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Director SOFIA COPPOLA got the best out of cousin JASON SCHWARTZMAN on the set of new film MARIE ANTOINETTE by recalling childhood memories to get him into character.
The RUSHMORE star admits Coppola’s direction in the film, in which he portrays late French royal KING LOUIS XVI, was unique at times.
He says, "I was insecure with Sofia in the beginning because she could see right through everything I did.
"But, because she’s my cousin, she was like a library and she would reference a story from when we were five and that would help me in a scene.
"It was kind of unfair because nobody else had that with the director."

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WARREN BEATTY attempted to coax pal CARY GRANT out of retirement to play angel MR JORDAN in cult film HEAVEN CAN WAIT.
It wasn’t the only ambitious casting plan director Beatty had for the movie he asked boxer MUHAMMAD ALI to play the lead.
Both Grant and Ali turned the film down, leaving JAMES MASON and Beatty himself to take the roles they were offered.
Beatty recalls, "He (Grant) said he was flattered but that he was too old to go around tripping over film cables.
"I originally wrote the lead for Muhammad Ali, and he thought about it for a long time but then said no. So I decided to do it." Beatty tells GQ magazine that he has always had quirky casting ideas, admitting he only agreed to star in BONNIE & CLYDE after he couldn’t persuade BOB DYLAN to play the lead.

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CLINT EASTWOOD has reprised his iconic DIRTY HARRY character for a new videogame.
The movie mogul will recreate the gritty detective’s most famous lines in a new Dirty Harry game, which will also feature GENE HACKMAN and LAURENCE FISHBURNE.
He says, "It’s good. I get to see myself as a younger person."

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ANNA NICOLE SMITH is refusing to entertain her ex-boyfriend’s plans to prove he’s the father of the actress/model’s new baby girl, telling her lawyers to scrap paternity test plans.
Photojournalist LARRY BIRKHEAD has maintained he’s the father of baby DANNIELYNN since June (06), when he made the busty blonde’s pregnancy public.
And he recently announced plans to undergo a paternity test to prove he’s the proud father and not Smith’s attorney HOWARD K SMITH, who claimed he was Dannielynn’s dad in a recent TV interview with CNN anchorman LARRY KING.
But there’s one thing preventing Birkhead from proving he’s the baby’s biological father - Smith won’t let her six-week-old daughter undergo paternity testing.
Birkhead’s lawsuit seeks a court order for Smith to bring the girl to California for a DNA test.
The photographer’s attorney, DEBRA OPRI, is heading to the Bahamas this weekend (21-22OCT06) to take depositions from Smith and Stern.
She defiantly states, "We’re going to get that paternity test. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but I’m not going away." A hearing on Birkhead’s lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court has been scheduled for next week (26OCT06).

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Movie icon AL PACINO has been announced as next year’s (07) recipient of the 35th American Film Institute’s (AFI) Life Achievement Award.
SIR HOWARD STRINGER, the chairman of the AFI Board of Trustees, made the announcement yesterday (20OCT06), confirming the award will be presented to Pacino at a gala tribute in Los Angeles on 7 June (07).
A thrilled Pacino says, "I am moved and honoured to be considered for such a prestigious award." Past AFI tributes have honoured MERYL STREEP, STAR WARS creator GEORGE LUCAS, SEAN CONNERY and ROBERT DE NIRO.

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ANNA NICOLE SMITH’s estranged sister DONNA HOGAN has blasted the actress/model for turning her son’s funeral into a media circus.
Angry Hogan, who is planning to destroy her sibling in a new tell-all book, admits she’s upset the busty blonde ignored pleas from her mother, VIRGIE ARTHUR, and family members in her native Texas when they asked to be included in Thursday’s (19OCT06) memorial service for tragic 20-year-old DANIEL SMITH.
But she wouldn’t have attended even if her sister begged her to fly to the Bahamas for the emotional send off because she’s opposed to Smith’s actions following her son’s death on 10 September (06).
Hogan rants, "I said my goodbyes to Daniel in a telephone statement I made to (US news show) ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT the day I found out about his death.
"This funeral service was nothing more than another circus media event for my sister." Hogan has also slammed Smith for staging a commitment ceremony with her lover and attorney HOWARD K STERN (28SEP06) before burying her boy’s body - thoughts echoed by the model/actress’ former attorney, MICHAEL SCOTT, who resigned as her legal advisor last week (ends13OCT06).
She adds, "It’s very sad that a mother would rather concentrate on staging a fake marriage to make money and get even more bad attention on her, than to lay to rest her loving son, where his soul could rest in peace." Anna Nicole laid her son Daniel to rest at Lakeview Memorial Gardens and Mausoleums cemetery on Nassau in the Bahamas on Thursday afternoon. Virgie Arthur and other family members staged their own memorial for Daniel in Texas late last month (SEP06).

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Boxer MIKE TYSON has lashed out at his critics in an explosive new TV interview, asking them to stop expecting apologies from him and make suggestions as to what he should do to appease them.
The once-convicted rapist and much-maligned sports star appeared on Thursday night’s (19OCT06) THE BIG IDEA show in America and told host DONNIE DEUTSCH he’s sick of saying sorry for his past actions.
Now keen to turn over a new leaf as a charity champion, the former boxing icon can’t understand why some rabid critics won’t let him get on with his life.
He said, "If I hit somebody, I’m sorry, if I cursed (at) someone, I’m sorry if I did anything, but I’m not gonna spend the rest of my life apologising to everyone.
"Whatever happened happened in the past, so what is it I should do? "You should take a survey for all these people that say… ‘He’s a bum, he’s this.’ What should I do? Should I just kill myself, should I shovel dog manure? What do they think I should really do? "Should I repent? Should I go to a monastery (and) become a monk?" But one thing Tyson insisted he’ll never apologise for is the 1992 hotel room rape crime that landed him behind bars for three years - because he still maintains he’s innocent.
He added, "I didn’t do that. I got railroaded. I’m never going to apologise for something that I never did."

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Country legend TANYA TUCKER has offered to take troubled singer SARA EVANS out on a "girl’s night" as she battles a messy public divorce.
Tucker, who famously dated GLEN CAMPBELL in the 1980s, admits she sympathises with what Evans is going through after suffering a series of personal setbacks in her own life - and she wants to help the singer.
She says, "I know how hard it is; all the public scrutiny is really tough.
"It’s sad that such big news is made from such big heartaches. If she ever needs any girl power, if she ever wants to go out on a girl’s night, I’ll take you out and show you a good time.
"(We will) hang out with some men that will appreciate you." Evans quit reality TV show DANCING WITH THE STARS last week (ends13OCT06) after filing for divorce from alleged cheating husband CRAIG SCHELSKE, who is contesting all claims made against his fidelity."

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LATEST: Rap mogul SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS’ broken home past is the reason he can’t bring himself to propose to longtime girlfriend KIM PORTER.
The rapper-turned-designer insists Porter, who is pregnant with his twin girls, will be the woman he weds but he needs time to make sure marriage is right for him.
He says, "I don’t want to make that pledge in front of God and not be able to see it all the way out. I didn’t grow up around a married family, so it’s taking me a bit longer.
"A lot of guys out there get married, and they still do their thing. I don’t want to get married and fail."

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Country great GEORGE JONES is to undergo surgery on his wrist after falling at his producer’s studio in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday (20OCT06).
The 75-year-old star was hospitalised with a broken wrist and concert dates planned in Tennessee this weekend (21-22OCT06) have been cancelled.
Jones will undergo surgery on Monday (23OCT06).

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Rocker COURTNEY LOVE feared she’d lost the ability to play the guitar during a recent drug rehab stint - because she’d forgotten how to strum chords.
The former HOLE star admits she couldn’t have played the instrument pal LINDA PERRY sent her as she underwent drug counselling last year (05) even if she wanted to - because music was banned in the facility.
Love tells Billboard.com, "My hand-eye co-ordination was so bad, I didn’t even know chords anymore. It was like my fingers were frozen.
"And I wasn’t allowed to make noise, so I’d sit there and try to quietly write and struggle. I never thought I would work again. No one is ever going to talk to me. I’m never going to get a record deal. I’m never going to get on stage again. So, I just kept writing." The results of her frantic rehab writing stint features on her new untitled album, which is produced by former 4 NON BLONDES star Perry, who co-wrote a handful of the tunes.
Perry insists she was blown away by her pal’s recovery and songwriting skills: "Courtney Love’s name should be right next to BOB DYLAN when they say best lyricist of all time."

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LATEST: Country star SARA EVANS’ husband has hit back at his wife’s scandalous divorce claims by officially accusing her of cheating on him in his own dissolution of marriage documents.
Filing his papers yesterday (20OCT06), CRAIG SCHELSKE claims he found out his wife had been unfaithful to him the day before she went public with her divorce plans last week (ends13OCT06).
In her papers, Evans accused her husband of having an affair with the couple’s former nanny ALISON CLINTON - claims both Schelske and Clinton have denied.
And now Schelske has accused the singer of being the unfaithful party in their marriage.
His attorneys reveal Evans filed first after their client "discovered Wife’s intimate relationship with another man, not her husband, and an argument ensued between the parties." In his legal papers, obtained by news website TMZ.com, Schelske also denies having a penchant for porn - another claim made against him by his estranged wife.
But he admits in his divorce documents that on one occasion, both he and his wife were watching "adult entertainment" together when their oldest child entered their bedroom.
Schelske also fires off at claims his wife made in her divorce documents that he has been photographed having sex with other women.
His legal team contests, "There are no authentic photographs of husband unclothed with any sexual partner or alone except as taken by Wife or with Wife on the single occasion in which both parties participated.
"He regrets the incident but would state and show that Husband and Wife were acting as two consenting adults." In her papers, Evans claimed Schelske had photos of himself having sex with other women and had at least 100 nude photos of himself in a state of arousal.

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Lesbian rocker MELISSA ETHERIDGE and her partner TAMMY LYNN MICHAELS are celebrating after becoming parents to twins.
The singer/songwriter announced the happy news on her official website yesterday (20OCT06).
In a short message posted on the site, Etheridge revealed the new arrivals were son MILLER STEVEN and daughter JOHNNIE ROSE. The twins were born on 17 October (06).
The proud new mum says, "The creation of life brings about immeasurable love, and pours hope into the future. The joy will help carry us through our upcoming sleepless nights." Etheridge and Michaels were wed in a same-sex ceremony in 2003. They are refusing to identify the sperm donor who is the biological father of the twins.
The rocker has two children, fathered by rocker DAVID CROSBY, from a previous relationship.

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Country superstar KEITH URBAN has checked himself into an unnamed rehabilitation centre in an effort to beat his drug abuse demons.
In a statement sent out to news groups yesterday (20OCT06), the singer has admitted he voluntarily admitted himself to a treatment facility on Thursday night (19OCT06).
The Australian star, who has been candid about his past drug problems, has thanked his new wife, NICOLE KIDMAN, for her support as he struggles with a relapse.
In the statement, sent out by his publicist, Urban says, "I deeply regret the hurt this has caused Nicole and the ones that love and support me.
"One can never let ones guard down on recovery and I’m afraid that I have.
With the strength and unwavering support I am blessed to have from my wife, family and friends, I am determined and resolved to a positive outcome." In an added statement to fans on his website, the country singer writes, "I feel calm and optimistic about the future and with finally coming to terms with the reality of my condition." As a result of his treatment, all immediate appearances for his forthcoming CD have been postponed.
Urban and Kidman wed in Sydney on 25 June (06).

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