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Bond to play baddie in new flick

      Washington: New Bond Daniel Craig will take a break from espionage to play a ruthless adventurer in period movie The Golden Compass. In an ironic twist, the actor will team up with his first Bond girl, Eva Green, in the new fantasy film, based on Philip Pullman's books His Dark Materials, reports Contactmusic. Aussie beauty Nicole Kidman will also star in The Golden Compass.

Porn legend Seka is coming back  (Go To Top)

      New York: Legendary US porn actress Seka, who between 1974 and 1994 appeared in hundreds of XXX-rated movies, is planning a comeback at the age of 52. Seka, whose real name is Dorothiea Hundley Patton has shot her first hard-core footage in 15 years for her web site. "I have a remote-control camera in my bedroom, so when I was in the mood, I just clicked and started taping", the New York Post quoted her, as saying. She exploded onto the scene just as porn was making the switch from 35mm film to video, and consequently became a major star at a time of maximum exposure. Shortly after receiving her big break in 1978 in 'Dracula Sucks' she starred opposite John C. Holmes, the collaboration which propelled Seka to fame while forming the most well-known couple in porn history.

Craig turns ruthless for Golden Compass

      Melbourne: Daniel Craig, the latest incarnation of James Bond, has landed a role in New Line Cinema's 'The Golden Compass', an adaptation of the first book in Philip Pullman's successful trilogy. The British actor will play Lord Asriel, a ruthless and mysterious adventurer who is the uncle of Lyra Belacqua, played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, the young girl who journeys to a parallel universe to save her best friend. Along the way she encounters shape-shifting creatures, witches, and a variety of otherworldly characters in parallel universes. 'The Golden Compass' is written and directed by Chris Weitz and produced by Deborah Forte of Scholastic. Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano of Depth of Field are executive producing. The Golden Compass is scheduled for a December 2007 release, reports Moviehole. Craig's upcoming films include the James Bond film 'Casino Royale' with French actress Eva Green, and the 'Body Snatchers' remake 'The Visiting' with Aussie star Nicole Kidman. Both Green and Kidman have already been cast in 'Compass' which begins shooting September 4th in the UK. 'The Golden Compass' also features an all-star production team that includes Academy Award-winning production designer Dennis Gassner, Academy Award-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers, and Academy Award-nominated visual effects supervisor Mike Fink.

Di was not pregnant when she died

      London: Harrods chief Mohammed Al Fayed's conspiracy theory that the death of the late Princess Diana and his son Dodi was not an accident but a carefully carried out assassination, has received another blow with the boss of a mortuary where Diana's body was examined, categorically stating that she was not pregnant at the time. Al Fayed has always maintained that not only was Diana planning to marry his son, but that she was also carrying Dodi's child at the time of the accident. However, Robert Thompson, who saw Diana's coffin opened at the London mortuary, and witnessed the post-mortem, rubbished the claims of a pregnancy. "Well, she WASN'T pregnant. I saw no evidence of pregnancy exposed during the post-mortem procedure. I saw no evidence of pregnancy within the body. My conclusion must be that she wasn't pregnant," The Sun quoted him, as telling Sky One programme - Who Killed Diana? Thompson also said that Mohammed Al Fayed's claims that Diana's body was embalmed in France to hide the pregnancy are not true, for only the top half of her body - seen by mourners who came to pay their respects - was embalmed. "A full embalming did not take place," he added. Mohammed Al Fayed has maintained that Diana and Dodi's tragic car crash in Paris in 1997 was not an accident but a well planned assassination by those who did not want the mother of the UK's future king marrying a Muslim.

Rushdie, Lakshmi headed for splitsville? (Go To Top)

      London: Salman Rushdie's fourth marriage to actress/model Padma Lakshmi seems to have run into some troubled waters these days with the 'Satanic Verses' author admitting that they have been spending a lot of time apart. In an interview, the 59-year old London-based author admitted he and Lakshmi had been living separate lives, only seen each other three weeks in the past four months, due to her career as an actress, model and television cook taking off. "I do miss her, it is the hardest thing because the person you want to talk to is the person who is not there. But at the same time I am very proud of her, she is a fantastic, unusual brilliant woman, just coming into her own. In the last couple of years, everything has opened out for her," the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying. The couple don't only disagree on the type of book and music they listen to, but also can't seem to agree when they should start a family. "Padma wants children, but she does not want them now because she is absurdly busy. She is a woman for whom work is very important and has great aspirations in all kinds of things," he said. "So she is the one who says she is not ready. I don't mind. Any time for me. I love my children and the idea of having another one is not a problem," he added.

Threat to kidnap Madonna, kids (Go To Top)

      London: British director Guy Ritchie is a worried man these days, for Russian gangsters have threatened to kidnap his superstar wife Madonna, and their two kids. The Russians apparently don't want the Moscow concert of the queen of pop's controversial Confessions world tour to go forward, and are willing to go to extreme lengths to put a spoke in her plans. And, in their attempt to do so, they have sent her management a series of sinister warnings that Madonna and her two kids could be kidnapped. However, despite her hubby and tour manager Chris Lamb being worried sick, the 'Material GirlBut Madge is not one to cower. "Madonna is well aware of the kidnap threats but she is brave and even a little nonchalant when it comes to her own safety. Guy is seriously concerned and has made it clear that security has to be tightened, just to be on the safe side," The Sun quoted a source, as saying. "Madonna doesn't anticipate any problems herself but Guy isn't convinced. Her tour director, Chris, has been on edge after being informed about the threats. He has made changes to security to increase the protection around her on tour," the source added.

Pamela Anderson & Kid Rock wed third time

       Washington: Pamela Anderson has repeated the magical 'I Do' words for the third time, after exchanging vows with hubby Kid Rock at Nashville's notable Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, in the wee hours of Thursday morning. The unsuspecting crowd at Tootsie's was taken by surprise when the singer on stage, Dustin Wilkes, announced the couples' surprise wedding. "We had no idea they were coming until they walked through the door," E!online quoted Tootsie's bartender Stephanie Rose, as telling People magazine. According to Kid Rock's rep, Kirt Webster, the ceremony, which took place on the stage, was performed by Davidson County General Sessions Judge John Brown just after midnight. The bride and groom both wore white, with Anderson dressed in a white juicy dress and her hubby in a tank top. "It was not your usual wedding, but a good time was had by all," Davidson County General Sessions Judge John Brown said. "They did the regular vows, and when it came to the 'I do' part, he responded 'Hell yes!' "Her response was, 'Unfortunately yes!' and she got a laugh out of that", he added. Anderson, and Kid Rock, whose real name is Bob Ritchie, first tied the knot on July 29 near St. Tropez, France, then in Beverly Hills, California, according to Anderson's website. "Got married in Nashville. Tootsie's on stage. In front of the coolest crowd. The fun won't stop," Anderson wrote on her Website. Those close to the couple said that the couple is madly in love with each other and are soaking in every moment of their number of weddings. "They are just totally in love. They are a happy couple. It's an awesome thing to know that two individuals are so much in love that they want to spend all their time together", Kirt Webster, Kid Rock's rep in Nashville, where he owns a condo, said.

Mel Gibson gets three years probation (Go To Top)

      Washington: Hollywood superstar Mel Gibson was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge. The actor/director has been ordered to enrol himself in an alcohol abuse programme for three months and pay fines totalling $1,300. His driving licence has also been suspended for 90 days. Gibson, 50, was taken into custody on July 28 on California's Pacific Coast Highway for driving his 2006 Lexus LS at more than 137 kph, with an open bottle of tequila. His subsequent drunken tirade, laced with anti-Semitic comments, made headlines around the world. He later apologized to the Jewish community and requested a meeting with the religious leaders. 'The Passion of the Christ' director wasn't scheduled to answer to charges until Sept. 28, but on Thursday, August 17th, the star's legal team approached prosecutors with a plea deal. By avoiding a trial, Gibson avoids the potential embarrassment of having tapes of his reputed arrest-night rant about the "f--king Jews" played in open court. The D.A.'s office said the tapes, turned over to prosecutors by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, would only be made public if, and when, they were introduced as trial evidence, reports Eonline! The Academy Award-winning director and actor could also have faced up to six months in jail if he had gone to trial and been convicted.

Moss' poster making Muslims mad

      New York: British supermodel Kate Moss has unknowingly managed to raise the hackles of Muslims living in New York. Moss, who posed topless in different poses for Calvin Klein's new ad campaign, has had one poster in which she's holding onto a shirtless male model put up across the street from the Madina Masjid Mosque in the Big Apple - an offensive sight for conservative Muslims who pass through the place five times a day for daily prayers. Animalnewyork.com, which first noticed how close the poster was to the mosque, commented that it was only a 'matter of time' that someone spray painted a burqa over Moss half naked body. "It's only a matter of time before some action is taken, and we're dying to see what a hastily spray-painted burqa looks like on the young coke-sniffing crusader," the New York Post quoted the website, as stating,

Penelope Cruz does a 'nipplegate' (Go To Top)

     London: Penelope Cruz has become the latest leading lady to become a part of the 'nipplegate' club, which already hosts the likes of Janet Jackson, Tara Reid and Paris Hilton. According to The Sun, the actress gave waiting snappers a real eyeful when her bikini top slipped to reveal her assets while she went for a dip in the ocean. The 32-year old Latina was sharing a cruise on the ocean off Ibiza with her mom Encarna Sanchez when she decided to go for a swim. Waiting photographers then got the perfect view of the 'Vanilla Sky' actress in the few seconds that it took her to settle her top once again.

Anderson to shoot in India (Go To Top)

       Washington: Hollywood will soon be making a trip to India when director Wes Anderson sets up camp in the country to film his comedy 'The Darjeeling Limited'. Actor Jason Schwartzman and pal Owen Wilson will be starring in the movie along with Oscar winner Adrien Brody, reports Zap2it. The three Hollywood stars are set to play brothers who go to India on a spiritual pilgrimage after the death of their father in the movie whose script has been penned by Anderson, Schwartzman and Roman Coppola. The comedy is set to go into production later this year.

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