. Each item listing will run for 10 days and will be featured at http://www.ebay.com/oxfam.

– Two tickets to be Scarlett Johansson’s guest at the June premiere of He’s Just Not That into You starring Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Long and Ben Affleck

– Hair and make-up services by Prive Salon and chauffeured car service provided by Audi to the Premiere event with Johansson

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The press archive has been updated with three new articles, two from USA Today and the third from ComingSoon.net. Like the recently added Cinema Blend interview, the ComingSoon.net one is also from the Boleyn press conference so it contains some comments you may have read before. There’s also some additional quotes that were not published by Cinema Blend, such as Scarlett and Natalie discussing The Horse Whisperer. A very interesting read! In these articles Scarlett also confirms that Mary Queen of Scots will be her next movie.

• The Other Boleyn Girl: Natalie vs Scarlett!
• ‘Boleyn’ girls Portman, Johansson share a sisterhood thing
• More from the ‘Boleyn’ girls

Here’s an interesting quote from Scarlett regarding her upcoming album. Speaking of, I’ve updated the music page with additional info on “Anywhere I Lay My Head”.

Johansson, meanwhile, has an album of Tom Waits covers out in May. With her distinctive husky voice, Johansson relished getting into the studio and isn’t worried whether the album tops the charts.

“How it does is ineffective for me. You can’t reverse the process,” Johansson says. “The people I care about are very excited about it. Who knows? I don’t have any kind of expectation. I love to sing.”

Last but not least, I’ve added a beautiful pic of Scarlett and Natalie. This came along the USA Today article and it was taken at the press conference.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Photoshoots: USA Today

Scarlett Johansson unveiled her debut album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head,” for journalists today (Feb. 12) at New York’s Joe’s Pub. As previously reported, the album includes 10 Tom Waits covers and one original (“Song for Jo”), and will be released May 20 via Atco/Rhino.

“Anywhere” was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, who told the crowd he was going for a “cough medicine/Tinker Bell” vibe, sound-wise. David Bowie, whom Johansson met a party just prior to beginning work on the album, lends his distinctive vocals to the tracks “Falling Down” and “Fannin’ Street,” while Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner and members of the band Celebration contribute throughout.

Johansson said she initially considered making an album of standards, but that the project slowly morphed into a Waits-dominated affair. “His melodies are so beautiful and his voice is so distinct,” she said.

The result, according to Johansson, has met with the notoriously persnickety Waits’ approval. “I sent him some of the early, early recordings, and he said, ‘Go ahead,’” she said. “I’ve heard he’s very pleased.”

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Scarlett has a message for you. Click here to listen to it.

While Barack Obama barnstorms the country trying to drum up votes in advance of Super Tuesday, a wildly diverse cross section of musical supporters, including the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am, OK Go and former members of the Grateful Dead, are lending a hand.

One of the biggest Obama-boosting efforts comes courtesy of Will.I.Am, who recently teamed with director Jesse Dylan (son of Bob Dylan) to release a music video called “Yes We Can.” The Bob Marley-like anthem turns the Illinois senator’s January 8 New Hampshire primary-night address into lyrics performed by Will, as well as almost 40 other actors, celebrities and athletes, including John Legend, Kate Walsh, Aisha Tyler, Amber Valletta, Taryn Manning, Nicole Scherzinger, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Herbie Hancock and Nick Cannon.

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The student groups U-DFL and Students for Obama brought U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., actress Scarlett Johansson and actor actor Kal Penn to the Coffman theater Monday night.

Following caucus training, Ellison spoke with students about civic engagement and encouraging them all to caucus tonight.

“Don’t look for a hero to come in and fix it for you,” he said. “The tuition fight is a great place to start,” Ellison said.

The actors both volunteer for the Barack Obama campaign and spoke on his behalf.

“This is a time when our vote counts,” Johansson said.

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