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Actress HELEN HUNT’s directorial debut THEN SHE FOUND ME has been selected to open the American Film Institute festival in Dallas, Texas later this month (Mar07).
Irish actor Stuart Townsend’s first filmmaking venture, Battle In Seattle, will close the 10-day celebration in April (08), and his longtime girlfriend Charlize Theron, who stars in his film, will be among those honoured in Dallas.
Mickey Rooney and Hunt will also receive awards.
Beloved actor Jack Lemmon will also be celebrated at AFI Dallas with a posthumous tribute.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

LATEST: Former BEVERLY HILLS 90210 star GABRIELLE CARTERIS is set to shock TV viewers in America by airing home video footage of her battling paralysis.
The 47-year-old actress was left partly paralysed after a choking scene in 2006 movie Past Tense went too far, and left her with no feeling in parts of her body and her face disfigured.
Carteris only recently went public with her health battle, telling America’s People magazine she couldn’t move her face, and was terrified to go out in public.
But now, not only is she telling her frightening story, she’s showing footage of the worst of her battle.
The shocking home video, which will air as part of U.S. news show Entertainment Tonight on Friday (07Mar08) shows Carteris suffering painful spasms as she sits in her bed and desperately tries to speak.
Medication has helped the actress, who claims she was left with permanent facial nerve damage following the painful film shoot, control her spasms and she’s thankful she has her life back.
She adds, "At one point, I thought that it would be for life."

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Actor DOMINIC MONAGHAN is staging an exhibition of his photographs in Los Angeles next week (begs10Mar08).
Among Monaghan’s favourite photos will be shots of his Lost co-stars Matthew Fox, Josh Holloway and Jorge Garcia and his The Lord Of The Rings co-stars Elijah Wood and Sir Ian McKellen.
The Happy Accidents exhibition will be held at Hamilton-Selway Fine Art in West Hollywood from 14 March until 27 April (08).
Monaghan says, "Happy Accidents refers to those moments where you don’t expect what is going to happen, but it ends up being something good."

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EMMA THOMPSON threatened to quit her upcoming movie BRIDESHEAD REVISITED after learning the film’s producers had ordered her co-star HAYLEY ATWELL to lose weight.
The Oscar winner was so outraged when she found out Atwell was under instructions to lose a few pounds before shooting began on the movie, she demanded producers accept her size - or she’d resign.
Atwell says, "I went round to Emma’s one night and she was getting very angry that I wasn’t eating all the food she was giving me. I told her why and she hit the roof."

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EDDIE VAN HALEN’s ex-wife VALERIE BERTINELLI has reassured VAN HALEN fans the guitarist "sounds terrific" despite his current medical concerns.
Actress Bertinelli contacted her former husband immediately after rumours the one-time alcoholic had returned to rehab began to circulate earlier this week (beg03Mar08).
And now she’s stepped forward to let fans know the 53-year-old virtuoso is in much better shape than she thought he’d be in, although she sheds no light on the exact nature of Van Halen’s medical issue.
Bertinelli tells Canadian newspaper the Edmonton Sun, "I just talked to him a couple of days ago. I understand the curiosity - I was curious until I talked to him. He sounds terrific.
"He’s just being very pro-active. It’s not as awful as people think it is.
I’m so proud of him right now. He sounded terrific." The actress is hopeful the stalled Van Halen reunion tour - with her and Eddie’s son Wolfgang on bass - will "start back up again on the 11th (March, in Charlottesville, Virginia)." Van Halen rescheduled two concerts in Virginia and Georgia at the end of last month (Feb08) and another this week (beg03Mar08), prompting internet reports claiming all tour dates had been pulled indefinitely.
On Thursday (06Mar08), representatives for the rockers insisted the tour was still on, despite announcing Van Halen "is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures."

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SPICE GIRLS star MELANIE CHISHOLM has laughed off ongoing reports the members of the pop supergroup have all fallen out, insisting the quintet are closer than ever.
Sporty Spice claims the group tried to complete their recent reunion tour as planned, but motherhood and other commitments got in the way and led to the reformed Wannabe stars ending the trek prematurely.
But she insists it had nothing to do with a rumoured band feud.
In a new RollingStone.com interview, Mel C says, "All of us have really enjoyed getting closer again.
"The whole atmosphere on the tour (was) very fun and there hasn’t been time for any bickering or the fighting that’s always reported about the Spice Girls.
"It’s just like a big family. There’s been more laughing than anything else." And, thanks to the reunion, which began last year (07) and continued into 2008, Mel C insists the Spice Girls will always have a special bond: "We’ve been through something so unique together that even if we don’t see each other for a few months, we get together and it’s been like no time has passed at all." And, though she rules out any future recording plans with her old bandmates, the British singer can’t help thinking that there could be more Spice Girls live dates.
She adds, "If you had asked me maybe six months ago, if the Spice Girls would ever tour again, I probably would’ve said no.
"So I think it’s quite dangerous to say defiantly yes or no. You never know what the future holds."

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LATEST: Singer ASHLEE SIMPSON has hit out at reports she was drunk during a radio interview on Tuesday (04Mar08), blaming her slurred speech on "bad energy".
Two days after Simpson’s representative claimed the star was "simply just tired" during an appearance on Washington, D.C.’s Hot 99.5 Kane In The Morning show, Simpson, herself, has now defended her conduct in a post on her MySpace.com webpage She writes: "It was very upsetting to hear that people are saying that I was intoxicated when I came in for my morning interview. I take my work very seriously and would never disrespect anyone and come into an interview that way…
"When I walked into the radio station I was thrown into the interview. They didn’t even introduce themselves to me before starting it - and just put me on the air. I felt bad energy and like I was about to be attacked as soon as I sat down…
"Throughout my career, I have learned that you must speak up for yourself when people try to put you down. That is why I am writing this today. I’m tired of people making things up about others."

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Veteran hellraiser JACK NICHOLSON was once kicked out of a ROLLING STONES concert after he spearheaded a stage invasion.
The Shining star was ejected from the performance over fears he was trying to draw more attention to himself than the legendary musicians.
But Nicholson doesn’t hold a grudge against the band, and now insists his stage invasion was "terrible behaviour".
He says, "I used to go to poor old Mick Jagger’s concerts and try to be louder than the Stones.
"I got up on stage once and actually got thrown out. That was terrible behaviour."

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KEVIN FEDERLINE’s ex-girlfriend SHAR JACKSON has dubbed the star’s recent weight gain "daddy weight" - putting it down to him gaining full custody of his kids with ex-wife BRITNEY SPEARS.
Federline was granted full physical custody of two-year-old Sean Preston and one-year-old Jayden James last year (07) after Spears failed to adhere to court-ordered medical tests.
The troubled singer was also stripped of her visitation rights to the boys in January (08) but the former couple has since agreed a new deal to let Spears have limited access to her children.
Federline has embraced his role as a full time father but has been spotted looking noticeably fuller-figured recently.
And Jackson blames his weight gain on spending more time at home with his sons.
She tells Us magazine, "It’s daddy weight! When you are a full time parent, sometimes you can’t focus on you. If gaining a few pounds is your only problem, life’s not too bad!" Federline’s representative has also confirmed the 29-year-old is not bothered about piling on the pounds, saying, "He’s a stay-at-home dad, and people tend to gain weight when they are home with the kids. He’s very happy with the way he looks."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

MY NAME IS EARL stars JASON LEE and JAIME PRESSLY escaped serious injury after two freak near-accidents occurred on the set of the hit U.S. TV show.
Lee had to leap from a hospital gurney after it was accidentally launched at high speed at a 18-wheeler truck.
On the same day last month (26Feb08), Pressly was almost hit by an out of control SUV that had intruded onto the set - a street that had been blocked off for filming.
A source says, "Jason and Jaime were left scratching their heads trying to figure out if they’d done something terrible during the writer’s strike.
"The incident left the cast and crew pretty shaken."

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ANNE HECHE is set to shock fans by flashing her flesh in new movie comedy SPREAD - and she’s currently negotiating just how much she’ll bare.
The former Ally McBeal star admits "there’s a lot of" nudity in the film, in which she stars alongside Ashton Kutcher and Laura Linney.
She says, "They (producers) asked me, ‘Just how much will you do?’ "They’ll pay me a lot of money to do it - I told them they would have to…
It goes by inches: ‘How much will you pay for a knee?’"

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Latina superstar SHAKIRA is finally comfortable with her body, after years of anxiety over the size of her breasts.
The 31-year-old singer confesses she used to hate her small boobs and she once joked they could be "confused with mountains" in her breakthrough single Whenever, Wherever.
Colombian Shakira says, "I used to worry about my breast size, but I’ve finally accepted myself for who I am. Besides, a big butt is more important in Latin culture."

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R&B hunk USHER has scored U.S. pop chart history by claiming the third-largest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in history.
The Yeah! hitmaker has stormed to the top from number 51 with his new hit Love In This Club, which features Young Jeezy.
The track ends Flo Rida’s 10-week reign at the top - the rapper’s Low drops to two on the new countdown.
But Flo Rida’s anthem also breaks records this week - it becomes the only track to claim 13 straight weeks at number one on the RingMasters chart.
Meanwhile, Chris Brown, Rihanna and Sara Bareilles all drop a spot on the new chart to claim the third, fourth and fifth spots, respectively, on the new chart.
The Oscars’ Best Song is the countdown’s highest entry - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova’s Falling Slowly, from the film Once, debuts at 61.

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Broadway bosses want PARIS HILTON and NICOLE RICHIE to star together in musical CHICAGO.
Richie is already being touted for a stint on the New York stage, and has reportedly been offered a role in the Bob Fosse-created show.
Now producers want to add her Simple Life co-star and best pal Paris to the line-up.
A source tells OK! magazine, "The producers think they will sell double the amount of tickets."

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Rap superstar SNOOP DOGG is set to step into the wrestling ring with two scantily clad female fighters at this year’s WWE WrestleMania spectacular.
Snoop has been signed up as a ring announcer for a BunnyMania match between two Playboy bunnies at the event in Orlando, Florida this month (08).
Musician John Legend is also on the bill, booked to sing America the Beautiful, to kick off the bash.
Wrestling action includes a match up between champion boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr and giant grappler Big Show.

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CHRISTINA RICCI is ready and prepared to go under the knife to improve her looks, if the ageing process kicks in too early.
The 28-year-old insists she is happy with her body thus far, but has no problem with cosmetic surgery - and loves the idea of being given strong medication to deal with the pain.
Ricci explains, "(I’d have surgery) if I aged in a really unfortunate manner.
Or something happened, like the skin on my knee dropped.
"I don’t mind having dental work or any surgery, because I like the pills they give you."

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A Los Angeles court commissioner has ruled that BRITNEY SPEARS’ dad can draw $2,500 (£1,250)-a-week from his daughter’s accounts - as conservator of her affairs.
According to TMZ.com, Jamie Spears was also given permission to lease a car in a court ruling on Wednesday (05Mar08), during which the pop star’s father was told he’d be allowed to stay in control of his daughter’s legal and financial affairs until 31 July (08).
Jamie was appointed conservator of his daughter’s affairs at the beginning of February (08). His shared responsibility - with court-appointed observer Andrew Wallet - was supposed to end on Monday (10Mar08).
Instead, the extension will be made official on that date - hours after Spears and her ex-husband Kevin Federline’s child custody and visitation case returns to Los Angeles Superior Court.

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LATEST: PARIS HILTON’s brother BARRON has been charged with driving under the influence following his arrest in California last month (Feb08).
The 18-year-old was stopped by police on the Pacific Coast Highway on 12 February (08), when he was reportedly found to have almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system. Hilton was held by cops and then released on bail.
On Thursday (06Mar08), the Los Angeles District Attorney charged Hilton with DUI, misdemeanour driving with .08 or above blood alcohol level, unlawful use of a licence and unlicenced driving, reports website TMZ.com.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)