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Child actress DAKOTA FANNING relished working with legendary director STEVEN SPIELBERG on WAR OF THE WORLDS, because he taught her more than she could have hoped to learn at school.

The 11-year-old, who first grabbed attention starring alongside SEAN PENN in I AM SAM aged only 7, always makes the most of the opportunities which come her way by remembering every scarp on new information she learns.

She tells the New York Daily News, "I always think I might never have this opportunity again so I try to cram a lot of information into my brain. I still have my normal school where I learn about spelling and math and science and all that stuff, but I feel when I go on a movie set, I'm learning about movies. I learned 100 lessons a day from Steven.

"Everything that came out of his mouth, I thought, 'Okay, I have to remember that!'"

And the SAVING PRIVATE RYAN film-maker is equally as impressed with his young charge: "Dakota is unaware of how talented she actually is. During filming, she quickly understands each scene or situation, measures it against how she'd really react, and acts the truth every time."

Claims he’s stretching the truth about what he did to her

LIMA, Peru - The reigning Miss World, Peru’s Maria Julia Mantilla, is considering suing her plastic surgeon, claiming that he’s stretching the truth about the work he did on her.

“He has said that I’m his product, the product of Peruvian plastic surgery, and says he molded my body, that he removed fat, and everything,” the 20-year-old beauty queen told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “He’s talking about things he never did.”

She said Cesar Morillas, one of Peru’s most sought-after plastic surgeons, did give her a nose job and breast augmentation in February 2004. Ten months later, the aspiring high school teacher was crowned Miss World in the southern Chinese beach resort of Sanya.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A lifelong fantasy and sci-fi fan, Jeff Slankard didn't see any of the recent "Star Wars," "Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter" movies in theaters, as he would have done before his children, aged nine and two, were born.

But he doesn't feel deprived -- he's got them all on DVD.

"They're coming out so soon now," he said. "I really enjoy watching movies at home after the baby's gone to bed. It's not exactly the same experience, but with the new home theater systems, it's pretty darn close."

Slankard, a 52-year-old wine buyer from Oceanside, Calif., is hardly alone. While much of Hollywood -- and most everyone else -- continues to zero in on the lucrative 18-34 demographic, studio executives say they're seeing a strong uptick in DVD purchasing by the over-45 crowd.

Candice Bergen, Robert DeNiro’s wife among victims

NEW YORK - A housekeeper who worked for Manhattan’s rich and famous has been charged with swiping pricey property from her clients, including Candice Bergen and Robert De Niro’s wife, authorities said Wednesday.

Prosecutor Anne Schwartz said Turyk-Wawrynowicz, 35, stole from at least three people in the past four years. She was arraigned Tuesday on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, forgery and coercion.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - So would John Leguizamo rather take the bullet to the head and be done with all this zombie fuss, or would he prefer to become one of the walking dead himself?

Depends on where he is when the zombies bite him.

Leguizamo, 40, co-stars in the zombie thriller "George Romero's Land of the Dead," which opens Friday. In director Romero's zombie lore, once bitten by a zombie, people inevitably die and come back as flesh-craving ghouls themselves. The only way to avoid that fate is a bullet to the brain.

If bitten, Leguizamo told The Associated Press, he might view his transformation into a zombie as a way to get payback on show-business people who have crossed him.

"If I was in Hollywood and I got bitten by a zombie, I would want to stay a zombie and then take down as many people as I could," said Leguizamo, who lives in upstate New York. "But if I was back with my family, I would definitely bite the bullet, because it's my loved ones, and I don't want to hurt my loved ones.

"But if I'm out here, let me be. I want to bite as many people as I can. Bite them back, so to speak."

That new-car smell: The persistent but non-vegetative NASCAR Herbie poses with his brand-new 2005 accessories (Justin Long and Lindsay Lohan) in "Herbie: Fully Loaded."

The question that haunted me during "Herbie: Fully Loaded" involved the degree of Herbie's intelligence. Is the car alive? Can it think? Does it have feelings? Can it really fall in love, or is its romance with that cute little yellow VW bug just a cynical ploy to get publicity, since it has a new movie coming out?

To the dim degree that I recall the premise of the earlier Herbie movies, none of which I seem to have reviewed or indeed seen, Herbie was essentially just a car. A car with a personality, a car that feelings and emotions could be projected upon, a car that sometimes seemed to have a mind of its own, but nevertheless a car existing in the world as we know it. In "Herbie: Fully Loaded," Herbie can blink his headlights and roll them from side to side, he can let his front bumper droop when he's depressed, and he can suddenly open his doors to cause trouble for people he doesn't like.

Jayne Middlemiss and Fran Cosgrave were named the winners of ITV1's reality show Celebrity Love Island on Monday.

TV presenter Middlemiss and nightclub owner Cosgrave beat 11 others from the worlds of TV, music, sport and modelling to win £50,000 each.

The five-week show was panned by critics and struggled in the ratings.

Other contestants on the Fijian island included model Abi Titmuss, Atomic Kitten singer Liz McClarnon and ex-footballer Lee Sharpe.

More than 5.6 million people tuned in when the programme launched in May - but that dropped sharply after the first show.

'Shocked'

Viewers gradually voted stars off the island before picking their favourite male and female contestants from the remaining four.

Cosgrave, who also appeared on ITV1's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, said he was "really shocked" to win.

"The whole experience has been amazing," he said.

Middlemiss said it was "unbelievable" that the public had picked her.

Former EastEnders actor Michael Greco, David Beckham's ex- personal assistant Rebecca Loos, model Calum Best, socialite Lady Isabella Hervey and former Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan also took part.

The line-up was completed by TV actress Judi Shekoni, athlete D Duaine Ladejo and Playboy pin-up Nikki Ziering.

Eleanor Mondale, Daughter of Former Vice President, Diagnosed With Cancer

MINNEAPOLIS Jun 21, 2005 — Eleanor Mondale, the daughter of former Vice President Walter Mondale, has been diagnosed with brain cancer, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday.

Mondale spoke to the newspaper just hours before she began her first session of radiation and chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Just a week ago, Mondale married local rock star Chan Poling.

"It's bad but not that bad," she said from her farmhouse in Prior Lake. "I've got a really good chance to beat it."
Mondale, 45, said her vision had bothered her in recent months but didn't believe there was anything seriously wrong until a camping trip May 16, when she suffered two seizures.

Doctors determined she had two tumors, both in her frontal lobe, and on May 31 they were found to be cancerous.

Mondale will undergo nearly seven weeks of oral chemotherapy and radiation, which could either zap the tumors completely or reduce them to a size that makes surgery safer.

Radiohead's album OK Computer has been named the best of the past 20 years by US music magazine Spin.

The British band beat Nirvana's Nevermind and Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back in the publication's 20th birthday issue.

The band's 1997 release was chosen because it "uncannily predicted our global culture of communal distress".

Other British acts to make it into the magazine's special issue were The Smiths and singer PJ Harvey.

British actor CLIVE OWEN is set to play legendary adventurer SIR WALTER RALEIGH in a big-budget sequel to the 1998 box office smash ELIZABETH.

The 40-year-old screen hunk will work alongside CATE BLANCHETT, who will once again grace the throne as QUEEN ELIZABETH I in ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE.

And the movie is expected to be a sensational take on the chemistry between the so-called Virgin Queen's and Raleigh - suggesting the redhead monarch was madly in love with the gallant courtier.

But experts are concerned movie moguls are attempting to re-write history, as there is no proof the pair were ever intimate.

JANE DUNN, who wrote the acclaimed biography ELIZABETH AND MARY, says, "I fear that they will try and sex things up.

"There is no evidence that she slept with any man."

Dir: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman

Plot: Who is Batman? When did his fetish for the kinky bat costume begin? What was his childhood like?

Batman Begins answers these and many more questions you must surely have had about the caped crusader. The film opens with scenes of young Bruce Wayne coming to terms with his inheritance of his father’s multi-billion-dollar empire.

A dramatic set of events turns Wayne’s life upside down after he falls into a pitch-black cave. But our soon-to-be superhero emerges victorious as he faces his winged fears and dedicates his life to justice

Acting: The obvious question raised here is, does Bale manage to carry the weight of the bat suit without stumbling? The answer is a mixed bag; the actor at times looks weary and sullen, but overall does a good job of being Bruce Wayne.

GRAMMY-winning rapper KANYE WEST is shining a light on the ugly side of Sierra Leone's diamond trade in the video for his new single, DIAMONDS FROM SIERRA LEONE.

The track, which is taken from his upcoming album LATE REGISTRATION, was shot in Prague and shows the horrors of the diamond trade that has been at the centre of civil war in the African nation - a sharp contrast to the elegance implied by commercials for DeBEERS diamonds.

West says, "I wanted to do whatever I could to learn more and educate people about the problem.

"We came with the concept for the video and, of course, I couldn't wait for the opportunity to rap on the subject."

Colombian Pop Star Shakira Greets Fans in Mexico City to Promote New Spanish-Language Album
MEXICO CITY Jun 18, 2005 — Colombian pop star Shakira drew thousands of fans to an appearance in Mexico City to promote her new album, "Fijacion Oral Vol 1."

The slender, golden-tressed singer signed autographs and greeted fans Thursday who had waited hours to see her, braving rain and long lines.

"You don't know how much this means to me. I didn't expect to see so many of you here," the 28-year-old performer told the crowd.
Those who didn't get Shakira's autograph were given posters, the government news agency Notimex reported.

Released last week, "Fijacion Oral (Oral Fixation)" is Shakira's first album in Spanish since 1998's "Donde Los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?)."

Since starting as a teen, Shakira has built her career on her sultry voice, rock-tinged anthems and belly gyrations. She has recorded in English since 2001's "Laundry Service," which sold more than 3 million copies in the United States.

Shakira's latest project has two parts: the new Spanish-language album, followed by "Oral Fixation Vol. 2," an all-English album of new songs to be released in November.

Michael Jackson is "eating sandwiches."

The singer's child-molestation trial might be over, but the news from Neverland never stops. And, in a way, neither does the trial.
On Wednesday night, it was Jermaine Jackson reporting to CNN that his recently frail-looking superstar brother was "recovering" from the courtroom ordeal, which ended in his acquittal on all charges, and was "eating sandwiches" of an unspecified variety.

On Thursday, it was the judge in the case clearing the way for the release of loads of previously off-limit documents. The move will unearth so many search warrants, motions and possible videos that Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville warned it might take up to a month to prepare the bounty for press and public consumption.

Trial buffs got a preview of the DVD-esque extras in store with the release of the jury's official request forms. Used during deliberations, one form asks Judge Melville to clarify which child Jackson is accused of attempting to molest in count six of the indictment. (The answer: The same boy he was accused of molesting in all the other counts.) Another form, from last Friday, asks that the accuser's testimony be read back.

On Monday, the documents show, the jury foreman sent a note to the judge at 9:45 a.m., saying "we cannot agree on the lesser [misdemeanor] counts" of whether Jackson plied his accuser with alcohol. Less than an hour later, at 10:35 a.m., the foreman sent word to "please disregard" the previous note. About two hours later, verdicts were announced.

Former TV ROBIN HOOD JASON CONNERY is on the hunt for a killer alligator in the long-awaited sequel to LAKE PLACID, according to Internet reports.

The actor son of SEAN CONNERY will star in LAKE PLACID 2, according to movie spoiler website AINTITCOOL.COM.

The original 1999 film starred BILL PULLMAN, BRIDGET FONDA and OLIVER PLATT.

Jennifer Aniston might break her silence about her breakup with Brad Pitt – but contrary to recent reports, the former Friends star hasn't spilled anything just yet.

Both the New York Post and Drudge Report this week trumpeted claims that Jennifer Aniston, in a new interview with Vanity Fair magazine, says that Brad cheated on her and that she did want to have kids.

But a spokeswoman for Vanity Fair, Beth Kseniak, tells PEOPLE, "That conversation is not true." The sit-down interview with Aniston hasn't even happened yet, she says.

Meanwhile, nobody would have blamed Aniston if she had stayed home under the covers last weekend as millions of moviegoers turned out to watch Pitt frolic with Angelnia Jolie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

LOS ANGELES - A script currently making the rounds in Hollywood could further build interest in a pair of musicians, father and son, whose posthumous reputations have remained durable.

Writer-producer Train Houston has secured the rights to "Dream Brother: The Lives & Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley," Entertainment Weekly music critic David Browne's 2001 book about the titular singer-songwriters, and has penned a screenplay on their eerily entwined lives.

Tim Buckley, whose style ranged from accessible folk-pop to ethereal jazz-rock and lubricious funk, recorded nine studio albums from 1966-74 and penned such oft-covered tunes as "Morning Glory," "Buzzin' Fly" and "Song to the Siren." A heroin overdose in 1975 in Venice Beach, Calif., took his life at age 28.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lane Smith, a longtime character actor who played a small-town district attorney who crossed words with Joe Pesci in "My Cousin Vinny," died Monday. He was 69.

Smith, who also played Richard Nixon in the TV movie "The Final Days" and Daily Planet editor Perry White in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," died at his home in Los Angeles, according to his wife, Debbie Benedict Smith.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Smith appeared in numerous films and television shows. Most recently, he appeared in the 2000 movie "The Legend of Bagger Vance," starring Will Smith and Matt Damon.

Lane Smith also appeared in the original stage production of "Glengarry Glen Ross" and the revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Film credits include "The Distinguished Gentleman," "Son in Law," "The Mighty Ducks" and "The Hi-Lo Country."

Besides his wife, Smith is survived by his son Robbie, 18, and a brother and sister. He also has a 19-year-old stepson.

By John Gaudiosi
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Vin Diesel, who returned to box office glory recently with the family comedy "The Pacifier," is bringing Agent 47 to life.

He has signed on to star in 20th Century Fox's upcoming adaptation of "Hitman," the best-selling video game franchise from Eidos and developer IO Interactive. Diesel also will serve as executive producer.

Burt Reynolds, Ex-Girlfriend Settle Lawsuits They Filed Against Each Other
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Jun 14, 2005 — Burt Reynolds and a former girlfriend have agreed to settle lawsuits they filed against each other in November, according to lawyers for both sides.

Pamela Seals, 49, sued the "Boogie Nights" actor for abuse and broken promises one day after Reynolds sued her, alleging that she was threatening to falsely accuse him of abuse if he didn't pay millions of dollars in extortion.

"Neither side admits the allegations in the other's lawsuit, but both parties are committed to putting this matter behind them and moving on to whatever the future holds," John McGovern, a West Palm Beach lawyer representing Reynolds, said Monday.

Seals claimed in her lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, that Reynolds had agreed to maintain her lifestyle and take care of her mother indefinitely, even if the relationship ended. She also said he promised to give her half of his estate in Jupiter, Fla.

She also accused Reynolds of physical abuse that Seals claimed lasted from 1998 to 2000.

The 69-year-old Reynolds, whose screen credits also include "The Cannonball Run," "Smokey and the Bandit," "Deliverance," and both the original and recent remake of "The Longest Yard," filed his lawsuit in West Palm Beach.

On Monday, Seals' California lawyer, Marvin Gross, said the case was "settled to everyone's satisfaction" and that the agreement takes care of both the Florida and California cases.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Kylie Minogue has thanked her fans for their support since she was diagnosed with breast cancer, saying she'll have more treatment when she returns to Europe.

Minogue had surgery in Melbourne last month to remove a lump from her breast.

"I am getting through this one step at a time, and your messages of love and support have been greatly appreciated," the 37-year-old London-based singer said in a posting Monday on her Web site.

"Rest assured I am being well looked after, though it will be a long road ahead. I will be receiving future treatment on my return to Europe."

Minogue said she was "delighted to learn that some good things have come of all this."

"I've been informed that since my diagnosis thousands of women had become more aware than ever of the risk of breast cancer," she said. "Being 'breast aware' plays a major role in early detection so I was especially pleased to hear that younger women in particular are being more proactive with breast examination and talking to their doctors."

Minogue urged fans not to "believe everything you have read" including "the repainting of my hospital room pink ... imported English bodyguards ... more imagined boyfriends ... diverted ambulances ... an 'entire hospital wing' for 'my entourage' and other equally ridiculous stories."

She said rumors of her medical condition and treatment "are rife and generally incorrect."

THE OC star ADAM BRODY is thrilled to be considered a sex symbol, even though he finds it impossible to believe.

The 25-year-old heart-throb has fast become an object of teenage lust since appearing as SETH COHEN in the hit series, despite the fact his character was considered "far from hot" when the show kicked off in 2004.

He says, "All I can say is both Seth and I have grown a great deal since the show started.

"In the beginning I was far from the hot guy. But I've sort of turned into this cool guy.

"I don't know how it happened but you won't hear me complaining."

TERI HATCHER insists journalists have no excuse to print untruths about her, because she answers all press queries personally.

The sexy brunette is amazed the media still speculates about her supposed spat with her DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES co-star NICOLETTE SHERIDAN, who plays EDIE BRITT, as the two actresses are the best of friends.

She says, "When you send me an email, it's actually me.

"Then every week, I'll get a call from the tabloids asking, 'Is it true you threw a bottle in Nicolette Sheridan's face?'

"The best story was how I'm not invited to her wedding. We both had a good laugh because there is no wedding!

"In fact, we go riding with my daughter every week. That's how much we don't hate each other!"

LONDON, England (AP) -- Katie Holmes says she's converting to the Church of Scientology, embracing the religion of her boyfriend, Tom Cruise.

Holmes, in London to promote her new film, "Batman Begins," said Monday that she's excited about her lessons in Scientology, a religion founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.

The 26-year-old actress and Cruise went public with their romantic relationship in April. The former Catholic and star of television's "Dawson's Creek" grew up with a poster of Cruise on her bedroom wall and has said she grew up wanting to marry him.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Brad Peyton will be directing the romantic comedy "Billy Grimm" for Sony/Columbia Pictures.

The movie centers on the first Grimm Reaper born with a heart. Peyton co-wrote the script with Karen Walton.

Julie Darmody will executive produce, and Julia Dray will serve as a co-producer.

Four members of seminal British rock band Pink Floyd will play together for the first time in 24 years at London's Live 8 charity concert for Africa on July 2, publicists for the event said on Sunday.
Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Richard Wright will be on stage with bassist Roger Waters for their first public performance since they played at London's Earls Court in 1981.

The rock legends will join a star-studded line-up including Coldplay, Elton John and Paul McCartney at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, organized by activist rocker Bob Geldof to pressure rich nations to ease African poverty.

Spielberg directed the new version of HG Wells' classic
The Tokyo premiere of Steven Spielberg's film War of the Worlds has been cancelled due to security fears.

Film distributor UIP decided to shelve the gala screening on 13 June amid concerns about protecting the picture's stars, including Tom Cruise.

There were also worries about pirate copies of the film being made from illegal recordings at the event.

Some 7,000 Japanese fans who won seats at the premiere are likely to be offered alternative prizes.

Safety concerns

The new film, based on the HG Wells classic about a Martian invasion, is to be released worldwide on 29 June.

In a statement released on its website, UIP said: "To our regret, we have decided to cancel the showing because of safety concerns."

It said there were not sufficient measures in place to provide the film's stars with security during their appearance in front of fans.

Another version of the story, directed by Byron Haskin, was brought to the big screen in 1953.

TOKYO (AP) - The planned world premiere in Tokyo of Steven Spielberg's new film ``War of the Worlds'' has been canceled because of concerns about providing security for Tom Cruise and other stars and preventing bootleg recording of the film, its distributor said Saturday.

The film, a new take on H.G. Well's Martian invasion classic, was set to debut at Tokyo's Budokan arena on June 13, more than two weeks before its June 29 global release.

``To our regret, we have decided to cancel the showing because of safety concerns,'' distributor UIP said in a statement posted on its Web site.

It cited a lack of measures to protect film stars during their appearances before fans and to prevent people from illegally recording the film during its showing.

About 7,000 viewers had won seats for the premiere as prizes, according to Japanese newspapers Asahi and Mainichi. UIP said it was considering a substitute gift for those winners.

The White Stripes singer wed model Karen Elson on Wednesday in a canoe in the Amazon River in Brazil.

Chloe Walsh, a publicist for White, 29, confirmed Thursday that the singer-guitarist married Elson, a 25-year-old who has modeled for Prada and Banana Republic. She is also featured in the band's latest video, "Blue Orchid," a surreal clip which features snakes slithering over Elson.

The marriage and details regarding it were first reported by Us Weekly, though the story was not in its latest issue.

The service was conducted by a Shaman priest on a canoe in the Amazon basin. It was followed by a blessing by a Catholic priest at a cathedral in Manaus, Brazil.

Meg White, the drummer for the White Stripes, a blues-rock duo from Detroit, served as maid of honor. Though she and White have claimed to be siblings, court records have suggested they were married for four years before divorcing in 2000.

Singer missed child support hearing
CANTON, Mass. - A family court judge issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for singer Bobby Brown after he failed to appear for a child support hearing.
Brown’s local attorney told the judge that the singer became ill and was taken to a hospital in Atlanta, but was unable to provide proof, said Patrick McDermott, the court’s Register of Probate.

McDermott said the judge might have postponed the hearing if there had been documentation of the illness.

Brown lives in Alpharetta, Ga., with his wife, singer Whitney Houston. He has two children with Kim Ward of Stoughton.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lindsay Lohan wasn't injured after her car was hit by a photographer who allegedly was following the ``Mean Girls'' actress.

Galo Ramirez, 24, was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after running into Lohan's car Tuesday, police said.

Ramirez was released on $35,000 bail, a watch commander at the Los Angeles Police Department's Wilshire station said Wednesday.

``I thank God my daughter was able to walk out of the car,'' Lohan's mother, Dina, said in a statement released by a publicist for the 18-year-old actress.

Lohan's new film, ``Herbie: Fully Loaded,'' will be in theaters June 22.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Teen drama. Starring Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Blake Lively and Bradley Whitford. Directed by Ken Kwapis.(PG. 120 minutes. At Bay Area theaters.)

Remarkably for a movie geared to teenage girls -- a market Hollywood typically panders to with glossy imitations of their lives -- "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" has no glaringly false moments. But there is one that's a bit of a stretch.