Anna Karenina premiere axed due to Hurricane Sandy

The New York premiere of Anna Karenina is the latest showbiz event to be called off as the East Coast braces itself for the impact of Hurricane Sandy.

Keira Knightley and director Joe Wright were both due to walk the red carpet in Manhattan on Tuesday (30Oct12), but studio bosses at Focus Features have pulled the plug.

Residents in states including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were on Sunday (28Oct12) urged to take cover ahead of the storm, which is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains to coastal regions.

Outdoor shooting permits have been suspended in the Big Apple, resulting in TV shows including Blue Bloods, Elementary, The Good Wife and The Carrie Diaries being put on hold.

On Sunday, R+B star John Legend and Grimes scrapped gigs in Brooklyn, Rita Ora and Iggy Azalea's joint concert at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was cancelled and Shawn Colvin's performance at New York's City Winery was called off.

British rockers The xx have also postponed a string of shows until 2013, and all Broadway shows have been suspended until Tuesday.