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Clooney's company denies plagiarism  (Go To Top)

      Washington: Warner Bros studios and George Clooney's production company Section Eight have denied claims that the script of the Oscar winning movie 'Syriana' plagiarised work by screenwriter Stephanie Vergniault. Vergniault had previously launched a lawsuit against the producers in a Paris, France court on 29 May, claiming that the thriller, written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, was based on her script 'Oversight', which she wrote between 1997 and 2002. Warner Bros and Section Eight lawyer Patrick Dunaud said that claims were unjustified as the two works bore no resemblance to each other. "The two works bear strictly no resemblance with each other," Contactmusic quoted him, as saying. Vergniault is seeking 2 million euros and 35 per cent of box office receipts. Writer/director Gaghan maintains that he wrote the movie's script after being inspired by former CIA agent Robert Baer's memoirs. However, Vergniault's lawyer Jasna Stark argued in court that the script demanded direct field experience that Gaghan didn't have. "Writing Syriana demanded direct field experience. It's necessary to be a specialist of the matter to conceive a plot like that. Gaghan has no experience whatsoever of distribution and commercialisation of oil, and of the geopolitical context," the lawyer said. The case outcome will be decided on 19 June 2006.

Kate is Depp's on-screen lover (Go To Top)

         Washington: Johnny Depp will be romancing supermodel Kate Moss once again. This time, however, it will be in his reel life and not real life. Depp has agreed to work alongside his former lover in an upcoming biopic on late INXS singer Michael Hutchence, who was found dead in a Sydney, Australia, hotel room in 1997. In the movie, Depp will be playing the role of Hutchence, while Moss will be portraying the character of the rocker's girlfriend Paula Yates. A source revealed that the decision to cast Moss had been made after Depp had told movie bosses that he would have no problem working alongside him former love. "Johnny was asked if it would be a deal breaker for him if Kate was cast. He said, 'Not as far as I'm concerned.' He figures there's been enough water under that bridge," Contactmusic quoted the insider, as telling British newspaper the Daily Express. The source added that director Nick Egan was hoping that some of the pair's off-screen chemistry will translate on-screen. "Obviously he's (director Nick Egan) hoping there's still enough chemistry between them that will translate to the screen. It has been claimed she never got over him and in the film they'll have to appear deeply in love," the source added.

Lohan swapped her Oscar look in loo (Go To Top)

      Washington: Teen queen Lindsay Lohan reportedly called on famous pals like Winona Ryder to help her change in the toilets at the Oscars in March (06) after promising a friend she'd wear a Calvin Klein gown. The costume change was one of three Lohan performed at the Academy Awards, before changing a fourth time for an after-show party. She dashed to the bathroom at the Kodak Theatre as soon as she arrived at the venue after hitting the red carpet in a Versace gown. "I ran to the bathroom to change because I promised my friend who works at Calvin Klein that I'd wear something from their line. They (friends) were all in there helping me change, including Winona Ryder. I was so embarrassed because I didn't want to come off like a complete floozy," she said. Lohan admits she had an embarrassing fashion encounter with Madonna on the red carpet, when both realised they were wearing Versace. "She goes to (husband) Guy Ritchie, 'Who's wearing better Versace?' And he didn't say anything. Mine was this elegant, long gown. Hers was elegant as well. It was beautiful, pink," she added.

Scary nightmares keep Berry awake (Go To Top)

      Washington: Oscar winner Halle Berry keeps tossing in her sleep these days. But, it has nothing to do with the X-Men star's new toyboy lover, but the stunning beauty is having sleepless nights due to a scary recurring nightmare, in which she loses all her teeth. In the weird dream, the actress' teeth fly out of her mouth and are left "chattering in front of her". "I can't catch them... Everybody says that it means that I'm not heard in life," Contactmusic quoted the actress, who is turning 40 this month, as saying. And that's not the only thing that keeps Berry awake at night "I also have this dream where I can't get out of high school; I'm 35 and I'm in high school," she said.

Movie on Beslan School massacre (Go To Top)

       Washington: Hollywood is planning to make a biopic on the life of the only surviving terrorist in the 2004 Beslan school massacre. Chechen terrorist Nurpashi Kulayev, 25 was sentenced to life in prison by a Russian court last week. He was found guilty on all charges, including terrorism, hostage-taking and murder. At least 32 terrorists stormed school No. 1 in Beslan on Sept. 1, the first day of the school year, taking about 1,200 hostages. The three-day siege resulted in the deaths of at least 331 people, 186 of them schoolchildren. Award-winning screenwriter Richard Lasser, a former Russian interpreter in the Soviet Union, will write the film, tentatively titled 'Beslan'. "The film will focus on the families' lives leading up to the tragic siege, and the trial of Kulayev - a 25-year-old who was driven to murder," Contactmusic quoted producer Matthew Hobbs as saying.

Johansson voted best dressed woman (Go To Top)

     London: Sexy screen siren Scarlett Johansson has topped a poll of the summer's best dressed women. The 'Lost In Translation' star, 21, edged past label-conscious Victoria Beckham, 32, second in a poll conducted by Yahoo!, participated by 1,000 people. Liz Hurley, 40, was placed third, Kelly Brook, 26, fourth and OC star Mischa Barton, 20, fifth. Shopaholic Coleen McLoughlin, 20, limped in eighth.

     The Best dressed women: 1) Scarlett Johansson 2) Victoria Beckham 3) Liz Hurley 4) Kelly Brook 5) Mischa Barton.

Britney to help books to save marriage (Go To Top)

     London: Pop star Britney Spears has reportedly turned to self help books to understand and improve her troubled relationship with hubby Kevin Federline. Britney, who recently kicked Federline out of their Malibu home, has been spotted looking at several books - that act as guides for couples to analyse what went wrong in their relationship, so that they can take some wise steps to amend it - in a New York bookstore. "She is analysing everything to see where things went wrong," The Sun quoted her, as saying. The Toxic singer, who is pregnant with her second child with the aspiring rapper, left with Getting The Love You Want, by Harville Hendrix. The couple have an eight-month-old son Sean Preston. A pal said: "She is analysing everything to see where things went wrong."

Posh as mother hen to soccer dames (Go To Top)

       London: It seems Victoria Beckham is certainly a mother hen, for the First Lady of the English soccer team loves sharing her trade secrets on how to be a footballer's wife with other soccer dames. Posh reportedly took Theo Walcott's girlfriend Melanie Slade to one side at the pre-World Cup training camp in Portugal, and spent 15 minutes teaching her the four golden rules on handling soccer dame fame. She taught the 17-year old how to dress and have fun, how to cope in the limelight and stop the glamour going to her head. Mel - who thrust into the spotlight since Theo was picked for the England squad - later admitted to pals that the 32-year old wife of Captain David Beckham was simply "fabulous". "Mel was on top of the world. She said Posh was amazingly kind. Posh gave her loads of advice - she really looked after Mel," The Sun quoted a pal, as saying. However, it's not the first time that Posh has played mother hen. Last year, she rescued Ashley Cole's fiancie Cheryl Tweedy when she committed the footy wife sin of looking scruffy at a match.

Carey insures her legs for $1billion (Go To Top)

       London: Being signed on to front Gillette's 'Legs of a Goddess' campaign has prompted songbird Mariah Carey to insure her legs for a billion dollars. A source close to the 'Emancipation of Mimi' singer said that the sum, which was a reflection of her popularity, was to insure the best possible treatment if she hurts her self while on tour of the US. "The sum reflects her popularity. She's about to start a US tour and she'll have to be careful," the Mirror quoted the source, as saying.