Hip hop star Kanye West and reality television celebrity Kim Kardashian are getting married in Florence this month - and some locals are not happy about the happy couple taking over some of their most beautiful monuments.

The wedding is planned for May 24 and the ceremony will be held in the Forte Belvedere - a 16th-century fortress built by the Medici family now used for exhibitions.

A spokesman for Florence city hall confirmed the reports and said the money would go to funding city projects.

Renting out the venue will bring in 300,000 euros ($A450,000) into city coffers, according to media reports, but local opposition candidates for mayor in an election later this month are up in arms over the move.

Passions were further inflamed by the renting-out of the Cappellone degli Spagnoli, a chapel with 14th century frescoes in the Santa Maria Novella Basilica complex for a dinner for JP Morgan bank for 20,000 euros.

Right-wing candidate Achille Totaro said these amounted to ‘‘a sell-off of Florence’s monuments’’, while the anti-establishment Five Star Movement’s Miriam Amato called for ‘‘greater respect for our city’s treasures’’.

But Deputy Mayor Dario Nardella, who is also running for election, said: ‘‘We are respecting all the rules.’’

‘‘If hosting events like private business dinners is good for finding resources for our community and for our cultural heritage then I think it is right,’’ he said.

AFP

Diaz dating rocker Benji Madden: reports

Cameron Diaz has sparked rumours she and Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden may be an item.

The pair were spotted spending the day together in Beverly Hills on Saturday and later seen leaving the gym together in Diaz’s car.

New reports in the US now suggest Diaz and Madden have been dating for several weeks after being introduced by Madden’s sister-in-law Nicole Richie.

Diaz has previously dated Jared Leto, Justin Timberlake and baseball star Alex Rodriguez, while Madden has been linked to Carmen Electra, Sophie Monk and British singer Eliza Doolittle.

WENN

It was my idea to strip off: Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman says it was his idea to strip off for the new X-Men movie.

The hulky star - who is playing mutant Wolverine for the seventh time in the latest film - is shown in one scene getting out of bed, naked from behind.

But instead of fretting about going nude, Jackman said he told director Bryan Singer the scene wouldn’t work if he was wearing boxers or briefs.

‘‘It was my idea. Bryan came up to me and said what do you think, boxers or briefs?’’ he told KIIS FM.

‘‘I was like, Wolverine’s in bed with a woman.’’

‘‘He’s not wearing boxers or briefs - (he’s) commando.’’

He also revealed he had to wear a bright green sock on a part of his anatomy that wasn’t a foot so special effects artists could erase any threats to the film’s PG-13 rating.

‘‘It’s really hard to hide that thing,’’ he joked.

Co-star Jennifer Lawrence was similarly relaxed about wearing little more than a coating of blue paint for her role as the shape-shifting Mystique, he added.

‘‘She’s very confident, and why wouldn’t you be?’’ he said.

Praising the Oscar-winning actress for her down-to-earth attitude, Jackman said Lawrence had even won his son over after a trip to a local theme park.

He said Lawrence crashed the excursion after overhearing father and son planning a rollercoaster ride.

‘‘She’s pretty cool that girl,’’ Jackman said his son resolved.

AAP 

One Direction announce 2015 Aus tour

British boy band One Direction have announced they’re heading back to Australia in 2015.

The lads will play shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth as part of their On the Road Again tour.

‘‘Our Australian fans have been there for us since day one, and we always have such a great time there,’’ Liam Payne said.‘‘We’ll see you all in February next year!’’

Ticket for the general public will go on sale on May 31.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN 2015 TOUR DATES:

February 7, Sydney, Allianz Stadium

February 11, Brisbane, Suncorp Stadium

February 14, Melbourne, Etihad Stadium

February 17, Adelaide, AAMI Stadium

February 20, Perth, Patersons Stadium.

AAP

Phoenix’s last film to be released

More than 20 years after his death, River Phoenix’s last film is finally getting a release.

Cinemavault has announced that it has sold the North American distribution rights of Dark Blood to Lionsgate.

The film has been in limbo since Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993.

He was in production on the movie at the time.

Dark Blood was left unfinished and most expected it would never see the light of day.

Director and co-writer George Sluizer, however, pushed to complete it, despite spending years battling an insurance company that made a claim about Phoenix’s drug use.

In 2012, Sluizer edited together an unfinished version that premiered last year at the Berlin Film Festival.

Lionsgate is planning to release the film on video-on-demand.

In Dark Blood, Phoenix plays a young widower who retreats to the desert after his wife dies of radiation following nuclear tests near their home.

AP